Homemade custard, bananas, and homemade whipped cream are layered to create this delicious old-fashioned banana cream pie recipe. Full of banana flavor and creamy texture!
You might also like my apple slab pie, fresh cherry pie, blackberry pie or peach slab pie!
Banana cream pie is one of my favorite pies and is always a show-stopper dessert. Did you know that it isn't made with banana pudding? It's true, banana cream pie is made with homemade vanilla custard. Layered with sliced bananas, you get a combination of custard and banana flavoring in every bite!
Why I Like This Recipe
- Tried and true classic recipe. I've mentioned my love for my old Betty Crocker paper-back cookbook before. My grandma gave it to me when I was 14, and it's my absolute favorite. You can tell by the way it looks that it has been used many times for recipe inspiration, as the binding has completely fallen apart. This recipe is a variation of Betty Crocker's Coconut Cream Pie. The cookbook is out of print, which is such a shame, and many of the delicious recipes aren't available online, 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!
- Flaky pie crust. I used my favorite buttermilk pie crust recipe (you can also use a store-bought crust). It's the only pie crust recipe I use and turns out perfectly every time. The combination of butter, oil, and shortening gives it the best flavor and texture.
- Creamy whipped cream. 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. However, I don’t think there’s much of a difference in taste (don't come at me). Cool Whip is delicious, too!
What Others Are Saying
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.---on Pinterest
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Tips and Tricks
- Tips for making the perfect custard. 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 30 seconds or so.
- Chill the pie before serving. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 1 hour (2-3 hours is preferred).
- Banana slices for garnish. Add extra banana slices as a garnish, just before serving. Don't add the bananas too soon, or they may turn brown before serving. The banana slices inside the pie will be just fine, as they aren't exposed to air like the ones on the top of the pie.
Ingredients
- Sugar
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent in the custard.
- Salt
- Milk: whole or 2% milk for both the pie crust and custard.
- Egg yolks: for richness and texture in the custard.
- Butter: Mixed into the hot custard for flavor and a smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract
- Bananas
- Graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs: This is totally optional, but I had some graham crackers in the cupboard and thought they added a nice touch.
- Flour
- Salt
- Butter, Shortening, and Oil: You'll notice that the pie crust calls for all 3 of these fats. Each one has its purpose and helps create a delicious and flaky pie crust that rolls out easily and does not need to chill. I highly recommend NOT substituting any of these ingredients.
- Milk or buttermilk: You can use buttermilk or a combination of milk and lemon juice for the pie crust. I don't always have buttermilk on hand, so I use the milk and lemon juice hack.
- Heavy whipping cream + powdered sugar: To make your own whipped cream. You can also use store-bought whipped topping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
Step 1: Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
Step 2: 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 60-90 seconds, stirring continuously. Your mixture should be the consistency of gravy at this point. Reduce the heat to low while you proceed with the next step.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Pour the milk and egg yolk mixture BACK INTO THE PAN, back on the heat, and bring to a boil on medium heat. Boil and stir for 60-90 seconds, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, then remove from heat. Your mixture should be the consistency of fresh-made pudding. Stir in butter and vanilla extract.
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.
Step 5: 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.
Step 6: 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.
Step 7: Slice two of the bananas. Place them into the baked pie crust in a single layer.
Step 8: 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.
Banana Cream Pie FAQs
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.
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.
This pie serves 8 generous portions.
Yes, but do not top with fresh bananas until ready to serve to prevent browning. Keep pie refrigerated.
Absolutely. Bake according to package instructions then fill with cooled custard and bananas.
More Banana Cream Recipes To Make
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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 heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 60-90 seconds. Reduce the 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 60-90 seconds, 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
My go-to banana cream pie. Gets compliments every time I make it!
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.