My favorite fruit pie has always been my grandma's banana cream pie! Since I don't have her eyeballing-the-ingredients technique down, I tested recreating it until it tasted just like hers (I prefer making it with graham cracker crust instead of regular pie crust, though).
The day that my now husband & I started dating, we made this recipe together for my work's Pi Day competition, and it won 2nd place! 🏅
I brought this to a family Christmas, I only made one thinking not everybody would eat it. Boy was I wrong! I should have brought two more with how quickly it was eaten. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- our reader, Jenna
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I've never really been a fan of other fruity pies because of the warm, mushy fillings (the texture just isn't for me). Banana cream pie is different - the fruit is sliced, cold & fresh, and layered with delicious pudding!
I like to make this using graham cracker crust rather than normal pie crust. I think it pairs really well with the banana and pudding. It's one of my favorite homemade pies, along with my spiced blueberry pie!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- This easy recipe for banana cream pie only uses 10 ingredients.
- The textures are so luxurious - creamy pudding, airy whipped cream, the soft bite of the banana slice, all paired with the crisp crunch of the crust.
- The vanilla pudding base is a great recipe to use on it's own or in other desserts like dirt cups!
- The bulk of the work is done by the refrigerator for this easy banana cream pie recipe with graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
- Bananas - this recipe works best with ripe banana that has not yet become mushy. The key is for the cut pieces to hold their shape.
- Cornstarch - this is key to thickening your pudding, in addition to the egg yolks, so the pudding sets and can be sliced without oozing.
- Pie crust - my favorite for this recipe is a graham crust, but feel free to use your favorite crust here. Using traditional pie dough, Nilla wafer crust, or store-bought pie crust all work well!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- For a banoffee pie version, add a layer of dulce de leche to the crust before layering the other ingredients. Then, top with chocolate shavings.
- Who doesn't love bananas and peanut butter? Next time, add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to your pudding and then melt additional peanut butter to drizzle over the top of the banana cream pie with pudding once cooled.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment
- Using a deep dish pie pan allows for more layers of luscious filling, but a regular 9-inch pie plate will also work.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie (Step by Step)
Step 1: In a medium pot over medium heat, warm the whole milk, sugar, and salt until hot but not boiling.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch.
Step 3: While whisking constantly, temper the egg yolk mixture by adding a ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the pot.
Step 4: Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly and the consistency of pudding.
Step 5: Remove the homemade pudding from the heat, then mix in the vanilla and butter until melted and combined well. Place plastic wrap directly on the pudding to cover and allow to cool.
Step 6: Alternate single layers of sliced bananas and pudding in the pie crust. Chill, then serve with whipped cream on top of the pie (optional).
Expert Tips
- Be careful when you're adding the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks. You want to make sure you're pouring it in slowly and stirring the entire time so that it doesn't cook the egg yolks too quickly.
- Don't forget to cover the pudding with the wrap directly on top of it! This will help prevent a thick film from accumulating on it.
- Make sure your pie crust and pudding are both completely cooled before adding the pudding to the crust. This helps prevent the pudding from soaking into the pie crust and making it soggy.
- When layering the pudding over the banana slices, add small dollops all over and then carefully spread it around so it covers the banana evenly without . Only add enough pudding so that it just covers the slices. I usually have enough room for 3 pudding layers/4 banana layers (especially with my deep 9" pie dish)!
- You can make homemade whipped cream by mixing heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer to stiff peaks, or you can buy pre-made whipped topping from the grocery store.
Recipe FAQs
You can make Banana Cream Pie Jars to store in the fridge by layering the additional banana slices, pudding, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs or crushed vanilla wafers.
Bananas will oxidize over time, meaning they will turn brown. They are still safe to eat and delicious!
The main reason banana cream pie may get watery is from undercooked pudding. Make sure you cook the pudding mixture thoroughly until there are large bubbles boiling up and it is a thick consistency.
The best way to prevent the bananas from browning is to enjoy the pie within a few hours of assembling it, but a couple other tips are:
1) use bananas that are just slightly brown on the outside so they aren't mushy (as shown in the Ingredients above); and 2) cover the banana slices with the pudding as soon as you layer them on.
The browning happens because of the bananas being exposed to air, so make sure they're covered well, and if you add extra slices on top, save them until you're ready to serve it.
