This caramel banana cream pie has a delicious graham cracker crust, lots of bananas, a smooth caramel layer, topped by banana pudding, and whipped cream – for a delicious twist on traditional banana cream pie!
Want to make banana cream pie even better? Add caramel to the mix! This delicious banana cream pie recipe is seriously delicious!
I’ve mentioned before, but cream pies are my favorite and banana cream pie is my favorite of all! When I needed to make a pie for Pi Day (3.14) I knew that a twist on banana cream pie would be the perfect solution! Adding caramel to the pie takes it to the next level without adding too much difficulty.
This pie is different than banoffee pie which is usually made with a caramel made from boiled sweetened condensed milk or with dulce de leche. Banoffee pie is also usually just a layer of the condensed milk caramel topped with bananas and then whipped cream.
Where this caramel banana cream pie of course has the cream pie layer on top of a thinner caramel layer. Either way, this is delicious and banoffee pie sounds delicious too!
I started with my simple banana cream pie recipe. A quick and buttery homemade graham cracker crust, topped with banana slices, caramel, and vanilla banana pudding, and whipped cream for good measure. Drizzle each slice with a little more caramel for decoration if desired.
I kept this pie recipe simple, by using pudding mixes for the filling. I used both banana cream and vanilla pudding for the pie filling. If you don’t like the flavor of imitation banana you can instead do 2 packages of vanilla pudding. Or you can make the banana pudding from our banana cream pie from scratch recipe.
Ingredients Needed to make Caramel Banana Cream Pie:
- Graham Crackers – for the crust. You could also use Oreos, gingersnaps, etc.
- Granulated Sugar – to sweeten the crust just a little
- Melted Butter – to hold together the pie crust
- Bananas – You can’t have a banana pie without them!
- Soft Caramels – I haven’t tried using homemade caramels from this, but have used a variety of soft caramels from the store
- Heavy Cream – to help thin the caramels just enough so the layer isn’t too hard to slice through
- Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Banana Cream Pudding Mix – I like the flavor both the puddings together have, you can just go for two packets of one or the other too
- Milk – to make the pudding
- Cool Whip – because every cream pie needs cream 😉
How to make Caramel Banana Cream Pie?
Start by making the graham cracker crust. Crush the graham crackers into a fine crumb (a food processor works great for this). Then stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together in a medium sized bowl.
Add the graham cracker crumbs to a 9inch pie dish and press them into the bottom and edges of the pan, pressing as much as you can to make sure the crust is dense and holds itself together well. Put it in the fridge to chill while you make your pudding and caramel.
Add your caramels and heavy cream to a small sauce pan and melt them together, stirring often, until the caramels are melted and smooth.
Stir your vanilla pudding, banana pudding, and milk together (don’t follow the directions on the pudding box). Whip it together for a couple minutes. Fold in about 1/2 to 1 cup of the cool whip.
Add your sliced bananas into the bottom of your graham cracker crust. Drizzle the caramel over the bananas.
Then scoop the pudding into the pie shell and spread it around evenly. Spread the remaining cool whip over the top of the pie and place it in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, up to 8 hours.
Top the pie with additional banana slices, and serve. Drizzle the slices with additional caramel sauce if desired.
Tips for making Caramel Banana Cream Pie:
- You will NOT prepare the pudding mixes according to package directions. On the boxes the pudding mixes will call for 2 cups of milk each. You will instead use 2.5 cups of milk TOTAL.
- You can use Kraft Caramels, Werther’s Chewy Caramels or any other soft caramel for the sauce. You’ll add in about 2 TBS of heavy cream to the caramels when you are melting them. Just enough that the sauce is not to hard to slice with the pie, but not too much that it is runny and too thin either.
- This pie is best made the day you’ll be eating it, or the night before at the most. The pudding will start to become soupy with the bananas and caramel added, so enjoy as soon as the pie is chilled.
This caramel banana cream pie is the perfect easy dessert. It’s such a delicious twist on banana cream pie, and is a a dessert everyone will love!
Looking for more banana cream pie recipes?
- Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Cream Pie Cookie Cups
- Banana Cream Pie Cookies
- Banana Cream Pie Yogurt Parfaits
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Caramel Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 12 graham cracker sheets
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 TBS butter (melted)
For the Pie Filling:
- 2 bananas
- 11 oz soft caramels (unwrapped)
- 2 TBS heavy cream (approximately)
- 1 3.5 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 3.5 oz instant banana cream pudding mix
- 2½ cups milk
- 8 oz cool whip
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
- Crush your graham crackers into a fine crumb. (It should make about 1½ cups).
- Mix together the sugar with the graham cracker crumb in a medium sized bowl.
- Pour the melted butter over the top of the crumb and mix it all together until you have a nice sandy mixture.
- Pour the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch pie crust pan and press down evenly on the bottom and up the edges of the pan.
- Cut the bananas into slices and lay them over your graham cracker crust.
- Combine the caramels and heavy cream in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium until the caramels are melted and smooth, stirring the whole time.
- Pour the caramel over the banana slices. (You can save about 1/4 cup of the caramel to reheat later and pour over the pie)
- Add the pudding mixes into a large bowl and add the milk and stir it together for a couple of minutes, until combined.
- Add 1 cup of the cool whip to the pudding mixture and fold it into the pudding.
- Pour the pudding mixture over caramel and smooth it across the top top. Place it in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
- Top with remaining cool whip and additional bananas before serving.
- Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce (reheated) if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This caramel banana cream pie was first published on March 14, 2016. The photos and blog post text were updated for clarity on October 27, 2021.
