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Front view of a slice of gluten-free banana cream pie topped with whipped cream and banana slices

Gluten-Free Banana Cream Pie


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
  • Total Time: 8 hours 50 minutes
  • Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Our from-scratch gluten-free banana cream pie recipe makes any occasion more special. You’ll love the cool, creamy banana pudding with the graham cracker crust!


Ingredients

Scale

For The Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crust
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons melted butter

For The Banana Cream Pie Filling:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup (133 grams) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (32 grams) cornstarch
  • 3 egg yolks (don’t use whites)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To Assemble The Pie:

  • 23 cups whipped cream
  • Optional: 1-2 bananas, sliced into 1/2″ thick slices**
  • Optional toppings: chocolate curls, toffee bits, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, chopped salted peanuts, or shaved chocolate to decorate

Instructions

In Advance, Make The Banana Milk

  1. Heat The Milk To Steaming. At least 8 hours in advance (if you can), steep the bananas in milk. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it’s steaming (don’t boil or simmer, just heat until steaming).
  2. Cover The Bananas. Add sliced ripe bananas to a heat-proof bowl or container and pour the steaming milk over the bananas.
  3. Steep 8-24 Hours. Cover and chill in the fridge at LEAST 8 hours to steep. The longer you steep, the stronger the banana flavor. I recommend 12-24 hours when possible. If you steep less than 8 hours, the banana flavor will be weaker.
  4. Strain. When you’re ready to make your banana cream pie filling, place a fine mesh sieve over a liquid measuring cup and strain the bananas out of the milk. Discard the bananas, saving as much of the milk as possible. (The bananas will be soaked, so they are unsuitable for the pie.)

Make Your Graham Cracker Crust

  1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pie Pan. Set out an 9-inch pie pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Crush & Measure The Graham Crackers. In a food processor (or a gallon-size zip-top bag with a rolling pin or sturdy cup), crush the graham crackers until no large chunks remain. Measure the crumbs and add them to a large bowl.
  3. Combine Crumbs With Sugar & Butter. Add sugar and melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs and use a fork to lightly combine, until the crumbs are well coated with the melted butter and sugar.
  4. Transfer To Pie Pan. Pour the graham cracker crust mixture into your pie pan and use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup (my favorite) to gently pat the crumbs outward and up the sides of the pan. (Try not to pack them down too tightly, or it can be difficult to slice later.)
  5. Bake & Cool. Place the pie crust in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust begins to turn golden. Let the crust cool to room temperature before adding the pie filling. (This goes faster if you place the pie pan on a wire rack.) Make sure to cool the crust to ensure a light, crisp texture. 

Make The Pie Filling

  1. Combine Milk, Cream & Egg Yolks. Add strained banana milk to a large liquid measuring cup, then add about 1/4 cup cream, making sure you have at least 1 3/4 cups liquid. (Sometimes the bananas absorb more or less milk.)
  2. Combine Sugar, Cornstarch & Salt. Add sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a medium saucepan and whisk until well combined.
  3. Add The Custard Mixture. Pour the milk/cream mixture into the saucepan with the sugar and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and whisk until this mixture is completely smooth before you turn on the heat. (You can even use an immersion blender so it’s perfectly smooth) Whisking constantly, stir the custard over medium or medium-low heat 8-10 minutes, or until it thickens significantly. You should easily see the trail your whisk is making and the pudding should be very thick at this point. If you don’t cook it enough here, it will not set up firmly in the fridge. You want the custard to move more like jello and not like liquid.
  4. Stir In Vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla or vanilla bean paste. Whisk until totally smooth. (If you notice any lumps at this point, you can strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.)
  5. Cool Filling & Add To Crust. Press plastic wrap or food wrap into the surface of the pudding and set the pan aside to cool to room temperature (20-30 minutes). You can speed this up by popping the pan into the fridge to cool down. When the pudding has reached room temperature, pour into the baked, cooled crust and smooth the surface.**
  6. Cover & Chill. Re-cover the surface of the pudding (you can re-use the same plastic wrap) to avoid a “skin” forming on top, then chill the pie at least 4 hours to set. Top with whipped cream & your favorite garnishes!

Notes

*The banana-infused milk will get a more developed flavor the longer it sits. 12-24 hours will give you the best flavor, but 8 hours will do the job in a pinch.

**If desired, you can add a layer of sliced bananas to the filling. Before adding the banana pudding, add a layer of sliced bananas on top of the crust. Cover with pudding, making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies around the bananas. 

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Chill Time: 8 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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