Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars

Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - Family Fresh Meals Recipe

I’m having a lot of fun coming up with new desserts for summertime. That means chilled, not baked, because who wants to run a hot oven in June? And anyway, a cool dessert is a lot more refreshing on a warm summer evening.

After my success with this No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dessert, I started thinking about what else I could do on the same lines. I didn’t want another cheesecake, so I thought about what else is chilled, and the answer was easy: pudding! And what’s the best thing you can make with pudding? What else but banana cream pie?

These Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars are an easier twist on the classic banana cream pie. Instead of messing around with fresh bananas and lots of other ingredients, just use instant banana pudding, blended together with milk, softened cream cheese, and whipped topping. That gives you creamy texture and banana-y flavor all in one.

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Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - Banana cream pie bars cut into squares

Spread that over a simple crust of crushed vanilla wafers, top it with whipped cream and more wafer crumbs, and then just let it chill out in the fridge for a few hours while you go chill out with a good book. When you’re ready for dessert, slice it up into bars and top each one with a dollop of whipped cream and a wafer, and you have a dressy dessert that looks like it took you all day. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.

 

Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 package crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 stick butter – melted
2 packages instant banana pudding mix (can also make your own, but this is a quick recipe)
2 cups milk
½ block cream cheese
½ cup whipped cream
1 ½ cup whipped cream (for top layer)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together crushed wafers and melted butter, then press into lined 8×8 inch baking dish to form a crust. Set aside.

Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - graham crackers blended in a food processor

2. Beat together pudding mix and milk until liquid, and let sit 5 minutes to thicken.

Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - Banana pudding mixed a a glass bowl
3. Beat in softened cream cheese and whipped cream, until evenly blended. Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - banana pudding whipped cream and cream cheese being mixed with a hand mixer

4.  Pour over your crust and smooth to level.Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - pudding layer in a square baking dish

5. Top with a layer of whipped cream, lightly sprinkle on some crushed wafers, and then refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until firm.Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars - cream topping on of banana pudding layer in a square baking dish

6. Cut into squares, add a dollop of whipped cream on top of each one, and stick a whole vanilla wafer in the middle before serving.Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars Recipe - Family Fresh Meals

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XO
Corey, Darryl, Big D & Little D

5 from 3 votes

Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars

Author Corey Valley
These Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars are an easier twist on the classic banana cream pie. All you need is instant banana pudding, and a few other ingredients.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 package crushed vanilla wafers
  • 1/2 stick butter - melted
  • 2 packages instant banana pudding mix can also make your own, but this is a quick recipe
  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ block cream cheese
  • ½ cup whipped cream
  • 1 ½ cup whipped cream for top layer

Instructions

  • Mix together crushed wafers and melted butter, then press into lined 8x8 inch baking dish to form a crust. Set aside.
  • Beat together pudding mix and milk until liquid, and let sit 5 minutes to thicken.
  • Beat in softened cream cheese and whipped cream, until evenly blended. Pour over your crust and smooth to level.
  • Top with a layer of whipped cream, lightly sprinkle on some crushed wafers, and then refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until firm.
  • Cut into squares, add a dollop of whipped cream on top of each one, and stick a whole vanilla wafer in the middle before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 126mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Calcium: 119mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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Easy Banana Cream Pie Bars -- Family Fresh Meals Recipe

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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12 Comments

  1. Love the tip on the banana pudding mix! For a while I was trying to keep ripe bananas in the freezer to “save for later” and I literally never used them once. This looks delicious!

  2. Hello Corey,
    How does the whipped cream hold up in the summer heat? Would using Cool Whip work or would it change the taste?

  3. Hi, what size instant banana pudding do you use for the recipe. I know it says two boxes but what size please.

    1. 3.4 oz boxes Jamie 🙂

  4. Catherine says:

    5 stars
    This was sooo good! I accidentally switched the amounts for the whipped topping and added 1.5 cups to the filling and used a full cup for the top once I saw what I’d done. It was delicious so I may keep doing it that way! The only thing is that it changed it from a bar you can pick up to one that you really have to eat with a fork but that’s OK. I’m excited to make this again!

    1. I’m looking forward to making this but m wondering if this is REAL whipped cream or is it something like Cool Whip? I just want to be sure before making it
      Thanks!!

    2. I have actually used both, but prefer Cool Whip.