Keto Banana Cream Pie Bars

Ingredient notes

Banana pudding always uses vanilla wafers, so I thought it would be fun to make the crust of these bars with HighKey Vanilla Wafers. I crushed them up in a food processor and tossed them with melted butter. They were perfect! You can use other keto cookies, either store-bought or homemade. See Expert Tips for more suggestions.

Then I made a simple chocolate ganache layer. I simmered some cream and added keto chocolate chips to melt, and then spread it over the crust.

The filling is something of a hybrid. It starts with my Keto Banana Pudding, and then some sour cream for added bulk and creaminess. Using a little gelatin helps set the filling, so you can cut it into bars more easily.

As I often do, I recommend a combination of sweeteners for this recipe. A good powdered erythritol sweetener, adds sweetness without being gritty. And a little allulose helps make the filling softer and less likely to recrystallize. See the Expert Tips section for more information.

Banana extract is a must for Keto Banana Cream Pie Bars! I have found a couple of brands I like, including this banana flavoring from Olive Nation.

How to make Keto Banana Cream Pie Bars

Prepare the crust: Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and process until they resemble crumbs. Transfer to an 8×8 inch pan and drizzle with the melted butter. Mix well to combine and then press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Make the chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Let sit to melt then whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache over the crust and spread to the edges. Refrigerate while preparing the banana cream filling.

Make the banana pudding: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the almond milk, cream, egg yolks, sweeteners, and salt. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture thickens, 7 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, as you do not want it to curdle. Remove from heat and whisk in the banana extract.

Add the gelatin and sour cream: In a small bowl, whisk together the gelatin and water. Let bloom a few minutes, then add to the warm banana pudding and whisk until dissolved. Stir in the sour cream until no lumps remain, then pour the filling over the chocolate. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Whip the topping: In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with the sweetener and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. Spread over the banana pudding layer. Refrigerate another 30 minutes to firm up, before cutting into bars.

Expert Tips

Watch the banana pudding base carefully and whisk almost constantly so it doesn’t curdle. If you do find that it curdles, get it off heat right away and into a blender. Then blend until smooth.

The gelatin helps set the filling, but you need to bloom it first. This means combining it with water and letting it gel, before adding it to the warm pudding mixture. You need to make sure the pudding mixture is still warm so that the gelatin will dissolve.

Crust options: There are so many fun ways to make this crust. If you use pre-made keto cookies, make sure they are crisp rather than soft-baked. For homemade options, try Keto Graham Crackers or Butter Pecan Cookies. You could also simply make a shortbread from scratch and bake it, similar to these Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars. 

Sweetener Options: Because the gelatin helps set the filling, you could use almost any sweetener. Do keep in mind that if you use just allulose, it may take longer to set. The whipped topping does need a liquid or powdered sweetener to avoid grittiness.

More keto bars you will enjoy