Creamy and smooth from-scratch custard joins bananas, whipped cream, and a buttery flaky baked pie crust to make one epic banana cream pie. This classic dessert is 100% homemade, like my cherry pie, and the perfect make-ahead option because the layered beauty needs to set before garnishing and serving.
One reader, Stephanie, says: “…This is the first time I’ve used this particular recipe and it was AMAZING. Honestly the best one I’ve made. I will be bookmarking this one for the future! ★★★★★“
This is a completely from-scratch banana cream pie recipe. You won’t find any box pudding mixes or artificial flavors hiding inside. I originally published the recipe in 2016, and have fine-tuned the process over the years. Get ready for a blissful banana experience where you can truly taste the homemade difference. And it will graciously satisfy your heart, soul… and your tastebuds.
Here’s Why You Will LOVE This Banana Cream Pie
- 100% from scratch, and you can taste the difference.
- Creamy and undeniably rich.
- If custard is cooked properly, it’s sturdy and smooth.
- Flaky pie crust shell, or try a graham cracker crust.
- An optional sprinkle of cinnamon adds a special and flavorful touch.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert.
What Is Banana Cream Pie?
The combination of kitchen magic. 😉 Seriously, though, banana cream pie combines homemade pie pastry crust, fresh bananas, vanilla custard, and fluffy whipped cream.
- Baked Pie Crust Shell
- Banana Slices
- Homemade Vanilla Custard: This is a lot like my caramelized banana pudding, only a bit sturdier so it holds a nice slice.
- Whipped Cream
Let me walk you through each layer, so you’re fully prepared when it’s your turn to make it.
First, Bake Your Pie Crust
It’s helpful to review my how to blind bake pie crust tutorial before getting started. Blind baking a pie crust shell = baking it without a filling. Why do we do that? Well, if you have a no-bake pie filling like coconut cream pie or today’s banana cream pie, you need a baked pie crust.
Start with homemade pie dough. I always use this pie crust recipe, or I have an excellent all butter pie crust option. To bake pie crust without a filling, you need to weight it down to help prevent it from shrinking. I’m pretty loyal to these ceramic pie weights; they’re inexpensive and get the job done. You can also use dry beans. (Note: You’ll need 2 packs of the pie weights!)
Here are the steps:
- Make the pie dough ahead of time, and then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to make the pie. Pie crust must chill for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
- Roll it out, then fit into your 9-inch pie dish. Crimp or flute the edges. See my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial for helpful tips and visuals.
- Chill the shaped pie crust for at least 30 minutes. This prevents shrinking. Remember that pie dough must be cold when it hits the oven.
- Line with parchment paper, and then fill with pie weights.
- Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pie weights, then prick the bottom with a fork. This lets air escape the bottom.
- Return crust to oven until the entire pie shell is golden brown.
- Cool pie shell completely. You can do this up to 3 days ahead of time!
This baked pie crust “shell” is crispy, flaky, and ready for your banana cream filling.
Other Crust Options:
- For something easier, you can use a graham cracker crust. Make sure you bake it for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C), then let it cool completely before filling.
- Or try the peanut butter cookie crust from my peanut butter banana cream pie!
Now Let’s Work on the Filling
Here are the ingredients you need:
Layer in Your Banana Slices
Layer banana slices into your baked pie crust shell. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the banana slices. This is definitely a unique addition to BCP, but wow!!! It tastes unbelievable. I didn’t add it to the pictured pie, but taste testers and readers who have tried it usually rave about it.
Success Tip: Don’t use overly ripe bananas because they can seep liquid and break your thick custard filling. Save your brown spotty bananas for banana bread, and use the yellow ones for banana cream pie.
I squeeze in as many banana slices as I can:
Homemade Custard Filling
I’m here to squash any fears that you may have about from-scratch custard. It’s actually pretty easy—if you know how to whisk, you can make it. If you’ve ever made coconut cream pie, mocha chocolate pudding pie, homemade dirt pudding, or even mille-feuille, the process will look familiar. You’ll need sugar, whole milk, heavy cream (also needed for the whipped cream topping), and egg yolks. For flavor, you’ll add vanilla and butter. For thickening, you’ll use cornstarch. (The egg yolks and cream help, too.)
The first step is to mix egg yolks and cornstarch together:
I usually do this with a fork in a liquid measuring cup, because we’ll eventually pour this into the cooking milk mixture.
Heat whole milk, cream, sugar, and a little salt on the stove. Once the milk/cream/sugar is gently simmering, slowly stream and whisk a little of this milk mixture into the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture. This is called tempering. The slow and steady stream of warm milk is bringing the egg yolks’ temperature up without scrambling them.
Then stream and whisk the heated egg yolk mixture into the rest of the milk/cream/sugar on the stove. Cook on low, and let it begin to bubble, which happens pretty quickly. Whisk it while it pops and bubbles for just 1 minute. Remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla and butter, and allow to slightly cool.
