Banana Cream Pie

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This Banana Cream Pie is ultra-creamy, dreamy, and layered with fresh bananas, silky pastry cream, and soft whipped topping on a buttery homemade crust. A cool, nostalgic dessert everyone loves.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword easy banana cream pie recipe, How to make banana cream pie, Old-School Banana Cream Pie

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 4

Total Time 4 45

Servings

Calories 617

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust

1 pie dough 1 portion of dough or 9-inch pie shell

For the Pastry Cream Filling

4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean split and scraped, vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
8 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed

For the Filling Layers

4 bananas ripe but firm, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning

For the Stabilized Whipped Cream Topping

1½ cups heavy cream chilled
4½ tablespoons powdered sugar adjust to your sweetness preference
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla extract
1½ tablespoons skimmed milk powder aka nonfat dry milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pie Crust

Roll out on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges.
Blind bake: Line with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–17 minutes. Remove weights, bake 5–7 more minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.

Make the Pastry Cream

In a saucepan, warm milk and vanilla over medium heat until steaming.
In a bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth.
Slowly whisk warm milk into egg mixture, then return everything to the pan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling (3–5 minutes).
Remove from heat, whisk in butter, and stir until smooth.
Pour into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and chill for at least 2–3 hours.

Make the Stabilized Whipped Cream

In a medium-sized mixing bowl or food processor, combine the cream, powdered sugar (adjust to taste), skimmed milk powder, and vanilla extract.
Using a mixer or food processor, whip the cream until it thickens. This process is quick, so be sure to check frequently to avoid overwhipping.
The cream is ready when it holds its shape and doesn’t collapse back into the gap after running a spoon through it.

Assemble the Pie

Slice bananas and toss with lemon juice.
Spread a thin layer of pastry cream into cooled crust.
Add a layer of banana slices.
Spread the remaining pastry cream over bananas and smooth the top.
Spread the whipped cream over the pastry cream, swirling it into soft, cloud-like peaks. Finish with a dusting of dark chocolate shavings, created using a fine grater or vegetable peeler.

Chill & Serve

Chill the finished pie for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best sliceability.
Garnish with bananas, chocolate shavings, or toasted coconut if desired.
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days.

Notes

Erren's Top Tips

Chill the crust dough.
This keeps the butter cold and helps create that flaky, tender texture we’re after. Don’t skip the chill time.

Use iced vodka if you can.
Vodka evaporates faster than water, which makes for a flakier crust without adding excess moisture. It’s a little baker’s trick that works wonders.

Whisk that pastry cream like you mean it.
Tempering the eggs slowly with warm milk is key—go too fast and you’ll get scrambled eggs. Whisk constantly when cooking so the cream doesn’t scorch or lump.

Press plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream.
This prevents a skin from forming and keeps your custard ultra-smooth.

Watch your whipped cream.
Overwhipping turns it grainy fast. Whip until soft peaks form and it holds its shape but still looks silky.

Use firm but ripe bananas.
Overripe bananas will get mushy in the pie. You want that soft bite with just a little structure.

Use lemon juice to prevent browning.
Just a quick toss helps the bananas stay fresh-looking even after chilling.

Chill the assembled pie thoroughly.
The longer the chill (4 hours minimum), the better your slices will hold.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

How to Store Banana Cream Pie:
Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crust may soften over time, but the flavors stay delicious.

Can You Freeze Banana Cream Pie?
You can freeze it, but with some caveats:

Freeze only the crust + pastry cream—not the bananas or whipped topping. Assemble fresh after thawing.
To freeze: Let the pastry cream pie base cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh bananas + whipped topping before serving.

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