Trust us when we say that everything that makes this showstopping banana cream pie recipe infinitely impressive is also what makes it such an easy pie to pull off. From the salty-sweet graham cracker crust to the sky-high mountain of peanut-blanketed homemade whipped cream to the yolk-yellow filling bursting with fresh banana flavor, you’d be fooling yourself—and your guests—if you thought it was hard to make.
A food processor helps with the pie crust, which requires just four ingredients, including melted butter for richness and peanuts for extra crunch. Baking the crust yields multiple benefits: It toasts the nuts and grahams for depth of flavor, and it melts the sugar, which, when cooled, helps to hold the crumbs together. After it comes out of the oven, you’ll have a few seconds to adjust any slumping or other imperfections before the crust begins to set in the pie plate.
While some recipes build the pie filling out of a box of vanilla pudding mix, we take the old-school route, mixing up a flavorful vanilla custard on the stovetop before folding in sliced bananas and tipping the filling into the pie shell. It takes at least two hours for the custard to set; if you’re making it a day ahead of time, cover the pie with plastic wrap or wax paper while chilling to prevent a film from forming on the surface. Just before serving, beat sweetened heavy cream to a soft texture shy of stiff peaks and carefully mound it on top of the pie. The final shower of crunchy chopped salted peanuts is more than just a garnish—it provides texture in a way that crushed vanilla wafers never could.
This homemade banana cream pie is best made with ripe but firm bananas. If you’re looking to use up an overripe, mushy bunch, consider BA’s Best Banana Bread or this double-banana layer cake. Taking dessert to a potluck? This cream-cheese-laced banana pudding is highly transportable.