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A banana cream pie recipe that is made completely from scratch and infused with real banana flavor. This is the best banana pie filling you’ll ever find!
I used the ATK method of infusing the filling with real bananas and oh my gosh, I love it so much. Why don’t people like pie?! What is wrong with the world? I have never once posted our bcp recipe because I hate that it lacked banana flavor. And now I’m so happy!
I heard someone complaining it’s the worst dessert and a piece of my soul withered right there. Right there on the spot! I just can’t understand it! Pie is dessert perfection!
What You Need to Make Banana Cream Pie
There’s nothing crazy going on with this recipe at all. You’ll just need your basic cream pie ingredients plus a few bananas. Here is your ingredients list:
- Pie Crust – this crust is made with all butter and the post shows photos of every step to help you along the way!
- Ingredients: flour, unsalted butter, salt, sugar, ice water
Egg Wash
Brushing the crust with an egg wash in the middle of baking it will help make the crust shine and keep it from getting soggy when you put the filling in.
- Egg
- Milk
For the Banana Infusion
- Banana Slices – for real banana flavor, you want good ripe bananas with some brown freckles on the peel to get the best sweet banana flavor
- Butter – keeps the bananas from sticking to the bottom of the pan and helps caramelizes them
- Whole Milk – base for the banana cream filling
- Heavy Cream – base for the banana cream filling
For the Filling
- Egg Yolks – creates a creamy custard base for the filling
- Salt – flavor
- Sugar – sweetness
- Cornstarch – thickener
- Vanilla – flavor
- Butter – flavor
- Banana – to place inside the banana cream pie filling and to place on top for decoration
- Whipped Cream or Stabilized Whipped Cream – topping for the pie
- Nilla Wafers – texture and topping
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to Make a Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Pies should never intimidate you! Never ever! The crust recipe is foolproof, and the pastry cream filling comes together easily! The hardest part is waiting for the pie to set up in the fridge. Waiting for pie…such a trial! Here are the basic steps:
Crust Preparation
- Prepare the pie crust per instructions.
- Place dough into the pie pan and crimp edges.
- Lay a round pie of parchment onto the crust and then place a piece of tin foil on top of the parchment into the crust and over the top of the crimped edges. Fill with pie weights, beans or popcorn kernels and bake.
- Whisk the egg was together.
- Pull the crust out of the oven and brush with the egg wash, including the crimped edges. Using a fork dock the pie by poking several holes in it. Return the crust back to the oven without the parchment, foil and pie weights to finish baking.
Banana Infusion
- Now it’s time to infuse the cream with that real banana flavor. Melt butter in a medium pot and add the sliced bananas.
- Cook for a couple of minutes until softened, then add the milk and cream.
- Cook until the mixture comes to a boil and cook for 30 second. Turn off the heat and remove pot from burner. Add a lid to the pot and let it sit.
Pie Filling
- Add the yolks, sugar and salt to a large bowl whisk aggressively until the mixture is pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and whisk again.
- Strain the banana infusion cream into the eggs. Do not press on the bananas. You just want the milk/cream. Discard the bananas. Whisk everything together.
- Pour everything into a medium pot and whisk over medium heat until thickened into a pudding.
- Remove from the heat and add vanilla and butter. Stir until everything is combined.
- Place plastic wrap on top of the bowl and press it down onto the top of the pudding. Chill to bring it to room temperature.
Assembly
- Spread a layer of pudding into the pie crust.
- Place a layer of banana slices onto the pudding.
- Top the bananas with the remaining filling. Be sure to push the pudding all the way to the edges of the crust to keep the bananas from browning.
- Cover the pie and let it refrigerate for at least 5 hours or up to overnight.
- Top with fresh whipped cream (or stabilized). Add extra banana slices or Nilla Wafer crumbs if desired.
- Slice and serve!
How Ripe Should My Bananas Be
The bananas you use for the infusion should be freckled but not dark at all like you would use for a banana bread. If the bananas are too ripe, they get too mushy and overly sweet and almost sour in the custard. Gross!
Tools You Will Need
I have always been a banana cream pie lover, but this…THIS banana cream pie recipe is insane! I’m done for! The real banana flavor is in every bite, and that buttery, flaky crust is what dreams are made of. For all the pie haters out there, pass your slice my way!
