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    Home » Desserts

    Banana Cream Pie

    By Jill Baird · Published September 27, 2021 · Updated February 20, 2023 · 2 Comments

    Old fashioned banana cream pie recipe

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    Jump to Recipe

    This Banana Cream Pie Recipe has the most creamy banana custard filling, fresh banana slices, all tucked inside our homemade flaky pie crust and topped with a big dollop of fresh whipped cream. This nostalgic pie recipe is like a bite of absolute heaven that tastes great all year long. 

    Jump to:
    • Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
    • Ingredients in Banana Pie Recipe
    • How to Make Homemade Banana Cream Pie
    • Variations
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Storing
    • Best Banana Cream Pie Recipe

    Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

    As far as desserts go, it doesn’t get any better than Banana Cream Pie.  This version is filled with homemade custard and fresh bananas. If a strong banana flavor is your thing, you can also add a drop or two of banana extract to the filling and wowza!

    You can use our flakey pie crust, Nilla wafer Pie Crust or a Graham Cracker Pie Crust. They make the most amazing crunchy cookie crust. You really can't go wrong here. They're all great options and you won't be disappointed. 

    While you don’t have to top this pie with whipped cream, let’s get real - it’s just meant to be.  Serve with a dollop on the side, spread over the top or pipe a pretty design.  Garnish with a slice of banana and a dusting of grated cinnamon or nutmeg if you feel like getting fancy.

    Some of our other favorite pie recipes are Peaches and Cream Pie, Apple Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, and Chocolate Cream Pie. They're all delicious and the perfect dessert recipe for Easter dessert, family dinner, a BBQ or potluck, or you can make it into mini's and serve at a bridal shower or baby shower. This really is easier than you might think. This homemade, from scratch recipe can be ready in no time at all.

     recipe for banana Cream Pie Recipe with a banana cream filling recipe and flaky pie crust.

    Ingredients in Banana Pie Recipe

    Homemade Pie Crust

    • Flour - you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
    • Salt - any kind of sea salt or finely ground salt will work.
    • Crisco - crisco works great because it doesn’t melt as easily as butter.  But, you can absolutely substitute cold butter if you’d prefer.
    • Water - use super cold water to keep the dough as cool as possible.  You can even add ice cubes to the water (just don’t add the ice cubes into the dough).
    • Egg Wash and Sugar - applying an egg wash to the dough gives it a little shine and keeps the crust nice and crisp.  You don’t need much - just an egg and a tablespoon of water.  We like to finish off with a sprinkle of sugar, too.

    Banana Cream Filling

    • Bananas - try and find bananas that are ripe, but not mushy.
    • Sugar - this recipe calls for regular granulated sugar.
    • Cornstarch - this helps to thicken the custard filling.
    • Salt
    • Milk - use either whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe.
    • Egg Yolks - for best results, use fresh eggs rather than the yolks from the carton and save the whites for another use.
    • Butter - this will melt best if you cut it into chunks.
    • Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.

    Homemade Whipped Cream

    • Heavy Whipping Cream - for the sturdiest whipped cream, make sure your heavy cream is super cold before trying to whip.
    • Powdered Sugar - any kind of powdered sugar will work.
    • Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
    Step by step incructions on how to make banana cream pie recipe from scratch.  A nostalgic old fashioned banana cream pie.

    How to Make Homemade Banana Cream Pie

    1. Make the pie dough.  See our post on Homemade Flaky Pie Crust for detailed instructions on how to mix, roll and shape your own dough.  
    2. Line the pie dish.  Carefully line a pie plate with the rolled dough then fold the edges under and pinch the edges of the dough to make a decorative edge.  Prick the edges and bottom of the pie crust with a fork, about 2 inches apart.
    3. Blind bake the crust.  Line with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with ceramic pie beads or dry beans.  Bake the prepared pie crust in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
    4. Make the banana cream filling.  In a large pot, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whisk together.  Pour in the cold milk and egg yolks, then whisk again until smooth.  Turn heat on to medium high and whisk while the milk mixture comes to a boil.  Continue to stir at a boil for 1 minute, or until the filling is thick and bubbly then remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla extract, stirring until the butter has melted.
    5. Fill the pie shell.  Slice bananas into ½" pieces and lay them in the bottom of the pie crust in an even layer.  Pour the warm mixture over the bananas, into the prepared pie crust, smoothing the top of the pie with a knife or off-set spatula.
    6. Chill then serve.  Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the pie and let it come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge to cool for up to 24 hours.  Top or serve with homemade whipped cream, or cool whip and enjoy!
    banana cream pie with whipped cream on a white plate

    Variations

    • Chocolate Banana Cream Pie: stir in 8 ounces of finely chopped semisweet chocolate when you are adding the butter to the pie filling and continue to stir until it has completely melted.
    • Banana Coconut Cream Pie: use coconut milk instead of plain milk in your filling and top with toasted coconut flakes.
    • No-Bake Banana Cream Pie: instead of this homemade pie crust, pour the filling and bananas into our Nilla Wafer Crust, Graham Cracker Crust or this Gingersnap Crust.
    • Banana Ginger Cream Pie: fold chopped crystallized ginger into the homemade whipped cream.
    pouring the best banana cream filling Recipe into a prepared pie crust.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this pie ahead of time?

