Banana Cream Pie is a refreshing, creamy banana pudding poured into a vanilla wafer pie crust, topped with more bananas and a homemade whipped topping.
One of the most popular desserts, especially when it comes to pies, is the Banana Cream Pie. Smooth and creamy banana pudding fills a pie crust and it’s heaven. However, this pie is NEXT LEVEL!
Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Most of the parts to this recipe are homemade, from the simple syrup to the topping and pudding. In fact, you could go even more homemade by making your own vanilla wafers! But, you can always buy store-bought pudding, crust, and whipped topping. If you go that route, you will not need to make the simple syrup.
Banana Simple Syrup Ingredients (full recipe below)
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Salt
- Ripe bananas
Banana Pie Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Kosher salt
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Banana simple syrup
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
Crust Ingredients
- Vanilla wafers–You could also make a graham cracker crust if you prefer.
- Banana simple syrup
- Butter
Topping Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Bananas
Straining Bananas for Banana Simple Syrup
How to Make Banana Simple Syrup
You will be using the banana simple syrup in both the crust and the pie filling. If you are using store-bought banana pudding and crust, you can skip this banana syrup recipe. But, it is great on ice cream and added to drinks, so you might want to make some regardless!
- First, get out a saucepan and place it over medium heat.
- Add the sugar, water, and salt. Whisk these three ingredients together until the mixture is brought to a low boil. This will probably take about 10 minutes or so.
- Next, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan, simmering it for about 10 minutes. Be sure to whisk it occasionally.
- After the mixture simmers for the first ten minutes, chop the bananas and add them to the mixture, simmering for another 10 minutes.
- Strain out the bananas, trying to get as much of the syrup off the bananas as you can. (If you notice a lot of syrup sticking to the bananas, just rinse them quickly with a tablespoon or two of hot water while you are straining them.)
How to Make Banana Pie
This creamy, banana pudding is the filling to this delicious dessert. It will need to be chilled for a couple of hours, so make this after you make the simple syrup.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Next, add the eggs and whisk to combine.
- Then, whisk in the milk and simple syrup for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. This mixture should thicken in 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat before you add the butter. Add the butter one cube at a time.
- Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
How to Make the Crust
When there are about 30 minutes left of chilling the banana pudding, prepare the crust. To make the vanilla wafer crust, add the cookies to a food processor and process until you have a fine crumb. Pour in the melted butter and simple syrup and pulse until the mixture is combined. Press the crust in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the crust for about 30 minutes.
How to Make the Whipped Cream Topping
With just TWO ingredients, you can make your own light and creamy whipped cream topping for the Banana Cream Pie. Just make sure the heavy whipping cream is cold to get the best results. Using a lower fat cream or milk will not whip as well; the end result would be a more unstable form.
- Don’t aim for “stiff peaks”. You want the whipped cream to keep its shape and be soft, billowing peaks. If by chance you OVERBEAT the whipped cream (I have done this and cried!) fixing it is actually very easy. Simply add in more fresh heavy whipping cream and whisk by hand. My life was changed when I found that out!
- Wait until peaks start to form before adding in the confectioners’ sugar. I much prefer confectioners sugar in this recipe, as it dissolves entirely and leaves a smooth texture. If you choose to use granulated sugar be sure to add it immediately at the beginning and whip it with the cream.
- Homemade whipped cream is best used immediately, but it can be stored for up to 10 hours if needed.
Assembling the Banana Cream Pie
Now that you have made all the parts to this creamy dessert, it’s time to put it all together!
- Start by adding a layer of sliced banana on the crust.
- Pour the pudding on top.
- Top with more sliced bananas and the whipped topping.
- Chill until ready to serve. (Of course, you can always dig in right away if you can’t wait any longer!)
INGREDIENTS
BANANA SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 ripe bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
PIE
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup banana simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
CRUST
- 2 cups (about 60) vanilla wafers, crushed
- ¼ cup banana simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
TOPPING
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup (64g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 large bananas, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
BANANA SIMPLE SYRUP
In a saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, water, and salt. Whisk frequently until the mixture comes to a low boil and sugar is dissolved (8-10 minutes).
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add chopped banana pieces, simmer for 10 more minutes.
Strain out bananas and set the syrup aside. You will use this in both the pie and the pie crust.
PIE
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
Add the eggs, whisking to combine.
Add the milk and simple syrup and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 cube at a time.
Whisk in the vanilla extract.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours.
CRUST
In a food processor, add cookies and process until you have a fine crumb.
Pour in melted butter and simple syrup and pulse until the mixture is combined.
Press in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
TOPPING
Add heavy cream to mixing bowl, mix starting with low speed, then gradually increase to medium speed until the cream starts getting thicker (the gradual speed progression prevents you from spraying yourself with cream).
When the cream starts to thicken stop the mixer, add in the powdered sugar and then resume mixing again starting with low speed and increase to medium speed up to high speed.
The cream will thicken and start to peak. Mix on high speed until the cream is thick and stiff.
ASSEMBLY
Top crust with sliced bananas.
Pour pudding on top.
Top with more bananas and whipped topping.
Chill until ready to serve.
