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This Banana Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust has a smooth homemade pie filling and plenty of bananas throughout. The homemade crisp, buttery crust balances out the sweetness from the filling and is always a hit!
Wanna know something I find SO under-rated? Cream pies!! Like why do the baked fruit pies get all the glory?! Well today, we’re giving this Banana Cream Pie a little time in the spotlight it SO deserves!
It’s an easy recipe that uses simple ingredients and is loved by all! It’s perfect for a yummy dessert, family gatherings, holiday parties, etc. But don’t just take my word for it….let’s get cookin’!
Ingredients Needed
- Graham Crackers – you can also make this with vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies
- Butter – for the crust and the filling
- Sugar – for the crust and the filling
- Egg Yolks
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Milk – 2% or whole milk is my preference for the most creamy vanilla custard
- Vanilla Extract
- Fresh Bananas – You’ll want bananas that are nice and yellow; ripe but not brown (they’d be too mushy if they’re brown)
- Whipped Topping – You can use store-bought or make your own homemade whipped cream.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
Start by Making the Homemade Graham Cracker Crust
Add the graham crackers, melted butter and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and process. If you don’t have a food processor, crush the graham crackers in a large resealable bag with a rolling pin to create fine crumbs. Then add the melted butter and sugar.
Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish. Bake until golden brown and let cool completely.
Make the Filling
This filling is technically a pastry cream (a type of custard). Rest assured, it’s quite easy to make and SO worth the time it takes to make a homemade filling.
Start by whisking together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk in a medium saucepan.
Cook, stirring frequently with a whisk, until thickened.
Stir in the butter and vanilla then pour into a large bowl to cool. Strain if any clumps are visible. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate to cool.
Assemble the Pie
Starting with banana slices, you’ll do two layers of bananas and two layers of the pastry cream filling. NOTE: I find that starting with a layer of bananas reduces the chance of the crust getting soggy.
At this point, you can either spread the whipped topping on top of the pie OR wait until serving and add dollops to individual slices.
Cover the pie and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set up.
Top individual slices of this homemade banana cream pie with fresh banana slices, additional graham cracker crumbs and/or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce!
SHORTCUT: Turn this into a no bake pie with a premade graham cracker crust!
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few things to keep in mind to prevent clumping. First off, you’ll want to cook the mixture on low-medium heat. You’ll also need to stir this frequently with a whisk; just a minute away from the pan will cause the mixture to clump or stick to the bottom of the pan. If you DO have clumps, you can run the filling through a sieve or use an immersion blender to break up the clumps.
Though I prefer the homemade filling, using a pudding mix will shorten the prep time. Whisk two small (4 serving) boxes instant pudding mix into 2 2/3 cups of cold milk. Once the pudding is set, continue as directed.
Though I LOVE this buttery graham cracker crust for a banana cream pie, you can use a traditional pastry crust instead if you prefer. Just be sure to blind bake and cool the crust before filling.
Other Creamy Pies To Try
- Bishop’s Chocolate Pie
- Pistachio Pie
- No Bake Oreo Pie
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Banana Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
- One 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
Crust
- 8 sheets Graham Crackers (16 squares)
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoon sugar
Pie Filling & Topping
- 4 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 3/4 cups 2% or whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 bananas
- One 8 ounce tub whipped topping
Instructions
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the graham cracker sheets, melted butter and sugar into a food processor. Blend until the graham crackers are in small crumbs.8 sheets Graham Crackers (16 squares), 1/3 cup butter, 2 tablespoon sugar
- Dump into a pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until light golden brown; let cool completely.
Make the Filling
- Add the yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt to a saucepan. Add the milk and whisk well.4 egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 2 3/4 cups 2% or whole milk
- Cook on low-medium heat, whisking frequently until thickened. Use a strainer to remove any lumps, if necessary.
- Add the butter and vanilla; stir until smooth.2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cover the vanilla custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
Assemble the Pie
- Slice the bananas; arrange half of them in the bottom of the graham cracker crust.3-4 bananas
- Spread half of the custard over the bananas.
- Repeat with the remaining bananas and custard.
- Top with whipped topping; refrigerate 4 hours or until set.One 8 ounce tub whipped topping
