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.
What Is Banana Cream Pie?
If you've never had banana cream pie before, get ready for this to become your new favorite pie! Old fashioned banana cream pie is often made with a pie crust that is layered with fresh bananas, a thick vanilla pudding, and topped with whipped cream.
We've taken a traditional banana cream pie recipe and scaled-down the ingredients to serve one AND we've eliminated the fussy pie crust. Instead, we're going with a simple approach by using cookies as the crust.
Why This Recipe Works
- Made with a cookie 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!
- One banana is all you need: Slices of bananas top the cookie crust and you're sure to get bananas in every bite!
- Quick and easy homemade vanilla pudding: The rich and creamy pudding takes minutes to make and is so much tastier than store-bought puddings. It's the perfect amount for one single 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.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
To make this mini banana cream pie, you will need:
- Whole milk: I highly recommend using whole milk. You can use 2% milk instead of whole but the pudding will not thicken as well.
- Heavy cream: I highly recommend using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to add sweetness to the pudding.
- Salt and vanilla extract: For flavor.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient helps to thicken the pudding.
- Butter: Stir in just ½ tablespoon of salted butter for added richness to the pudding.
- 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 Banana Cream Pie For One
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe 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 frequently until the mixture starts to simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and stir for 5 minutes until the 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.
The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Assemble the pie: 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, and enjoy!
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.
- 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 ¼ 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.
Storage: 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 small banana cream pie will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge, covered.
Yes! If you leave out the cookie crust, the ingredients in the banana cream pie are gluten-free.
A note on substitutions...
- Can I Make Banana Cream Pie Vegan? I know I'll get many questions on how to make this banana cream pie vegan and unfortunately, this is the only way I've tested the pie and it is a tried and true recipe.
- Can I Use a Lower Fat Milk? You can but know that the pudding will not thicken as well as it will if using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
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, Strawberry Milkshake
- Cream: Vanilla Ice Cream, Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Crustless Quiche, Alfredo Sauce
- Cornstarch: Lemon Meringue Pie, Sesame Chicken, Lemon Bars, Mini Blueberry Pie
- Bananas: See below.
- Vanilla Wafers or Graham Crackers: Icebox Cake, Peanut Butter Pie, Key Lime Pie, Mini S'mores Dip
More Banana Recipes
If you have one or two bananas, you might like to use them in any of these easy banana recipes:
- Small Batch Banana Muffins (2 bananas)
- Grilled Pound Cake with Bananas (1 banana)
- Banana Oat Pecan Muffins (2-3 bananas)
- Banana Bread For One (1 banana)
- Bananas Foster For One (1 banana)
- Frozen Chocolate Banana (1 banana)
- Banana Pancakes (1 banana)
- Mini Hummingbird Cake (1 banana)
- Tropical Smoothie (1 banana)
- Green Smoothie (1 banana)
Other Single Serving No Bake Desserts
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.
If you’ve tried this easy banana cream pie or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Banana Cream Pie For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream , or heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ 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 frequently 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 frequently until the mixture starts to simmer.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Donna says
Thank you!! Since my husband and I have been empty nesters for many years it’s great to finally find dessert recipes for 1 which is enough for two. Love it!!
Kellie Boutin says
Can you substitute sugar free to make it more keto friendly or will that not thicken right. Thanks. Amazing recipes
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Kellie, I have not tested this particular recipe with a sugar substitute but generally, when I use Swerve in other recipes it works just fine.
Carol Cesarz says
Thank You!!!
All your recipes are delicious… please keep them coming!
Lynne M Westover says
I doubled the recipe and skipped the crust. It as very good.
Dale Robinson says
Delicious and so easy. My banana was fairly large and was enough for two pies, as was the pudding recipe, so it was perfect for two ramekins.
s brame says
Very good ! I cannot use cow milk & have to use plant based milk. To keep the pudding from being too thin, just use less milk. Works for me. Thank you for this recipe.
Denise Thiele says
AMAZING! I don't know if I have ever made homemade pudding. I may never buy boxed again. Super simple. Making a meal tonight for a friend and her husband. She has been battling cancer and her treatments are leaving her mouth tender. I wanted to find something cool and soothing for her with not a lot of leftovers. This is perfect!
Kathy says
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?
Joanie Zisk says
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".
Barbara J Tyler says
My mom (from Oklahoma City) called this Banana Pudding, but glad to see your recipe for one.
Sarah Christiansen says
I'm going to try these. They look very good for one or two.