Banana Cream Pie

This Banana Cream Pie is such a treat! It’s made with a graham cracker crust, a vanilla pudding filling layered with sliced bananas, and is topped with whipped cream and even more banana.

How to Make Banana Cream Pie

Graham Cracker Crust

This pie is made with my Graham Cracker Pie Crust, which provides a sweet, crunchy base that contrasts nicely with the vanilla pudding and banana slices. This crust provides a nice textural contrast to the rest of the pie, and is so easy to make! Start with crushed graham crackers. I find it easiest to crush the graham crackers in a food processor, but placing the crackers in a bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin works nicely, too. To make the crust, simply mix together the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the cracker crumbs are moistened and stick together when pressed. Firmly press the graham cracker crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate to form a crust. Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let it cool completely to set, which will help it hold its shape when sliced. While the crust cools, make the vanilla pudding filling.

Vanilla Pudding Filling

If you’ve never made pudding from scratch before, you will be amazed at how easy and delicious it is. To make the pudding, whisk together the whole milk (if using a dairy milk, whole works best), egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Heat the pudding mixture over medium heat until it reaches a simmer, whisking occasionally. Once the mixture starts to simmer, whisk consistently until the pudding thickens to the right consistency, about 6-8 minutes. When you remove the pudding from the heat, it should be thick enough that a spoon dipped into the mixture will come away with a thick coating and leave a pattern behind in the pudding.

When the pudding is ready, I like to pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, which ensures that there will not be any lumps of pudding in the pie. At this point, stir in the vanilla extract. It’s important to add the vanilla extract after cooking because it will evaporate during the cooking process, which can reduce the flavor. Set the pudding aside and allow it to cool slightly while preparing the bananas. Slice two bananas and use half of the slices to line the bottom of the pie crust. Spoon pudding over the bananas until covered before topping with another layer of bananas. Finish by topping with the rest of the pudding. Take a piece of plastic wrap and press it into the top of the pudding before placing the pie into the fridge to cool and set. Using a layer of plastic wrap will help prevent the pudding from forming a tough top layer. Chill the pie for at least four hours, or overnight, to make sure that the filling sets fully.

Whipped Cream

I like making the whipped cream right before serving the pie, as it tastes the best fresh and takes only 5 minutes to make. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or an electric mixer, whip together the cream and powdered sugar at a high speed. After about 4-5 minutes, the cream will form medium-stiff peaks. Add the vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Don’t mix the cream past stiff peaks, as it will start to get grainy and start to form butter. While homemade butter is delicious, it’s not the best for topping a pie! Once the cream is light and fluffy, use it to top the pie, add more banana slices, and sprinkle more crushed graham crackers on top , if you’d like. Serve and enjoy!

I love both fruit pies and cream pies – and this Banana Cream Pie is the best of both worlds! It’s sweet, creamy, and the crust provides just the right amount of crunch. If you have leftovers, this pie will store well in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you’re craving a cool, sweet dessert, this Banana Cream Pie is for you. I’d love to hear what you thought in the comments!