Salted Caramel Banana Pie with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

I don’t like to choose favorites, but this pie recipe is one of my best to-date. The caramel filling is simple to make (just make sure you stir it during the baking process to prevent burning), the bananas add a smooth buttery texture and, oh, did I mention the chocolate chip cookie crust? All my favorite flavors combined.

Salted Caramel Banana Pie with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

Makes: one 9-inch pie

Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust:

1½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish

Caramel Filling:

Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream, cold

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

3-4 bananas, sliced into rounds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9” tart pan with removable bottom with non-stick baking spray.

To make the chocolate chip cookie crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg. Mix until combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Pour the cookie dough into the pan. Using your hands and a small piece of plastic wrap, press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan. The dough should cover the bottom of the pan about a half inch thick. You may not need all of the dough.

Bake for 18 to 23 minutes until the crust is golden brown. While the crust is still warm, use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down the dough. This deflates any rising that occurred during baking and makes a more compact crust.

Allow to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.

To make the caramel filling: Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Scrape the condensed milk into a 9”-by-13” inch glass baking dish and sprinkle with a ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt. Cover the dish with foil and place it in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the baking dish. Bake, lifting the foil to stir 2 or 3 times, until the condensed milk is golden and thickened, about 2 hours. The consistency of the caramel should be like dulce de leche. Don’t worry if there are lumps; it will smooth as it chills.

Allow the caramel to cool for about 20 minutes until it is just warm but still pourable. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the caramel filling into the cookie crust, smoothing the top. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and cover the top of the pie. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled and set, at least 4 hours.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla bean paste until peaks form. Remove the pie from the refrigerator, arrange bananas in rows over the top of the caramel. Pipe or spoon whipped cream on top of bananas. Sprinkle top with mini chocolate chips.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Eat within 24 hours as the caramel and whipped cream will begin to bleed moisture through the crust.