Storage
Refrigerator instructions: Store leftover pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The bananas will begin to brown and the crust will get soggier over time, but it will still taste delicious!
📖 Recipe
Banana Cream Pie
Equipment
- 9 inch pie dish
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Medium pot
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (591.47 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) salt
- 4 large (4 large) egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons (40 g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 (4) bananas sliced
- 1 (1) pie crust
- whipped cream optional, for topping
Instructions
Prepare the pudding
- Prepare your pie crust. I prefer using a graham cracker crust for this pie, but a regular pie crust is just as delicious!
- Combine the milk with the sugar and salt in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture is hot to touch, and the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch.
- While stirring, gradually pour ~½ cup of the milk mixture into the yolk mixture. Then, add the yolk mixture to the pan with the remaining milk mixture.
- With the pan over medium heat, stir until the pudding is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and softened butter until it's melted and completely combined.
- Cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap and let it cool.
Assemble the pie
- Starting with banana slices, alternately layer the banana slices and pudding over the crust.
- Let the pie chill for at least an hour prior to serving.
- Serve with whipped cream (optional). Enjoy!
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Such a fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Love this recipe. Would recommend it to everyone 🫶🏼
Hi can this pie be made in advance? I have to make it on Christmas Eve for Christmas Day. After all ingredients are cold can I assemble the pie and place plastic wrap on top of the custard so skin doesn’t form or should I assemble it Christmas morning? I’m traveling 40 minutes with the pie so I was going to add the whipped cream when I get to my mom’s house. What do you suggest for making this ahead of time? Also I like a really full pie with rich custard. Can I double this recipe and use half whole milk and half heavy cream? If so would I have to do anything differently? Thanks!
Hi Kristen! If you make the custard ahead of time, I'd recommend assembling the pie on Christmas morning so that the bananas are fresh! I haven't tried it with heavy cream but it does make quite a bit of custard...I typically have some left over that I make into individual banana cream pie jars. I hope this helps! Happy holidays!!
First time making this recipe!! Excellent flavor of pudding! Making for my daughter in laws bday today at her request. Used graham cracker crust. Can’t wait to try it
Second time I’ve made this pie, is an easy to follow recipe, amazing flavor, by far the best banana cream I’ve had. Thanks!
I'm making this for the first time, ever. I've never even made a banana cream.
I haven't even "assembled" the pie yet, and I am already blown away by the amazing flavor of the pudding (I had to sample 😁).
This pie is going to be amazing! I am so excited.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Aw yay I'm so happy you're enjoying it!! I love the pudding on its own too 🙂 Thank you for making my banana cream pie recipe your first!
I brought this to a family Christmas, I only made one thinking not everybody would eat it. Boy was I wrong! I should have brought two more with how quickly it was eaten.
I will for sure be adding this to my list of go to deserts!
I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed it!! It's one of my family's favorites too 🙂 Happy Holidays, Jenna!
I made this recipe with a gluten free graham cracker crust. It was sooo delicious, and I used the leftovers to make the pie jars. Thanks, Kayla!
Yay I'm glad you enjoyed it and were able to make pie jars too! Thanks for making my recipe!
First time making a banana cream pie and it turned out great!
Tastes like freedom 🇺🇸
So glad you liked it! Thanks for making my recipe!
Creamy, decadent, and a surprise in every bite.
Kayla first shared this recipe with me in the Spring of 2011. I had just started a new job pushing carts at a local ethnic grocery store. The store, hoping to get a head start on the competition, had bucked tradition by declaring May to be there official watermelon month. The gamble paid off. That first Sunday in May was one of the busiest days the store had ever seen, and it was also one of the hottest. I remember coming home drenched in sweat, hands cramped from scrubbing the carts that had been soiled by watermelons, wanting nothing more than to lie down and go to bed. I grabbed some left over banana cream pie (it had taken all of my self-control to even leave left overs) and turned on the TV. Right as that first mouthful of creamy nirvana entered my gullet, the TV station jumped to a bulletin breaking the news that Seal Team Six had located and eliminated Osama bin Laden. I have been chasing that joyous moment ever since. Ladies and Gentlemen, we got him. And Kayla has got this recipe perfected.
Ah yes, I remember sharing this recipe with you back then. All the stacking of watermelons had inspired your advice to layer sliced bananas and pudding, rather than throw bananas on top of a thick body of pudding. Couldn't have perfected this recipe without ya, buddy.