Thisย Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Cream Pie isย super easy to make,ย luxuriously creamy andย packed with sweet bananas! A healthier take on a well-loved classic dessert.ย
This Banana Cream Pie is made in a similar way to my Coconut Cream Pieย andย Lemon Pie, and consists of a crispy, buttery, flaky pastry crust filled with slices of sweet bananas and rich custard, then topped with fluffy clouds of coconut whipped cream and even more bananas.
How to make this Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Cream Pie
A pastry crust might seem like a lot of hassle, but this one is super easy to make because:
- it's made with 3 simple ingredients
- it doesn't require chilling
- you can press it into the pie crust with your fingertips so there's no rolling pinsย and no floured surfaces required
Once you've pressed the pastry into your pie dish, you can use your fingers or a fork to create a pretty pattern around the sides.
Tip: As we're going to be baking this crust by itself, you'll also need to use a fork to pierce the surface of the pastry (don't forget the sides!) so that it doesn't rise in the oven. You can alternatively use baking beans for this.
Once it's been baked until crispy and golden brown, you can add a layer of sliced bananas to the bottom, so that you get a sweet, creamy, fragrant banana surprise with every bite.
To make the custard, I use this shop-bought custard powder.
I love this one because it's:
- naturally vegan, gluten-free + sugar-free
- it's made with just 4 ingredients
- it works well with plant-based milk - I recommendย unsweetened cashew milk, almond milk or oat milk
Once you've left the custard to cool completely, you can load up your pie with coconut whipped cream (see recipe for detailed instructions), then top it with even more sliced bananas for extra banana flavour.
Equipment you'll need to make this Banana Cream Pie:
- glass mixing bowlย - for mixing together the ingredients for the pastry dough
- pie dishย - I used aย 20.5 cm/8 inch pie dish
- measuring jugย - for measuring out the milk for the custard
- electric whiskย - for whipping up the coconut milk to make coconut whipped cream
How long does this Banana Cream Pie keep for?
This Banana Cream Pie tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days so it's a perfect make-ahead dessert for entertaining!
More similar desserts:
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog,ย Iโd really love to hear anyย feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes onย Instagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 30 g (โ cup) coconut oil
- 75 g (โ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub rice flour, or plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 75 g (โ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 7 tablespoons water
For the custard:
- 530 ml (2 ยผ cup) unsweetened cashew milk (or sub unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened oat milk for nut-free)
- 4 tablespoons custard powder **(ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
For the coconut whipped cream:
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
To assemble:
- 2 medium-sized bananas , sliced
Instructions
For the pastry:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a firm dough - add the water a few tablespoons at a time so that you donโt add too much!
- You can keep this pastry dough in the fridge for up to a day if you like, but there is no need to chill it before using
- Place the pastry dough into a greased pie dish and use your fingers to carefully press it across the bottom and up the sides of the dish - I used a 20.5 cm/8 inch pie dish
- Use a fork to pierce the surface (remember the sides too!) of the pastry, so that it doesnโt puff up in the oven. Alternatively, you can use baking beans
- Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, until the pastry crust is firm to the touch and golden brown
- Leave to cool slightly before pouring in the filling
For the custard:
- Measure out the milk in a jug or measuring container
- Pour the milk into a pan, leaving behind a few tablespoons of milk in the jug
- Heat up the milk in the pan
- Add the custard powder to the remaining milk in the jug and mix well, ensuring it has dissolved completely
- Once the milk in the pan is steaming, add approximately half of the hot milk to the bowl with the dissolved custard powder, mix well and transfer the custard powder mixture to the saucepan
- Mix well and keep stirring on a low heat for around 5 minutes, until thickened
- Add the maple syrup, taste and add extra if desired
- Once the pastry crust and the custard have both cooled a little, lay out half of the banana slices across the bottom of the pastry crust
- Carefully pour the custard over the top
- Leave the pie in the fridge for up to a few hours to set completely before topping with the cream
For the coconut whipped cream:
- Youโll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation wonโt happen and you wonโt be able to make this cream!
- Open the tin upside down โ the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies)
- Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl
- Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract
- Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy
To assemble:
- Take the pie out of the fridge, and ensuring that the custard has completely set, carefully cover it with the coconut whipped cream
- Lay the remaining half of the banana slices across the top
- Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog โ thank you.
Julia
wow this is an absolute declicious recipe, banana cakes are my favorite ๐ ๐ xx
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much!
Sally
Lovely banana recipe Rhian ๐
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much!
Anonymous
Does your blog have a contact page? I'm having trouble locating it but, I'd like to send you an e-mail. I've got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.
Rhian Williams
Hi! You can send me an email to: [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Jackie
This is excellent! The pastry is lovely, I highly recommend this recipe, and as a gluten free vegan, it is great to find such a tasty recipe!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!