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No-Bake Banana Cream Pie with a luscious layer of dulce de leche on the bottom will be the new dessert recipe nobody can resist. It’s a delicious upgrade on the classic with sliced bananas, homemade vanilla pudding, and fresh whipped cream. However, it is not only easy since there is no oven required, but it’s also gluten free with a chocolate crust made from Cocoa PEBBLES™. This Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie is sure to be one of your favorite no-bake dessert recipes for any occasion!
Disclaimer: This recipe was developed through a sponsored partnership with Post PEBBLES™ Cereal. As always, all opinions are my own. THE FLINTSTONES and all related characters and elements © & ™ Hanna-Barbera.
My kids and I love to watch those crazy baking competition shows together. They prefer the ones that are all about creating massive displays out of cakes and fondant and gingerbread and even pumpkins. While I love seeing an epic cake, delicately piped cookie, or perfectly plated dessert, I much prefer the competitions where the flavor is the most important thing. I guess it’s the food blogger in me looking for new ideas and ingredients to pair together.
So when one of the contestants presented a Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie, I knew that I needed this in my life. Because what’s better than naturally sweet bananas, creamy homemade vanilla pudding, and fluffy whipped cream?
Sinking those banana sliced into a layer of thick, rich caramel. Yes, I went there.
While there are a few different parts of this dessert to make, none of them is especially difficult. But each layer adds a different element of flavors and textures that come together into one incredible dessert that is sure to WOW your friends and family. It got rave reviews from everyone who tried it while I was testing the recipe.
Plus, unlike a classic banana cream pie, there is no pastry pie crust to fiddle around with and bake. So you don’t even have to turn on your oven. And this crust, my friends, is chocolate!
Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie with Cocoa PEBBLES™ Crust
Homemade banana cream pie is traditionally made with a pastry crust. Never having been much of a flaky pie crust person, I never really missed it when I went gluten free, typically choosing to just pour my pumpkin pie filling into ramekins to make my own crustless mini pie.
Some people opt for a graham cracker crust or vanilla wafer cookie crust. Yes, I have made gluten free copycat versions of both of those for my S’Mores Chocolate Pudding Pie and No-Bake Peach Cheesecake Bars.
But something about the combination of bananas and caramel just called for a chocolate crust. Since the basic chocolate sandwich cookie crust wouldn’t work for this gluten free mama, and I really just wanted to keep it simple, I went with something I could find in any grocery store.
Cocoa PEBBLES™ Cereal!
Yes, all four flavors of the PEBBLES™ Cereal you’ve always known and loved happens to be gluten free. While it is great to pour in a bowl or snack on, the different ways to use it are limited only by your culinary creativity. Visit postpebblescereal.com for more information, including recipe and craft ideas.
And when you combine Cocoa PEBBLES™ with a pinch of salt and some melted butter, it forms a crunchy, chocolaty crust that you can use in many of your favorite pie recipes.
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What is in Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie?
Let’s talk about those layers:
COCOA PEBBLES™ CRUST
As I mentioned, the cereal makes a crunchy, chocolaty crust that is a great gluten free alternative to other chocolate crumb crusts. All you need is:
- Cocoa PEBBLES™ cereal – crushed to fine crumbs, which is done most easily with a food processor. If you leave larger pieces, it will still taste delicious, but the crust won’t hold together as well.
- Salt
- Melted butter – use unsalted butter, or if you use salted, eliminate adding the salt. You just won’t be able to control the salt level yourself
DULCE DE LECHE
Dulce de leche adds a rich caramel flavor and actually helps to keep the crust together and hold the bananas in place. It is such a simple addition, but it truly is what makes this banana cream pie extra special.
- Canned dulce de leche – or a can of sweetened condensed milk so you can make your own dulce de leche
BANANAS
You’ll want your banana to be nice and ripe, so they add their natural sweetness and are nice and soft. But don’t let them get too ripe or you might see some brown spots in your pie.
VANILLA CREAM PIE FILLING
Basically, this is a homemade vanilla pudding or custard, but slightly thicker than the kind you would pour into a bowl so that it will hold its shape when sliced. The cream pie filling is quick to make, but you’ll want to follow the steps carefully
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Milk – whole milk is preferred. You can use 2%, but it will give a softer set pudding
- Egg yolks – save your whites for another recipe, though you could top your pie with meringue if you prefer that to whipped cream
- Butter – again, unsalted is preferred
- Vanilla extract
WHIPPED CREAM
Freshly whipped cream is the perfect creamy topping to cap off the cream pie. While you could certainly use a carton of whipped topping, by freshly whipping your cream, you can control how much sugar you add. And by making only lightly sweetened whipped cream, it balances out the sweetness of the rest of the pie. All you need is a chilled bowl, a whisk or hand mixer with beaters or a whisk attachment, and three ingredients:
- Heavy cream – make sure it is well-chilled
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
How to Make No-Bake Banana Cream Pie
You’ll find all the details in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here is a brief overview just to show you how simple it is. Yes, there are a few different layers to prepare and assemble, but none are very difficult. And done in the right order, this pie comes together quickly, other than the time it needs to chill in the fridge. That being said, you can do everything the day before, then just top it with the whipped cream the day you are going to serve it.
