This recipe is a combination of this cheesecake I made a while back + an insatiable craving I’ve been having lately for some banana cream pie.
It is not at all what I remember my mother’s banana cream pie to taste like (I’m pretty sure she included shredded coconut and jello pudding in her version), but it certainly hit the spot. With cashew cream, walnuts, bananas and almonds… it has all the fixins for a proper pie.
Did I mention it practically makes itself?
Okay, it definitely gets a little help from a food processor. Still, it is very easy to make if you have one of those aforementioned fancy gadgets, and a little extra time to spare.
Banana Cream Pie ~ Vegan & Gluten Free
Ingredients:
Banana Cream Filling
- 3 cups whole raw cashews, soaked
- 3/4 cup agave or maple syrup (or, if you have neither, organic confectioner’s sugar will work in a pinch)
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 tsp freshly scraped vanilla bean pod
- 1 ripe banana, sliced
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- dash or two of salt
Crust
- 1 cup walnuts
- 4 or 5 pitted Medjool Dates, the softer the better
- 1/2 cup almond meal
Topping
- 2 bananas, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup walnuts, ground
Directions:
First, in a food processor, combine dates and walnuts and pulse until crumbly… add in almond meal and pulse a few more times to combine. Lightly grease a pie pan with coconut oil and press nuts and dates into pan, forming a crust.
Press down gently with bottom of glass, and/or your hands.
Pie Filling
Clean out your food processor and dry thoroughly.
Melt your coconut oil in a very hot bowl of water, making sure to keep the water from getting into the container you are using to hold the coconut oil. It should be an almost clear liquid if it is melted properly.
Place soaked cashews and cold water into food processor and blend until smooth… about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides as necessary.
Let it get really smooth- patience is the key here. After it is smooth, add in agave, vanilla, sliced banana, salt and melted coconut oil. Blend again until everything is nice and pureed into a very smooth mixture.
Spread filling into prepared pie crust.
Cover very loosely will foil and chill in freezer for about 2 hours, or until the cashew cream center firms up. Garnish with fresh banana slices and crushed walnuts.
Return to freezer for several hours, or overnight until set. Once it’s set up nicely, you can store it in the fridge. Or if you like a very firm cream pie–leave it in the freezer tightly covered with foil, and thaw briefly before serving.
Keep in mind that the bananas on top will have a slightly short lifespan after being removed from freezer before turning brownish- so keeping the pie in the freezer until a couple hours before serving will help with the aesthetics. ;)
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Ooooo – that looks amazing! I’m on a huge banana kick these days. I should so make that.
That is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I love banana desserts and this one looks really easy!
I have also had an insane craving for banana cream pie!!! This looks just amazing. I must make this immediately. :)
This pie looks phenomenal! I’d love a big slice right about now :).
I LOVE how you made the crust without butter!!! Awesome recipe!!!
this looks like it’s raw too, wow!
Oh this sounds so good. I want to make some! except I don’t have any dates.
And I just ate the last banana in the house – curses foiled again! I’ll be trying this soon though, especially as I already have some cashew “cheesecake” in the freezer it looks like I could just defrost it, add the banana and reprocess. Now I don’t have to miss banana cream pie or pudding anymore. I’ll bet your floors have skid marks from your kids/husband racing into the kitchen to check out the newest goodies. Lucky men.
You make my heart beat so fast :))
at firts I thought it was another silken tofu based dessert but then noticed – cashew nuts (!)- I’ve got to do it now :))))
My mom used to make such a yummy banana cream pie. This looks so good!
This looks so delicious! I will definitely have to try this. I have made a cashew cream cheesecake before, so why not with banana?
oh, this looks so delicious! I`m absolutely sure that`s really tasty!
Have a great time,
Paula
Oh my, this looks so delicious!! Proud to be vegan<3
wow, awesome recipe. must try this out!!
So glad I found another vegan site!
<3
This looks fabulous! I would love to make it for my mom. The only problem is I don’t have any coconut oil…is there anything I could substitute for it?
Thanks!
Courtney
if there’s something i’ve missed it’s definitely banana cream pie (and boston cream pie). which is funny because i’ve never been a big banana fan, but in a cream pie – oooooh, yes! your pie looks gloriously good, Allyson – and i love that it’s super easy to make and i’m always about a tasty cashew cream. it’s absolutely perfect looking, too. yum!
Wow, I am so happy I found this blog. I am new to the vegan lifestyle and am gluten free now due to health issues. I have such a sweet tooth, it’s nice to know there is hope for me!
Question I have, is I’m super busy, is there anything wrong with preparing food ahead of time and then freezing?
Hi JR,
well, I think that depends on exactly what types of food you’d be freezing. Many prepared foods stand up well to freezing, and many do not… but I think, for the most part, if it can stand a day or two in the fridge… it would be okay to freeze as well. I personally think making up meals ahead of time (like soups, stews, chili’s, pasta etc, is a great time-saver!
Best wishes on your newly vegan lifestyle! It can be a really fun journey! :)
This looks awesome!!! YUM!
Ahhh I am going to make this tomorrow for my Mom’s birthday cake! Thank you! Looks mouth watering!
Question – do you have a cheaper food processor you would recommend? I need to get one.
I used to have an in-expensive 3 cup cuisinart (about $30) that would work well for this- although you would have to do it in two separate batches. I loved that thing- but it got to the point that I needed something bigger (we eat a lot of hummus ;) , so now I use a kitchen-aid, KFP715WH – Food Processor, 7 Cup… which goes for around $70-90.
Gorgeous! I love banana cream pie, I haven’t had it for ages… this recipe’s a keeper!
I saw your twix recipe. What about a reese’s peanut butter cup? Is that a possible vegan/gluten free remake in the works?!!!
Hi JR
Well, possibly? :) Thanks for the enthusiasm!
I do have a pretty awesome recipe for vegan/gluten free Buckeyes- which are pretty darn close to a Reese Cup in my humble opinion (just be sure to leave the cardamom out).
This looks delicious! I am absolutely going to try this, and it gives me an idea for a smoothie I have been thinking of creating! You blog is beautiful too. I found you on tastespotting and will now be subscribing :)
awe… thanks so much Christine! <3
That looks and sounds just amazing!
I’m so ready to bake this! Looks AMAZING! The banana slices look so beautiful and it must taste so good. Jealous!
Holy YUM!! A beautiful dessert without refined sugar, yay! I’m def going to give this a try when I get stateside :)
That banana cream pie looks so cool and refreshing and good!
Just found your blog only moments ago and I’m so excited! Lovely lovely lovely!
xoxo
thank you!! <3
WOW!!!! That looks amazing
Thanks Brian! :D
This looks amazing!!
I am helpless before vegan desserts. Hehe.
:D thank you Gauri! (…so am I)
I tested this recipe with success. It’s really delicious!
thank you ;) Greetings from Paris, France!
This pie was very easy to make, and worth every minute standing at the food processor mixing the cashews and cold water.. I will make this again for sure!!
Wow, this looks wonderful. I have been looking for a banana cream pie that would have me reminiscing about my mother’s, now that I am vegan. I might try to replace the agave syrup with molasses though!
Did you know that agave nectar has the same level of nutrition as plain white sugar?! Egads! I had no idea either! Here is a link: http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-healthiest-sweetener/
The more you know, I guess ;)