Go Back
+ servings
Banana cream pie with serving on a plate nearby

Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie is an easy graham cracker crust filled with luscious vanilla pastry cream, plenty of bananas and topped with homemade whipped cream. It's a crowd pleasing dessert that may be made entirely in advance!
0
reviews

Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk for dairy free option, use canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (use vegan butter for dairy free)

For the crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs substitute with ground gluten free graham crackers for a gluten free crust
  • 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Assembling the pie:

  • 3 large bananas ripe but firm, sliced into 1/4" rounds (save half a banana to decorate the top if desired)
  • Homemade whipped cream

Instructions 

  • Fill a large bowl with ice, and add enough water to fill the bowl halfway. Place a medium bowl in it with a fine mesh strainer nearby along with a piece of buttered wax paper. Set aside.
  • Place the sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Add the cornstarch and and whisk vigorously until smooth.
    Collage of pastry cream prep and whisked egg yolk and sugar mixture
  • Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium low heat until just before it begins to boil (it will be smoking). When the milk is hot enough, add 1/3 of it to the egg mixture in a slow steady stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Once 1/3 has been added, add the rest while whisking constantly until combined.
  • Place the mixture back in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until the mixture begins to boil. Continue to cook for another minute until very thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and softened butter.
    Hot milk added to egg yolk mixture and finished pastry cream in pot
  • Strain the pastry cream through the sieve into the bowl over the ice bath using a rubber scraper to gently press it through as needed.
  • Cover the pastry cream with the buttered wax paper to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 2 days in advance.
    Straining pastry cream through sieve and chilling in bowl over ice bath
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium bowl for one minute or until melted.
  • Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and pinch of salt, and stir well until the crumbs are coated with the butter.
    How to make a graham cracker pie crust collage
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pie pan and press an even layer from the middle out to the corners and up the sides. This can be done easily with the bottom of a measuring cup.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
    Pressing graham cracker crust into pan and baked crust collage
  • Gently toss sliced bananas into the chilled pastry cream until completely coated, reserving some for the top if desired. Pour into the pie crust and spread evenly. From here, chill for about 30 minutes.
  • Pipe the whipped cream decoratively around the edges and in the center (I used a 1M tip), or simply spread it over the top. Garnish with sliced banana just before serving, if desired. Enjoy!
    Add bananas to pastry cream and decorated banana cream pie collage

Notes

  • Pro tip:  Make the pastry cream up and whipped cream up to a few days in advance.  The whipped cream will separate, so just whisk a bit before serving the pie!
  • If you'd like to decorate the pie in advance, be sure to use my stabilized whipped cream recipe to ensure that the whipped cream holds its shape.
  • Store leftover banana cream pie in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
  • Nutrition information does not include the whipped cream as it is included in a separate post.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 347kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 128mg, Sodium: 209mg, Potassium: 302mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 601IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 96mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!