The custard will be smooth, rich, and silky:
FAQ: Why Isn’t My Custard Smooth?
Do you notice little bits of egg yolks in your custard? You may not have tempered them slowly enough. Remember to *very slowly* stream and whisk some of the cooking milk mixture into the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture, and then *very slowly* stream and whisk it back into the pot. Whisk constantly.
If your best efforts still result in a few chunks, you can strain the finished warm custard through a fine mesh sieve. Or just leave it—you can’t really taste it.
How to Ensure Your Banana Cream Pie Sets
With 4 egg yolks, 4 Tablespoons of cornstarch, and some heavy cream, you can be certain this custard sets into a pretty sliceable texture. Be sure to whisk it on the stove often, and let it bubble and cook long enough for the heat to help bind the cornstarch to the fat. (1 minute is plenty.)
Spread the vanilla custard filling over the banana slices, cover with plastic wrap right on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
FAQ: Can I Make Banana Cream Pie in Advance?
This is a make-ahead dessert. You can make the pie dough in advance and bake the pie crust shell in advance. You can also refrigerate your assembled (but not garnished) banana cream pie for up to 1 day, with the plastic wrap right on top of the surface. And you can make the whipped cream topping in advance, but don’t add it until right before, or up to 1 hour before serving. So if you’re looking for Easter dessert recipes or hoping to make this pie for a special celebration, be sure to plan ahead.
You don’t want to decorate the pie with banana slices in advance because they’ll brown. (A brush of lemon juice can extend their freshness by a couple hours, but will affect their flavor.)
Right before, or up to 1 hour before, serving, top the pie with homemade whipped cream. You can decorate it any which way—a thick layer of whipped cream like this banoffee pie, or pretty piped dollops or swirls like the pictured pie. I use Wilton 1M piping tip to pipe it.
You could also use up your leftover egg whites and top it with this marshmallow meringue topping, and toast it with a kitchen torch!
When ready to serve, add banana slices on top. I usually go heavy on the sliced banana garnish. I love texture in desserts, and banana cream pie doesn’t usually deliver on that front. But with lots of banana slices, we’ll get there.
Now savor every flaky, creamy, fluffy bite as it melts in your mouth, because you deserve to. You made this all from scratch!
PrintHomemade Banana Cream Pie
- Prep Time: 4 hours (includes crust)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours (includes chilling)
- Yield: 1 9-inch pie
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Creamy and smooth from-scratch custard joins bananas, whipped cream, and a buttery flaky baked pie crust to make one epic banana cream pie. There are plenty of ways to make this banana cream pie recipe ahead of time. See various steps.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 unbaked pie crust (what I used) or all butter pie crust*
- optional egg wash: 1 large egg white beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
Custard Filling
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 yellow bananas (not super ripe yet)
- optional: sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ or granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- At least 2 hours ahead, make the pie dough: Make the pie crust through step 5 according to my directions and video tutorial in my pie crust recipe. Make pie dough in advance because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out (step 2). The recipe makes 2 crusts, and you only need 1 for this pie, so save the other for another pie.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough. Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. To make a lovely thick edge, I do not trim excess dough around the edges. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. (Review this how to crimp and flute pie crust page if you need extra help with this step.) If dough is too warm, fluting/crimping will be difficult, so you can always chill it in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes first. After fluting/crimping the edges, chill the pie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling for longer than 30 minutes. Chilling the shaped dough helps prevent the crust from shrinking.
- While the crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Blind bake the crust: Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper. (Crunch up the parchment paper first so that you can easily shape it into the crust.) Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) I like to push the weights up against the sides of the pie crust to help ensure the sides don’t shrink down. Bake until the edges of the crust are starting to brown, about 15–16 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick holes all over the bottom crust with a fork. If desired for a shiny golden crust, brush egg wash on edges. Return pie crust to the oven and bake for 14–15 minutes, or until bottom has browned. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack completely before filling. You can blind bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill. (Review this how to par-bake pie crust page if you need extra help with this blind-baking step.)
- Make the custard filling: Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together. (A fork works nicely for this, or a small whisk.) Set aside. Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until all the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally. Once simmering, remove about 1/2 cup (120ml) of the milk mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot. The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken. Stand back and use caution as the bubbles may burst. Cook for 1 full minute, whisking constantly.
- Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter. You will have about 3 cups of filling. If you notice a lot of little chunks of egg yolk, they may not have been tempered properly. To fix, you can run the warm custard through a fine mesh sieve.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the warm pudding to prevent a skin from forming on top. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. I do not recommend any longer than this, as it will be too thick to spread neatly into the crust.
