Homemade custard, fresh bananas, and homemade whipped cream are layered to create this delicious old-fashioned banana cream pie from scratch. Try making one, it’s easier than you might think and full of banana flavor and creamy texture! Originally shared in 2019, but now includes a step by step video and is still one of my favorite recipes!
Watch our step by step video!
Banana cream pie is one of my favorites, but would you believe that I didn't know that it wasn't made from banana pudding until this year? Ha! I've made it many times in different variations: banana cream poke cake, banana cream mini pie cups, and banana cream pie using banana cream pudding mixes in a pre-made graham cracker crust. All simple and delicious, but when I stumbled across a recipe for coconut cream pie with a banana variation I knew that I needed to try it. Banana cream pie is made with homemade vanilla custard and the banana flavor shines through by adding sliced bananas. The banana flavoring is strong enough that you still taste it in every bite.
I've mentioned my love for this old cookbook before. My grandma gave it to me when I was 14 and it's my absolute favorite. You can tell by the way that it looks that it's been used many times for recipe inspiration!
The cookbook is out of print, which is such a shame, and many of the delicious recipes aren't available online (I've tried linking to them for you guys in the past), but this coconut pie recipe is actually still around and made the cut to be included in a newer Betty Crocker red cookbook. I made a few changes to the recipe and am thrilled to share my variation with you!
I used my favorite buttermilk pie crust recipe (you can totally use a store-bought crust) and homemade whipped cream, and it was a knock-out dessert that we served with friends one Sunday evening. It’s been a favorite ever since! Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe for my old-fashioned banana cream pie!
You can make it using Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream. My grandma always made her own whipped cream, and I had some heavy cream that needed to be used up so that’s what I did this time, but really, I don’t think there’s much of a difference in taste (don't come at me). Cool Whip is delicious too!
What people are saying about this pie recipe
"Made this for a bday treat and it turned out wonderful. Made a biscoff cookie crust and used skim milk in the custard and it still turned out great:) "---on Pinterest
"Holy cow! this pie is AMAZING!! this was my first time making custard and whipped cream from scratch. it turned out perfectly! I noticed some comments saying that their custard was too runny..if you followed the measurements accurately, you probably did not cook it long enough..I probably cooked it for the first boil for 5 minutes before it reached the consistency of gravy...don't go by numbers yall! cook with your heart!!"---on Pinterest
"Easy to follow, kids loved making it to help mommy in the kitchen!! They also really enjoyed eating it as well. :)"---on Pinterest
Before making this pie, be sure to read through my tips and tricks!
Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie Recipe
scroll down for a printable recipe
Custard:
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons butter (I use salted but you can use unsalted butter)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 firm bananas, 2 for the pie, one for garnish
- graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs (optional for garnish)
Pie Crust (9-inch):
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 2 Tbsp.. butter
- 1 tsp. oil
- 3 Tbsp. milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
Slowly stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, whisk constantly until mixture thickens and boils. It will probably take 3-5 minutes to come to a boil.
Boil for 1-2 min. Your mixture should be the consistency of gravy at this point. Reduce the heat to low while you do the next part.
Beat eggs, slightly in a glass measuring bowl.
Pour 1 c. of the hot milk liquid from the saucepan over the eggs and stir with a fork.
Pour the milk and egg yolk mixture BACK INTO THE PAN, back on the heat, and bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 1-2 minutes, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, then remove from heat. Your mixture should be the consistency of fresh-made pudding.
Note: custard thickens from the bottom of the pan and works it's way up. This means that you need to constantly stir it to prevent the bottom from burning.
Stir in butter and vanilla extract.
Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the custard and allow to chill until room temperature in the refrigerator.
Note: you'll want to place the plastic wrap DIRECTLY onto the custard as shown above. If you loosely cover the pan a skin will form over the pudding. You don't want that and having the plastic against the custard prevents that. The same tip applies when making lemon curd.
While the custard cools in the fridge, make the pie crust.
Mix flour and salt together in a large or medium bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry cutter. Stir in oil. Combine milk and lemon juice (or vinegar) together and stir into pie crust until the dough comes together. Knead over a lightly floured surface until smooth.
Roll the pie dough out to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
Poke holes across the bottom (or use pie weights), using a fork, and crimp edges. Bake pie crust in the oven at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool.
