Banana cream pie is a favorite of mine during the warmer months, when a chilled pie makes a delightful dessert. (Though, it’s also great at Thanksgiving!) If you like banana pudding, consider giving this recipe a whirl! A flaky, blind-baked pie crust is filled with layers of rich vanilla pudding and sliced bananas, all topped with homemade whipped cream. (Like in my coconut cream pie recipe, I prefer making my own whipped topping instead of using Cool Whip for a superior texture and flavor.) For even more banana flavor, I like to add extra sliced bananas on top.
A common pitfall I’ve seen readers face over the years is ending up with a soupy filling once the pie is chilled. When I retested this banana cream pie recipe, I found that the usual culprit is undercooking the pudding. It needs to be thicker than it would be if you were simply serving it in a bowl. A thicker pudding is more stable and won’t run out when you slice the pie. The key here is to cook it for longer than you would expect! I have a detailed section in this post about how to tell if the filling will set properly, so you end up with a perfect pie every time.
A reader, Rita says: “…I love banana pie so much and your recipe is so scrumptious and creamy…I must make it as soon as the bananas ripen! Thank you for sharing the meticulous step by step instructions!” ★★★★★
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
These are the main ingredients needed for making the best banana cream pie. You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Eggs — you need large eggs and egg yolks for the rich vanilla pudding layers. Eggs are essential to the pudding’s luscious texture but also help it set properly.
Sugar — granulated sugar adds the perfect sweetness to the homemade pudding.
Cornstarch — cornstarch thickens the pudding so it has the perfect consistency. It also helps to prevent the eggs from scrambling (more on that in the How To Tell If Your Pudding Will Properly Set section below!)
Bananas — firm, ripe bananas with a totally yellow peel and minimal brown spots are perfect for banana cream pie. Avoid green bananas, which are not sweet enough and can feel chalky. If you only have underripe bananas, try my tips for how to ripen bananas. Similarly, avoid overripe bananas (like you’d use to make banana bread), which tend to be mushy and too sweet for this application.
Pie crust — use a store-bought or homemade pie crust; both options work very well!
Whipped cream topping — you just need heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract for the easy, fluffy whipped cream topping.
Tips For Blind Baking The Crust
Blind baking a pie crust does not need to be complicated! Below are my tips for perfect blind baking every time.
- I recommend a metal pie pan. Metal pans conduct heat better than glass pans, so the pie crust will bake evenly.
- Don’t stretch the crust as you lay it in the pie pan. Stretching the dough also stretches the gluten strands. And since gluten is elastic, a stretched pie dough can shrink when it bakes, which you don’t want.
- Freeze the crust before baking it. Chilling the crust helps the gluten relax and firms up the crust, reducing the risk of the dough shrinking in the oven.
- Fill it with enough weights. Pie weights are essential for stopping the crust from losing its shape as they force the dough to keep its shape. Without it, the crust would slide off the sides of the pan and into a messy pile at the bottom. Use enough to fill the pie crust up to the edge of the crimp. If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dried beans or lentils or uncooked rice.
For more details and step-by-step images, check out my post on how to blind bake a pie crust.
Can I Use A Different Crust?
Yes! I’ve tinkered around with a couple of crust variations, and they’ve all turned out beautifully. An Oreo pie crust, classic graham cracker crust, and even crumb crust variations make for a delicious banana cream pie. For a twist on my graham cracker crust recipe, use crushed vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies instead of graham crackers, and decrease the sugar to 2 tablespoons. These crumb crusts may get softer than a regular pie crust after a day or two, so keep that in mind, depending on when you plan to serve the pie.
How To Tell If Your Pudding Will Properly Set
Over the years since I first published this recipe, readers have sent me questions asking how to tell if the pudding will be thick enough to slice properly when chilled, so you don’t end up with a soupy pie. The key is making sure you actually cook the pudding (custard) for long enough to activate the cornstarch and for the eggs to thicken up properly–and it takes longer than it feels like it should! Most puddings are served in a bowl, and can be runnier. Since we are using this one as a pie filling, it needs to be stable enough to hold up when you cut through it.
