Why We Love Banana Cream Pie
Let’s talk about glorious Banana Cream Pie… When I think of Easter brunch or any holiday brunch, I think of a table decorated with spring flowers and Easter eggs, lined with hearty salads, rolls, glazed ham, and desserts galore. Dishes that aren’t necessarily fancy, but are inviting and abundant. Dishes your grandmas might make. Most classic brunch buffet items are make-ahead. Grandma knew she’d be too busy Easter morning, going to church in her Easter bonnet and hiding eggs in the tall grass, to do a lot of cooking. So she planned several days in advance with pasta salads and casseroles. And she made desserts that could sit in the fridge for a few days and were all the better for it. Like a Banana Cream Pie Recipe, for instance. Banana Cream Pie might be the easiest of all the cream pie varieties and it’s so amazing. Crumbly graham cracker crust loaded with fresh banana chunks, creamy filling, a mountain of whipped cream, and more bananas. And toasted coconut on top, just because. Give me all the potassium and banana flavor!
Banana Cream Pie… The Fluffiest Ever!
Today’s banana cream pie recipe is super fluffy. The light-as-a-cloud filling is a blend of cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla pudding, then folded with fresh whipped cream. The fluffy texture holds the pie components together, slices exceptionally well, and provides a nice contrast to the dense banana chunks and crust. Plus it’s sweetened with rich silky-sweetened condensed milk, so you know it’s got to be good!
Ingredients You Need
Banana Cream Pie with vanilla custard uses simple ingredients and is simple to make, too! Here’s what you need:
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
Graham Crackers – crushed graham cracker crumbs Melted Butter Sugar Salt Cinnamon Water
For the Banana Cream Pie Filling:
Heavy Cream – (whipped firm) Sugar Vanilla Extract Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – (Vanilla-Bean flavor will work as well) Cold Milk Cream Cheese Sweetened Condensed Milk Ripe Fresh Bananas Toasted Coconut
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
I made the graham cracker crust from scratch. Although you could always buy a pre-made crust, homemade graham crackers crusts are thicker and slightly more crumbly, giving the banana cream pie recipe even more nostalgic appeal.
For the Crust
For the Filling
When you are ready to serve the pie, garnish the top with more fresh-cut banana chunks and toasted coconut. You can use vanilla wafers to top off the pie as well, or shaved chocolate for an unexpected touch! This easy banana cream pie recipe is my favorite dessert for Easter brunch or any other holiday event. You’ve got to try it!
See The (Printable) Recipe Card Below For How To Make Banana Cream Pie. Enjoy!
My Pie Filling is Runny, What Can I Do?
Some readers have mentioned struggling with runny filling. This could happen for one of three reasons.
Can I Use 1% or 2% Milk?
It should be fine, but possibly a little bit looser. I might reduce the milk by 2-3 tablespoons to make sure the mixture is thick enough.
Can I Make Banana Cream Pie Ahead of Time?
You can definitely make the pie in its entirety ahead of time. Just make sure the whipped cream is firm. And don’t forget to top it all off with freshly sliced bananas once you’re ready to serve it. Prepping it with the bananas will cause them to become mushy before serving. Happy baking!
How Long Will This Pie Last in the Fridge?
When you are ready to store it, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
I probably wouldn’t freeze it, but you can make it 3-4 days in advance.
What Size Pie Plate Should I Use?
I used a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, to make room for plenty of filling.
What Is The Difference When You Fold Vs Stir?
When you fold, you are combining two ingredients of different densities. Folding is a more gentle version of stirring, that allows the two ingredients to combine without losing the air that was whipped into the lighter. Stirring is usually fast the furious while folding is a gentle motion mixing from the bottom of the bowl up over the top.
What is the Difference Between Custard Pies and Cream Pies?
Making a cream pie requires much less time than an egg yolk-based custard pie, because cooking the filling on the stovetop with a saucepan is quicker than waiting for the base to set.
Can I Substitute the Graham Cracker Crust for Pastry?
I think that a graham cracker crust works best for cream pies, but you can certainly use a traditional pie crust or puff pastry and pie weights to bake their crust before adding in the filling. (You can also use dried beans as pie weights.)
Looking for More Cream Pie Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Coconut Cream Pie Fluffy Pumpkin Cream Pie Lemon Cream Pie (Made with Fresh Lemon Juice) Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Grapefruit Cream Pie Cinnamon Cream Pie with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, protein, fiber, sodium, and carbohydrates percentages. Share This Recipe With Friends!
