Bananas Foster Pie

We love taking classic desserts and turning them into new classics. Bananas Foster pie has all the flavors of bananas Foster—flambeed bananas, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and rum—but in the form of a sliceable, shareable treat. It’s full of that familiar caramelized fruity flavor, but it’s a lot less intimidating to make (no flaming alcohol here!).

Instead, this easy-to-make bananas Foster pie fills a homemade vanilla wafer crumb crust with a rich and creamy custard filling and plenty of sliced ripe bananas. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion, from birthday parties to potlucks, backyard cookouts and picnics.

Ingredients for Bananas Foster Pie

• Vanilla wafers: Like most crumb crusts, wafer cookies are pulsed into crumbs in a food processor, mixed with melted butter and pressed into a pie plate.
• Butter: Melted butter helps to keep the vanilla wafer crust together and adds rich flavor to the filling. This recipe calls for unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter if it’s all you have on hand.
• All-purpose flour: You’ll only need 1/3 cup of flour, but it’s a crucial addition for thickening the filling.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds warm molasses flavor to the filling. Use light or dark brown sugar; dark will add a deeper, more caramelized taste.
• Salt and spices: Salt, cinnamon and nutmeg enhance the filling.
• Milk: Milk is key to the filling’s rich and creamy consistency. We use 2% milk for this recipe, but you can swap it for whole milk if you prefer.
• Egg yolks: Egg yolks thicken the filling while providing rich flavor. Always separate eggs when they’re cold, but bake with them once they’ve warmed to room temperature. (Psst: We have plenty of ideas for those leftover egg whites.)
• Peanut butter: While peanut butter isn’t a traditional ingredient in bananas Foster, it just works so well in the creamy filling of bananas Foster pie.
• Rum: Dark rum is a key ingredient for bananas Foster, and it’s incorporated into the filling here. Just one tablespoon goes a long way in creating a depth of flavor. If you don’t have rum, you can replace it with bourbon.
• Vanilla extract: Use your favorite vanilla extract to enhance all the flavors in the filling.
• Bananas: It wouldn’t be bananas Foster without bananas! For the best pie, choose just-ripe bananas rather than overripe bananas, which may be too soft.
• Toppings: Once your pie is prepped and assembled, it’s time to dress it up. Choose toppings such as whipped cream, caramel sauce, sundae syrup or chopped peanuts.

Directions

Step 1: Make the crust

Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs and butter in a bowl. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned. Cool the crust on a wire rack.

Editor’s Tip: For a sturdy crust, it’s important to firmly press the crumb mixture into the pie plate. For this step, use the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to do it evenly.

Step 2: Start the filling

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg until smooth. Gradually add the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook and stir the filling for two minutes or until it’s thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 3: Finish the filling

Stir a small amount of hot filling into the egg yolks, then return the entire mixture to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring the filling to a gentle boil and cook and stir for two minutes longer. Remove the filling from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter, rum and vanilla until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: Tempering eggs is essential for making any type of cooked custard. If you don’t bring the eggs and milk mixture to the same temperature, you’ll end up with scrambled egg bits in the custard.

Step 4: Assemble the pie

Slice the bananas into an even layer in the crust. Pour the filling over the top.

Editor’s Tip: If you want bananas throughout, layer the sliced bananas with the filling multiple times instead of just one layer.

Step 5: Chill and serve the pie

Refrigerate the pie for three hours or until it’s set. Garnish it as desired with whipped cream, caramel syrup and peanuts.

Mark Derse for Taste of Home

Bananas Foster Pie Variations

• Make a graham cracker crust: While this pie is made with a vanilla wafer crust, there are plenty of other options you could try, like a classic graham cracker crust.
• Add chocolate: If you’re a chocolate lover, drizzle chocolate sauce over the top of the pie. You can use this instead of caramel sauce, or try the pie with both.
• Make it salty: This pie’s brown sugar and peanut butter notes pair perfectly with a bit of extra salt. Sprinkle the top of the pie with flaky sea salt for a flavorful presentation.
• Spice it up: The filling contains a small amount of cinnamon and nutmeg, but if you love warm spices, feel free to add more. Double the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg, and consider adding 1/2 teaspoon of allspice as well.

How to Store Bananas Foster Pie

With egg yolks and milk in the base filling, this bananas Foster pie needs to be chilled. Cover the pie completely and store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you freeze bananas Foster pie?

Prepping a whole pie ahead of time or storing leftovers? You can absolutely freeze bananas Foster pie. Place the pie, uncovered, in the freezer and leave it for two hours. Once the pie is frozen, wrap it in storage wrap and an additional layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Store the pie in the freezer for up to three months, and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before slicing and serving it.

Bananas Foster Pie Tips

Mark Derse for Taste of Home

How do you get a clean slice of bananas Foster pie?

For the cleanest slices of bananas Foster pie, be sure the pie is thoroughly chilled and set before serving. Slice the pie with a sharp knife and wipe it clean between slices.

Do you need rum for bananas Foster pie?

It’s impossible to make bananas Foster without rum, but you can leave it out for bananas Foster pie. It won’t have quite the same depth of flavor, but it will be alcohol-free.