When I developed this recipe, I added cornstarch to the filling for two reasons–it serves as a thickener that helps the filling set up nicely for slicing, but it also helps protect the eggs from overcooking. This added starch coats the egg proteins and allows you to cook the eggy custard for longer (thus getting thicker) without making scrambled eggs.
You can see in the image below, on the left, what the pudding looks like when it is too runny. The image on the right shows the proper texture when I whisked in the butter and vanilla. If the pudding doesn’t hold the marks of a whisk easily when the whisk is moved through it (before adding the butter), it is too runny and won’t set properly once chilled. Don’t be afraid to keep cooking it for a few more minutes! (Remember, we added cornstarch to protect the eggs, and as long as you keep stirring during cooking, you shouldn’t have an issue.) The custard should take 6 to 8 minutes of cooking time after you temper the eggs (and be around 205°F when it’s ready). That time could be longer or shorter depending on your stove.
Pro Tips For Making The Best Banana Cream Pie
Use room temperature eggs and egg yolks. Cold eggs can cause the hot cornstarch mixture to clump when added, so be sure to set the eggs out about an hour before you start on this recipe. I recommend separating 2 of the eggs while they’re still cold, as it’s more difficult when they warm up.
Use cold butter in the pudding. Cold butter melts slowly, allowing it to be incorporated gradually, preventing the pudding from curdling or becoming greasy. That way, you end up with a perfectly smooth, luscious consistency.
Press plastic wrap onto the homemade pudding. After cooking the pudding, press a piece of plastic wrap onto its surface. This prevents a skin from forming while the pudding cools to room temperature.
You can roll and chill the crust overnight. If refrigerating for any longer than 1 hour (or if freezing, any longer than 30 minutes), wrap the crust in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
1. Whisk together the eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside. To a medium pot, add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, whisk to combine, add whole milk, and whisk again to remove all clumps. Place over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes, then remove from the heat. (The mixture should be bubbly and have thickened some, but still be runny.)
2. Temper the whisked eggs to avoid scrambling by drizzling about a cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking vigorously. While whisking, slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot. Place over medium heat again.
3. Cook until the mixture thickens up nicely, with the whisk leaving a noticeable trace in the custard, then remove from the heat. Add the cubed unsalted butter and vanilla extract and whisk until the butter is melted and well combined. Transfer the homemade vanilla pudding to a bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature.
4. Roll the pie dough into a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
5. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, press the dough into the pie pan, and trim the excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang around the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, then freeze. Line the inside of the chilled pie crust with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 25 minutes, then remove the foil with the baking beans and brush all over with an egg wash made of an egg and heavy cream. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, then let the crust cool completely.
6. After the crust has cooled in the pie pan, add a cup of cooled pudding onto its bottom and spread it into an even layer.
7. Peel and slice two bananas into ½-inch-thick pieces and scatter them over the pudding. Spoon the remaining pudding into the pie shell over the bananas and smooth it out. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
8. When you’re ready to serve, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to soft peaks. Add the fresh whipped cream over the top of the pie and smooth it out with a rubber spatula. To garnish, peel and slice the remaining bananas and decorate the top with the banana slices. Serve and enjoy your banana cream pie!
Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie plate
- Rolling Pin
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch (48g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk (720mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed (56g)
- 3 to 4 bananas divided (600 to 800g)
For the Pie Crust
- 1 pie crust homemade or store-bought
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (480mL)
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (30g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Filling:
- In a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks. Set aside.
- Add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a medium pot. Whisk to combine then pour in milk and whisk again to distribute all the dry ingredients. You don’t want clumps! Place over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until just starting to bubble and thicken, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Temper the egg mixture by drizzling about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot, while whisking. Return the pot to medium heat.
