Banana Cream Pie
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 19, 2025 
This fluffy Banana Cream Pie recipe makes the best crowd-pleasing pie piled high with fresh ripe bananas and creamy vanilla filling, then topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
It’s Bananas How Good this Cream Pie is!
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.
Most classic brunch buffet items are make-ahead. My 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 and made desserts that could sit in the fridge for a few days.
Like a Banana Cream Pie Recipe, for instance.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Grandma certainly taught me a thing or two (or twenty!) about making pies of all kinds. But classic Banana Cream Pie might be the easiest of all the cream pie varieties to make – and it’s so amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Fluffy Banana Cream Pie Recipe
- Creamy and Delicious Dessert – The light-as-a-cloud cream cheese and vanilla pudding filling is folded with fresh whipped cream, so it’s rich silky smooth and so flavorful!
- Buttery Graham Cracker Crust – I’m showing you how easy it is to make a graham cracker crust “from scratch” (I mean, the graham crackers come from a box – does that count?). But you can also save some time and not touch the oven at all by using a pre-made crust from the store.
- Make Ahead – The pie needs to chill in the fridge for at least a few hours so the filling sets properly. So go ahead an make it a day or two in advance – minus the fresh sliced bananas on top.
It’s my favorite dessert for Easter brunch or any other holiday event… Give me all the potassium and banana flavor!
Ingredients and Notes
- Graham Cracker Crust – Just a handful of pantry staples like graham crackers, butter, sugar and cinnamon.
- Heavy Cream and Milk – You need the cream for the fluffy whipped cream, and whole milk (or 2%) to make the creamy filling.
- Instant Pudding Mix – Use classic vanilla or vanilla-bean flavor.
- Cream Cheese – Let the block sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes to soften the cream cheese. This makes it much easier to beat into the filling.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – This is the “secret ingredient” to make the filling super thick and luscious!
- Bananas – Use fresh bananas that are ripe. They should be a bold yellow color, with no green tint left and no brown spots yet.
- Toasted Coconut – To toast shredded coconut simply spread it on a baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Toss the shreds around at the 6-7 minute mark, then keep a close eye on the pan and pull it out as soon as the coconut starts to brown.
How To Make Banana Cream Pie
I made the graham cracker crust from scratch. Although you can 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.
Find the full Banana Cream Pie recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Tips for Success
- I used a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, to make room for plenty of filling.
- Each step needs to be completed individually, then mixed together according to the instructions. Trying to dump and mix all the ingredients at once does not work.
- Make sure to use instant pudding, not the kind you have to cook. Otherwise it won’t set properly and the filling will be runny.
- You really need to whip it, whip it good! The heavy cream must be whipped very firm before folding gently into the pie filling.
- Give the banana cream pie plenty of time to chill and set before slicing and serving. If it isn’t allowed to firm up properly the filling will pool in the pan when you try to cut it.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – When you are ready to store it, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing – I do not recommend freezing this pie. The whipped cream fluffiness doesn’t hold up well to being frozen and then thawed.
- Make Ahead – 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 only once you’re ready to serve it. Prepping it with the bananas will cause them to become mushy before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think that a graham cracker crust works best for this banana cream pie recipe, 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.)
You can, and 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.
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.
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.
The slices that line the inside of the pie will keep fresh thanks to all of the sugary goodness in the filling that prevents the banana from oxidizing. Then add the slices of fresh banana soon before serving so they don’t have time to brown.
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Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 14 graham crackers about 7 ounces
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoons water
For the Pie Filling:
- 2 cups heavy cream whipped firm and divided
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounces)
- 1 cup cold milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 4-5 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the graham crackers in the food processor. Pulse until the crackers are chopped to fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon, pulse to combine. Add 1 teaspoon of water and pulse a couple more times. If the crumbs are moist and pinch together well, dump into a pie pan. If not, repeat with another teaspoon of water and proceed.
- Press the graham cracker mixture firmly against the bottom and sides of the deep pie pan. Then bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
For the Filling:
- Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the 3 tablespoons of sugar and vanilla. Whip until the whipped cream is VERY firm. Scoop into a separate bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl, thoroughly whisk the instant pudding powder and 1 cup milk together, until well combined.
- Using the mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Then with the mixer still running, add the sweetened condensed milk and pudding mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in half the whipped cream.
- Spread a thin layer of the filling over the bottom and sides of the cooled pie crust. Cut 3-4 bananas into chunks. Press the chunks to the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Then scoop the remaining filling into the crust.
- Smooth the filling, top with the remaining whipped cream, cover gently with plastic wrap, and chill for at least three hours.
- When you are ready to serve the pie, decorate the top with more fresh cut banana chunks and toasted coconut.
Notes
- Each steps needs to be completed individually, then mixed together according to the instructions. Trying to dump and mix all the ingredients at once does not work.
- The whipped cream must be whipped very firm, before folding into the pie filling.
- Give it plenty of time to chill and set.
- Storing Leftovers – When you are ready to store it, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing – I do not recommend freezing this pie. The whipped cream fluffiness doesn’t hold up well to being frozen and then thawed.
- Make Ahead – 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 only once you’re ready to serve it. Prepping it with the bananas will cause them to become mushy before serving.
I have been making this recipe for eight or nine years now. No other banana cream pie comes even close. Like really, I don’t even really like pie all that much, but this one right here, is insanely good.
I made this recipe yesterday for my husband’s birthday. Was so delicious, but have to ask about the graham cracker crust. Very tasty, but stuck to the pie plate in a really big way! Should the plate have been greased? With all that butter, I would have thought it wouldn’t be necessary. Otherwise, a super recipe and one I’ll use again!
I’ve made this before. I was wondering can you make this in rectangle pan size? I will like to make a bigger size for my family on this Sunday Easter.
The pie got rave reviews from everyone at dinner! Generally easy to follow directions, though I would have appreciated hints on how to get my graham cracker crust to stay up the sides of the pan and looking as good as yours.
Overall a winner!
Chilling the bowl you whip the cream helps immensely with the thickness of the filling . When whipping cream you should always do it in a chilled bowl .
This was excellent! I followed instructions exactly and had no issues. I used 7 medium bananas because I wanted the pie loaded. Because it was heaping in a deep dish I was able to cut 12 generous slices. This is definitely a keeper! One suggestion for those having issues with the pudding is let it set/thicken after mixing with the milk for a minute or 2 before adding to the rest of the mixture.
Way better than store-bought. worth the effort!
Just wanted to say that this recipe is fantastic!
That being said, I have never made the crust! LoL
This recipe I have been using to make banana cream pie for years now (sorry I’m only now getting around to reviewing it), and it’s one of those recipes people rave about and beg me to make time after time!
I make it easier on myself by using 2 store bought pie crusts and following the recipe exactly up until the very end, I only have whipped cream enough to top one pie. If you were to alter it in this way as well, you’d need to whip one more cup cream with 1.5 T sugar and a little vanilla to top the second pie