Banana Cream Pie Recipe

This month we present an all time favorite, not just here on the islands, but across the world... Banana Cream Pie. It even has its own day in the U.S.—March 2, “Banana Cream Pie Day”!

Undoubtedly, the ingredient that makes or breaks this recipe is the banana itself. Here on the islands, we generally have our choice of banana types such as Morgans, Lady Fingers, and the local favorite, Apple Bananas.

Make sure that your bananas are just about perfect—not too ripe. You want them to be able to last a few days once the pie is finished.

Our recipe comes straight from Pounders Restaurant at the Hukilau Marketplace. The custard is made entirely from scratch. There’s not a lot of sugar added to the recipe; we let the bananas be the main sweetener.

We hope you enjoy this version. It was a blast to make!

Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Take a prepared single pie crust. Cook it in the oven at 350° for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients

Milk mixture:

• 3 cups milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup sugar

Egg mixture:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, thoroughly mix milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir in sugar.
2. Turn the heat to medium-low to simmer while preparing the egg mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, mix eggs and sugar. Add cornstarch by sifting, and whisk until smooth.
4. Tip: For smoother custard, pre-blend the cornstarch with a few spoonfuls of the egg mixture before combining.
5. Slowly add 1/3 cup of warmed milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking to prevent lumps. Set aside.
6. Turn heat up to medium and bring the remaining milk mixture to a soft boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. Slowly stir egg mixture into the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
8. Pour 1/3 of custard into the pie shell. Layer 2–3 sliced bananas on top. Pour the remaining custard and spread evenly.
9. Cool 30–45 minutes. Refrigerate 4–5 hours.
10. Top with whipped cream; add chopped macadamia nuts if desired.

Click here to view this recipe as a video!

About the Author

Nina Jones, a mainland gal from way back, is now a transplanted Islander. With her husband of 39 years, she volunteers at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Her hobbies include swimming, traveling, studying, and writing about what she is learning from the various Polynesian cultures. Her blogs focus on their history, beliefs, practices, and delicious food.

To her, Polynesia is not just a place to visit—it is a way to live, and she is honored to be a part of their amazing world.