There’s something magical about recipes that carry memories with them. For me, banoffee pie is more than just a dessert—it’s a little slice of childhood.
Every year, our whole family would head to my aunt’s house on Easter Sunday. There’d be a big roast, lots of noise, people chatting over each other—and then out would come her banoffee pie. It was always the highlight. Even now, one bite takes me straight back to those afternoons.
These days, I love making my own version at home—something that still has all the flavour I remember, but with a slightly lighter twist. Instead of the traditional toffee, I make a simple date caramel. It’s naturally sweet, really easy to throw together, and works so well with the bananas and cream.
What I probably love most, though, is having my two in the kitchen with me while I make it. It’s one of those recipes that’s perfect for kids—nothing too complicated, just lots of little jobs to get stuck into. Crushing the biscuits, mixing in the melted butter, whipping the cream… they can be involved in every step. It’s messy, a bit chaotic, but that’s what I love. Decorating is always their favourite part…and I’m pretty sure most of the mini eggs didn’t make it onto the pie!
And because it’s a no-bake dessert, it’s always a win!
Why You’ll Love This Banoffee pie
- It’s a slightly lighter take on a classic, with naturally sweet date caramel instead of traditional toffee
- No baking required—perfect for when you want something easy and stress-free
- Great for getting kids involved, with lots of simple, hands-on steps
- It’s creamy, sweet, and full of flavour, just like the original
- Perfect for sharing with family or bringing to gatherings
I’m a big fan of no-bake desserts—they’re simple, fuss-free, and always a win. If you’re looking for more ideas, you can check out my 3 of my favourite no-bake snack recipes for a bit of extra inspiration.
I’d love to hear in the comments—what are your favourite childhood food memories? I can think of so many. The smell of my granny’s brown bread baking in the morning is one that always stands out… we’d be counting down the hours until lunchtime, then nearly polish off the whole loaf between us.
And if you give this a go, don’t forget to tag @littleloucooks—I love seeing all your bakes.
Banoffee Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- Base
- 300 g digestives
- 150 g butter
- Date caramel – or use 400ml tin of caramel if you wish
- 300 g dried dates
- 100 g butter
- 50 ml Fresh Cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Small pinch fine salt
- 3-4 medium bananas
- 400 ml Fresh Cream
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- A piece of chocolate for grating
- Mini easter eggs to decorate
Instructions
- Step: 1 To make base: the oven 180ºc fan. Use a fluted tart tin 25cm with a loose bottom or similar, line the bottom with parchment paper. Finely crush or blend the digestives until they are really fine, pour in the melted butter and stir until the mix looks like wet sand. Pour into the tin and use a glass to press the sides first, make it nice and compact and smooth the bottom. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
- Step 2: To make the caramel: Put dates in a pot & cover with water, boil for 5 minutes and let stand in the water for 5 more. Drain and blend until smooth with the rest of the ingredients. Pour into the tart case and smooth the top. Put this in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
- Step 3: Slice the bananas into 1 inch pieces and place evenly on top of the caramel. Whip the cream and icing sugar and pipe or spoon on top. Finely grate some chocolate and decorate with Easter chocolates.
- Get ahead: Do step 1 and 2 a day ahead and step 3 on Easter Sunday morning – this prevents the bananas from browning too much.
- Storage: Good for 1 day in the fridge.
