Description

This Brûléed Peanut Butter Banana Pie is a decadent frozen dessert featuring a buttery vanilla wafer crust filled with a creamy blend of mashed bananas, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter, folded into whipped heavy cream. The pie is topped with caramelized banana slices and coarse sugar, achieved using either a broiler or kitchen torch for a beautifully crisp brûléed topping. Perfect for a make-ahead treat that combines rich peanut butter flavor with fresh bananas and a satisfyingly crunchy crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust

6 ounces vanilla wafers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Filling

5 large ripe bananas, not overripe (slightly spotty is ok)
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (not the drippy kind)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold

Topping

3 tablespoons coarse raw sugar
2 bananas (sliced 1/4-1/2 inch thick) for topping

Instructions

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place vanilla wafers into a food processor and pulse until they become finely ground crumbs. Add melted unsalted butter and a pinch of salt, pulsing until the mixture is evenly moistened and combined. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the crust to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, mash 3 of the ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together until fully combined and set the mixture aside.
Whip the cream and combine: In a separate chilled bowl or stand mixer, beat the cold heavy cream with electric beaters or a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the banana-peanut butter mixture using a rubber spatula, careful to combine without deflating the whipped cream. Pour this filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 12 hours or overnight to set.
Prepare the brûléed topping – Broiler method: Two hours before serving, remove the pie from the freezer. Preheat the broiler to high and place the oven rack in the upper third position. Slice 2 bananas 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and arrange the slices evenly over the frozen pie top. Sprinkle the coarse raw sugar over the bananas. Place the pie under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until the banana slices are golden brown and caramelized. Let the pie cool slightly, then return it to the freezer for at least 2 hours to refreeze and firm up before serving. Remove the pie from the springform pan, slice, and serve.
Prepare the brûléed topping – Kitchen torch method: When ready to serve, remove the pie from the freezer. Arrange the banana slices as described above and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Carefully use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it develops a deep golden-brown crust. If needed, chill the pie again briefly to firm up before slicing and serving. Remove from the springform pan and enjoy.

Notes

Make sure bananas used for the filling are ripe but not overly mushy to maintain the best texture.
The crust can be pressed up the sides about 1/4-1/2 inch to help contain the filling.
If you do not have a food processor, place vanilla wafers in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely ground.
Use a kitchen torch for a quicker, more controlled brûlée topping without thawing the pie too much.
Freeze the pie thoroughly for best slicing results.
Coarse raw sugar helps create a better caramelized crust than finely granulated sugar for the topping.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes (crust baking) plus 5 minutes (broiling)
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Brûléed peanut butter banana pie, frozen banana pie, peanut butter dessert, caramelized banana topping, vanilla wafer crust