This is banoffee pie! A sweet and crumbly biscuit (or graham cracker) base, a thick layer of caramel, rows of freshly sliced bananas, a generous blanket of freshly whipped cream and a dusting of grated chocolate.
Read on to grab my easy, no-bake recipe for classic banoffee pie. It’s just the thing to make a sweet-toothed someone very happy.
Is making banoffee pie easy?
It’s so easy to make banoffee pie and it’s totally no-bake!
Banoffee pie one of my favourite desserts to make because it’s such an easy recipe, you just have to heat a couple of ingredients on the stove and you’ll soon have a beautiful pie! It’s always a hit with the whole family.
What does banoffee pie taste like?
Heaven! The base is crunchy, crumbly and sweet. The condensed-milk caramel is thick, creamy and melts on the tongue. The fresh whipped cream is cool and pillowy soft. And the grated chocolate gently complements the sweet, ripe bananas hidden beneath.
If you’re ever pushed chocolate into a banana and heated it on the campfire, you already know what a winning combination that is, and you’re going to love banoffee pie!
Where and when was banoffee pie invented?
It’s an English recipe! To me, it’s kind of old fashioned – something more likely to be served up to family dinner tables in the 70s and 80s, but I love it and it’s definitely still a popular dessert to this day. You just have to try it!
How to make banoffee pie!
Here’s how to make my classic banoffee pie, which avoids the pain of boiling a can of condensed milk for several hours with a quicker method that gives a fudgy, thick caramel in no time at all.
Ingredients
For the base
- 250 g (8.8 oz) digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- 125 g (4.4 oz) slightly salted butter melted
- 100 g (3.5 oz) demerara sugar
For the caramel
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) demerara sugar
- 400 g (14.1 oz) condensed milk
For the topping
- 3 medium bananas cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) thick slices
- 400 ml (13.5 floz) whipping cream
- 1 square of dark chocolate
Equipment
Instructions
Smash the biscuits up in a bag or food processor until you have an even crumb, then tip into a bowl.
Add the melted butter and the sugar to the biscuit crumb.
Mix well to combine.
Grease a loose-bottomed 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tin and then tip the biscuit mix into it.
Press the biscuit mix into the bottom and up the sides to create a case. It’s important the biscuit is packed down really tightly. Place in the freezer while you prepare the caramel.
To make the caramel, put the condensed milk, butter and sugar in a non-stick pan over a low heat.
Stir often as it gently bubbles. Don’t leave it unstirred as it will easily burn. It will take about 10 minutes for it to thicken enough to hold its shape briefly when stirred. Take the caramel off the heat and allow to cool to completely. Be careful, it will be very hot.
Retrieve the base from the freezer and make sure it feels really solid all over. If it doesn’t, return to the freezer for another 10 minutes.
Pour in the cooled caramel and allow it to settle and level off. It will be very thick now, so work gently.
Arrange the banana slices in a single layer.
Whip the cream into soft peaks and layer up on top of the banana generously – you might not need it all.
Grate the chocolate on top.
Return the banoffee pie to the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
To serve, carefully release the pie from the tin by standing it on a large can so that the sides drop away.
Now you can gently slide the case onto a plate – you can use a spatula to help – and serve in slices. Enjoy!
It’s ready to eat. Keep it chilled – it won’t last long!
What did you think of this banoffee pie?
Extra tips for a perfect, classic banoffee pie
Where to store banoffee pie?
Store your banoffee pie uncovered in the refrigerator. Don’t leave your pie sitting out on the counter. The bananas may soften the fresh cream could spoil.
Can I make banoffee pie the night before? Will it keep overnight?
Absolutely. If you pop it straight in your fridge, your banoffee pie should keep well overnight. I wouldn’t recommend making it more than one day in advance.
If you’re worried about the cream making the sides of the pie soggy, you could wait until morning to add the final layer.
Can banoffee pie be frozen?
I would not recommend that you freeze the whole banoffee pie as it can go watery when thawing. You can freeze individual slices in small sealed containers for a couple of months with better results, although it’s ideally eaten fresh.
Is banoffee pie vegetarian or vegan?
This banoffee pie is suitable for vegetarians but not suitable for vegan as it contains dairy. As ever, always check the ingredients label of everything you use to be sure.
