Two-Person Banana Cream Pies

July 9, 2020

Banana Cream Pie is making a comeback in my life (and yours) starting today.

A few years ago my friend Melissa published a cookbook (affiliate link) with a really epic banana cream pie recipe in it. I made it once, I made it five times, I made it when no one else was home to share it with me because that’s the kind of monster I am? and that’s the brief history how I ended up on the runaway train of thick and cold and creamy banana cream pie fandom.

Being that I only have two adults and a baby in my house, and being that banana cream pie doesn’t really keep well as leftovers, I have stumbled into a new routine of making these two-person banana cream pies in ramekins or jars. Can’t exactly call them mini, because even though they are meant to serve just one person, these pies are deep-dish level big boys that are packed to the brim with graham cracker crust, banana slices, creamy banana filling, and whipped cream.

Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?

Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

The crust here is a graham cracker crust because, well, it’s just better.

The ingredients are standard – milk, eggs, butter, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, a roasted banana for extra sweetness.

And when you bake your crust and roast your banana at the same time, this is what you’ll be gifted with:

Ingredients for banana cream pie on a sheet pan.

A SMILING BANANA FACE WEARING PIE CRUST GLASSES!

I mean, if that isn’t a sign from the universe.

These are not fancy and very forgiving, although they do require a tiny amount of advance planning due to the 2-3 hour chill time. I know, I normally don’t ask this of any of us. YOU CAN DO IT. For all that is creamy, thick, sweet, and wonderful, you really owe it to yourself.

Low maintenance, high enjoyment, unfussy banana cream pies in jars are yours for the taking.

Common Questions About Banana Cream Pies

How can I make this dairy-free?

We tested two milk alternatives for the pudding – canned coconut milk and unsweetened almond milk.

The canned coconut milk yielded a really creamy, smooth texture, but did have a coconut flavor (which is still yum!).

For the unsweetened almond milk, the texture was a little more gelatinous, but adding a few more tablespoons of milk can help a bit. The flavor was a little nutty and the color a bit darker. This worked the same for cashew milk as well!

For the whipped topping, buy your favorite dairy-free version from the store or whip up a recipe like this one.

Can I use an alternative for butter in the crust?

Coconut oil will do the trick!

How can I make this gluten-free?

Use gluten-free graham crackers.

This Recipe Is Modified From The Minimalist Kitchen (Affiliate Link) Banana Cream Pie Recipe!

Two-Person Banana Cream Pies

4.9 from 13 reviews

Author: Lindsay
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2, very generously

Print Recipe

Description

Two-Person Banana Cream Pies! Low maintenance, high enjoyment, unfussy banana cream pies in jars are yours for the taking.

Ingredients

Units

Graham Cracker Crust

4 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Banana Cream Pie Filling

1 banana + a few extra banana slices for layering (ideally 1 1/2 bananas)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
tiny splash of vanilla

Instructions

Video

Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham crackers, sugar, and butter. Press into two 8-ounce ramekins. Place on a baking sheet with one unpeeled banana. Bake for 10 minutes, until the banana is soft with a black peel, and the crusts are set.
Filling: Without heat, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolk together in a small saucepan. Slowly whisk in the milk until mostly smooth. Move your pan to the stove and bring to a low simmer over low heat, whisking frequently (it will get a little lumpy – that’s okay). Continue to heat gently for a few minutes until you get a nice thick pudding consistency. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
Blend: Transfer the cooled pudding to a blender or food processor with the roasted banana. Blend until mostly smooth (this should help the filling loosen up a little bit).
Assemble: Top the baked crusts with slices of banana. Pour the filling over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set. Top with whipped cream and dive into that cold, sweet, creamy goodness.