Banana Cream Pie! Macadamia-graham cracker crust is filled with fresh bananas and pastry cream. The pie is topped with a mound of whipped cream and candied macadamia nuts. The nuts are optional

With rich custard filling and mounds of sweet cream on top, cream pies are definitely decadent. The problem with cream pies is that are often soft and sweet without contrasting flavors and textures.

Salted and roasted macadamia nuts in the crust and topping bring a nice savory and crunchy element to this pie.

Recipe Ingredients

Graham cracker crumbs – The base for a tasty pie crust.
Macadamia nuts – Macadamia nuts add a savory crunch to the pie shell and the topping. The nuts are optional. The nuts can be replaced with extra graham cracker crumbs.
Granulated sugar – For sweetness
Butter – Butter binds the crust and enriches the custard filling.
Semi Sweet Chocolate – Coating the crust with melted dark chocolate will help keep it from getting soggy
Milk – For the pastry Cream
Vanilla bean – For flavor
Eggs – To bind the custard
Corn starch- To thicken the custard
Rum – The rum is optional, but alcohol enhances other flavors.
Ripe bananas – The bananas soften and mellow as they bind with the custard filling.
Heavy cream – A mound of lightly sweetened cream is the perfect topping.

How to make Banana Cream Pie

macadamias boiling with the sugar, water and vanilla bean

To make candied nuts for the topping, boil the macadamias with the sugar, water and vanilla bean
You can skip this step if you don’t want to use the nuts.

Bake the macadamias until they are caramelized and crunchy.
Store in an air tight container

Chopped chocolate on a graham cracker crust.

Bake the graham cracker crust until lightly browned.
Sprinkle the chopped chocolate onto the hot crust and allow it to melt.
Spread the melted chocolate over the crust.

Sliced bananas in a bowl of pastry cream.

Make the vanilla pastry cream.
Fold the sliced bananas into the warm pastry cream.

A chocolate lined pie crust and a bowl of banana pastry cream on a kitchen counter

Pour the banana cream into the chocolate lined shell.
Cover the pie and refrigerate until the custard is completely cooled. At this point the pie can be held for a day in the refrigerator. The flavors develop over several hours.
Top with whipped cream and decorate with optional candied macadamias and chocolate curd or chips.

Banana Cream Pie beauty shot — Banana Cream Pie

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

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5 from 4 reviews

Banana Cream Pie Recipe

By: Eileen Gray

This recipe is really quite easy when you put it together. This pie is great the day it's made, but it's even better the next day. The flavors meld and the bananas soften into the filling. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert.

Prep Time2

Bake Time20

Total Time2 20

10 servings

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Ingredients

Candied Macadamia Nuts

4 oz granulated sugar (½ cup)
4 oz water (½ cup)
1 vanilla bean (cut in half)
4 oz salted & roasted macadamia nuts (1 cup)

Graham Cracker Macadamia Nut Crust

8 oz graham cracker crumbs (1 ½ cups)
1 oz macadamia nuts (see note)
2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
3 oz unsalted butter (melted)
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped fine)

Banana Pastry Cream

12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ vanilla bean (split)
2 eggs
2 yolks
5 oz granulated sugar (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 ½ oz unsalted butter
1 oz dark rum
4 each ripe bananas

Assembly

16 oz heavy cream (2 cups)
1 oz confectioner’s sugar (¼ cup)
2 teaspoons dark rum
chocolate curls or chocolate chips

Instructions

Candied Macadamia Nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Combine the sugar, water and half the vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Add the nuts all at once and return to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet.
4 oz granulated sugar, 4 oz water, 1 vanilla bean, 4 oz salted & roasted macadamia nuts
Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set the nuts aside to cool completely. Leave the oven on.

Graham Cracker Macadamia Nut Crust

Combine graham cracker crumbs, macadamia nuts and sugar in food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground. Sprinkle melted butter over the crumbs and pulse to combine.
8 oz graham cracker crumbs, 1 oz macadamia nuts, 2 oz granulated sugar, 3 oz unsalted butter
Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
While the crust is still warm sprinkle the chopped chocolate into the bottom of the pie shell. Allow the chocolate to melt and then spread it across the bottom and sides of the pie shell. Allow the shell to cool completely until the chocolate is set.
4 oz bittersweet chocolate

Banana Pastry Cream

In a medium pan, combine the milk and salt. Scrape the seeds out of the half vanilla bean and add them to the milk along with the pod. Heat over medium high until scalding hot.
12 oz whole milk, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ½ vanilla bean
While the milk heats up, combine the eggs, yolks, sugar and corn starch and whisk until smooth.
2 eggs, 2 yolks, 3 tablespoons corn starch, 5 oz granulated sugar
When the milk is scalding hot pour it into the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Return the custard to the pot and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until it just begins to boil. Immediately remove from the heat and strain back into the bowl. Add the butter and rum to the hot custard and whisk to combine. Slice the bananas and fold into the pastry cream. Pour the banana cream into the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled and set.
1 ½ oz unsalted butter, 1 oz dark rum, 4 each ripe bananas

Assembly

Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and rum and spread the cream onto the filling.
16 oz heavy cream, 1 oz confectioner’s sugar, 2 teaspoons dark rum
Sprinkle the chopped candied macadamia nuts and chocolate shavings over the cream to garnish. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
chocolate curls or chocolate chips