- Slice 2–3 bananas and arrange slices into the cooled pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Spread custard on top (it’s ok if it is still slightly warm). An offset spatula is helpful for spreading. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard; again, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
- When ready to serve, or up to 1 hour before serving, make the whipped cream: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts.
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream on top. (I use Wilton 1M tip.) Slice remaining banana and garnish with banana slices and serve pie immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour and then garnish with banana slices and serve. (Best to garnish with banana slices immediately before serving, but whipped cream can go on the pie up to 1 hour in advance.)
- Slice and serve. Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. There are plenty of ways to make this recipe ahead of time. See end of step 2, end of step 8, and step 10. This is not the best pie to freeze; the filling’s texture is never quite the same. However, if you have leftover slices and aren’t concerned as much about taste and appearance, you can freeze leftover pie for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Rolling Pin | Pie Dish | Pie Weights | Pastry Brush | Egg Separator | Whisk | Offset Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) and Wilton 1M Piping Tip if piping
- Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use.
- Crumb Crust Alternative: To cut back on time, try using a graham cracker crust. Make sure you bake it for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C), then let it cool completely before filling. Or you can use the crust recipe and baking instructions for the peanut butter cookie crust used in this peanut butter banana cream pie.
- Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: These are imperative for the custard to set properly. I do not recommend any substitutions.
- Prevent Bananas From Browning: Feel free to very, very lightly spritz or brush banana slices with lemon juice prior to arranging in pie crust shell, and prior to using as garnish. They will eventually brown, so it’s best to assemble the pie up to 1 day in advance (step 8), and garnish with banana slices right before serving (step 10).
- Update in 2023: Recipe used to call for 1 and 3/4 cups whole milk and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. For a slightly smoother, more flavorful custard, I now use 2 cups whole milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla, as you can now see in the recipe.
I loved the taste of this pie and so did my husband; however, after following the directions, especially being the first time making it, I was disappointed to find that it never set up. It stayed very loose and I had to serve it in a bowl. The egg yolk and cornstarch should have helped thickening it but it didn’t. I was very careful to not allow to sit too long, as you said that it might get too thick. I wish it had!
This Banana Cream pie was the best I’ve ever made. The crust while not picture-perfect was light and flakey. It was so delicious that four of us had 3/4 of the pie in one sitting! Thank you for sharing an easy-to-follow recipe. This will be my go-to place for all my baking!
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving, and I don’t know what went wrong. 🙁 I did everything exactly as written. The bananas on the bottom turned brown and got a weird flavor to them. Because of the bananas, the custard slid off the bottom crust when slicing. The custard wasn’t sweet at all. I was so disappointed because it looked beautiful!
I made this with the cinnamon omg it was great! Thank you. I’ve used much more complex crazy ways but this was simple no with no clumps. Your instructions were very detailed. Loved this!
I haven’t baked a pie since last century. My 92 yo mother wanted a banana cream pie for Thanksgiving. Found this recipe. Flawless. Followed directions exactly as written. Pie is outstanding!
Hi could I use heavy whipping cream instead of heavy cream
Yes, just as long as “heavy” is in the title. Do not use “whipping cream.”
Can I make this with a graham cracker crust?
Definitely! Here’s our graham cracker crust recipe.
It’s actually soooo much better with a GCC. Whenever I’ve had on a pastry crust it’s tasted bland, but I have never made it with homemade pastry. What I like to do is take the extra graham cracker crumbs and sprinkle on top. That adds another pop to it
This is my new fav recipe for Banana cream pie! Just made it and it’s as smooth as silk! You found a way to conquer the grittiness I had from another recipe. Delicious, and what a custard should be, smooth! Thanks!
I mixed the 4 egg yolks and 1/4 cup of cornstarch with a fork. It was very thick. In the picture it looks looser. Is this supposed to happen. I’m not going any further as I don’t want to waste the rest of the ingredients. First time I’m making this pie
Hi Sabie, it should be somewhat thick, but make sure you’ve whisked it well and that any clumps of cornstarch have been fully mixed in with the egg yolks.
I love the caramelized bananas in the banana pudding on your other recipe. Can I do that for this pie or will it not work out?
Hi Katie, we can’t see why not. Let us know if you try it!
I surprised my family with this pie. It was easy to make and the pie disappeared quickly (I stopped them at 1 piece and they enjoyed leftovers.). I am attempting to make 2 today to freeze one (before adding the whipping cream).
Thank you for your lovely recipes! I always look to yours first if I am looking for something.
Love your recipes. Lately when I try to print them, using the print button on the recipe, I am having problems. I like to turn off image, description and notes. I also like the text larger. But whatever I select doesn’t seem to make a difference. Always with the images, description and notes…. I use a laptop/chrome/win10.
Hmm, thank you for letting us know, we will look into the issue!
