This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Buttery pie crust filled with bananas and sweet creamy filling, this Banana Cream Pie is what dreams are made of. Perfect for Easter! Be sure to check out this Banana Coconut Cream Pie while you’re at it 🙂
Banana Cream Pie
A flakey pie crust filled with a creamy custard that is laced with bananas then it is all topped with freshly made whipped cream and even more sliced bananas, this Banana Cream Pie recipe is a killer. So simple to make with my step-by-step instructions and just in time for Easter too! This light yet sweet dessert is perfect for springtime. It can even be made ahead of time, winner! If you like my Banana Pudding Recipe you’re going to love this pie.
Main Ingredients Needed
Lot’s of pantry staples are used to make this delicious banana cream pie. Drop by the store if you’re missing anything, here’s what you’ll need:
- Pie Crust – either buy a store-bought blind-baked pie crust or make some homemade pie crusts (I have two that are great: All Butter Pie Crust and a Pie Crust Made with Shortening).
For the Filling
- Whole Milk – for all of the creamy goodness use whole milk!
- Sugar – to sweeten.
- Salt – to balance the flavors.
- Flour – to thicken and stabilize.
- Egg Yolks – these create extra creamy smoothness in the filling.
- Butter – used for flavor and texture.
- Vanilla – used for flavor.
- Bananas – sliced. Make sure these are ripe, used in the pie, and decorate on top.
For the Whipped Cream Topping
For all whipped cream issues, see my how-to on whipped cream!
- Heavy Cream – this is whipped up to build volume and add creaminess.
- Powdered Sugar – to sweeten.
- Vanilla – to flavor.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
For full details on how to make banana cream pie, see the recipe card down below 🙂
1. Blind Bake the Pie Shell
Blind bake a deep pie crust or one that is large enough to hold 3 cups of filling. Set aside to cool.
2. Make Filling
In a large bowl, whisk sugar, flour, and salt together. Slowly add the milk to the flour and sugar to incorporate and prevent lumps. Transfer this carefully to a pot. Heat milk mixture over medium to medium-low heat, whisking constantly to ensure as the filling is heating up, it is not coming to a rolling boil. As it heats, you will notice that it will start to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, cook an additional couple of minutes and remove it from heat.
Helpful Hint: if the mixture starts to bubble consistently once it has started to thicken, reduce the heat. If you were to NOT stir, you should see the occasional bubble. If you are continuously stirring, you shouldn’t really see any bubbles. (If your whisk doesn’t reach into the corners of the pot, switch every so often to a wooden spoon or rubber scraper to ensure the bottom isn’t scorching around the edge of the pot.)
Temper Egg Yolks
Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl. Temper the egg yolks by whisking in 1/2 cup of the hot, thickened milk mixture. Then whisk the tempered egg yolks back into the pot. Replace back onto the heat and cook on medium to medium-low. It will continue to thicken. Remove from heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
3. Chill Filling
Pour into a shallow dish, cover directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled. Chill until the filling has set, is completely cold, and plastic wrap peels off clean.
4. Assemble + Chill
Remove plastic wrap and stir chilled filling. Add about 1/3rd of the filling to the bottom of the pie crust. Add sliced bananas and cover with remaining filling. Cover the top again with plastic wrap and chill until set. Overnight is fine!
5. Top with Whipped Cream
To serve, whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Top pie with cream and any extra sliced bananas, if desired. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
Make-Ahead
Because the banana filling has to set in the fridge to set, this makes banana cream pie the perfect make ahead dessert! Make this recipe the day before, then when you are ready to serve, quickly whip up some whipped cream. Seriously could it get any easier than that?
Freezing Banana Cream Pie
Alternatively, you can freeze this pie to make up to 3 months in advance! Simply make the recipe as directed up until it has set in the refrigerator. After it is set, cover with another couple of layers of plastic wrap and foil, then freeze away!
To serve, defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. Make whipped cream, top pie, and serve!
More Cream-Based Pies to Try!
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Key Lime Pie Recipe
- Peaches and Cream Pie
- Lemon Cream Pie with Fresh Raspberries
- Pumpkin Cream Pie
Make this banana cream pie soon friends, especially as the weather gets warmer!
The recipe card is down below, enjoy 🙂
Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust blind baked
For the Filling:
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas sliced
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Blind bake a deep pie crust or one that is large enough to hold 3 cups of filling. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, flour and salt together. Slowly add in the milk to the flour and sugar to incorporate and prevent lumps. Transfer this carefully to a pot. Heat milk mixture over medium to medium-low heat for about 7 minutes, whisking constantly to ensure as the filling is heating up, it is not coming to a rolling boil. As it heats, after about 5 minutes, you will notice that it will start to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, cook an additional 2 minutes and remove from heat. Helpful hint: if mixture starts to bubble consistently once it has started to thicken, reduce the heat. If you were to NOT stir, you should see the occasional bubble. If you are continuously stirring, you shouldn't really see any bubbles. (If your whisk doesn't reach into the corners of the pot, switch every so often to a wooden spoon or rubber scraper to ensure the bottom isn't scorching around the edge of the pot.)
- Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl. Temper the egg yolks by whisking in 1/2 cup of the hot, thickened milk mixture. Then whisk the tempered egg yolks back into the pot. Replace back onto the heat and cook on medium to medium-low for 2-3 minutes more. It will continue to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour about 1/3rd of the filling to the bottom of the pie crust. Add sliced bananas and cover with remaining filling. Cover the top directly with plastic wrap and chill 4-6 hours or until set, completely chilled and plastic wrap removes cleanly. Overnight is fine!
- To serve, whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Top pie with cream and any extra sliced bananas, if desired. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
My pie didn’t set/thicken in the fridge. Isn’t it supposed to be like pudding or should it be more like soup? So sad! Otherwise it tastes really good. Just wondering if I did something wrong, I did everything down to the T!
between the flour and the egg yolks, it should have set up like pudding! I’m so sorry it didn’t work!
Oh no it all worked out in the end! I let it set out in the fridge overnight to see if it would thicken some more, it didn’t. In the morning I scraped the pudding out (I know probably not supposed to) to see if it would thicken back in the pot and it did!! So I guess just needed more time on the stove. It was delicious. Thank you for your recipe!
We absolutely loved this recipe. So fun to make and serve to my family!