This Healthy Banana Cream Pie is simple, flavorful, and made with just a few wholesome ingredients. A flaky gluten-free crust, silky banana cream filling, and light coconut whipped topping make this dessert a crowd-pleaser.
There’s always a dessert that takes you back to childhood; for me, that dessert is banana cream pie.
One bite of this pie sends me back to my first job working in a retirement home kitchen and dining room. The menu rotated through pies, crisps, cakes, and ice cream, and sometimes the servers got a portion of whatever was served that day. Banana cream pie was always my favorite.
When I crave a banana dessert, I make this pie and sometimes a batch of banana cupcakes to enjoy throughout the week.
I started that job at sixteen and worked there for two years. The best shifts were always the ones when banana cream pie was on the menu. I’d check the menu as soon as I arrived and, if the pie was listed, I knew it would be a great day.
I wanted a version of banana cream pie that everyone could enjoy, so I developed a dairy-free and gluten-free recipe that stays true to the classic flavors.
People who tried this pie loved it—whether they usually choose healthier desserts or not. It’s straightforward to make and delivers on texture and taste.
How to make the healthy banana cream pie
Start by preparing the crust. You can make the crust up to 24 hours ahead, or the same day—just be sure it’s completely cooled before adding the filling.
While the crust cools, make the filling. Heat coconut milk and maple syrup over medium-high heat. When small bubbles appear, reduce heat to medium and whisk in the cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. Keep whisking; once the mixture bubbles again, continue for 2–3 minutes until it thickens and has a slightly jiggle-like consistency. Remove from heat and keep whisking for a moment more. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill for at least two hours.
During chilling, make the coconut whipped cream. Chill your mixing bowl and use chilled full-fat coconut cream or the solid part of a chilled can of coconut milk. Beat with maple syrup and vanilla until light and fluffy. (Note: different coconut milk brands behave differently; full-fat varieties like those labeled full fat tend to work best.)
Once the crust is cool, place sliced bananas in the bottom—slice at least 1/4 inch thick so the pieces hold up inside the pie. Stir the chilled coconut-maple mixture to smooth any small clumps, fold in about 1/2 cup of the whipped coconut cream, and pour over the banana slices.
Refrigerate the pie for at least two hours. Top with the remaining coconut whipped cream and chill for another 4 hours or overnight. Finish with extra banana slices, chocolate shavings, or caramelized bananas tossed in a little coconut sugar and cinnamon if desired.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out.
You might also like:
- Healthy Mint Chocolate Tart
- Paleo Chocolate Cake
- Paleo Pumpkin Pie
4.4 from 5 reviews
Healthy Banana Cream Pie
This Healthy Banana Cream Pie is simple, flavorful, and made with a few wholesome ingredients. A flaky gluten-free crust, silky banana filling, and light coconut whipped topping make this dessert irresistible.
Prep: 60
Cook: 120
Total: 3 hours
Yield 1 pie
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Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Banana Cream Filling
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp cornstarch whisked with a little cold water to form a runny mixture
- Sliced banana
Coconut Whipped Cream
- 1 can coconut cream or 1 can full-fat coconut milk chilled overnight and scooped (creamy part)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a pie dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine egg, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.
- Stir wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until combined.
- Press the dough into the greased pie dish and pierce the bottom with a fork.
- Bake 14–16 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.
For the Banana Cream:
- In a saucepan, heat coconut milk and maple syrup over medium heat until small bubbles form.
- Vigorously whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring. Once it comes to a rapid boil, stir for 2–3 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes slightly jiggly.
- Remove from heat and keep whisking briefly to smooth the texture.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- While the filling cools, prepare the coconut whipped cream.
For the Coconut Whipped Cream and Assembly:
- In a cold bowl, beat the solid part of chilled coconut cream with maple syrup and vanilla until fluffy. Chill until ready to use.
- After the filling has chilled, whisk it to break up any small lumps.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the coconut whipped cream to lighten the filling.
- Slice a banana and arrange the slices in the cooled crust.
- Pour the coconut filling over the bananas and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Top with the remaining whipped coconut cream and chill for a minimum of four hours or overnight.
- Before serving, add extra banana slices or chocolate shavings. For a caramelized topping, sauté banana slices with a little coconut sugar and cinnamon for about three minutes.
- Enjoy the pie within three days.
Category: gluten-free, dessert, dairy-free