These Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Desserts are an easy and healthy recipe made with clean real food ingredients. They're the perfect no-bake plant-based dessert for entertaining or for a portion-controlled treat!
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Desserts
These cute little Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Desserts are so easy to make and are perfect individual-sized servings.
I intended to make a healthy and vegan banana cream pie dessert, but it didn't go quite as I had planned or envisioned so...I ended up with a chocolate banana cream dessert.
And I think it is actually better than what I was originally trying to create!
I started with a creamy cashew base, add some coconut milk for extra creaminess and of course, bananas.
Then I decided to add mini-chocolate chips to it...which unintentionally melted after I added it to the warm banana mixture coming out of the Vitamix, so it turned chocolate.
And so now we have a chocolate banana cream dessert to enjoy!
Here are the typical ingredients in a store-bought banana cream pie and a homemade banana cream pie recipe:
S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Traditional Banana Cream Pie | Store-Bought
Ingredients: MILK, WATER, SUGAR, VEGETABLES OIL SHORTENING PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED (SOYBEANS OIL, AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL, AND/OR PALM KERNEL OIL), WHEAT FLOUR ENRICHED (FLOUR, NIACIN, VITAMIN B3, IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN B1, RIBOFLAVIN VITAMIN B2, FOLIC ACID VITAMIN B9), CREAM, TAPIOCA STARCH MODIFIED, SALT, SODIUM CASEINATE, A MILK INGREDIENT, WHEAT STARCH, SOY LECITHIN, POLYSORBATE 60, SORBITAN MONOSTERATE, BAKING SODA, XANTHAN GUM, GUAR GUM, CALCIUM PROPIONATE, BETA CAROTENE (COLORS), SODIUM BISULFITE
S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Traditional Banana Cream Pie | Homemade
Ingredients: 1 1/4 CUP REFINED SUGAR, 1/3 CUP CORNSTARCH, 1/3 CUP COCOA, 3 CUPS MILK, 3 TABLESPOONS BUTTER, VANILLA EXTRACT, BANANAS, STORE-BOUGHT PIE CRUST, 1 CUP WHIPPED TOPPING (USUALLY COOL-WHIP)
Even the homemade version isn't much better with dairy and a processed pie crust and whipped topping which will both have a long list of unhealthy ingredients.
This guilt-free version is made with clean ingredients and it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly and contains no refined sugars.
And here's another option for you...if you don't have or can't find some cute mini dessert glasses, you can still make a Chocolate Banana Cream Pie Dessert by using a couple of individual creme brulee ramekin dishes.
The one below is right about 2 servings and the recipe will make two of these so you can make 2 small individual desserts to enjoy or share.
Want More Healthy Plant-Based No-Bake Dessert Recipes?
Check out these:
- Dark Chocolate Cups with Pistachios and Goji Berries
- Peanut Butter Brownie Triffle
- No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecakes
- or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based vegan + gluten-free no-bake desserts made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Desserts
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup organic pecans
- 1/2 cup organic Medjool dates (pitted)
- 1/2 cup organic cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla bean powder
For the banana cream filling:
- 3 organic bananas
- 1 can organic full-fat coconut milk (13.5-ounce can)
- 1 1/2 cups organic raw cashews
For the add-in:
- 1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Add all the ingredients for the crust to a food processor and process until it's has a wet, crumbly texture.
- Divide the crust mixture between (6) mini-dessert cups and press down firmly. Set aside.
Prepare the banana cream filling:
- Add all ingredients for the banana cream filling to a Vitamix and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Continue to blend on the "HIGH" setting until the mixture becomes warm. The heat from the banana mixture will be used to melt the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the banana mixture to a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Add the chocolate chip add-in to the mixing bowl and stir until they are all melted and the mixture turns chocolate.
- Stir in the mini-chocolate chips until they are all melted and the mixture turns chocolate.
Assembly:
- Divide the banana cream mixture between the (6) mini-dessert cups and place it on top of the crust in the bottom of the dessert cups.
- Optional: Garnish with additional mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans.
- Place in the refrigerator for approximately 1 hour to firm and chill.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
Maisarah says
Hi Karielyn,
Thanks for sharing this, Ive been searching for non-dairy dessert recipes but need to taste good too... i love tge ingredients listed there and I'm sure it would taste just wonderful. a quick question though, I've not seen Vanilla Bean Powder before (not sure if its available in my part of the world), so can I sub it with the actual vanilla bean? half a pod perhaps?
Karielyn says
Hi there Maisarah! I've never used the actual whole vanilla bean pod before, only 100% vanilla bean powder, so I'm not sure what the substitution amounts would be. You could always use regular organic vanilla extract instead (I would use same amount - 1/2 teaspoon). And, you could even just leave it out altogether...I just added it for the flavor, but it's not a critical ingredient.
Thanks for your question and I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
HonestMum says
I've recently turned vegan so will be making these beauties, thanks 🙂
Karielyn says
Hi there! Yay for going vegan! I think you will love this dairy-free recipe made with clean ingredients. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