Banana Cream Pie Cookies
There is something wonderfully nostalgic about the combination of banana and cream. For me, it brings back memories of my grandmother’s kitchen, where the scent of baking was a constant, comforting presence. This recipe was inspired by my lifelong love for a classic banana cream pie, but I wanted to transform it into a more shareable, handheld sweet treat. The result is these Banana Cream Pie Cookies: a soft, chewy banana cookie forms the base, with a little well in the centre that cradles a spoonful of rich, velvety vanilla pastry cream. It’s finished with a sprinkle of crunchy biscuit crumbs, giving you all the textures and flavours of the original pie in one perfect bite.
These cookies are a delightful baking project for a quiet weekend afternoon. They require a little patience, as the pastry cream needs time to chill and set, but the process is so rewarding. Each component is straightforward to make, and when you bring them all together, they create something truly special. They have become my go-to recipe when I want to bake something that feels a bit sophisticated but is built on familiar, comforting flavours. They work beautifully for bringing to a friend’s house or for simply having a lovely treat waiting in the fridge for after dinner.
Recipe Overview
These Banana Cream Pie Cookies deliver the essence of the classic dessert in a delightful new form. You’ll get a soft-baked cookie with a genuine, gentle banana flavour, thanks to the mashed ripe banana in the dough. This is topped with a silky, homemade vanilla pastry cream and a final dusting of crushed vanilla wafers for that essential ‘crust’ texture. During one of my test batches, I learned that chilling both the pastry cream and the cookie dough is absolutely essential; it ensures the cream is perfectly set and the cookies don’t spread too thin, creating the ideal shape for filling.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Additional Time: 1 hour chilling
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love This Banana Cream Pie Cookies Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: We use a very ripe banana right in the cookie dough, which gives it a wonderfully moist texture and an authentic, sweet banana taste that isn’t at all artificial. The pastry cream is flecked with real vanilla bean seeds, lending it a deep, aromatic quality.
- A Rewarding Bake: While there are a few steps, the entire process comes together in under two hours. It’s a satisfying project that yields impressive results.
- Flexible Recipe: You can easily customise these. Swap the vanilla wafers for crushed digestive biscuits or even Biscoff crumbs. For a little extra flair, a sprinkle of toasted coconut on top is also lovely.
- Ideal for Sharing: These are great for an afternoon tea with friends, a bake sale, or packing up as a thoughtful homemade gift. They always get compliments.
- Family Tested: My whole family adores these, but my nephews are particularly obsessed. They always try to sneak one from the cooling rack before the cream has even been piped in!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, try to use ingredients at room temperature, especially for the cookie dough. For the pastry cream, I always reach for Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste because the flavour is so pure and you get those beautiful little black specks throughout the cream. A very ripe, heavily-freckled banana is non-negotiable for the best banana dessert flavour.
- For the Banana Cookies:
- 280g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 170g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g light brown soft sugar
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large, very ripe banana, mashed (about 120g)
- For the Pastry Cream Filling:
- 350ml whole milk
- 75g caster sugar
- 25g cornflour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 30g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- For the Topping:
- 50g vanilla wafers or digestive biscuits, crushed
Elena’s Tip: Don’t be tempted to use an under-ripe banana. The magic happens when the banana is almost black; its starches have converted to sugars, which provides maximum flavour and helps keep the cookies incredibly moist.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie Cookies
We’ll start by making the pastry cream so it has ample time to chill and set firmly. While it’s chilling, we can prepare and bake the cookies. The final assembly is the most exciting part!
- Start the Pastry Cream: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it’s steaming and small bubbles form around the edge. Don’t let it boil.
- Whisk the Base: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the caster sugar, cornflour, and egg yolks until the mixture is pale, smooth, and lump-free.
- Temper the Eggs: Slowly and carefully, pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This is called tempering and it prevents the eggs from scrambling. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
- Thicken the Cream: Return the saucepan to medium heat. Whisk continuously until the cream begins to thicken and bubble, which should take about 3-5 minutes. Once it starts bubbling, keep whisking for one full minute to cook out the cornflour taste. For a detailed guide on this technique, BBC Good Food has a great visual on making crème pâtissière.
- Finish and Chill the Cream: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cold butter cubes and vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated. Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and set.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the softened butter with the light brown and caster sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, followed by the mashed banana.
