Banana Cream Pie Recipe – The BEST
If you love fresh bananas, you’re going to love this easy banana cream pie recipe. This banana pie is filled with a rich and creamy vanilla custard and layered with fresh bananas then topped with whipped cream.
While it’s true that you can make this banana cream pie using pudding, I highly recommend you try your hand at making this pastry cream.
The Vanilla Custard Recipe is the same one that is used to fill the layers in the Swedish Birthday Cake recipe, and that is served with the Apple Cake.
If you are a banana dessert lover and haven’t seen THE Banana Cake recipe, you should check out!
What I Love About this Homemade Banana Cream Pie
- This fresh cream pie is so delicious, It’s BANANAs! 🤣
- I love the layers of fresh banana and the thick vanilla custard.
- This pie is cool and creamy and the perfect summer pie!
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
It’s time to build the Best Banana Cream Pie! This pie is best if you make the pie crust and pastry cream the day before you assemble it. That way, you know everything is nice and cold.
Ingredients
- Pie Crust: This pie requires a pre-baked crust. You can use my easy butter pie crust. Two other popular crusts you can use are Graham Cracker Crust or a Nilla Wafer Crust (see instructions below.)
- Vanilla Custard: A thick creamy vanilla custard is layered between slices of fresh banana. To make this fresh custard, you’ll need egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, milk, heavy cream, and vanilla paste.
- Fresh Bananas: 4 to 5 fresh, ripe, but firm bananas. This pie has 2 layers of bananas, plus more on the top!
- Whipped Cream: This fresh cream pie is topped with a layer of whipped cream, sweetened with a little bit of brown sugar and vanilla
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
- Make the Pie Dough: Refrigerate the pie dough overnight.
- Make the Vanilla Custard: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat the milk in a saucepan. Add a ladleful of warmed milk to the eggs and whisk together (tempering the eggs). Then add the egg mixture to the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking the entire time. Whisk until the vanilla custard is thick.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the custard and the pie dough overnight.
- Blind Bake the Pie Crust: After baking the pie crust, ensure it is completely cool before filling it.
- Fill the Pie: Add a layer of sliced bananas, then add half of the custard. Repeat.
- Add fresh whipped cream: Top the banana cream pie with whipped cream.
PRO-TIP: Before you store the vanilla custard in the fridge make sure to put a layer of plastic wrap over the surface of the cream. Gently press the plastic wrap to make sure it has contact with the entire surface. This will prevent a skin from forming on top of the custard.
Laura
FAQs and Tips
What is the best pie crust for banana cream pie?
There are probably as many pie crust recipes out in the universe as there are types of pie! In the recipe, you will find my recipe for a Basic Butter Pie Crust. I also have a fantastic recipe for a Buttermilk Pie Crust.
Using the food processor to make your pie crust makes them virtually fail-proof.
I’ve also found over the years that I get the best results with pie crust if it is refrigerated overnight. This step gives you a flakier and more tender baked pie crust.
What are other options for pie crust?
This is a classic banana cream pie that your Grandma may have made. It uses traditional pie crust.
However, two delicious alternatives to this pie crust are a simple graham cracker crust or a vanilla wafer pie crust.
Both of these crusts are made with about a half cup of crumbs, one-third cup of sugar, and one-third cup of butter. Then, press it into the pie plate and bake it at 350℉. (See notes in the recipe card)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
More Pie Recipes
Banana Cream Pie with Whipped Cream and Fresh Bananas
Equipment
- pie pan (affiliate link)
- food processor (affiliate link)
Ingredients
PIE CRUST
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup ice water
PASTRY CREAM FILLING
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar (affiliate link)
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (affiliate link)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- 4 ½ bananas, sliced
TOPPINGS
- 1 cup hearty bread, freshly whipped
- 1 ½ banana, sliced
Instructions
PIE CRUST
- Add the flour, sugar, and salt to food processor with metal blade attachment. Pulse a few times to blend dry ingredients.
- Add the diced butter to the bowl. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the ice water via the liquid cup dispenser. Pulse until the mixture comes together.
- Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Smooth together and knead a few times.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (At least 4 hours)
ROLLING OUT THE PIE CRUST
- Roll out the pie dough on a floured surface. (You can substitute in finely graham cracker crumbs here)
- Shoot for a 13 to 14-inch circle.
- The dough should be about 1/8th of an inch thick.
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate.
- Be careful not to stretch the dough here. Stretched pie dough has a tendency to spring back when it is baked.
- Trim any overhang, leaving about 1 inch around the pie plate.
- Fold the excess dough under the pie crust and fashion the edges by crimping
- Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour and up to overnight.
BAKING THE PIE CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Line the chilled dough with foil and fill with beans or pie weights.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil and pie weights.
- Reduce the temperature to 375℉.
- Bake until the bottom looks dry and the edges are golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Let the pie crust cool on a rack while you prepare the filling.
FILLING
- Mix the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl. Whisk until sugar has dissolved (and the mixture has become lighter in color).
- Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the vanilla pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- TEMPER THE EGGS: While stirring the egg mixture continuously, add about one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs. I usually use a ladle or measuring up for this step. Vigorously whisk the eggs so that the hot milk doesn’t cook them! (I promise this is the hardest step)
- Pour the eggs mixture into the pot with the rest of the milk. Vigorously whisk until combined.
- Place the pot back on the heat. Heat while stirring continuously with the whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Continue to cook for up to another 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pastry cream into a bowl and remove the vanilla pod. Let cool at room temperature.
- Once at room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and then refrigerate.
PIE ASSEMBLY
- Once the pie crust and the pastry cream are completely cooled, start to put the pie together.
- Put one-third of the pastry cream into the pie crust. Spread evenly to distribute.
- Add a layer of sliced bananas on top of the pastry cream.
- Follow with another third of the pastry cream and another layer of sliced bananas.
- Top with the last third of the pastry cream. [You will end up with cream->bananas->cream->bananas->cream.]
- Decorate the top with a bit of whipped cream and more sliced bananas. [I also added some shaved almonds to the top of the one I made.]
Laura’s Tips + Notes
For the graham cracker (or vanilla wafer) crust:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir until fully combined and all of the crumbs are moistened.
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Scoop the mixture into a 9-9.5 inch pie plate and firmly press it down into an even layer on the bottom and up around the sides of the dish.
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Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
YOUR OWN NOTES
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What an amazing banana dessert! Such a great pie to make for any occasion!