Is banoffee pie gluten-free?
This recipe contains digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) which naturally contain wheat.
If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free cookie/cracker instead. The other ingredients in the pie do not naturally contain gluten, but always check the labels to ensure they’re suitable for your diet.
Is banoffee pie safe to eat while pregnant?
There are no specific ingredients in a banoffee pie that would make it unsuitable to eat while pregnant, unless you have been advised to avoid certain foods by your midwife or doctor.
However, as it contains fresh fruit and fresh cream, good food hygiene and storage practices should be followed, as with all food in pregnancy.
Always check with a medical professional if you are unsure.
Can I make an individual banoffee pie? How to make banoffee pie in a jar?
To make individual banoffee pies, you can layer up the individual elements in a clean mason jar – aim to make 12 jars.
If you only want to make enough for one banoffee pie in a jar, reduce all of the ingredients to 1/12 of the original quantities and layer up.
Why is my banoffee pie runny?
If your caramel layer is runny, it will be probably mean that your caramel didn’t have time to thicken adequately. Next time, try cooking it down for longer until you have a thicker texture.
If your cream is runny, it is likely that either it wasn’t whipped enough for being added to the pie, meaning there is not enough air for it to hold stiff peaks.
Why did my banoffee pie case fall apart
Alternatively, it could be that it has been allowed to sit in a warm kitchen for too long, as natural, fresh cream can easily melt on warm days.
If your base is overly crumbly, it might be that it wasn’t packed tightly enough into the tin before being chilled.
Alternatively, it may be that the base wasn’t chilled enough before the filling was added. May sure it’s really solid to the touch before you add the caramel.
Here’s that classic banoffee pie recipe again in a printable format.
Classic banoffee pie
Ingredients
For the base
- 250 g (8.8 oz) digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- 125 g (4.4 oz) slightly salted butter melted
- 100 g (3.5 oz) demerara sugar
For the caramel
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) demerara sugar
- 400 g (14.1 oz) condensed milk
For the topping
- 3 medium bananas cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) thick slices
- 400 ml (13.5 floz) whipping cream
- 1 square of dark chocolate
Instructions
- Smash the biscuits up in a bag or food processor until you have an even crumb, then tip into a bowl.
- Add the melted butter and the sugar to the biscuit crumb. Mix well to combine.
- Grease a loose-bottomed 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tin and then tip the biscuit mix into it. Press the biscuit mix into the bottom and up the sides to create a case. It’s important the biscuit is packed down really tightly. Place in the freezer while you prepare the caramel.
- To make the caramel, put the condensed milk, butter and sugar in a non-stick pan over a low heat.
- Stir often as it gently bubbles. Don’t leave it unstirred as it will easily burn. It will take about 10 minutes for it to thicken enough to hold its shape briefly when stirred. Take the caramel off the heat and allow to cool to completely. Be careful, it will be very hot.
- Retrieve the base from the freezer and make sure it feels really solid all over. If it doesn't, return to the freezer for another 10 minutes. Pour in the cooled caramel and allow it to settle and level off. It will be very thick now, so work gently.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer.
- Whip the cream into soft peaks and layer up on top of the banana generously – you might not need it all.
- Grate the chocolate on top.
- Return the banoffee pie to the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- To serve, carefully release the pie from the tin by standing it on a large can so that the sides drop away.
- Now you can gently slide the case onto a plate – you can use a spatula to help – and serve in slices. Enjoy!
- Keep it chilled – it won’t last long!
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Faye says
This looks amazing! Just wondering if I could use any other type of biscuit? Is there a reason everyone always uses digestive ones for bases? Thanks!
Emily Leary says
Digestives work well but you could use any cookie you like – Oreos work well, or graham crackers.
Joan says
Can this be made the day before or will the bananas go black. ??
Emily Leary says
I think the bananas will start to release their moisture quite quickly so I would aim to eat same day for optimal yumminess.
Farah says
This looks so yummy! Definitely going to make it soon! How many people does your version serve?
Pooja says
I have just one doubt is this condensed milk sweetened??
Emily Leary says
Hi, the ‘toffee’ part is made with condensed milk, butter and sugar and you can see in the recipe and instructions.