Banana Cream Pie (Silky Custard, Flaky Butter Crust)

If your banana cream pie has ever collapsed into a puddle when you cut it, or the bananas turned gray by the next day, the recipe was probably not the problem. The custard was. A cornstarch custard that is taken off the heat a minute too early never sets properly, and a crust that is still pale underneath turns soft as soon as the filling goes in. Both are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

This version starts with an all-butter crust baked until golden all the way through. The filling is a rich vanilla pastry cream made with egg yolks, milk and a little cream, cooked until it bubbles so it sets firm enough to slice. Fresh banana slices go in a layer underneath, sealed by the warm custard, and a cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream goes on top. Each slice holds its shape, with distinct layers of crisp pastry, banana, custard and cream.

Ingredients

For the single all-butter crust

• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour – enough for one 9-inch crust with a crimped edge.
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp salt.
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed – cold pieces of butter make the crust flaky.
• 3 to 4 tbsp ice water – just enough to bring the dough together.

For the vanilla pastry cream

• 4 large egg yolks – give the custard its richness and pale yellow color.
• 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar.
• 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp all-purpose flour – together they thicken the custard into a filling that slices cleanly.
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk and 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream – the cream makes it smoother and richer than milk alone.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened – stirred in at the end for a silky finish.
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp salt.

For the bananas and topping

• 3 ripe bananas – yellow with only a few brown freckles; very ripe bananas turn mushy and darken faster.
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla – for the whipped topping.

How to Make It

1. Make the dough – then chill 1 hour

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt, then work in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until most pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds together when squeezed. Flatten it into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You should still see small flecks of butter in the dough.

2. Shape the crust – then chill 30 minutes

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle and ease it into a 9-inch glass pie plate without stretching it. Trim the overhang to about 1/2 inch, fold it under and crimp the edge. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). A well-chilled shell holds its crimped edge in the oven instead of slumping down the sides.

3. Blind-bake – 15 to 20 minutes with weights, then 10 to 15 minutes without

Line the crust with parchment and fill it to the top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown, then carefully lift out the parchment and weights and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more. Let it cool completely on a rack. The crust is done when the bottom looks dry and golden through the glass, not pale or shiny.

4. Start the custard

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch and flour until smooth. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and cream until steaming and just starting to bubble at the edges. The yolk mixture should be thick and lump-free before any hot milk goes in.

5. Temper and cook – then 1 minute at a bubble

Pour the hot milk into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking without stopping and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan. Once the custard thickens and large bubbles break on the surface, keep whisking for 1 minute more. It should be thick enough to hold a trail when you lift the whisk and drizzle some back over the surface.

6. Finish and cool slightly – about 15 minutes

Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla and salt. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, until warm but no longer hot; much longer and it becomes too thick to spread. The strainer catches any bits of cooked egg; the plastic stops a skin from forming.

7. Layer the bananas and custard

Slice the bananas about 1/4 inch thick and arrange them in a snug layer over the bottom of the cooled crust. Spread the warm custard over them right away, all the way to the edge, so the bananas are completely covered. Press plastic wrap onto the surface again. Covering the bananas quickly keeps air away from them, which is what turns them brown.

8. Chill – at least 5 hours

Refrigerate the pie for at least 5 hours, or overnight. The custard is ready when it is cold all the way through and does not move when you tilt the plate.

9. Top and serve

Shortly before serving, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Remove the plastic wrap, spread or pipe the whipped cream over the custard and add a few fresh banana slices on top if you like. Slice with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts. The whipped cream should hold soft swirls without sliding off the custard.

Why the Filling Sets (or Doesn’t)

A runny banana cream pie almost always comes down to the custard not being cooked quite long enough.

Cornstarch only thickens fully once the mixture boils. There is a second reason to keep going, too: egg yolks contain an enzyme that breaks down starch. If the custard is not boiled, that enzyme survives and slowly thins the filling in the fridge, so a custard that looked thick in the pan can turn loose by the next day. Letting it bubble for a full minute after it thickens takes care of both. The constant whisking keeps the bottom from scorching while it does.

The flour helps as well. Used together with cornstarch, it gives the custard a slightly firmer, creamier set that holds up under the weight of the whipped cream. For another pie where the filling depends on a stovetop custard cooked until glossy, see our lemon meringue pie.

The crust matters just as much as the filling. A shell that comes out of the oven pale underneath has not finished baking, and moisture from the custard will soften it within hours. Baking until the bottom is dry and golden, and letting it cool completely, keeps it crisp. The same cold-butter technique is behind the crust in our perfect apple pie, scaled down here to a single shell.

Choosing a Crust

A blind-baked pastry crust is the classic choice, but this filling works with other bases too.

For a graham cracker version, use 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons melted butter, the same crust as our fresh strawberry pie.

Make-Ahead and Storing

The crust can be baked a day ahead and kept at room temperature, loosely covered. The filled pie needs at least 5 hours to set, so assembling it the evening before is the easiest plan. Add the whipped cream on the day you serve.

Keep the pie in the refrigerator. The University of Illinois Extension advises that cream and custard pies should not stay out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, and notes that they often do not freeze well. This pie is at its best within a day or two, before the bananas begin to soften and darken.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep the bananas from turning brown?

Slice them just before assembling and cover them with the warm custard right away so no air reaches them.

Can I use instant pudding?

You can, but the filling will be softer and sweeter than the homemade custard, which takes only about 15 minutes.

Why did my custard turn lumpy?

Either the hot milk was added too quickly and scrambled some of the yolk, or the bottom of the pan was not scraped as it cooked. Straining fixes small lumps.

Can I make it the day before?

Yes. Assemble it the evening before, keep it covered with plastic wrap on the custard and add the whipped cream just before serving.

For a holiday dessert table, it pairs well with our cranberry orange custard pie, and you will find more ideas among our dessert recipes.

Banana Cream Pie

Classic banana cream pie with a blind-baked all-butter crust, a vanilla pastry cream that sets firm enough to slice, fresh bananas and whipped cream.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Chilling and Cooling 6 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 540

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 150 g
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter 113 g, cubed
• 3 to 4 tbsp ice water

For the pastry cream

• 4 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 135 g
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk 360 ml
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 120 ml
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the bananas and topping

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup cold heavy cream 240 ml
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

 

Crust

1. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Work in the cold butter until pea-sized, then add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Shape into a disk, wrap and chill 1 hour.
2. Roll into a 12-inch circle, fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate, trim, fold under and crimp. Prick the bottom and chill 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
3. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Remove the weights and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the bottom is dry and golden. Cool completely.

Pastry cream

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch and flour. Heat the milk and cream until steaming.
2. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolks, return to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling. Keep whisking 1 minute more.
3. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, vanilla and salt. Strain, cover the surface with plastic wrap and cool about 15 minutes, until warm but still spreadable.

Assemble

1. Slice the bananas 1/4 inch thick and layer them in the crust. Spread the warm custard over them to the edge and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
2. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
3. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to medium-stiff peaks, spread over the pie and serve.

Notes

Storage: keep refrigerated and serve within a day or two, before the bananas darken. Do not leave out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. Not recommended for freezing.

Make ahead: bake the crust a day ahead; assemble the pie the evening before and add the whipped cream just before serving.

Substitutions: a graham cracker crust (1 1/2 cups crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, 6 tbsp melted butter), a vanilla wafer crust, or a store-bought pastry shell baked until golden.

No pie weights: use dried beans or rice on the parchment.

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from standard ingredient values, not a laboratory analysis.