    You have a few different options if you want to make this pie ahead of time.  First, you can always pre-make and bake the pie crust and store at room temperature overnight or even in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    You can also make the filling the day before and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.  The next day, give it a good whisk before pouring it into your pre-baked pie shell lined with bananas.

    Can this be made into a No-Bake Banana Cream Pie?

    Yes!  You can make any one of our no-bake pie crusts and fill with this banana cream filling.  Some of our favorites include Nilla Wafer Pie Crust, Graham Cracker Pie Crust and this Gingersnap Pie Crust.  

    Can you freeze Banana Cream Pie?

    Sure!  If you want to freeze it, we recommend that you do not top it with whipped cream.  Wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then store for up to 1 month.  Once you are ready to serve, pull out to room temperature for a few hours and make your homemade whipped cream just before serving.

    Can I make this pie ahead of time?

    You have a few different options if you want to make this pie ahead of time.  First, you can always pre-make and bake the pie crust and store at room temperature overnight or even in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    How long does banana cream pie last?

    Homemade Banana Custard Pie will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.

    Storing

    Store your leftover Banana Cream Pie for up to 4 days in the fridge, making sure to cover it loosely with plastic wrap.

    banana cream pie slice on a white plate
    Print

    Best Banana Cream Pie Recipe

    This Banana Cream Pie uses our homemade flaky pie crust and fills it with fresh bananas and the most creamy, dreamy banana cream filling.  Topped with freshly whipped cream, this classic dessert is absolutely heavenly.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 1 9-inch pie
    Calories 581kcal
    Author The Carefree Kitchen

    Ingredients

    Single Pie Crust Recipe

    • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 4 oz Crisco or butter
    • ¼ cup Water cold

    Banana Cream Pie Filling

    • ¾ cup Sugar
    • 4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 2 cups Milk
    • 3 large Egg Yolks
    • 3 Tablespoons Butter
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 large Ripe Bananas

    Homemade Whipped Cream

    • 1 ½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
    • ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    Instructions

    Basic Double Pie Crust

    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the four and salt.
    • Add the Crisco (or cold butter) and use your fingers to combine. Once the mixture resembles coarse meal, make a well in the center and add the water.
    • Carefully bring the flour mixture from the sides of the bowl into the center with the water and gently mix until combined and the flour is all moistened. Do not overmix or knead!
    • Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic and let rest in the cooler for about 30 minutes - 1 hour. Note: if you don’t have time, don’t worry about chilling the dough.  It’s a good practice, but not 100% necessary with this recipe.
    • Once the dough has rested, remove from the plastic wrap and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin, start in the middle of the dough and roll outwards to make a circle. Roll into an evenly thick round circle large enough for the dough to hang over your pie plate at least ½".
    • Carefully line a pie plate with the rolled dough then fold the edges under and pinch the edges of the dough to make a decorative edge. Prick the edges and bottom of the pie crust with a fork, about 2 inches apart, then line with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with ceramic pie beads or dry beans.
    • Bake the prepared pie crust in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.

    Banana Cream Pie Filling

    • In a large pot, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whisk together. Pour in the cold milk and egg yolks, then whisk again until smooth.
    • Turn heat on to medium high and whisk while the milk mixture comes to a boil. Continue to stir at a boil for 1 minute, or until the filling is thick and bubbly then remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla extract, stirring until the butter has melted.
    • Slice bananas into ½" pieces and lay them in the bottom of the pie crust in an even layer. Transfer the pie filling to the prepared pie crust, smoothing the top of the pie with a knife or off-set spatula.
    • Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the pie and let it come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge to cool for up to 24 hours.
    • Top or serve with homemade whipped cream, and enjoy!

    Homemade Whipped Cream

    • In a large chilled bowl using a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the cold heavy whipped cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  
    • Whip the heavy cream mixture on medium high speed for about 3-4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
    • Use immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg

    Here are more banana recipes that we love!

    • Zucchini Banana Bread
    • Homemade Banana Bread
    • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
    • Greek Yogurt Banana Muffins
    • Banana Muffins

    More Pie Recipes

    • Best Pumpkin Pie
    • Strawberries and Cream Pie
    • Best Blackberry Pie
    • More Best Holiday Recipes
    • More Dessert Recipes
    • More Pie Recipes

    If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest,  feel free to leave a comment and photo there too.  Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!

    Pinterest pin for Banana Cream Pie.

    This Banana Cream Pie is filled with creamy custard and fresh bananas, set inside a flaky pie crust and topped with uber soft and fluffy homemade whipped cream. It's made with simple ingredients and easy to make at home. It's an easy crowd-pleaser that you are sure to make again.

    « Peaches and Cream Pie
    Caramel Pecan Pie »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katherine

      September 29, 2021 at 2:37 am

      This is the perfect classic Banana Cream Pie! I haven't had this in ages, yum!

      Reply
    2. Beth

      September 28, 2021 at 5:14 pm

      I love, love banana cream pie but I love your variation to add coconut and make a Banana Coconut Cream Pie- Yum! Also, your tip about a spray bottle with lemon juice is genius!

      Reply

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