Home > Desserts > Pies > Banana Cream Pie Banana Cream Pie November 22, 2022 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This Banana Cream Pie is a show stopper! A buttery graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy banana custard and finished off with sweetened whipped cream. Try our other favorite cream pies — this Coconut Cream Pie or Peanut Butter Pie! Banana Cream Pie Recipe Bananas are quite literally always on our counter — we love them as a quick snack or sliced atop a bowl of Microwave Oatmeal. And we purposely always leave a few to get nice and speckled all over so we can make these beloved Banana Cupcakes or Healthy Banana Muffins. So it’s about time I added one of our favorite fruits into a creamy, custardy pie! And now this Apple Pie has some serious competition for our household’s favorite pie. This is truly the best Banana Cream Pie! QUICK TIP This Banana Cream Pie uses pudding made from scratch! That said, I also share some shortcut options for a quicker prep. No-Bake Banana Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust Most old-fashioned cream pies start with a blind-baked pastry pie crust. That is certainly an option here, but we prefer this pie with a graham cracker crust. (Plus, it’s easier!) We do recommend baking the graham cracker crust to keep it from getting too soft when the banana custard is added in. That said, if you want a true no-bake banana cream pie, you can skip the bake. Just keep in mind the crust will be a bit softer. If you do bake the crust, let it cool fully before adding the filling. A hot filling will cause the crust to soften and get soggy. Graham Cracker Crust Tips We wrote an entire post on making the perfect Graham Cracker Crust, and here are a few of our top tips: Blend the graham crackers thoroughly. To ensure there aren’t large chunks of graham cracker in the crust, thoroughly blend the graham crackers until all the crackers are fine crumbs. If you see a chunk or two remaining, add them back and blend again. Let the melted butter cool. Once the butter is melted, it needs to cool back to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the sugar and crushed crackers, and cause a greasy crust. To keep the crust from falling apart later, compress the crumbs tightly in the tin. Press with your fingers, or use the base of a flat measuring cup to tightly press the crumbs to a crust. The Pudding Layer The filling is a custard/pudding consistency. It’s thick, rich, and luxuriously smooth with a lovely sweetness and the perfect banana flavor. While custards can be finicky, we have a foolproof method to make this filling as easy as possible! How do we make an easy Banana Cream Pie filling? We whisk everything together off heat. The sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, cream, and eggs all get whisked until completely smooth before adding to the heat. This way we don’t need to worry about tempering eggs (like in our Crème Brûlée recipe!) Then we slowly heat the mixture while whisking frequently. Once the mixture begins bubbling, a constant brisk whisk will ensure the custard thickens without curdling or scorching. What Is Banana Cream Pie Made Of? Egg yolks and cornstarch for thickness Whole milk and heavy whipping cream, which makes up the pudding base Sugar to sweeten Salt to balance and enhance flavors Vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) adds a lovely flavor to the custard with a slightly stronger flavor and the gorgeous vanilla bean specks throughout the pie Butter helps the mouthfeel and creaminess while also keeping the ingredients from separating And of course…bananas. Unlike when you’re making healthy banana bread and need overripe bananas, we want barely ripe bananas for this pie. They should be firm. QUICK TIP After the custard filling sets, it’s time to make the whipped cream! I share a tutorial on how to make whipped cream here. The sweetened cream is the perfect finishing touch to this pie. A few sliced bananas or sprinkle of candied almonds are a nice (but optional) garnish. The full recipe card is below, so here I’ll share the top tips for making the custard part of this pie: How to make Banana Cream Pie Use a good, sturdy, heavy-bottomed nonstick pot for best results. We need the custard to thicken nicely without burning. Thoroughly whisk together the custard ingredients before adding the pot to the heat. When mixing the custard, we’re looking for large bubbles to begin forming in the center of the pot. Once you see these bubbles, you must whisk briskly and constantly. The mixture should be very thick at this point. As the pie filling is setting up in the fridge, add plastic wrap on the surface of the filling. We do this whenever making a custard or curd (like this lemon curd) to keep the layers from separating or to keep a film from developing. Banana Cream Pie FAQs How do you keep bananas from turning brown in a Banana Cream Pie? Fully cover the bananas with cooled pudding to prevent browning. Bananas brown faster when exposed to air or heat from hot pudding. You can also lightly brush banana slices with club soda (not tonic water) before adding them to the pie. Why is my Banana Cream Pie runny? The number one reason for a runny cream pie is undercooked pudding. While the custard will thicken a bit as it cools, it should be quite thick before adding it to the crust. The consistency should be like a thick prepared pudding snack cup before adding to the crust. How do you make a good Banana Cream Pie? Making a good pie is simple if you pay attention to details: Use quality ingredients: Choose ripe, firm bananas (not speckled or overripe). Watch