I’m not sure why it took me a million years to try my hand at good old classic banana cream pie, but I can tell you what pushed me over the edge into this easy, fluffy, delectable recipe.
That EXTREMELY happy guy right there is holding an ice cream cone full of banana cream pie ice cream.
He acquired it at the North Carolina State Fair, and for the first time in 450,846 years of marriage I learned that banana cream pudding pie ANYTHING is one of his very faves.
So of course I couldn’t resist, and I got me a bunch of bananas and settled in to figure it out.
Banana cream pie can be made all different kinds of ways, but the classic version is a regular pie crust that is covered with sliced bananas and pudding and topped a giant floofy mound of whipped cream.
I wanted to do a little variation on that theme while still staying true to the original, so I went with a simple graham cracker crust, topped with homemade vanilla pudding and some sliced bananas, and that floofy whipped cream sprinkled with some leftover graham cracker crumbs.
You do need to plan ahead a little for this easy creamy pie recipe since it needs time to chill out in the fridge for a while before you dig in, but I’m here to tell you that (and the Southern husband agrees) it’s totally worth it!
ingredients you need to make this creamy, dreamy pie!
Here’s how to make This banana pie deliciousness!
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 375.
STEP 2: Mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar, and 6 tablespoons of melted butter until it looks like sandy crumbs. Press the crumbs into a 9 inch pie plate, smooshing it all over the bottom and up the sides. It’s not going to look perfect around the edges and that’s okay!
STEP 3: Bake your pie crust for 7 minutes and let it cool completely. (Oh, and if you don’t want to bake it you don’t have to! It will still work just fine. More details in the Tips section below!)
STEP 4: When the crust is cool, whisk ½ cup of sugar and cornstarch together in a medium pot (yes, before you put it on the stove). Add 2 eggs and 3 egg yolks and whisk whisk whisk away until everything is totally smooth. Whisk in 3 cups of whole milk and a teaspoon of vanilla.
STEP 5: Put the pot on the stove over medium high heat and bring it to a simmer, whisking as it heats. When it gets to a simmer, lower the heat and keep whisking (I know, so much whisking) until it is thickened up, about 5 minutes.
STEP 6: Take the pudding off the stove and let it stand for 5 minutes, then stir in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until it is melted. Last but not least, stir in 4 sliced up bananas.
STEP 7: Use a spatula to scrape the pudding into the pie crust, smooth it to the sides and then chill it in the fridge for 3 hours (you can leave it overnight if you are making it ahead).
STEP 8: When you are ready to serve it up, put a cup and half of heavy cream, a quarter cup of powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl and beat it up with a mixer until it is in soft creamy peaks. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with a generous handful of graham cracker crumbs and serve it up!
more tips for making easy banana cream pie!
I usually just whirl up graham crackers in my food processor until they are crumbs (for this recipe you will need about 24 graham cracker squares), but you can also sometimes find graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle of your supermarket. And in a pinch, you can use a pre-made graham cracker crust (also in the baking aisle).
Baking the crust will give it a richer graham cracker flavor…but not baking it will save a little time and still taste fabulouso. Promise.
Well technically yes (you’ll need a 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding for this size pie) but I am looking deeply into your eyes and pleading with you to try this homemade pudding version at least once. It’s SO MUCH BETTER.
I’m telling you now, even once it is chilled down this pie is not going to let you cut it into lovely obedient slices. It’s messy in all the best ways – just use your cake server and try for getting every plate its fair share of crust, banana, pudding and cream. I guarantee that nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to have any complaints. I also sometimes just scoop it into dessert bowls and call it a wonderful day.
Pop your question in the comments and I will answer pronto!
I definitely have more Banana Cream Pudding or Pie Something recipes in my future, but for now, here’s the original!
Easy Banana Cream Pie
This delectable recipe for banana cream pie takes transforms this classic dessert into pie form! And with practically no baking. Bring on the bananas!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (24 squares)
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cold butter
- 4 large bananas, peeled, cut in half length-wise and then sliced into ½ inch slices
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar, and melted butter until it looks like sandy crumbs. Press the crumbs into a 9 inch pie plate, smooshing it all over the bottom and up the sides.
- Bake your pie crust for 7 minutes and let it cool completely.
- When the crust is cool, whisk ½ cup of sugar and cornstarch in a medium pot. Add the eggs and egg yolks and whisk whisk whisk until everything is totally smooth. Whisk in the milk and a teaspoon of vanilla.
- Put the pot on the stove over medium high heat and bring it to a simmer, whisking as it heats. When it gets to a simmer, lower the heat and keep whisking (I know, so much whisking) until it is thickened up, about 5 minutes.
- Take the pudding off the stove and let it stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the butter until it is melted. Stir in the bananas.
- Use a spatula to scrape the pudding into the pie crust, smooth it to the sides and then chill it in the fridge for 3 hours (you can leave it overnight if you are making it ahead).
- When you are ready to serve it up, put the cream, the powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl and beat it up with a mixer until it is in soft creamy peaks.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie and top with the rest of the graham cracker crumbs.
OTHER BANANA RECIPES WE LOVE!
Anna Faye Campbell says
My line of favorite comfort desserts!
Hi Anna and mine too! Hurray for banana cream pie! :)