MAKE THIS DELICIOUS CARAMEL BANANA CREAM PIE WITH THE HELP OF THESE GREAT KITCHEN TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS:
Jenny says
So I jus made this to take for thanksgiving and my pudding filling is straight liquid? Was 2 1/2 cups of milk too much?? I hope it sets up in time?!?
Aimee says
Did you have both 3.4 or 3.5 oz boxes of pudding? Vanilla and banana. The pudding should start to thicken a little bit as you’re stirring it. 🙁
Christine says
I could go for a big slice of this with my cup of coffee right now! Love the addition of caramel – It’s the perfect compliment to the banana flavor!
Erica | The Crumby Kitchen says
I love easy pies like this! I bet my family would go nuts for this if they see it on our holiday table next to the pumpkin & pecan!
megunprocessed says
This is creative! Looks fantastic.
Esther Lord says
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. It was a huge hit at my house 🤗. I will be making this again. Anything with caramel and I’m there 😁. I can not wait to try your Samoa Pie next !!!
Jill says
Need the receipe pls
Aimee Berrett says
You should find the recipe on the post. Scroll down a bit. If you are on mobile you have to click the “read more” button
Crystal Jasmin says
Could this be frozen?
Aimee Berrett says
Crystal, I’m not sure if you want to freeze it for later or freeze to eat frozen – I have made pudding pops before and they freeze okay though they are a bit icy and I’m not sure how the caramel sauce would freeze. I do not however recommend trying to thaw the pie after because it would most likely result in a water goop.
Pixie B. says
I made this pie on Wednesday and instead of melted carmels I used Hershey’s Carmel syrup (for ice cream)
Two days later and it’s not watery at all!!
Aimee Berrett says
Great idea!! So glad you like it!
Erin Cabe says
Can you please email me the recipe?
Aimee Berrett says
Are you unable to see the recipe? Sometimes on mobile it doesnt show until you click a “Read More” button that also says “click for recipe” and then you’ll have to scroll down a bit to get the recipe.
Sandra Brodyk says
I just can’t find the actual recipe; ie the instructions. But I’m so EAGER to try it!
Aimee Berrett says
So sorry Sandra, the instructions look fine on my end. Our site was down for a bit this morning, so if you try again and it doesnt work I can email it to you.
Shannon Scott says
I am not a big pudding kinda gal so I made this as directed but instead of the pudding I used a slightly sweetened cream cheese mixture (minus the eggs so it didn’t have to bake) and finished it off with cool whip and caramel drizzle. It was divine !!! And kept for several days without becoming soupy. I am a big cream cheese fan so a lot of my pies are subsisted with cream cheese. I tried it with a small splash of banana flavoring. It it made it taste artificial. It’s best to sweeten the cream cheese with powdered sugar so it’s not gritty or marshmallow cream. Just a different twist some might enjoy. Happy holidays.
Shirl says
Could you email it to me? I dont see the recipe either!
Aimee Berrett says
Sent
Emily says
Just wanting to clarify…Do you make your pudding following the regular directions on the package or do you just use the pudding mix and add the milk and cool whip do that?
Aimee Berrett says
Prepare the 2 pudding mixes with the amount of milk called for in this recipe, not the amount called for on the box.
Vance Williams says
Can you use Dulce de leche instead of the melted caramels?
Aimee Berrett says
It might be a teeny bit thinner, but I think it should work! Let me know if you try it!
Ben says
We made this a week ago, and it turned out pretty good. But make sure you eat it pretty much instantly. A few days later the caramel had completely turned to liquid and the bananas were basically black. Our fault for waiting I guess, but there’s just me and my wife and we didn’t want to consume like 1000 extra calories every day for four straight days haha. We only got like two pieces each before it turned to soup. So if you make it, make it for a large group of people and serve it immediately.
Aimee Berrett says
Great reminder Ben! Every cream pie I’ve ever made turns soggy after a few days unfortunately. So I definitely always try to make it to share 🙂
evenwolvesdream says
Is the coolwhip really nessesary, we can’t get it over here i. Europe
Aimee Berrett says
I’d recommend using homemade whipped cream instead if you can get your hands on some heavy cream, but otherwise you can leave it out. It just adds some extra good creaminess!
Kristin Strong says
Do you use the instant pudding mix? Or the original?
Aimee Berrett says
I always use the instant pudding. I dont like the kind you have to cook as much!
Kelly says
I love banana cream pie and the layer of caramel is such a great idea! It looks delicious!
Jesseca Hallows says
I am on such a big banana kick lately. This looks so stinken good. I loooooove the combo of banana with caramel.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Love the addition of caramel! This looks incredible!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
I think I can get on board with this version of banana cream pie. The caramel is luring me in!
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Oh man, I forgot it was pi day today. This looks like one seriously delicious pie!! Happy pi day!
Yvonne [Tried and Tasty] says
The caramel is the icing on the cake.. er… well… you know what I mean! YUM!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I’m a sucker for banana cream pie and adding caramel is a genius idea!
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
This pie is perfect for Pie Day! Love the banana cream with caramel. I could gobble up the whole thing!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Hooray for pi day! This banana cream pie looks amazing! I love the addition of caramel on here and I’m wishing I had this for breakfast!
Erin says
Like Ben said, mine started to turn to liquid after a couple of days. Maybe put a warning in the directions. Had to throw half of it away :/
Aimee Berrett says
So sorry you had problems Erin, unfortunately with any pie made with a pudding mix it usually doesnt do well after a day or two. I added a note for future makers.