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These Mini Banana Cream Pies are the ultimate low-effort, high-reward dessert. You get all the nostalgic flavor of a traditional banana cream pie, with our buttery graham cracker crust, rich vanilla-banana filling, and whipped cream without the hassle of slicing a messy pie. They come together so quickly to make the cutest little hand-held treats I can pass around at parties.

Mini banana cream pies with graham cracker crusts, custard filling, whipped cream, and banana slices on a wooden board.
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While this recipe is simple, getting the crust right is key. In my testing, I found that most mini pie recipes fail because the crust is either too dry and crumbles instantly or too buttery and turns into a soggy mess. I’ve dialed in the exact graham cracker-to-butter ratio and paired it with a tight packing technique to ensure these shells bake up sturdy, crisp, and hold their crunch even after the pudding is added.

If you love this recipe you’ll definitely want to try my creamy Banana Pudding, or Banana Cream Pie Dip. Both are just as simple to make and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.

Mini Banana Cream Pies Ingredients.

Key Ingredients & Why They Work

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients for this recipe for mini banana cream pies. You’ll find all the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Graham Cracker Crumbs: Here is the secret to a crust that doesn’t crumble in your hand: the texture needs to be like fine sand. I’ve tested the amounts, and 1 ⅓ cups is exactly what you need. If you use too few crumbs, the butter pools at the bottom; use too many, and the cups fall apart the second you take a bite.

Salted Butter: Think of this as the glue that holds the cup together. I always use salted butter here because that little bit of salt makes the graham cracker flavor pop and cuts through the sweetness of the pudding. It’s a small swap that makes a huge difference.

Granulated Sugar: We aren’t just adding this for sweetness! The sugar actually melts in the oven and hardens as it cools, creating a crispy, almost candy-like seal. This is my trick for keeping the crust crunchy even after you add the wet pudding.

Cold Whole Milk: Make sure your milk is super cold before you start. It helps the instant pudding set up faster and thicker, so you can pipe it into pretty swirls. I stick with whole milk because it makes the filling taste rich and creamy, almost like homemade custard.

Ripe (But Firm) Bananas: Save the brown, spotted bananas for our banana bread (it is amazing by the way!) For these pies, you want bananas that are bright yellow with no brown spots. They need to be firm enough to slice cleanly and hold their shape on top of the pie without getting mushy.

Hand holds mini banana cream pie with whipped cream and banana slice on top.

How to Make Mini Banana Cream Pies

Step 1: Mix the Pudding Base
Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cold milk and instant banana cream pudding mix for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. You are looking for a soft set; it should begin to thicken, but doesn’t need to be stiff yet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Note: The pudding needs at least 30 minutes to fully set, which is about how long the crusts take to bake and cool.

Step 2: Mix the Crust Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. In a separate bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly coated. The mixture should look a little like wet sand.

Step 3: Form and Bake the Crusts
The Important Part: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of crumbs into each cup. Use a small tamper (or the back of a round teaspoon) to press the crumbs tightly into the bottom and up the sides. Loose packing = crumbling crusts. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 4: Cool and Release
Allow the crusts to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Do not skip this. The crusts harden as they cool; if you try to remove them while hot, it will be a disaster. Gently pop them out using a butter knife or small spoon and transfer to a wire rack or serving plate. (If they are resisting at all, just slide a knife around the edge of the cup to loosen the pie cups)
fill the mini muffin cups with the graham cracker crumbs.

Step 5: Assemble
Slice your bananas just before assembling to prevent browning. Transfer the set pudding to a piping bag (or ziplock with the corner snipped) and fill each crust. Pipe a dollop of whipped topping over the pudding and immediately top with a fresh banana slice.pipe the pudding into each cup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Filling the Crusts While Warm: If the crust is even slightly warm, it will melt the pudding and the butter in the crust will separate, leading to a soggy bottom.
  • Over-mixing the Pudding: Stop mixing as soon as it thickens. Over-beating instant pudding can actually break the stabilizers, causing it to turn runny later.
  • Assembling Too Early: While the components can be made ahead, once the pudding touches the crust, the clock starts ticking. For the crunchiest crust, fill these no more than 1-2 hours before serving.


top with whipped cream and banana.

