This banana cream pie recipe is a classic dessert with a smooth, creamy custard layered with heaps of fluffy whipped cream and sweet banana slices in a flaky pie crust. Make this pie ahead of time and add the whipped topping before serving!
Like my lemon cream pie and cherry pie, homemade banana cream pie is easier than you think.
Homemade banana cream pie is a delicious combination of a buttery crust, fresh bananas, creamy vanilla custard, and heaps of whipped cream. I make my banana cream pie 100% from scratch (of course, you can always use a store-bought pie crust to cut down on time). You really taste the difference! This pie recipe doesn’t use any boxed puddings or funny ingredients. The custard is easy to prepare on the stovetop using pantry staples.
Reasons You’ll Love This Banana Cream Pie Recipe
- Thick, sliceable filling. The pie filling is a rich homemade vanilla custard. I use whole milk, plenty of egg yolks, and cornstarch cooked on the stovetop to create a sturdy, sliceable cream pie.
- Easy method. I’ll show you how to prepare and par-bake the flaky crust and temper the eggs for the filling. Making banana cream pie from scratch isn’t complicated, and you can reuse the techniques for other desserts, like buttermilk pie.
- Make it ahead. This banana cream pie recipe is a great make-ahead option as it needs time to set in the fridge. Make it the day before a party or get-together, just leave the topping off until you’re ready to serve.
What You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients in this homemade banana cream pie recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable ingredients list, amounts, and recipe details.
- Pie Crust – I use my homemade pie crust. Feel free to use your favorite recipe or a refrigerated pie crust from the store.
- Milk – I recommend whole milk for a smooth, creamy custard filling.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla bean paste works well here.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar is best.
- Egg Yolks – For the custard. I find it’s easiest to separate the eggs while they’re cold. I top this pie with whipped cream, but there’s also the option to repurpose the egg whites into a meringue topping instead. In this case, refer to my Swiss meringue buttercream recipe for tips on whipping egg whites.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the pie filling.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
- Bananas – The bananas you use for banana cream pie should be firm and ripe for slicing (unlike the overripe bananas you’d mash for banana bread).
- Whipped Cream – You can make homemade whipped cream or use store-bought for the topping.
First, Prepare a Pie Crust
Since this banana cream pie recipe uses a no-bake pie filling, it needs a baked crust. Also called blind-baking, this means we’ll bake the crust without a filling first. Plan to prepare and par-bake the crust well enough in advance, as it needs to cool completely before you fill it.
You can follow the steps here using a homemade crust (I’ve linked mine above and in the recipe card) or a refrigerated pie crust. If you’re extra short on time, feel free to use a ready-to-fill, pre-baked pie crust from the store. In this case, you can skip the par-baking step altogether.
- Roll out the pie dough. While the oven preheats to 425ºF, roll out your prepared pie crust. Press the dough into a 9” pie plate, and prick it all over with a fork (also called “docking” a pie crust, this allows the steam to escape while it bakes).
- Par-bake the crust. Next, line the crust with parchment paper and add pie weights. Bake at 425ºF for 20 minutes, remove the lining and pie weights, and bake for another 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
While the crust cools, this leaves plenty of time to prepare the homemade custard filling. Follow the steps below, and scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe directions.
- Heat the milk. Start by heating milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook for ~10 minutes over medium heat, until it just reaches a simmer.
- Whisk the egg yolks. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the cornstarch and whisk again so you have a thick, light yellow paste.
- Temper the eggs. Stream a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking, to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble. Continue to add the milk a little at a time, stirring in between, until it’s completely mixed.
- Cook. Now, transfer the custard back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat again, stirring constantly as the custard thickens. After 3 minutes, it should look similar to pudding. At this stage, cook and stir for another 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter. Set the filling aside to cool.
Assemble the Pie
After 15 minutes, the custard should be cooled enough to fill the pie. Gather your crust and let’s assemble the banana cream pie:
- Line the crust with banana slices. Slice the bananas into ¼” coins, and layer them into the bottom of the crust.
- Add the filling. Next, spread the custard filling over the bananas. Once the pie is filled, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pie to seal it.
- Chill. Place the banana cream pie into the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours. I prefer to make this pie a day ahead so it has time to chill overnight.
- Add whipped cream. When it’s time to serve, pile whipped cream on top of the pie and garnish with additional banana slices.
Recipe Tips
- Prevent the bananas from browning. If you slice the bananas in advance, toss the coins with a little lemon juice. The acidity helps to keep the bananas from browning. You can also do this for the banana slices you’ll use to garnish the pie when serving.
- Stir constantly. Make sure to whisk the custard constantly while it cooks to prevent it from burning.
- Temper the egg yolks. It’s important to slowly add the hot milk to the egg mixture a little at a time while steadily whisking. Tempering avoids cooking the eggs, which can happen if you add the hot milk all at once.
- Get the timing right. Set a timer when you’re cooking the custard. It should cook only for about 5 minutes in total (3 minutes to thicken, then 2 more minutes to set the starch). Overcooking or undercooking can impact the texture of the pie.
- Different crust. Instead of a flaky crust, make your banana cream pie in a cookie crust or Graham cracker crust.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. This banana cream pie lasts in the fridge for 2-3 days. The whipped topping will start to weep and wilt the longer it sits. Whenever possible, try to refrigerate the pie without the whipped cream topping.
- Freeze. Banana cream pie isn’t the best for freezing. However, if you don’t mind a change in taste and texture when the pie thaws, you can freeze it without the whipped topping for up to 2 months. Thaw the pie in the fridge before serving.
More Homemade Pie Recipes
Banana Cream Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (does not include making the pie dough)
- Resting Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy banana cream pie recipe is a classic dessert, with a cool and creamy custard filling layered with heaps of whipped cream and sweet banana slices.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3–4 firm bananas
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Roll out your pie dough and line a 9-inch pie pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
- Bake the pie crust in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake for another 10 minutes. The crust should be golden brown. Set aside to cool before filling.
For the Filling:
- Combine milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until just simmering, about 10 minutes, stirring very frequently to milk doesn’t scald.
- While the milk is cooking, add egg yolks, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk again until it is all incorporated. The mixture will be light yellow and thick like paste.
- Once the milk has cooked, pour a small amount of hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking to avoid cooking the eggs.
- Continue to add the milk a little at a time, mixing well between each addition, until all of the milk has been added.
- Return the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like texture, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook the cream mixture for another 2 minutes to set the starch. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.
- Set the filling aside to cool for 15 minutes.
Assemble the Pie:
- Line the bottom of the pie crust with coins of banana sliced 1/4- inch thick.
- Spread the cream filling over the bananas, making sure to completely cover all of the fruit to prevent browning.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the cream and press it into the surface to form a good seal.
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.
- Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and additional banana slices.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can use the leftover egg whites to create a meringue topping as an alternative to whipped cream.
- Note – you can also skip the step of making the pudding homemade and use 2 boxes of instant pudding instead. You can use either vanilla or banana flavored pudding.
Store airtight it he refrigerator for up to 5 days.
