Banana Cream Pie
A classic American dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, silky vanilla custard, fresh banana slices, and whipped cream. Simple to assemble and guaranteed to impress.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 7g
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 count egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 count ripe but firm bananas
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pour 2 cups graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl, then add 6 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- 3
Stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand and no dry crumbs remain, about 1 minute of stirring.
- 4
Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and press it firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup to form an even layer covering the bottom and sides.
- 5
Bake the crust for 8 minutes until it smells fragrant and looks lightly set, then remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.
- 6
Pour 2 cups whole milk and 0.5 cup heavy cream into a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the edges, about 5 minutes.
- 7
While the milk heats, place 4 egg yolks and 0.5 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl and whisk them together until the mixture turns pale yellow and thick, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Add 3 tablespoons cornstarch to the egg-sugar mixture and whisk until no lumps of cornstarch remain visible, about 30 seconds.
- 9
Slowly pour about 0.5 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly — pour in a thin stream to prevent the eggs from cooking too fast.
- 10
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk, whisking constantly to combine fully.
- 11
Set the heat to medium and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, until the custard thickens and coats the spoon, about 8 minutes.
- 12
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract until the custard smells like vanilla.
- 13
Pour the warm custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently with a rubber spatula, to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits.
- 14
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate until completely cold, at least 30 minutes.
- 15
Remove the cooled pie crust from the pan and place it on a clean plate or pie server if desired for easier serving.
- 16
Pour the chilled custard into the baked crust, using a rubber spatula to scrape out every bit, and spread it evenly across the bottom and sides.
- 17
Hold each banana upright and slice it straight down into 0.25-inch-thick rounds, then arrange the slices in overlapping rows on top of the custard.
- 18
Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar into a clean, chilled bowl and whisk with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks that stand straight up, about 2 minutes.
- 19
Spread or spoon the whipped cream over the banana layer in a generous, even mound, making it look rustic and inviting.
- 20
Refrigerate the pie until you are ready to serve, up to 4 hours, to keep it cold and set.
Tools you’ll need
- 9-inch pie dish
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- medium bowl
- fork
- measuring cup (for pressing crust)
- medium saucepan
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- fine-mesh sieve
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- electric mixer
- chilled metal bowl
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