- Combine and Chill Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. I find that what works best for me is a full hour of chilling; it really helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared trays, leaving about 5cm of space between them. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Create the Well: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a teaspoon or a small round object to gently press an indentation into the centre of each warm cookie. Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble Your Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, give the chilled pastry cream a good stir to loosen it up. Spoon or pipe the cream into the well of each cookie. Sprinkle the crushed vanilla wafers over the cream just before serving.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control is Key: For the cookie dough, using softened butter and a room-temperature egg is crucial. It allows the ingredients to emulsify properly, creating a uniform, tender texture. Cold ingredients can cause the butter to seize up.
- The Secret Step for Silky Cream: I learned early on that pressing cling film directly onto the surface of hot pastry cream is non-negotiable. It creates a barrier that stops a thick, rubbery skin from forming as it cools, ensuring your final cream is perfectly smooth.
- Make-Ahead Method: You can make the pastry cream up to two days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. The cookie dough can also be made ahead, wrapped well, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.
- Storage Savvy: Once assembled, these cookies are best enjoyed within 3 days. Store them in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the cream fresh and the cookie from becoming too soft.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the Baking Tray: Giving each scoop of dough enough space (at least 5cm) is vital. If they are too close, they will merge together as they spread, and you’ll end up with one giant cookie instead of individual ones. Bake in batches if you need to.
- Incorrect Oven Temperature: An oven that’s too hot will brown the outside of the cookies before the inside is fully baked. An oven that’s too cool will cause them to spread too much. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure accuracy.
- Skipping the Chill Time: I know it’s tempting to bake the dough right away, but chilling is a critical step. It solidifies the fat in the butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading excessively in the oven. It also allows the flour to hydrate, resulting in a deeper flavour and chewier texture.
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, it’s fun to experiment with different flavour profiles. These cookies are a great canvas for a little creativity.
- Spiced Banana Cookies: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm, spiced flavour that pairs beautifully with the banana.
- Vegan Option: This recipe adapts well. Use a good quality dairy-free butter block, your favourite plant-based milk for the cream, and replace the egg yolks with an extra tablespoon of cornflour mixed with 3 tablespoons of plant milk to create the thickener.
- A Nutty Twist: For added texture and a lovely toasted flavour, fold 75g of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the cookie dough at the final stage of mixing.
What to Serve With Banana Cream Pie Cookies
These are a complete sweet treat on their own, but they also pair wonderfully with a few simple accompaniments to round out the experience.
- A Hot Drink: The creamy sweetness is a perfect match for a strong cup of black coffee or an earthy English Breakfast tea. The bitterness provides a lovely contrast.
- A Glass of Cold Milk: Sometimes the simplest pairing is the best. There’s nothing quite like a soft cookie and a cold glass of milk.
- As Part of a Dessert Platter: If you’re planning a full meal, these cookies are a fantastic addition to a dessert board alongside fresh berries and squares of dark chocolate. It’s a nice change of pace from a large cake, especially after a flavourful main course like my Savory Beef And Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do hope you enjoy making—and eating—these Banana Cream Pie Cookies as much as I do. They are such a joy to bake and share, a little bite of pie in a perfect cookie package. If you try them, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. Please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts! For another dish that everyone seems to love, you could try my Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe. Happy baking!
Banana Cream Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Start the Pastry Cream: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it's steaming and small bubbles form around the edge. Don't let it boil.
- Whisk the Base: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the caster sugar, cornflour, and egg yolks until the mixture is pale, smooth, and lump-free.
- Temper the Eggs: Slowly and carefully, pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This is called tempering and it prevents the eggs from scrambling. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
- Thicken the Cream: Return the saucepan to medium heat. Whisk continuously until the cream begins to thicken and bubble, which should take about 3-5 minutes. Once it starts bubbling, keep whisking for one full minute to cook out the cornflour taste. For a detailed guide on this technique, BBC Good Food has a great visual on making crème pâtissière.
- Finish and Chill the Cream: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cold butter cubes and vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated. Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold and set.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the softened butter with the light brown and caster sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, followed by the mashed banana.
- Combine and Chill Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. I find that what works best for me is a full hour of chilling; it really helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared trays, leaving about 5cm of space between them. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Create the Well: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a teaspoon or a small round object to gently press an indentation into the centre of each warm cookie. Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble Your Cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, give the chilled pastry cream a good stir to loosen it up. Spoon or pipe the cream into the well of each cookie. Sprinkle the crushed vanilla wafers over the cream just before serving.
Notes
Elena