Trust us when we say that everything that makes this showstopping banana cream pie recipe infinitely impressive is also what makes it so easy to pull off. From the salty-sweet graham cracker crust to the sky-high mountain of peanut-blanketed homemade whipped cream to the yolk-yellow filling bursting with fresh banana flavor, you’d be fooling yourself—and your guests—if you thought it was hard to make.
A food processor helps with the pie crust, which requires just four ingredients, including melted butter for richness and peanuts for extra crunch. Baking the crust yields multiple benefits: It toasts the nuts and grahams for depth of flavor, and it melts the sugar, which, when cooled, helps to hold the crumbs together. After it comes out of the oven, you’ll have a few seconds to adjust any slumping or other imperfections before the crust begins to set in the pie plate.
While some recipes build the pie filling out of a box of vanilla pudding mix, we take the old-school route, mixing up a flavorful vanilla custard on the stovetop before folding in sliced bananas and tipping the filling into the pie shell. It takes at least two hours for the custard to set; if you’re making it a day ahead of time, cover the pie with plastic wrap or wax paper while chilling to prevent a film from forming on the surface. Just before serving, beat sweetened heavy cream to a soft texture shy of stiff peaks and carefully mound it on top of the pie. The final shower of crunchy chopped salted peanuts is more than just a garnish—it provides texture in a way that crushed vanilla wafers never could.
This homemade banana cream pie is best made with ripe but firm bananas. If you’re looking to use up an overripe, mushy bunch, consider BA’s Best Banana Bread or this double-banana layer cake. Taking dessert to a potluck? This cream-cheese-laced banana pudding is highly transportable.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes plus chilling
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
9
¼
½
6
Filling and Assembly
½
¼
2
3
3
2
½
2
4
2
¼
¼
Preparation
Crust
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Using your hands, crush 9 whole graham crackers (about 5 oz.) into a food processor; pulse until finely ground. Add ¼ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts and ½ tsp. Diamon Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and pulse a few times until incorporated but with some flecks of peanut remaining. Pour in 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, and pulse just until mixture holds together when squeezed in your palm.
Step 2
Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a standard 9" pie pan using the bottom of a flat measuring cup or glass. Bake until golden brown, 12–15 minutes. The crust will most likely have slumped down toward the bottom of the dish; remove from oven and press crust back up the sides while still hot. Return to oven and bake until browned, about 5 minutes longer. Let cool.
Do Ahead: Crust can be made 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Filling and Assembly
Step 3
Whisk ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup cornstarch in a large saucepan to combine. Add 2 large eggs and 3 large egg yolks and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into corners of pan, until smooth and pale. Whisk in 3 cups whole milk, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt.
Step 4
Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often and making sure to get into corners of pan, 8–10 minutes (mixture should be bubbling and thickened). Reduce heat and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Let pudding cool 5 minutes, whisking every minute.
Step 5
Add 2 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter to pudding and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Add 4 large ripe but firm bananas, sliced ¼" thick, and stir once to incorporate. Scrape filling into cooled crust; smooth surface. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours.
Step 6
Just before serving, using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups heavy cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon whipped cream over filling, swirling as desired. Top with ¼ cup chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts.
Do Ahead: Pie (without whipped topping and peanuts) can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in our November 2019 issue. Head this way for more of our best banana recipes →
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