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Banana Cream Pie is a classic dessert made with layers of creamy vanilla filling, fresh bananas, and a flaky crust topped with whipped cream. It is a smooth, rich, and crowd-pleasing treat.
Banana Cream Pie is a classic dessert that never goes out of style. With layers of creamy vanilla pudding, fresh bananas, and a flaky crust all topped with fluffy whipped cream, it’s the perfect balance of rich, smooth, and refreshing in every bite.
This is one of those desserts that is impressive and seems complicated, but it really isn’t! You basically just make pudding, add it to a pie crust with bananas and whipped cream. The texture ends up perfect every time, and the flavor of the banana really shines through.
Despite looking and tasting like something you’d find at a fancy bakery, it’s actually a pretty straightforward recipe to follow, and it doesn’t require very much work. So the next time you’re craving banana cream pie, skip the bakery and make it yourself!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
For the Filling:
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Egg yolks
- Milk – Use whole milk for the best results.
- Heavy Cream
- Butter – Make sure to use unsalted butter.
- Vanilla
For the Topping:
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
For the Assembly:
- Pastry shell – You’ll need to bake and cool the pastry shell before starting this recipe.
- Bananas
Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
For the Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Assembly:
- 1 baked and cooled pastry shell
- 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and lightens in color.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 5 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the milk and heavy cream into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it almost boils over. You should see bubbles rising up around the edge of the saucepan.2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- While whisking the egg yolks, slowly drizzle about a cup of the hot liquid into the mixture to temper the eggs. Slowly add the rest of the liquid while whisking, so the eggs don't scramble.
- Place the mixture on the stovetop and cook at medium temperature. Whisk constantly until the filling turns into a very thick consistency, like pudding.
- Remove the filling from the heat, and stir in the butter until it is melted and the custard is completely smooth. Let it begin to cool, and stir occasionally to bring down the temperature.3 tablespoons butter
- Cover the top with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or until very chilled.
- Spread a very thin layer of the custard over the baked and cooled crust. Arrange the banana slices over the top of the custard.1 baked and cooled pastry shell, 2 bananas
- Add the rest of the filling on top and spread it evenly.
- Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat again until stiff peaks form.1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the banana cream pie, garnish with fresh bananas, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the cornstarch, salt and sugar to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the eggs. Put the egg yolks and vanilla in the bowl with the dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
- Heat the dairy. Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan and heat until bubbles form around the edge and it nearly starts to boil.
- Temper the eggs. Drizzle the hot milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture, while constantly whisking.
- Cook. Heat the mixture over a stove on medium heat while whisking, until it forms a pudding-like consistency.
- Add butter. Take the mixture off of the heat, and stir in the butter until it is fully melted and the mixture is perfectly smooth. Let the mixture cool, while occasionally stirring.
- Chill. Cover the filling with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
- Assemble the first layer. Add a small amount of the custard filling to the bottom of the cooled pastry crust. Then place sliced bananas over the top of the custard.
- Add the rest of the filling. Pour the rest of the custard on top of the bananas, and spread it around evenly.
- Make the whipped cream. Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat again until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
- Spread on top. Put the whipped cream on top of the pie and spread it evenly.
- Serve. Garnish the pie with more banana slices and serve.
Recipe Tricks and Tips
- Room-temperature eggs. I always like to use room-temperature eggs when I make desserts. When eggs are cold, they don’t mix very well with other ingredients. Using room-temperature eggs makes for a smoother and silkier custard.
- Add the milk slowly. The most critical part of this recipe is when you add the warm milk and cream to the eggs. If you add the dairy too quickly, the eggs will scramble, and your recipe will be ruined. Be very careful when adding the milk, and pour it very slowly while constantly whisking. Once a bit of the milk has been mixed with the eggs, you can start to pour the mixture more quickly.
- Strain. If you do end up with a couple pieces of scrambled egg in your mixture, you can pour it through a strainer before moving on. This only works if it is a very small amount and not mostly scrambled eggs.
- Chill before eating. I really like to eat my banana cream pie cold. When you put the pie in the fridge, it firms up and the flavors get to meld a little bit. So I like to put the pie in the fridge after I make it, and let it sit there for an hour or two before eating it. I think it tastes a lot better.
Storage
Leftover banana cream pie will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure that you store it in an airtight container, or cover it with plastic wrap.
Freezing
You can freeze this dessert, though the texture won’t be quite as good after you thaw it. If you plan to freeze it, you really want to do so before you top it with whipped cream. The whipped cream does not hold up well to freezing. Place the pie in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then top with whipped cream to serve.
More Easy Pies to Make
Can’t get enough pies? Me neither! Here are some more of my favorite recipes.
This looks so rich and delicious. I absolutely love banana cream pie, and this looks like a great one.
I haven’t had banana cream pie in forever this makes me want to make it
Hi Erin,
I’m just wondering if you made your own pastry shell or did you buy a pre-made one and if so, what kind of pastry would you recommend please?
Many thanks.
I use the pie crust recipe I used in my Strawberry Pop Tarts recipe, I just used half of that recipe. But you can use any pre-made one as well. My favorite is Pillsbury.
https://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/homemade-strawberry-pop-tarts/
Thank you so much Erin, I’m looking forward to making the Banana Cream Pie!
Bonjour,
J’espère pouvoir recevoir vos futures newsletters, car je ne vois aucun lien pour le faire….
Merci beaucoup depuis la France….