Slice two of the bananas.
Place them into the baked pie crust in a single layer.
Top with the cooled custard.
Beat cold heavy cream and powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Top pie with homemade whipping cream.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 hour (2-3 hours is preferred). Add extra banana slices as a garnish, just before serving.
Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is My Banana Cream Custard Runny?
Probably because it needed to cook a little bit longer. Here are a few tips for making the custard filling.
- After the first boil, the custard should be about the consistency of gravy.
- After the second minute boil, it should be the consistency of fresh-made pudding.
Make sure your custard is truly at a boil before you start your timer. My custard only takes a minute with each boil to thicken to the consistency that it needs to be. Every stove is different and yours may need an extra minute or so.
The custard will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator and as it sets up in the pie crust, but if your custard looks like soup (and not like fresh-made pudding) then it may be undercooked.
Can I use overripe bananas in banana cream pie?
You might be tempted to use up those old brown bananas in this pie, but I highly suggest using firm yellow ones. Overripe bananas will make the pie too sweet and are likely to turn brown and go mushy faster in the pie.
How many will this banana cream pie serve?
This pie serves 8 generous portions.
Can you make banana cream pie in advance?
Yes, but do not top with fresh bananas until ready to serve to prevent browning. Keep pie refrigerated.
Can you use a pre-made pie crust?
Absolutely. Bake according to package instructions then fill with cooled custard and bananas.
What other pie recipes should I try?
Here are two of my favorites! Fresh Cherry Pie and Lemon Curd Hand Pies
Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
(you can print recipe below)
Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
Custard:
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks slightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Pie Crust (9-inch):
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3 Tbsp. milk (whole or low-fat milk)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- 3 bananas (not overripe) 2 for the pie, one for garnish
- graham cracker or Nilla Wafer crumbs optional for garnish
Instructions
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan.
- Slowly stir in milk. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low for the next two steps.
- Beat eggs, slightly in a glass measuring bowl.
- Pour 1 c. of the hot milk liquid from the saucepan over the eggs and stir with a fork.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture BACK INTO THE PAN. Boil and stir for 1-2 minutes, remove from heat.
- Stir in butter and vanilla.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the custard and allow to cool until room temperature in the refrigerator.
- While the custard cools, make the pie crust.
- Mix flour and salt together. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry cutter. Stir in oil.
- Combine milk and lemon juice (or vinegar) together and stir into pie crust until the dough comes together. Knead over a lightly floured surface until smooth.
- Roll out to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
- Poke holes across the bottom, using a fork, and crimp edges. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool.
- Slice two of the bananas.
- Place them into the cooled pie crust in a single layer.
- Top with cooled custard.
- Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Top pie with homemade whipping cream.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, AT LEAST 1 hour. Add extra banana slices as a garnish, just before serving.
Notes
- After the first boil, the custard should be the consistency of gravy.
- After the second boil, it should be the consistency of pudding.
Brandy says
So flavorful and the best creamy texture!
Deb C says
I have made this twice now and it was perfect both times! My husband and I love it. I'm going to add an extra layer of bananas, since I don't put them on top. Yum!
Brandy says
So glad to hear!!
Emma says
Hello! I’ve now tried this recipe 5 times, as my family absolutely loves it and can’t get enough! I’ve made it with the called just egg yolks and it does run after incorporating it into the pie. When I use the whole eggs, it holds perfectly. Either way the taste isn’t effected, only the custard consistency. Just to offer some insight to those that had problems with it running, that was my discovery. Regardless, thank you so much for a family favorite!
Emma says
This recipe turned out perfectly! Love it thank you so much 🙂
Brandy says
So glad to hear!
Tanya says
Hi Brandy, my family loves this recipe. They want me to make a blueberry custard pie, and since they love your custard so much I want to use yours, but what I’m wondering is will I be able to put it in the oven with the blueberry pie?
Brandy says
That’s a great question. I honestly have no idea if this custard can be baked or not. I’m sorry!
Terry says
I’ve just made this for the first time. I followed the instructions to a T. Everything thickened very nicely, but I noticed that when I put the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, it looked like the egg yolks cooked a bit. I stirred well, but still saw what looked like bits of cooked egg yolks and am now wondering if it’s going to be lumpy.
