Banana Cream Pie – The Stay At Home Chef

Banana Cream Pie is a classic, but we’ve taken ours to the next level with a game-changing twist. Our secret? A buttery, homemade shortbread crust. It tastes like a graham cracker with the texture of a more traditional pastry pie crust. Our version strikes the perfect balance of creaminess and banana flavor, guaranteed to have you going BANANAS with every bite (pun intended)!

If you need more bananas in your life, try our tasty banana cake, our banana bread, or our bananas foster.

We like to add white chocolate chips to our homemade pudding to make it ultra-rich and smooth. And, of course, we use homemade whipped cream to go on top for the best flavor. No tubs or cans of anything here! Banana cream pie can be eaten year round whether it’s a holiday, birthday, potluck, or special occasion. But more importantly, it’s perfect for enjoying by the slice right in your very own home. This creamy pie will quickly become one of your favorites!

Ingredient Notes

• Bananas: Choose bananas that are just starting to brown (small brown spots on the skin) which indicates they are sweet and flavorful without being overly mushy.
• Heavy Cream: This may also be labeled as heavy whipping cream – either works fine.
• White Chocolate Chips: These may also be labeled as white morsels or white baking chips.
• Salted Butter: We use salted for convenience, but if you are using unsalted, just add an extra pinch of salt.
• Honey and Brown Sugar: These are the sweeteners for the crust for that graham cracker flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour: Regular flour is perfect for the crust as it has not been tested with alternative flours.
• Cornstarch: This thickens the banana pudding. Don’t skip it or the pudding won’t set properly.
• Heavy Cream: Used in both the pudding and whipped cream. You’ll need either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 36% milk fat in order for it to whip.
• White Chocolate Chips: Adds a creamy richness to the pudding. Use high-quality white chocolate chips for the best results.
• Bananas: Make sure your bananas are ripe but firm. We’re looking for solid yellow bananas that have not started to develop spots. Overripe bananas can become too mushy in the pie.

Crust Options

This recipe calls for a homemade shortbread crust. However, if you’re short on time or prefer a different base, you have a few options. You can go with a classic pastry crust, or for a no-bake option, a graham cracker crust works too.

If convenience is key, you can go with a store-bought option such as a frozen pie shell, roll-out pie dough, or a pre-made graham cracker crust. This recipe is designed for a standard 9-inch pie crust. Just be sure to bake the crust ahead of time according to the package instructions, since the filling itself doesn’t go in the oven.

Finishing Touches

For a simple finish, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie using a spatula or the back of a spoon. You can create smooth, elegant swirls or rustic peaks for a homemade look.

If you prefer a little more flair, transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or 2D tip. For rosettes, hold the piping bag upright over the pie and start piping from the center of each rosette outward, using a circular motion. Release the pressure at the end of each swirl. For a piped border, hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle and create small, continuous swirls around the edge of the pie.

Garnish with banana slices to let people know what type of pie it is as well as make it pretty. You can arrange them in a circle on top of the pie or tuck slices between rosettes. Just note that these bananas will brown so add them just before serving and brush them with lemon juice to help them last longer.