Banana Cream Pie
This Banana Cream Pie Recipe is a timeless dessert that brings together silky custard filling, fresh banana slices, and pillowy whipped cream—no-fuss, crowd-pleasing comfort food at its finest.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust homemade or store-bought
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 ripe bananas bananas peeled and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar adjust sweetness to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla for whipped cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, gently heat 2½ cups of the milk until it’s steamy but not boiling—watch closely so it doesn’t scald.
- While the milk heats, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl. This step prevents lumps in your custard filling.
- Pour the remaining ½ cup milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Slowly stream ½ cup of the hot milk into the yolks to raise their temperature without scrambling.
- Gradually whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Keep whisking over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon—about 5–7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla extract until fully melted and glossy. Transfer custard to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin, and let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Arrange a single layer of banana slices on the bottom of the baked pie crust. You’ll need about two bananas—reserve the rest for topping.
- Pour the warm custard filling over the banana layer, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours (ideally 3–4) until set.
- Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Don’t overbeat—or you’ll get butter!
- Spread whipped cream over the chilled custard, creating soft swirls with the back of a spoon. Garnish with the remaining banana slices or a dusting of cinnamon, if desired.
- Let the pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing so the custard isn’t too firm—this makes perfect, neat slices.
Notes
For a lighter custard, you can stir in ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt once the custard is cool. It adds tang and protein without thinning the filling. Store leftover banana cream pie in an airtight container or cover the pie plate with plastic wrap. It stays fresh in the fridge up to 3 days—after that bananas may brown and crust can soften. This pie isn’t freezer-friendly once assembled, as the whipped cream loses texture when thawed. To make ahead, prepare crust and custard up to a day in advance, then assemble and chill on the day you serve.
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