- Cook, gently whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble again. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick enough that the whisk leaves a trace when swooped through it, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the butter and vanilla and whisk until the butter is fully melted and well combined. (The pudding may thicken up more initially when the cold butter is added in, and then look runnier after it is melted and combined. This is normal!) Transfer the pudding to a bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling. Let it cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. (Once it has cooled for 30 minutes, you can place it in the refrigerator to speed this up.)
For the Pie Crust:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie crust into a 13-inch circle. (Roll from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesn’t stick to the board.)
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, trying not to stretch it as you transfer it. (Stretching can cause shrinkage when baked.) Press the dough into the pie pan, and trim the excess dough leaving a 1-inch overhang around the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp with either your fingers or the tines of a fork. Prick the crust all over the bottom with the tines of a fork. Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.
- While the crust chills, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line the inside of the chilled pie crust with a piece of foil or parchment paper. Fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes until the edges are golden brown, and the inside bottom of the crust appears dry on the surface.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg and heavy cream.
- Carefully remove the foil with the baking beans and brush the crust all over with the egg wash. Tent just the edges of the crust with foil if needed. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden all over. Let the crust cool completely.
For the Assembly:
- Add 1 cup of cooled pudding onto the bottom of the cooled pie shell, and spread it into an even layer with a spatula.
- Peel and slice two bananas into ½-inch thick pieces. Scatter them over the pudding, shingling them slightly if needed. Spoon the remaining filling into the pie shell over the bananas, and smooth out the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- When you’re ready to serve, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer). Beat on medium speed until you reach soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
- Dollop or pipe the whipped cream over top of the pie. You can chill the pie for another hour before serving if needed. To garnish, peel and slice the remaining 1 to 2 bananas and decorate the top with the banana slices if desired.
Notes
- Don’t rush the chilling time! The pudding needs to cool down to set properly, before and after assembly.
- If you aren’t serving all of the pie right away, don’t add the banana slices on top. They will brown with time and become less appetizing in appearance and flavor.
Nutrition
Will The Crust Get Soggy If I Make This Ahead Of Time?
If properly blind baked, no. When our executive editor Sarah cross-tested this recipe, her pie crust stayed crisp for 5 days in the fridge! To avoid a soggy crust, be sure to fully bake the pie crust until the edges are golden brown and the surface appears dry. And don’t skip the egg wash! While adding a liquid mixture to a pie crust to prevent sogginess might seem counterintuitive, the egg wash actually creates a protective barrier on the banana cream pie crust and keeps it crisp from the filling.
Variations
Aside from the different crust options mentioned previously, there are a few easy variations to try for the filling:
- Spread a thin layer of Nutella, peanut butter, cookie butter, jam, or ganache onto the bottom of the pie crust just before adding the filling.
- Drizzle the banana slices lightly with dulce de leche or caramel sauce before adding the rest of the pudding.
- Quick filling shortcut: To save time, instead of making the pudding from scratch, you can use a boxed pudding mix. You will need about 3½ cups of prepared pudding.
How To Store
Store leftover banana cream pie covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I also like to press a piece of wax or parchment paper against the cut sides of the pie to help keep the filling stable and minimize banana browning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oxidation (turning brown) will naturally happen over time, but to slow it down, brush the banana slices with lemon juice or a product called Fruit-Fresh — it’s powdered citric acid, which is the substance in lemon juice that helps slow down browning. You can often find it in stores with canning supplies.
If you’ve tried this banana cream pie recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Tori says
This was amazing!!! I made the pastry gluten free and it worked perfectly! My new hobby is to work through your pie playlist haha Apple pie and banana cream pie done! Next is the Chocolate pie! Thanks John for your amazing videos!
Ines Cardillo says
Your recipes all deserve 5 stars!!! I love your videos! Thank you for helping us to become successful bakers, John!
Rita says
OMG, I love banana pie so much and your recipe is so scrumptious and creamy…I must make it as soon as the bananas ripen! Thank you for sharing the meticulous step by step instructions!
Rita says
OMG, I love banana pie so much and your recipe is so scrumptious and creamy…I must make it as soon as the bananas ripen! Thank you for sharing the meticulous step by step instructions!