From Scratch Banana Cream Pie
Ingredients
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Milk
For the Banana Infusion
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 ¼ Cups 1/2" Thick Banana Slices
- 1 ¾ Cups Whole Milk
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
For the Filling
- 6 Large Egg Yolks
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 6 Tablespoons EZ Gel, + 2 teaspoon, or 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch+ 1 teaspoon
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Large Bananas
- Fresh Whipped Cream , or stabilized recipe below
- Stabilized Whipped Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Crushed Nilla Wafers
- Any remaining banana slices for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust per instructions.
- Fold the rolled out dough over the rolling pin and unroll the dough into the 9" pie pan without stretching. Press into pie pan and crimp edges.1 All Butter Pie Crust
- Lay a round of parchment paper onto the crust. Now press tin foil onto the paper so that it doesn't stick to the crust, pushing it against the edge of the crust and over the crimped edges and fill with pie weights, beans or popcorn kernels. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg wash.1 Egg, 1 Tablespoon Milk
- To keep the crust from getting soggy and make it shiny, take the pie out and brush the crust with an egg wash (including the crimped edges) and then using a fork, dock the pie crust by poking holes. Cover the crimped edges in foil and bake another 10 minutes at 425F without the parchment, foil and pie weights.
- Then reduce the temperature down to 375 degrees and bake until the center is golden, about 15-20 minutes.
For the Banana Infusion
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a medium pot. Add the sliced bananas and stir to coat in butter. Cook for about 2 minutes or until softened. Add the whole milk and heavy cream, stirring gently.1 Tablespoon Butter, 2 ¼ Cups 1/2" Thick Banana Slices, 1 ¾ Cups Whole Milk, 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- Cook until the mixture comes to a boil and then cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and move off of the burner, adding a lid and allow to sit for 50 minutes.
For the Filling
- In a large bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar and salt, whisking aggressively to combine until it looks a pale yellow. Add the EZ gel and whisk again.6 Large Egg Yolks, 1/4 teaspoon Salt, 3/4 Cup Sugar, 6 Tablespoons EZ Gel
- Using a colander, strain the hot milk into the eggs without pressing on the bananas and then discard the bananas. Whisk the eggs and milk together and then dump everything into a clean pot over medium heat and continue whisking.
- Cook, whisking continually until 180 degrees and thickened into a pudding, about 6 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter and stir until butter is all melted.2 teaspoons Vanilla, 2 ½ Tablespoons Butter
- Place plastic wrap over the bowl and onto the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and chill to bring down to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Assembly
- Spread a layer of the pudding onto the bottom to help prevent brown bananas. Slice 3-4 Bananas onto the pudding. Fill with remaining filling and smooth out all over the crust being sure to seal around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours, or up to overnight. Top with fresh whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream and extra bananas and nilla wafer crumbs and serve!3 Large Bananas, Fresh Whipped Cream , Stabilized Whipped Cream, 2 Tablespoons Crushed Nilla Wafers, Any remaining banana slices for garnish
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This pie sounds absolutely devine! I’m making this today. If you’re on instagram I will let everyone know where the recipe came from. Just reading it I gave it 5 stars!
Thank you so much Bonnie! I hope you enjoyed it! Yes, we are on Instagram @ohsweetbasil.
This recipe looks absolutely amazing. . . Banana infusion!! The way to go . . . Making it today ! And I already know it’s gonna taste great!!
Enjoy!! Let us know what you think!!
A big YES for the banana infused pudding. It was delicious! The crust was really more complex to bake than most other crusts I’ve used and the end result was so sturdy I could pick it up and eat it with my hands. It had a good flavor, but it was not exactly flaky and delicate. Maybe I did it wrong. Ha! I’m still searching for the perfect option. Next time I’ll use a graham cracker crust, otherwise loved the filling!
Thank you so much Janelle! It does sound like the crust might have been overworked a little. It should be super flaky! This filling recipe is divine with a graham cracker crust! Enjoy!
I was wondering if you could make a meringue topping for this pie. It looks delicious. My Dad loves meringue and I would love to do it. Is it possible?
Hi Kristin! You can totally do a meringue topping on it. Just torch the meringue instead of baking it. Enjoy!
In your Notes you state that you like to fill a glass measuring cup halfway with ice cubes and the rest with water so that you can use a tablespoon to measure out the ice water into the well you created . . . What Step in the Instructions do you use the Tablespoon of Ice Water?
That is part of the instructions for making the pie crust.
Best banana cream pie I’ve EVER made. I substituted a gluten free graham cracker crust and it was amazing. The banana infusion is genius. I will never use another banana cream pie recipe. Thank you!
You are the best, Kelli! Thank you so much!