Homemade banana cream pie made with one banana, creamy vanilla pudding and a cookie crust. A deliciously rich single serving banana cream pie recipe.
Although we love all of the recipes we create and share on One Dish Kitchen, there are a few that excite us more than others. This incredibly delicious and very easy banana cream pie recipe is absolutely one of my favorites. It's a mini version of a classic banana cream pie! If you're a fan of creamy banana-filled desserts, I think you'll love this single serving pie recipe too.
Why I Love This Recipe
A banana cream pie is made up of three parts: the crust, bananas, and pudding.
Crust
A banana cream pie is made with either a standard pie crust, a crust consisting of crushed cookies and melted butter, or simply a layer of cookies lining a pie plate. The version I'm sharing here is based on my mother's Southern banana cream pie recipe. Her pie was made with a layer of vanilla wafers which lined the bottom and sides of a pie dish. The crust is simple, sweet, crunchy, and doesn't require any mixing or baking - it's just cookies and is simply wonderful!
Bananas
Slices of bananas top the cookie crust.
Pudding
I make a small batch of simple yet rich vanilla pudding. The vanilla pudding recipe will yield the perfect amount for one little banana cream pie.
Many banana cream pie recipes use instant pudding. Using a boxed pudding will leave you with a lot more pudding than you'll need for a single serving dessert. I think using a made-from-scratch pudding makes this the absolute best banana cream pie. Homemade pudding is rich and creamy, easy to make, and tastes so much better than instant boxed brands.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts.
- Whole milk: You may use 2% milk instead of whole. The pudding will not thicken as well if you use milks with a lesser fat content.
- Heavy cream: I highly recommend using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar.
- Salt and vanilla extract: For flavor.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient helps to thicken the pudding.
- Butter: I recommend adding a small amount of salted butter for added richness.
- Banana: Just one banana is all you need to make this "banana cream pie for one"!
- Cookies: I prefer using vanilla wafers. Feel free to use another favorite cookie.
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
Full recipe instructions can be found in the recipe box below.
Step 1: Make The Pudding
- Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.
- While the milk is heating, whisk the cream and the cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
- Pour the cornstarch/cream mixture into the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. The pudding will thicken as it cooks.
- Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl to cool. As the pudding cools, it will continue to thicken.
Step 2: Assemble The Pie
- Line a dessert dish with vanilla wafers. Use as many as you need to cover the bottom and sides of the dish.
- Slice a banana and place the banana slices over the cookies.
- Pour the cooled pudding over the bananas. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Expert Tips
- This mini banana cream pie is the perfect recipe to use when you have just one banana. If you have two bananas, just double the ingredients in the pudding, add a few more nilla wafers and make a second pie.
- Whole milk works best in this recipe, however 2% will work too.
- Be sure to whisk the cornstarch with the cream very well. The mixture should be smooth when you pour it into the pot.
- Add the butter and the vanilla to the pot after you've taken it off the heat. This will give you a more intense vanilla flavor.
- You might like to try these banana cream pie variations:
- Make a graham cracker crust with graham crackers (digestive biscuits).
- Skip the crust and make a simple banana and pudding parfait.Make a chocolate banana cream pie version using our chocolate pudding recipe instead of vanilla.Try a coconut cream pie version made with a sweet coconut cream pudding recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can certainly use whipped cream purchased from the grocery store to top your pie, but homemade whipped cream takes just minutes to make and tastes so rich and wonderful. The only ingredients needed are heavy cream and sugar.
Pour 1/4 cup of cream and 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar into a small mixing bowl. Whisk until the cream reaches soft peaks, about 2-4 minutes.
Yes! Cook the pudding a few hours or the day before you want to use it and keep it in the refrigerator. If you want to assemble the entire dessert, it will keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Don't add whipped cream or fresh bananas to the top of the pie until you are ready to enjoy it. The bananas will turn brown and the whipped cream might become runny. It's best to add the garnishes when you are ready to eat the pie.
Yes, all cream pies need to be refrigerated. This banana cream pie will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, covered.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe for banana cream pie, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving recipes:
- Milk: Panna Cotta, Baked Oatmeal, Mashed Potatoes
- Cream: Vanilla Ice Cream, Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Crustless Quiche
- Cornstarch: Lemon Meringue Pie, Sesame Chicken, Lemon Bars
- Bananas: Banana Bread (1 banana), Bananas Foster (1 banana), Banana Upside Down Cake (1 banana), Banana Muffins (2 bananas)
- Vanilla Wafers or Graham Crackers: Icebox Cake, Peanut Butter Pie, Key Lime Pie
Other Single Serving No Bake Desserts
I use a 1-quart saucepan when I make the pudding for this banana cream pie. For best results use a pot of similar size.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6-8 vanilla wafers or similar cookie (use as many cookies as you need to cover the bottom and sides of your dessert dish)
- 1 medium banana
- whipped cream , optional for topping
Instructions
Make The Pudding
- Pour milk into a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the sugar and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to steam, about 5 minutes. While the milk is heating, whisk together the cream and cornstarch in a small bowl until very smooth.
- Add cornstarch mixture to the heated milk; cook, stirring occasionally for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and stir for 5 minutes, until pudding has thickened.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Continue to stir until butter has melted. Pour into a bowl to cool.
To Assemble
- Line the bottom and sides of a small dessert dish or cup with the cookies.
- Slice a banana and place the banana slices on top of the cookies in the dish.
- Pour the cooled pudding over the bananas. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Top with whipped cream and extra banana slices, if desired.
Notes
- This mini banana cream pie is the perfect recipe to use when you have just one banana. If you have two bananas, just double the ingredients in the pudding, add a few more nilla wafers and make a second pie.
- Whole milk works best in this recipe, however 2% will work too.
- Be sure to whisk the cornstarch with the cream very well. The mixture should be smooth when you pour it into the pot.
- Add the butter and the vanilla to the pot after you've taken it off the heat. This will give you a more intense vanilla flavor.
- You might like to try these banana cream pie variations:
- Make a graham cracker crust with graham crackers (digestive biscuits).
- Skip the crust and make a simple banana and pudding parfait.Make a chocolate banana cream pie version using our chocolate pudding recipe instead of vanilla.Try a coconut cream pie version made with a sweet coconut cream pudding recipe.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can you use half and half in place of the heavy cream? (to cut down on the saturated fat content.)
Also, am wondering if blueberries can be substituted for the bananas?
I prefer using heavy cream because it thickens the pudding better than half and half will. But you can use half and half instead, the pudding will not be as thick though.
You can definitely substitute blueberries for the bananas for a delicious “blueberry cream pie”.
My mom (from Oklahoma City) called this Banana Pudding, but glad to see your recipe for one.
I’m going to try these. They look very good for one or two.