Mini Banana Cream Pie ~ A classic pie gets simplified and individualized in a cupcake liner. This might just be the easiest pie to make-ever! Throw all your ingredients in a blender or a food processor and process, then bring it to temperature–pour, chill and serve. Done.
Individual Banana Cream Pie
It’s been a while since I made a banana cream pie. In fact it’s been years. I’m not sure what really made me crave it all of sudden. Now I’m a little obsessed with it. I actually made it twice this weekend, partly because I ate 1/3 of the pie and then dropped the piece that was perfectly sliced for the picture. Getting a perfectly sliced piece wasn’t easy, especially since the filling is a custard and that does not usually go hand in hand with nice clean cut lines.
Now, you know me and pretty food-I’m a perfectionist. Okay, I’m anal. I wanted to find a solution to serving Banana Cream Pie that didn’t require the steady precision of surgical tools for a perfect slice. My first thought was to add more cornstarch to firm up the filling, but then I realized more cornstarch would yield a rubbery like filling. So I decided to ditch the pie pan for some individual servings.
The only problem was I didn’t have enough individual pie pans, so I used cupcake liners instead and you know what? I’m so glad I did! Let’s face it, it’s hard to turn down anything from a cupcake liner—goodness can always be found between the pleats.
A few notes:
- If you do not have food processor, a blender will work just as well to process the custard filling.
- I added coconut and pecans to the graham cracker crust for added flavor. Of course if you are not a fan either, you can easily omit those portions and decrease the tablespoons of butter from 8 to 6. If you are using coconut and pecans, make sure to toast them for about 5-7 minutes or until golden for added flavor.
- The filling can be made one day in advance and assembled the night before, any earlier and the filling starts to darken like bananas do when they age.
- To finish the Banana Cream pie you can drizzle caramel sauce like the picture or drizzle chocolate sauce-your palate, your preference. For the whip cream piping along the edge, I used Wilton’s tip number 199.
Mini Banana Cream Pie
Makes approximately 14 individual pies
Preparation: Fill cupcake pan with liners. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Ingredients:
Coconut and Pecan Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup sweetened coconut shreds, toasted
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
Banana Cream Pie Filling:
- 1 ½ bananas, 1/2 banana for divided use
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ½ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ¼ kosher salt
Instructions:
Coconut and Pecan Graham Cracker Crust:
1. Place graham cracker crumbs, toasted coconut shreds, toasted pecans and sugar in a food processor bowl and pulse to crumble. Alternatively, you can place all ingredients in a baggie use a rolling pin to crumble the mixture. Add melted butter and mix to combine.
2. Place 1 ½ tablespoon of graham cracker crust mixture into bottom of cupcake liner. Use the bottom of a glass to press mixture down. Bake crust for about 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
Banana Cream Pie Filling:
1. Place all ingredients in food processor bowl or blender and process to combine. Pour mixture into a saucepan over medium heat and cook until mixture starts to bubble, making sure to constantly whisk. Continue to cook mixture until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Assembly:
1. Pour mixture banana cream filling over crust and into liner about 2/3 of the way up. Using the remaining bananas, place one layer of sliced bananas on top. Place a thin second layer of banana cream filling on top of bananas. Drizzle caramel sauce on top and pipe whip cream as desired.
Those are to die for!
Wow, I’m so glad I came across this – I was just imagining making mini-pies and wondering how I would go about it. These are some of the most adorable desserts I’ve ever seen!
Oh wow, these look amazing! And the coconut and pecan graham cracker crust!? Sounds just delicious…we are so making these asap!
I just said yesterday that I wanted banana cream pie! Guess who’s making these?
Fantastic Naomi!!! My dad LOVED BCP he would have flipped for these!! Maybe I’ll make them for my mom, she loves it too!!
Thanks so much!
Yuuuuuum. I’m thinking this could work really well for lemon meringue too!
These are so lovely and I just love the individual servings. What a great party dessert!
Tracy- Yep, I already have a mini pie in cupcake liners series in the works! Stay tuned! Naomi
I love individual desserts and these look fantastic!
what’s great about these Naomi is that they’re the perfect size so you can have dessert AND still fit into your jeans . . . especially for those of us who aren’t runners . . . like me . . . for instance . . .
these look like lovely little bite-size banana goodness:)
Looks so yummy, I wish I could have one right now. Great photos, great site!
Love how this takes the fuss out of pie making. And of course, these beauties look and sound super delicious.
These are adorable, Naomi! I can’t remember the last time I had banana cream pie. Obviously too long.
I want.
Mmmmm…Banana Cream Pie is one of my favorites! Never thought of making them in a cupcake liner! Brilliant!
I used to love helping Mom make banana cream pie. That crust sounds extra special – yum!!
Cupcake liners, how very ingenious of you! They look beautiful as usual 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day Naomi!
They’re adorable! What a cute little creation you’ve made here!
What a clever & cute idea to solve the problem! I have the same issue when trying to serve pies that have a cream filling. You’re right – such wonderfulness is always found in a cupcake liner. Happy Valentine’s Day!!
lol, i am so totally with you on being a food perfectionist. And what a wonderful idea to have them mini sized to avoid all that nasty, messy slicing!
My gosh! All ur desserts make me go WOW!! This one’s just like the rest.. LOVELY!! Happy Valentines Day to you Naomi!
Those are simply darling! Love the idea of individual pies!
These are adorable! 🙂
Such a brilliant idea! I’d love for you to submit this to the M&T Spotlight over at http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight
Oh boy, now you have me thinking about all the little mini pies I could make with this concept!! Truly adorable and the perfect portion size. Would be terrific on a dessert buffet!!
These little pies are darling! I am with you – these will keep those of us who want perfection in each serving very happy 🙂
These are gorgeous little pies… I’d need to eat about 10 of them though 🙂 Love it.
Love the caramel on top. Dresses it up without messing with the original flavor too much.
I love the way it looks, it must be moist and delicious. I will try to make them this weekend to see whether I can make it. Here is another recipe of chocolate&avocado cupcake.
Hope you like it.
Dang I wish I’d thought about the cupcake liners earlier… I can’t get my pie out now because I’m using a graham cracker crust. Looks like I gotta eat it out of the moldXD
I made these this morning. This is a wonderful recipe. I would recommend chilling the pies for half an hour or so before putting the toppings on. The graham cracker crust can easily be halved. I have so much left over I can make a dozen mini cheesecakes (today will be a bad day for my waistline). I mixed the extra pudding with oatmeal and gave it to my kids for breakfast. They loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
These look amazing! I was wondering, what did you use to pipe the whipped cream so perfectly? Did you make the whipped cream yourself or is it a specific brand?
just read your note above about the whipped cream, must have overlooked it last night…
Can they be frozen?