How to make the Cocoa PEBBLES™ Crust:
- Finely crush the Cocoa PEBBLES™ cereal. This is best done with a food processor to get fine crumbs that will hold together better. But you can put the cereal in a plastic storage bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Pour the crushed cereal in a 9-inch pie pan and add the salt and butter. Toss together with a fork.
- Press firmly in the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, using a glass or custard cup.
- Freeze for at least 15 minutes.
How to make the vanilla cream pie filling:
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk in the milk.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking gently the entire time. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon and you can run your finger across and the liquid does not fill in where you wiped your finger.
- Remove from the heat and whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the pot.
- Return to the stove until it just begins to bubble, then remove from the heat immediately.
- Stir in butter and vanilla.
How to make whipped cream:
- If you have time, place your bowl and beaters in the freezer.
- Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl and whisk vigorously or beat at high speed to form soft peaks. Do NOT overbeat.
Assembling the Banana Cream Pie:
- Prepare the crust.
- Slice the bananas into about 1/4-inch thick slices and measure out the dulce de leche.
- Prepare the cream pie filling. Set aside to keep warm.
- As soon as the pudding is done, remove the pie crust from the freezer, spread the dulce de leche in the bottom of the pie crust and top with banana slices. I like to make a single layer and place them as close together as possible, using any leftover slices to make small pieces to fill in the gaps. But you can also reserve some for decorating the top.
- Pour the warm filling over the bananas and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or until chilled. Once chilled, you can cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard.
- Before serving, whip the cream and spread over the top of the pie. Decorate with more Cocoa PEBBLES™ or banana slices, if desired.
Here are a few things you might want to know about this recipe…
How do you keep bananas from turning brown in a pie?
To keep bananas from turning brown, you can brush them with a citrus juice, such as lemon juice or lime juice. Pineapple juice is also a great option since it doesn’t add the sour flavor of other citrus juices.
But in a banana cream pie, the addition of these flavors might not be appealing. You’ll likely want to brush them with juice if you are going to use any slices to decorate the top of your pie. But if you are simply putting them in the bottom layer, the cream pie filling will seal the bananas from the air that turns them brown and they will not get discolored as long as the pie is eaten within a few days.
If you are going to save the rest of a pie that you have already sliced, place plastic wrap directly against the cut side to minimize contact with oxygen and browning. That being said, even if the bananas turn a little brown, it will not affect the flavor of the pie.
Should banana cream pie be refrigerated?
Yes, the banana cream pie must be kept in the refrigerator. Because of the heavy cream, milk, and eggs, it can form bacteria if left at room temperature for too long. So be sure to store it in the refrigerator and return it to the fridge right after serving.
You’ll have to discard it if it is kept out for 2 hours or more.
How long does banana cream pie last?
If covered and properly refrigerated, the no-bake banana cream pie can be kept for 3 to 4 days. If you are going to make it in advance, it is easier to cover and store if you wait to make the whipped cream and top it before serving.
Popular gluten free dessert recipes
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Gluten free banana recipes
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No-Bake Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie with Cocoa PEBBLES™ Crust
Ingredients
For the Cocoa PEBBLES Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups Cocoa PEBBLES™ cereal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the vanilla cream pie filling:
- 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk (you can use 2%, but it will result in a softer set)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For assembling the pie:
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche, from a can or make your own with sweetened condensed milk
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- Additional Cocoa PEBBLES™ or banana slices for garnish, if desired
Instructions
For the Cocoa PEBBLES Crust:
- Finely crush the Cocoa PEBBLES™ cereal (see Note 1).
- Pour the crushed cereal in a 9-inch pie pan and add the salt and melted butter. Toss together with a fork until the cereal crumbs are fully moistened with the melted butter.
- Press the crust mixture firmly in the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan using a glass or custard cup to pack it tightly.
- Freeze for at least 15 minutes.
For the vanilla cream pie filling:
- While the crust is in the freezer, separate your eggs and place the egg yolks in a small bowl. Save the egg whites for another use. Set egg yolks aside.
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.
- Whisk in the milk.
- Place pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking gently the entire time.
- Boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon and you can run your finger across and the liquid does not fill in where you wiped your finger.
- Remove the pot from the heat. While whisking the yolks, pour about a cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks.
- Then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the pot while whisking constantly.
- Return mixture to the stove and heat until it just begins to bubble, then remove from the heat immediately.
- Stir in butter until it is melted, then stir in vanilla. Set aside but move immediately to assembling the pie so that it stays warm.
For assembling the pie:
- As soon as the pudding is done, remove the pie crust from the freezer and spread the dulce de leche in the bottom of the pie crust.
- Press the banana slices into the dulce de leche in a single layer, placing them as close together as possible, using any leftover slices to make small pieces to fill in the gaps. You can also reserve some banana slices for decorating the top.
- Pour the warm cream pie filling over the bananas and smooth the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or until chilled. Once chilled, you can cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard. Keep refrigerated until ready to top with the whipped cream.
For the whipped cream:
- If you have time, place your bowl and beaters in the freezer.
- Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl and whisk vigorously or beat at high speed to form soft peaks. Do NOT overbeat.
- Spread whipped cream over the top of the pie. Decorate with more Cocoa PEBBLES™ or banana slices, if desired.
- Store pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- Finely crush the Cocoa PEBBLES™ cereal. This is best done with a food processor to get fine crumbs that will hold together better. But you can put the cereal in a plastic storage bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Did you make this?
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Enjoy!
