Pin
These tiny banana cream tarts have become my favorite treat to whip up when I need something fast yet fancy. The deep banana taste mixed with smooth cream and crispy base makes each mouthful absolutely wonderful. I first came up with this when my children were desperate for a sweet snack during a scorching summer afternoon and I didn't want to make the house hotter by baking.
The Background of These Delightful Mini Treats
My grandma's traditional banana cream pie sparked the idea for these tarts. Through years of running my food blog, I've found that small changes to old recipes often lead to the most fantastic outcomes. Going mini was truly a brilliant move. They're now ideal for gatherings, snack breaks, or when you want to spoil yourself a bit. And guess what? You can prepare them beforehand and keep them cool until it's time to eat.
What You'll Need for These Tiny Delights
- Graham cracker crumbs: 1 1/2 cups, make sure they're ground up really fine for a better crust.
- Melted butter: 1/2 cup, go with unsalted to control the taste.
- Sugar: 1/4 cup, plain white sugar does the job nicely.
- Instant banana cream pudding mix: 1 package (3.4 oz), this creates that smooth texture and banana flavor.
- Cold milk: 2 cups, keep it really cold for the best pudding results.
- Heavy cream: 1 cup, whip until it forms firm peaks.
- Powdered sugar: 2 tablespoons, this helps your whipped cream stay fluffy.
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon, brings out the taste in the cream.
- Ripe bananas: 2, cut into thin slices for the filling.
- Whipped cream: for topping, fresh is always better than store-bought.
- Honey: for drizzling, adds a touch of natural sweetness on top.
Let's Create These Gorgeous Tarts
- Prepare the graham cracker crust
- Mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl until everything sticks together. Push this mix into a muffin tin to shape little crusts. Stick them in the fridge for at least an hour to get firm.
- Prepare the banana pudding
- Beat 1 package of instant banana cream pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk in a big bowl until it gets thick. Let it chill for 5 minutes.
- Whip the cream
- In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until it stands in stiff peaks. Gently fold half the whipped cream into your banana pudding.
- Assemble the pies
- Put spoonfuls of the pudding mix into your chilled crusts. Add a blob of the leftover whipped cream on each mini pie. Top with slices from 2 bananas and finish with a honey drizzle.
Pin
Add Some Extra Flair
These mini treats really stand out when you serve them with some fresh summer berries on the side. My children can't get enough of them with a glass of cold milk, but I think they're amazing with an afternoon cup of coffee. Sometimes I'll throw on a scoop of vanilla ice cream when I'm feeling like going all out.
The Nutritional Breakdown
Every mini tart offers a tasty treat without going overboard. A single serving has 250 calories including 35g carbs, 3g protein, and 12g fat. You'll get some nice potassium and calcium from the bananas and milk. There's also a bit of vitamin A, C, and iron in there. Pretty decent for something that tastes so amazing!
Storage Tips
Stick these little guys in a sealed container and they'll stay good in your fridge for about 3 days. I actually think they taste even better after chilling overnight. Just pull them out and eat them cold right from the container. If you want more flavor, let them sit out for a few minutes before eating.
Handy Hints and Ideas
Want to try something different? Vanilla pudding works great instead of banana. If your crust isn't holding together well, just add a bit more melted butter to fix it. Don't have a muffin tin? No worries! Small ramekins do the trick and look really nice when you serve them.
Wrapping Up
These mini banana cream tarts have turned into such a regular treat in my house that I make a batch almost every month. They always bring joy to everyone and I love watching all the different ways you guys customize them. Take a photo and tag me if you give them a try!
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → How long can I store these no-bake banana tarts in the refrigerator?
These stay good for about 2 days in the fridge. The crust might soften a bit after the first day, so they’re best fresh within 24 hours.
- → Can I prepare them in advance?
Yup, you sure can! Make the crust and filling the day before, but don’t assemble them until a few hours before serving to keep everything fresh and tasty.
- → Why doesn’t my graham crust stay firm?
Be generous with the melted butter and press it down firmly in your muffin tin. Use the back of a spoon or something flat to pack it tightly, so it holds well.
- → Can I freeze these assembled tarts?
It’s better not to freeze the whole tart since the filling and bananas can get watery. However, the graham cracker crust freezes just fine if prepared ahead.
- → What muffin tin size works for these?
A regular 12-cup muffin tin fits this recipe perfectly, giving you about 12 personal-sized tarts, ideal for single servings.