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This homemade banana cream pie is rich, creamy, and made completely from scratch! With layers of silky vanilla custard, fresh bananas, and a buttery brown butter graham cracker crust, there’s banana flavor in every bite. It’s a classic banana cream pie recipe but with a serious upgrade – the kind of dessert that’ll have everyone fighting over the last slice!
Truth be told, I used to think banana cream pie was a little… boring. So I set out to create the absolute best version I could and honey, this one is incredible.
The Best Banana Cream Pie
Like any classic, it starts with a rich pastry cream (but I level it up with vanilla bean paste for deeper flavor), then fold in mascarpone whipped cream to make it light, fluffy, and ultra creamy.
And while I love a traditional pastry crust, graham cracker crusts just make sense for cream pies – they’re easier, add the perfect crunch, and don’t get soggy. In this recipe, that homemade graham cracker crust truly takes it to the next level.
At first bite, this will easily become one of your favorite desserts. It’s a great recipe for summer cookouts but elegant enough for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Table of contents
Recipe Highlights
- This is the perfect make ahead pie. It can be made up to 2 days in advance! Just store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- The Silky Filling: It’s made completely from scratch! A truly standout banana cream pie starts with homemade pudding, no shortcuts or instant pudding mixes here! This version is rich in flavor, perfectly set, and irresistibly smooth with a velvety texture.
- I use a springform pan so that you get clean slices. If you’ve ever used a pie dish and you can floppy slices – well using a springform pan prevents this! It allows the pie to set as is so that when you remove from the pan, you get the perfect slices every time.
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
These step-by-step photos are here to guide you through the process. If you’re ready to get started, scroll down or tap “Jump to Recipe” for the full printable version with measurements and instructions.
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, add whole milk and warm over low heat for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch, then slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking (pour slowly so you don’t scramble the eggs, this process is called tempering).
Step 2: Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it has a thick pudding-like consistency. Once bubbling, whisk vigorously for 1 minute, then add butter and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract). Transfer to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap. Chill until completely cold and set.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat mascarpone until smooth, then add heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, then add the chilled pastry cream and mix until smooth. (it may appear lumpy at first but it’ll smooth out the more the cream gets mixed in)
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the brown butter graham cracker crust. Brown the butter in a skillet, then add graham crackers, sugar, and nutmeg to a food processor and blend until uniform graham cracker crumbs form. Mix in the melted butter and press firmly with the bottom of a flat measuring cup or glass into a springform pan. Bake until set. Add a layer of fresh sliced bananas on the bottom of the pan.
Pro Tip
Skip overly ripe bananas! They release excess liquid, which can make your custard filling runny. Save those brown, spotty bananas for banana bread or banana pudding and stick with firm, yellow bananas for banana cream pie.
Step 5: Add half of the cream filling, then add another layer of fresh banana slices and cover with the remaining cream on top. Let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to firm up and set.
Step 6: Before serving, top the banana pie with whipped cream or your favorite whipped topping. Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers or chessman cookies.
How To Store
Homemade banana cream pie is best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing this pie, the bananas will become really soggy when thawing.
Recipe FAQs
Since the bananas are tucked into the custard, which helps protect them from browning, this is unlikely to happen. But if you want a little extra insurance, you can lightly brush the slices with lemon juice before layering them into the pie. If you’re adding banana slices on top for garnish, wait until just before serving so they stay fresh and vibrant.
No, I don’t recommend using a pie dish for this specific recipe. This recipe is developed for a springform pan – which are deeper than traditional pie dishes.
Your custard is likely lumpy because it was cooked over too high heat, causing the eggs to scramble instead of thicken smoothly. It can also happen if the eggs weren’t properly tempered or if the mixture wasn’t whisked constantly while cooking. To fix it, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve or blend it until smooth.
More Pie Recipes with Graham Cracker Crust
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Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
Banana Cream Filling
- 3 cups (720 g) Whole Milk
- 6 (108 g) Egg Yolks
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Sugar
- 6 tbsp (48 g) Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Milk Powder, (optional)
- 3 tbsp (42 g) Salted Butter
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp (23 g) Vanilla Bean Paste, (or vanilla extract)
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Unflavored Gelatin Powder, (optional)** See notes
- 3 tbsp (30 g) Water, (omit if not using gelatin)
- 1/2 cup (240 g) Heavy Cream, (cold)
- 4 oz (113 g) Mascarpone or Cream Cheese, (cold), these are typically sold in 8oz containers/blocks. Use half for the filling and the remaining half for the whipped cream topping.
- 1/4 cup (32 g) Powdered Sugar
- 4 Bananas, (sliced)
Brown Butter Graham Cracker Crust
- 18 sheets Graham Crackers
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (browned)
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 1/2 cups (360 g) Heavy Cream
- 4 oz (113 g) Mascarpone or Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup (63 g) Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
- Start by making the pastry cream filling. In a medium saucepan, heat whole milk over low heat for about 5 minutes, until just warm (do not bring to a boil). 3 cups Whole Milk
- In a large bowl, whisk together, egg yolks, sugar, milk powder (optional), and cornstarch until smooth and pale, about 30 seconds. Slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking (pour slowly so you don’t scramble the eggs). 6 Egg Yolks 3/4 cup Sugar 6 tbsp Cornstarch 1 tbsp Milk Powder
- Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (like pudding), about 10-12 minutes. Once the mixture begins to bubble and you can see ribbons while whisking, begin to whisk vigorously for 1 minute. It should be a thick pudding-like consistency and should coat the back of the spoon without running off.
- Add butter and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), nutmeg, and kosher salt and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent it from developing a film while cooling, Chill in the refrigerator until completely cold and set, about 2-3 hours. 3 tbsp Salted Butter 1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste 1/8 tsp Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- Once the cream is fully cooled, make the whipped cream. This will get folded into the pastry cream. In a small bowl, mix together gelatin and water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, it'll thicken and become jelly-like. 2 tsp Unflavored Gelatin Powder 3 tbsp Water
- Place the bowl with the gelatin into the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, until it become liquidy/melted.
- In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat mascarpone (or cream cheese) .. (we're only using half of the 8oz container, save the remainder for the whipped cream topping) until smooth, about 30 seconds, then add the melted gelatin, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes, then add the chilled pastry cream and continue to mix until combined and smooth. It'll look lumpy at first but continue to mix until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place into the refrigerator while making the graham cracker crust (no need to cover with plastic wrap). 1/2 cup Heavy Cream 4 oz Mascarpone or Cream Cheese 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Now make the brown butter graham cracker crust. Melt butter in a skillet and cook it until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 10 minutes. Let it cool for about 5 minutes. 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- Add graham crackers, sugar, and nutmeg to a food processor and blend until uniform graham cracker crumbs form. Mix in the melted butter until the texture resembles it looks like wet sand. 18 sheets Graham Crackers 3 tbsp Brown Sugar 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- Press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan, making sure to press the crumbs all the way up the sides of the pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until set. Let it cool for about 20 minutes.
- Add a layer of fresh sliced bananas on the bottom of the pan (on top of the graham cracker crust). Add half of the mascarpone cream filling, then add the remaining fresh banana slices and cover with the remaining cream on top. Let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to firm up and set. 4 Bananas
- Before serving, make the whipped cream. Add remaining mascarpone and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth, about 30 seconds, then add heavy cream and vanilla bean paste and mix until stiff peaks form. Garnish with crushed nilla wafers or chessman cookies. 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream 4 oz Mascarpone or Cream Cheese 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I didn’t use the gelatin and it set just fine. It was very creamy and I loved that the bananas didn’t get soggy and brown. I will absolutely be making this one again.