This is my second time making this banana cream pie with a coconut almond cookie crumb crust I just used the shortbread cookies toasted almonds and some crispie coconut cookies ! Delicious
Banana Cream pie is one of my absolute favorite pies. This recipe is nearly there but missed the mark. WAYYY too much cornstarch. It’s way too rubbery. It should be like creamy pudding not bouncy. And definitely needs more vanilla.
This banana cream pie is literally the best I’ve ever had! I am an experienced cook, so sometimes I ad lib a bit or put my own twist on dishes. But I followed your recipe, step by step, exactly as you set out. Best crust ever! The pudding/custard was heavenly. Everyone just woofed it down. Following your tips on the crust and pie, I started the pie crust process the morning before the day, which made all the difference as I had the time to make the perfect banana cream pie. Thankyou!
So glad it was a big hit, Mimi!
Hi Sally,
How would I thicken the pudding if I were to use 2% milk instead of whole milk? Would grinding up tapioca pearls work? If so, how much would I put in?
Hi Michelle, for best results, we recommend sticking with whole milk. The pie will not set properly otherwise, and we haven’t tested any other options for thickening.
Hi Sally, Does the whipped cream melt after you put it in the refrigerator for 5 days?
Hi Michelle, it does very slightly wilt/deflate a bit, but if you whip it into pretty stiff peaks, it holds shape very nicely.
I failed at making this recipe…it never firmed up. The error that I am aware of making is that I added the vanilla to the milk at the beginning. Could that account for the lack of the custard never coming together? I eventually removed it from the refrigerator and reheated it, adding egg yolks and corn starch again. After chilling again, it is a very eggy custard slightly runny pudding. I assembled everything as a trifle and called it dessert. If anyone has thoughts on where I might have destroyed this recipe, I would appreciate your thoughts.
Hi, Make sure you are using whole milk and heavy cream. Anything with a lower fat content won’t set up properly. Also be sure you are cooking the mixture long enough on the stovetop.
I’m going to make this tonight but wondering how it will be substituting meringue on top instead of whipped cream
Hi Linda! Baking meringue on top of this pie isn’t ideal since the pie’s filling should not be baked. But you can top the banana cream pie with Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Meringue Frosting). It does not have to bake and it’s delicious!
Can you freeze this pie?
Hi Sharon, This is not the best pie to freeze; the filling’s texture is never quite the same. However, if you have leftover slices and aren’t concerned as much about taste and appearance, you can freeze leftover pie for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
My half Greek grandmother used to make this when we were younger. I just decided to try and find a recipe and yay. Found it.
Hi, Any idea how many calories per slice?
Hi Carolyn, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
My custard never set up. And, I just read in the comments that it wasn’t done until big bubbles were bursting. I took mine off the burner when I had steady simmering, so mine never got to the big bursting bubble stage. Do you think I could take it out of the pie shell, and reheat it to the big bubble stage? I could make a new crust. And, I don’t think it would taste bad if there was crust in the custard.
Hi Carol, I don’t see any issues trying that, but I can’t guarantee it will fully set up after reheating. Let me know how it turns out.
Came out perfectly, even though it was my first try at custard. Read the steps 2-3 times to be sure you get it, lay out all the stuff needed next to stove, and place cinnamon next to your finished, waiting crust so you don’t forget to add it! Loved another reader’s idea of lining finished crust with a layer of melted chocolate chips! My crust was a crumb and butter crust made with those amazing Biscoff ginger cookies they hand out on the airplane (available from Target by me). Adding 1 tsp of flour to butter & crumbs helps it stay together and it smells amazing while baking! Lastly, the cornstarch and egg yolk ball I created was confounding, but was eventually beaten into submission with an extra yolk and lots of muscle/beating before adding to milk. Another reader mentioned her custard was too thick, and mine bordered on that, too. Wish I’d seen her tip to stir in 2 Tbsp milk after pudding has come off the heat to thin it slightly. Your recipes are sure winners, Sally! Thanks
As usual with this site, it exceeds expectations. I did add a pinch if cinnamon as suggested, it takes it from being one note to a full song and I only used about 1/4 teaspoon. Thank you
I made this for a father’s day dessert and it was delicious!! Besides using store bought pie crust and whipped cream, I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly!! Just make sure you make it with plenty of time to cool, so I made it the night before. This was my second attempt at banana cream pie – the first recipe I tried years ago didn’t solidify, but this one was perfect!! Thank you.
The filling did not become thicker after refrigerating it for the required time although it was thick after cooking.
This looks like a great recipe, like my mother in law, she wouldn’t share only to her daughters , but this looks much better, will be making on the weekend for guests
All of the banana cream pie recipes that I find use vanilla custard. Personally, I’m thinking it would be even better with banana flavored custard. Would love to see an alternate to the recipe for it. Otherwise, your recipe sounds great.
This recipe is soooooo good. Not full of sugar like store bought.