temperatures: Cool the crust before adding bananas, cool the pudding before adding it to the crust, and let everything set before adding whipped cream. STORAGE Should Banana Cream Pie Be Refrigerated? Yes! This pie needs to be refrigerated to properly set up. Additionally, any leftovers should be promptly returned to the fridge. Make sure to cover the pie tightly to keep it as fresh as possible. Can You Freeze Banana Cream Pie? No, this pie does not freeze and thaw well. The crust gets too soft and the custard can break or seep. Additionally, the bananas will brown and are also prone to seeping. QUICK TIP Leave ample time for preparing this Banana Cream Pie Recipe. It needs quite a bit of time to chill and set! More Favorite Banana Desserts: Healthy Banana Cake Recipe with a cream cheese frosting Chocolate Banana Muffins with chocolate chips Flourless Banana Muffins made with oats Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Banana Smoothie with almond butter FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Banana Cream Pie 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe This Banana Cream Pie is a show stopper! A buttery graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy banana custard and finished off with sweetened whipped cream. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Banana Cream Pie 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Banana Cream Pie is a show stopper! A buttery graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy banana custard and finished off with sweetened whipped cream. Course Dessert, Snack, treat Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword banana cream pie, banana cream pie recipe Prep Time 35 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Chilling Time 4 hours hours Total Time 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes Servings 10 -12 slices Chelsea Lords Calories 433kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $7.83 Equipment9-inch pie tin IngredientsCrust▢ 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 12 full sheets▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar or light brown sugar▢ 1/8 teaspoon saltFilling▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt▢ 1/4 cup cornstarch▢ 4 large egg yolks▢ 1-1/2 cups whole or 2% milk▢ 3/4 cup heavy cream▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract▢ 2 large firm, not overripe, bananasTopping▢ 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream▢ 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract▢ Optional: candied sliced almonds, for toppingUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPreheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl and let cool for 5 minutes to avoid a greasy crust. Blend graham crackers into fine crumbs, then measure 1-3/4 cups and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until combined.Pour the crumb mixture into the greased pan. Press crumbs along the sides and bottom with your fingers. Use a flat 1-cup measuring cup to firmly compress the crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool completely. (You can prepare the crust up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)In a medium pot off heat, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup cornstarch with a whisk. Add 4 egg yolks, whisking constantly. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups milk and 3/4 cup heavy cream, whisking until fully combined. Place pot over just below medium heat. Whisk occasionally, alternating with a rubber spatula to scrape sides and bottom to prevent cornstarch pockets.Once the mixture begins to thicken, whisk constantly. When bubbles appear in the center, set a timer for 1 minute and whisk constantly (reduce heat slightly if it bubbles too intensely). The mixture should be thick like pudding. After 1 minute, remove from heat and whisk for another minute. Add 2 tablespoons butter and whisk until melted. Then add 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until smooth. Let pudding cool completely before proceeding (see Note 2).Add a layer of thinly sliced bananas (1 banana) to the cooled crust. Spoon on half of the cooled pudding, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon. Add another layer of thinly sliced bananas (1 banana) and spoon on the remaining pudding, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pie to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully set.Pour 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar (to taste), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on low speed to combine, then increase to high speed until medium-to-stiff peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid over-beating. Smooth the cream over the pie with a spatula. If desired, garnish with sliced bananas and/or candied almonds. For clean slices, use a sharp knife. Run the knife under hot water, dry it off, and then make a cut, repeating for each slice.Return any leftovers to the fridge and cover the pie tightly to maintain freshness. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Custard notes:The mixture should be very thick, similar to a thick prepared pudding snack cup. It will thicken more as it cools, so ensure it's thick before adding to the crust. Note 2: Temperatures: Let the crust cool completely before adding the layer of bananas, let the pudding cool completely before adding to the bananas, and let everything set before adding the whipped cream. If the crust or pudding are warm or hot, they'll affect the texture of the bananas. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? 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