Description

A creamy, no-bake summer dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, and a rich cream cheese pudding filling. It requires no oven, is make-ahead friendly, and is a crowd-pleaser for parties.

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces (240ml) Cool Whip, thawed, or homemade whipped cream
1 small box (3.4 ounces / 96g) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk (for pudding mix)
1 package (30-40 wafers) vanilla wafers
3 medium ripe bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, for bananas)
1 cup whipped cream (for topping)
Vanilla wafers, crushed (for garnish)
Chocolate shavings (optional)

Instructions

Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until soft. Break into chunks and place in a mixing bowl.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides.
In a separate small bowl, whisk instant vanilla pudding mix with 2 cups of cold milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until thickened.
Gently fold the thickened pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Then, fold in the thawed Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream) until just combined. Do not overmix.
Arrange a layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Spoon half of the cream filling over the wafers and spread evenly.
Slice bananas and arrange them over the cream layer. Drizzle lightly with lemon juice if using.
Add another layer of vanilla wafers, then the remaining cream filling. Top with a final layer of vanilla wafers, pressing down gently.
Cover the pie and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, to allow flavors to meld and wafers to soften.
Before serving, top with dollops of whipped cream, crushed vanilla wafers, and chocolate shavings if desired. Slice with a sharp knife and serve.

Notes

Use room temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps. Choose bananas that are yellow with brown spots for best sweetness. Do not freeze this pie as bananas will turn mushy. For hot weather, use stabilized whipped cream. Gluten-free and dairy-free variations are available.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 320
Sugar: 28
Sodium: 220
Fat: 16
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 42
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Keywords: no-bake, banana cream pie, summer dessert, party dessert, easy dessert, make-ahead dessert, cream cheese filling, vanilla wafers