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The most incredible (and easy) Banana Cream Pie recipe with homemade custard filling that holds together perfectly, layered inside a Nilla wafer crust. You'll never use a box pudding mix again!
You can browse all of my delicious pie recipes, and be sure to try the Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie, Pecan Pie, or a Lemon Sour Cream Pie.
What I love about this pie:
- The Filling: To make a truly excellent Banana Cream Pie, the pudding NEEDS to be made from scratch! This recipe if flavorful, holds together, and so velvety smooth.
- Nilla Wafer Crust really shines in this pie, and reminds me of banana pudding. If you prefer something else, you can use a graham cracker or traditional pie crust.
- Make Ahead: you can make this beautiful pie 1-2 days in advance, but I recommend reserving the bananas for topping on individual pie slices while serving, rather than inside the pie.
How to make Banana Cream Pie:
Prepare Crust: Add Nilla wafers to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs (or crush them in a resealable bag, using a rolling pin). Add cookie crumbs to a bowl and stir in melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate. Bake crust for 10 minutes, and then allow to cool completely.
Make Filling: Mix egg yolks and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Set aside. Whisk in sugar, salt, and milk in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a simmer.
Temper Eggs: Spoon a big ladleful of simmering milk out of the pot, then very slowly whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour a slow steady stream, to temper the eggs (warm them up slowly, without scrambling them).
Cook Pudding: Pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking to incorporate. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until the mixture has thickened (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon).
Strain: Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Strain pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a storage container. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a skin from forming then cool for 30 minutes.
Layer Pie: Slice bananas into the bottom of the Nilla wafer crust, into an even layer then pour pudding over the top. Cover with plastic wrap again, so a skin doesn’t form, and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
Whip Cream: Add heavy cream and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and whip until peaks form. Smooth whipped cream over the top of the old fashioned banana cream pie, or pipe around the edge. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4-6 hours before serving.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Nilla wafer crust can be made several days in advance, stored at room temperature or in the freezer. Banana Cream Pie can be made 2-3 days ahead, but I recommend adding the bananas while serving the pie, and not placing them inside, so they don't get brown.
To Freeze: Don't add bananas, but otherwise make as instructed. Allow the pie to cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More Homemade Pies:
- Cherry Pie
- Lemon Sour Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Oreo Cheesecake Pie
- Lemon Chiffon Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Triple Berry Pie
- Peanut Butter Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Nilla Wafer Crust:*
- 2 cups Nilla wafers, , crushed, (about 60 cookies)
- ⅓ cup butter, , melted
Filling:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter, , cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large firm bananas, , sliced
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add Nilla wafers to a food processor and pulse until crumbs (or crush them in a resealable bag, with a rolling pin). Add cookie crumbs to a bowl and stir in melted butter. Use the back of a measuring cup to press mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9'' pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding the custard filling.
- Banana Pudding: Mix egg yolks and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Set aside. To a large saucepan, add sugar, salt and milk to a large, heavy saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it comes to a simmer.
- Spoon a big ladleful of simmering milk out of the pot, and very slowly whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour a slow steady stream, to temper the eggs (warm them up slowly, without scrambling them).
- Pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking to incorporate. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until the mixture has thickened (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon).
- Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Strain pudding through a fine mesh sieve, into a storage container. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Slice bananas into the bottom of the nilla wafer crust. Pour pudding over the top. Place a small piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding, so a skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
- Whip Cream: Add heavy cream and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and whip until peaks form. Smooth whipped cream over the top of the pie.
- Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated November 2019 and November 2023.
Best banana cream pie recipe! Used graham cracker crust instead. Best pie I have made in a while. YUMMY!
I just made this for my sisters birthday. I am allergic to bananas so I just tasted the custard before slicing the banas. Soooo good! And looks beautiful. Easier than I thought it would be to make 🙂
Great recipe! Made it for National Banana Pie Day! 🍌Since I made it a couple days ahead, I put a layer of pudding on the bottom, then a layer of sliced bananas, and topped with remaining pudding.
This recipe is amazing!!!! I make it for Easter every year.
Lovely but I think she’s missing a trick. Whip up the four egg whites, ad a little castor sugar to make a nice meringue topping for the pie. Finishes it off very nicely with a few flaked almonds to decorate.
Doesn’t contain anywhere near enough bananas. It just tastes like overly sweet custard with some crushed nilla wafers and sweetened cream.
I followed the directions exactly and the custard came out fine but it’s a very meh custard.
Main issue is that it doesn’t taste of banana. I wouldn’t make this again.
Love this recipe! Followed carefully and it turned out perfectly. Super yummy!
Absolutely delicious
What size of pie pan is used? I didn’t know if it is the standard size or bigger.
Thanks for all of the great and delicious recipes.
Thanks Pat! This is a 9-inch pie pan. Hope you love the banana cream pie, it’s one of my favs!
Terrible recipe.. don’t bother.. it was thick when it was warm then it cooled and was like soup.. very disappointing.. all that work for nothing
Followed the directions perfectly. It was my first attempt at ever making a banana cream pie. Added a little more corn starch for good measure based on the previous reviews and made sure it was whisked pretty thick. The custard filling set up pretty well. After I plated it, it started to run a little bit. 4.5/5 stars. Overall taste was fantastic. One of the better banana cream pies I’ve had. Great recipe.