Has anyone else experienced this and what can I do to avoid it next time?
Tanya says
Yes I’ve had the same thing happen, I follow the recipe everytime exactly and everytime it’s lumpy.
Melinda Thomas says
This happened to me. Small brown lumps throughout the custard. The consistency turned out great though and it was yummy! I just feel like the milk mixture has to cool down a bit more then indicated in the recipe so the eggs don’t get cooked.
Brian A says
I didn’t read very many other comments but I’ll just mention this recipe turns out just right for the custard and instructions are clear. After making this about 2 years ago, my wife often requests this as her favorite dessert. I’ve made it at least half dozen times. It makes a bit much for my pie crust but I put excess in a couple of ramekins, which are as popular as the pie. I follow my own pie crust recipe, but this has become a dessert staple. Thanks.
Brandy says
So glad to hear!
Mai says
Just made this recipe for a family gathering and it came out perfect!! Everyone loved it! Didn’t have any issues with it being runny at all. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
Brandy says
Wonderful to hear!
Sandy says
Delicious. Even made the whipped topping. Everything taste and looks great. Recipe was super easy to follow. Thank u.
Took a picture but not sure how to add it. 😂
Brandy says
So glad to hear! Happy Thanksgiving!
Kytlun says
I made this pie for my brothers burst bday and it was a huge hit! First time making a custard and the directions were nice and simple. Way better than anything packaged by far! Thank you so much and God bless!
Brandy says
Yay! So glad to hear!
Amy says
I am one of those who ended up with runny filing. I put it back on the stove and added about 2 Tbsp of dissolved cornstarch. After about another 10 min of stirring on medium. It thickened up alot!
Brandy says
Glad it ended up working out for you!
Amanda says
Hi, I’d like to make this for thanksgiving but need to do it ahead of time. Would you recommend making the custard the night before and then assembling everything the morning of or would you make the entire thing the night before? I don’t want the crust to get soggy. Thank you!
Brandy says
Hi Amanda! I’d just make everything the night before. I think it tastes better on day 2 anyway! 🙂 Just don’t add any a banana slices to the top for a garnish until right before serving.
Jami J says
What is sprinkled on top of the whipped cream at the end?
Brandy says
Hi! I just sprinkled some graham crackers on for crunch. 🙂
Jeanette Smith says
What is the difference between butter and shortening? Is shortening lard? Thanks
Brandy says
You can use lard or shortening. Shortening is made from vegetable oil and lard is animal fat, but they will work the same. Butter gives it good flavor.
Carolyn says
Hi, can I use 2% of 1% milk?
Brandy says
Yep!
Amy says
My family is a big fan of banana cream pie. I always thought it was too much of a hassle to make myself and figured I couldn't beat the banana cream pie we all love from a local restaurant. This recipe tastes EXACTLY like it! I have made it twice and we absolutely love it. So simple and yummy. I cheated the second time and used a store bought crust and it was still so good its the custard that makes the pie so amazine for sure!
Brandy says
I love hearing this! And I was totally the same way! Always thought it would be too complicated to make until I found the recipe in my grandma’s cookbook!
Cindy Solomonson says
If you mix egg yolks with the sugar than add all other ingredients it works out perfectly no lumps! Just something I learned from experience! This recipe turned out great
Brandy says
Great tip! And so glad to hear the recipe turned out great!
Linda says
The best Banana cream pie ever! My daughter and I made this 2 times in one month. The first time was for Mother's Day. We loved it so much, that we had to make it again. Thank you for the great instuctions and wonderful pictures to go along with the recipe. I did not have any trouble with it thickening, I just kept stiring until it reached custard consistancy.
Brandy says
So glad to hear!!
Cecelia Westrich says
Hi Brandy - My comment is regarding the Betty Crocker cookbook. If you go to a website called ABE.com, you will find it. It stands for Advanced Book Exchange. I am a former used book seller and I used this site over and over to sell my book. Just type in the title of the book as soon as the site comes up and search. I just tried it and found the book. I happen to own one of these books too and I have had it for more years than I care to admit. It's such a grreat cookbook. I hope you find what you are looking for.
I enjoy your recipes. Cecelia
Brandy says
Thank you Cecilia!
