Fluffy Keto Banana Cream Pie

This fluffy banana cream has all the creamy, sweet banana taste you love in banana cream pie without any of the carbs. A low carb dieter’s dream, this keto banana cream pie will give you all the classic banana cream pie flavor without using a single banana.

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Fluffy banana cream pie with slice missing. low carb, keto

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Banana cream pie is nostalgic for me. Every time I eat a slice I’m a kid again, right back in my grandma’s kitchen, begging her to have another slice. But since I’m fully committed to living a low carb lifestyle, banana cream pies loaded with slices of carb laden bananas and sugar were a thing of the past until…..

I tested and retested this dreamy low carb banana cream pie and landed on the perfect keto recipe. This keto banana cream pie has all the classic flavors I loved growing up with that perfect silky, fluffy mouthfeel. I just can’t get enough.

It can be done! Make a great banana cream pie without bananas!

Traditional banana cream pie layers sliced bananas underneath cooked vanilla pudding. Bananas are not your friend if you are trying to maintain a low carb lifestyle. 1 banana has 27 grams of carbs. Most versions of banana cream pie call for 3-5 bananas. That’s a low carber’s nightmare.

My version has no bananas but uses a cooked, sugar-free banana pudding as the filling instead. This change results in a fluffy and luxurious banana flavored pudding filling without all the carbs.

I’m not kidding when I say the banana pudding is luxurious - It’s basically a pastry cream. But, I folded in whipped cream, the filling is fluffy and light. It’s absolute perfection.

The best low carb banana cream pie ever!

The rich banana filling makes this fluffy low carb banana cream pie so delicious that you will never miss the bananas. You’ll be too busy enjoying the luscious pastry filling on top of the delicious walnut pie crust.

I did y’all a favor and I painstakingly tested this recipe many times over weeks and weeks. I used dozens of eggs! Each time, I kept making small adjustments, tasting and noting what worked along the way. (Twist my arm, right?! Any reason to eat more of this low carb banana cream pie!)

All my adjustments led me to the perfect combination and ratio of ingredients to create that luxurious filling.

Slice of fluffy banana cream pie on green plate. low carb, keto recipe

What makes the banana filling so delicious? Can’t I just use instant pudding?

While you can use sugar-free instant banana flavored pudding if you really want to take a shortcut, you are missing out. This banana filling is a decadent treat. Not only does it absolutely nail the banana taste but it has that sumptuous silky mouthfeel sort of like a rich mousse.

Also, have you looked at the ingredients in Jello sugar-free instant pudding? The first ingredient is cornstarch, which means it is the main ingredient. The second ingredient is maltodextrin, a sweetener which has a higher glycemic index than sugar! A small box serves 4, at 6 g carbs each (mostly sugar and starch).

I don’t know about you, but I would rather make my own filling. It only takes a few minutes - BUT it does need to sit overnight to achieve optimum thickness.

The Key to Luxurious Sugar-Free Banana Filling

For this recipe, you need basic low carb custard ingredients like heavy cream, almond milk, egg yolks for richness, whole eggs, butter, and stevia and erythritol to sweeten it. Fairly standard.

To this custard base, you are also adding elements to add flavor. To give this custard its irresistible banana flavor, I am adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of banana extract.

Apart from the standard custard ingredients, we’ll add arrowroot powder, xanthan gum and gelatin for thickening. The tablespoon of arrowroot makes the pudding very smooth and helps it thicken to the right consistency. Yes, it’s starch, but it only contributes 7 carbs per the whole recipe and is just a small part of the recipe.

Additionally, we use a little bit of xanthan gum to help with thickening the pudding. It’s just the right amount though, do not as more. Too much xanthan gum will make the filling feel slippery, so don’t skip the starch and add more xanthan gum.

Gelatin gives just the right stiffness so the filling doesn’t run everywhere. I've used both grass fed beef gelatin and Knox gelatin.

Making the keto Banana Filling

Making a homemade custard or pudding is easy to do. The hardest part is overcoming the fear of overcooking or undercooking the eggs. Everyone does it the first time. Infact, I did it twice while adjusting to my new induction top and new cookware.

The only thing to remember when cooking an egg based custard is that a whisk and a strainer are your best friend. Also, be quick to grab that pot off the heat if you think it’s getting too hot!

To make the filling:

Bloom the gelatin in 1 tablespoon of water
Measure the liquids into the pot and heat over medium heat until steaming.
In a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the dry ingredients, egg yolks and whole eggs.
In a thin stream, add the hot liquid to the eggs while whisking continuously.
Pour the custard mixture back into the pot and return to medium low heat.
Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients and whisk for 1 minute.
Strain and cool overnight.

Just before you take the pastry cream out of the fridge, make your whipped cream. Fold the stabilized whipped cream into the filling in 3 batches. Spoon the filling into your crust before topping with additional whipped cream (if desired). Pop it back in the refrigerator for 4 more hours to set before serving.

Here is a video from Joy of Baking which shows how to cook a proper pastry cream.

But wait! What crust should I use?

I love this banana cream filling in my walnut pie crust recipe . The walnut pie crust recipe makes a good choice for any cream pie because it doesn’t get soggy. You could also use my graham cracker crust if your would rather. And if you prefer a more traditional pie crust my flaky low carb pie crust recipe might be for you.

For a more adventurous take and a play on the classic banana peanut butter combination, you even try the peanut flour pie crust (https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/peanut-flour-pie-crust/) I have!

Banana isn’t for me. Do you have any other low carb keto cream pie recipes?

Yes! While this low carb banana cream pie is delicious enough to convert any non banana fan into a banana lover, I have a ton of other low carb keto cream pie recipes.