Customizations & Variations

The “Nilla” Swap: Substitute vanilla wafer crumbs for graham crackers 1:1 for a Southern-style banana pudding flavor profile.

Homemade Whipped Cream: If you have time, beat 1 cup of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla instead of using thawed whipped topping. It elevates the texture significantly.

Shortcuts: In a rush? You can use pre-made frozen mini tart shells or phyllo cups. Just bake them according to the package directions before filling.

Flavor Twist: Drizzle a little caramel sauce or melted chocolate over the top for a “Banoffee” vibe.

Looking for more bite-sized party desserts? Serve these alongside my S’mores Cookie Cups or my viral Caramel Apple Crisp Bites.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Make-Ahead: You can bake the crusts 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature (not the fridge, or they will soften). Make the pudding a day ahead and keep it in the piping bag in the fridge.

Leftovers: Store fully assembled pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Note on Texture: By day 2, the crust will soften and become more cake-like. They are still delicious, but lose that initial crunch.

Four mini banana cream pies on a wooden board, topped with whipped cream and banana slices.

More Easy Desserts You’ll Love

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

5 from 1 vote
Mini banana cream pies topped with banana slices and whipped cream.

Mini Banana Cream Pies

Author — Jennifer Fishkind
Serves — 24
Mini banana cream pie recipe made easy! Buttery graham cracker crusts, creamy banana pudding, and a swirl of fluffy whipped cream. Bite-sized and perfect for parties.
PrintRatePin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Chill and Rest Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 23 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups cold whole milk
  • 34 ounce instant banana cream pudding mix
  • 1⅓ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ cup salted butter melted and cooled
  • 1½ cups thawed whipped topping
  • 1 medium or 2 small ripe bananas sliced ⅛ to ¼ inch thick

Instructions
 

  • Using a medium size mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer on medium low speed, mix together the cold milk and instant pudding for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until the pudding begins to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the crusts.
    2 cups cold whole milk, 34 ounce instant banana cream pudding mix
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray
  • Add the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar to a medium size bowl and stir to combine.
    1⅓ cup graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Pour in the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are well coated.
    ½ cup salted butter
  • Scoop 1 tablespoon of buttered crumbs into each mini muffin cup. Tightly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the cups with the back of a spoon or a small tamper.
  • Bake for about 8 minutes or until the crusts are golden brown. Allow the crusts to cool for about 20 minutes before using either a butter knife or spoon to gently remove the crusts from the pan.
  • Transfer the crusts to a small parchment paper lined baking sheet or serving plate to finish cooling.
  • Fill either a piping bag or a quart size ziplock bag with the set pudding. Snip off the end of the piping bag or the corner of the ziplock bag. Fill each crust with the pudding.
  • Next add the thawed whipped topping to another piping bag or ziplock bag. You can fit the bags with a star-shaped decorator’s tip. Top each layer of pudding with a small amount of the whipped topping.
    1½ cups thawed whipped topping
  • Finally place 1 slice of banana on top of each pie. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
    1 medium or 2 small ripe bananas

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:
  • Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bananas may brown slightly over time.
  • Reheat: Not recommended. This dessert is best served cold.
  • Freeze: Freezing is not recommended as the pudding and whipped topping will lose texture.
  • Make Ahead: The crusts and pudding can be prepared one day in advance. Assemble and add banana slices just before serving for best results.
Tips:
  • Let the crusts cool completely before filling so they hold their shape
  • Slice bananas just before serving to prevent browning
  • Use a piping bag or zip top bag for cleaner, easier assembly
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for best texture

Nutrition Info

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 677mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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  3. I don’t an option to print a recipe. I would love to try some of your recipes but need to know how to print them.

    Reply

    1. Hi Sherry – I am slowly converting my older recipes to have the print button, but for now – if you select the recipe text and go to “print” and “print selection” you will just print out the recipes!

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