Is there anything as lovely as a homemade pie? We think not. While pumpkin pie and apple pie are best in the fall, banana cream pie is just the treat for special occasions all year long. It’s layered with dreamy vanilla pastry cream and slices of banana, all topped with clouds of whipped cream. This version calls for our favorite basic pie dough, but of course you can use store-bought dough if you prefer.
Here are a few tips for ultimate success:
No runny pie here
Many banana cream pies can become runny, but with a properly made pastry cream (made with whole milk for adequate creaminess), that won’t be a problem here. Make sure all the components are cooled completely, and give the pie its time to chill in the refrigerator—it helps the filling set and makes slicing easier.
Not too thin!
Don’t roll the pie dough too thin to ensure it can hold the weight of the luscious pastry cream and bananas when slicing.
Preventing brown bananas
You’ll layer some of the bananas in the pie, which prevents the fruit from browning, and top the cream with the rest, so slice the bananas as you go.
Make it ahead
If you’d like to make this pie ahead of time—or if you’re storing leftovers—simply cover it in storage wrap and place in the fridge for up to three days. Wrap the entire pie in storage wrap if you’d like to freeze it where it’ll keep for around two months.
For more banana desserts, check out our classic banana pudding and banana chocolate chip cookies.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!