Brandy says
Hi Jordan, I haven't had issues with it thickening, but I do know that it will continue to thicken while it sits in the refrigerator and chills in the pie. Here is the pin on pinterest. Readers have been pretty active on it and have posted pictures of their pies and any changes they made. https://www.pinterest.com/engagement/#/all/unread/5099278698675224657
Suha Ali says
Came out great and made 2 pies at once but didn't have enough milk for the 2nd , so I added a little buttermilk with one cup milk and half cup water in case the buttermilk was to sour . 1st time doing that so I'll let you know how it tastes...
Thank You 🙂
Brandy says
Sound delicious! I'm sure it will turn out just fine!
Becky says
My great grandma topped the pie with walnuts and cinnamon and taste delicious!
Brandy says
That sounds amazing!
Amanda says
Will the homemade whipped topping last over night in the fridge?
Brandy says
Hi Amanda! Yes, it is delicious on day 2 so I would imagine that you can make this the night before!
Amanda says
Hi, can I use brown sugar to make the custard or will that mess with the consistency?
Brandy says
Hi Amanda! I don't know enough about the science behind it to know if it would affect the consistency. I'm sorry I'm not more help!
Sasha says
Am I able to incorporate some mashed bananas in to the custard without messing with the texture?
Brandy says
I've never tried this, but I think it would be delicious. I'd probably add them right before you pour them into the pie crust. Folding them in gently.
Sasha says
Okay, I’ll try it thanks so much!
Theodore Elsenheimer says
Made this pie and it was perfect!
Thank you!
Brandy says
Yay! I’m so glad!!
Rita says
Mine is in the refrigerator right now and I just realized I forgot to put butter! 🙁 will it still turn out okay? It tasted wonderful, I just hope it sets okay
Brandy says
Hi Rita! I would imagine it will still be delicious! I’m not sure what effect the butter has except to make it creamy. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
MaryKay says
Mine was thicker in the stove too and after refrigeration, it is runny. I am wondering if there is an ingredient you missed since a lot of us seem to have the same issue?!
Brandy says
Hi MaryKay! All recipe ingredients are correct. Here's a link to the pie on pinterest where readers shared photos of their pies and shared their experiences. This might be helpful. I've made this so many times and haven't had that issue so I'm not sure how to help. The custard sets up more as it chills in the crust, but shouldn't be "runny" when served. https://www.pinterest.com/engagement/#/all/unread/5117793177301984955
Kristina Prent says
I had a super thick constistency when hot then cooled to a liquidy consistency
Kristen says
How long does it take for the custard to start thickening before you add the egg yoke?
Brandy says
Hi Kristen! It takes 2-3 minutes once it starts to heat up. If you watch the video it will kind of show the consistency that you are looking for as you add the hot milk to the egg yolks and add them back into the pan. Hope that helps!
chellfire says
perfect. my husband told me once that he had this pie years ago as a kid... and i had some bananas! it turned out perfect. thank you!
Brandy says
I'm so glad you were able to bring back this childhood memory for him!
Paulina says
I really love the taste!!
Keep doing this, you’re wonderful
Elaine says
I made my own pie crust but the filling and topping were delicious!
Brandy says
So good to hear! It's a true classic!
Julie short says
My custard turned out a bit runnier than i expected. I’m concerned that it wont hold together once served in slices.
Any suggestions?
Brandy says
I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier. Did it set up in the refrigerator? It should have gone from a pudding consistency to much thicker after cooling. I hope it did that for you!
April Smasal says
My custard was also too runny. It was delicious and like a pudding but didn't set well for an actual slice of pie without a mess.
Vereska Touchet says
Can we use instant banana pudding
Brandy says
Sure. Your just skip everything in the custard ingredients and use pudding.
Sara says
Mine also came out super runny after refrigerating , it was thicker on the stove before I put it in the fridge. Not sure why
Brandy says
I wish I could answer this! I’ve always had it thicken when on the stove, and more so in the refrigerator. It cools to a pudding consistency and the always thickens more as it chills in the pie crust. So odd!
Ishkhanuhi says
Mine did too was perfectly setting all thick over nite turned to runny pudding, in the fridge. I can't 're boil it' with bananas in it did u figure any thing out I've tried adding corn starch (took off the wiped cream) put it in oven 160° for a bit still runny?