Make It With Different Types Of Crust
Although Im truly obsessed with the flavor in the peanut butter cookie crust you have plenty of options for making a crust:
- Feel free to use a regular pie crust like my homemade all butter pie crust for a more traditional banana cream pie. Be sure to blind bake the crust first as you will not be baking the pie after adding the filling .
- Try using other cookies for a different flavored cookie crust! Oreos, vanilla wafers and graham crackers would be amazing as a banana cream pie crust.
Make It Ahead Of Time
You can easily make one or both parts of the banana cream pie 1-2 days ahead of time to save time on the day-of holiday festivities.
- To make pie crust ahead of time: after baking the pie crust, simply store it covered in the refrigerator until youre ready to assemble and chill the rest of the pie.
- To make filling ahead of time: once youve mixed the whole filling together, cover the filling with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the top of the filling and chill the filling in the refrigerator until youre ready to assemble the pie. You can also make the whipped cream topping ahead of time and store it in an airtight container until youre ready to add it to the pie!
What Is Blind Baking
For this recipe , you will need to bake the pie crust on its own, without the filling. This is called blind baking. You have to line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with weights to make sure it doesnt bubble up while cooking.
Youre left with a perfect pie crust to fill with your custard. You can read more about blind baking here.
Also Check: Campbells Chicken Pot Pie With Pie Crust
How Do You Ripen Bananas For A Gluten Free Cream Pie
If your bananas are not ripe enough to make this gf banana cream pie, there are some ideas for how to speed their ripening process but for the most part time is the only additional ingredient that will ready your bananas for this pie.
Instead of trying to bake your bananas to soften them , I recommend making and assembling the pie crust and filling, and letting it sit in the refrigerator for a few days while your bananas ripen properly. And remember: you want them ripe, but not very spotty!
Making A Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crust
Please click through to learn how to make a super easy gf graham cracker crust by just combining gf graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, and pressing the crumbs into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a standard 9-inch pie plate.
You can make a slightly more complicated version of a graham cracker crust that you bake until stable in the oven, too. If you do, youll find it easier to slice the pie and get that first slice to come out perfect since the crust holds together so well.
Recommended Reading: Marcus Lemonis Key Lime Pie Company
Easy Banana Cream Pie
This Easy Banana Cream Pie is one of my favorite quick and easy desserts. Since we use a store-bought crust and instant banana pudding, it can be made in a jiffy.
Easy Banana Cream Pie
When spring weather arrives, my hubby and I are all about cream pies. Banana Cream Pie and my Homemade Coconut Cream Pie are his favorite evening desserts. When I have time, I can make my super simple 4 Ingredient Pie Crust. But when I am looking to make a quick and no mess pie, I will use store-bought crust.
The weather has been so nice here in Cincinnati this week. All of the Easter goodies are starting to arrive at the stores. I love that it is starting to feel like spring. Cream Pie makes for a perfect spring dessert.
Hubby put in a request for a pie for dessert and I didnt hesitate. I whipped up this easy banana cream pie in just a few minutes time, tossed it in the fridge to firm, and we had some delicious easy pie for evening dessert.
Since Easter will be here before we know it, this pie would be great for you to whip up for holiday dessert. Its so easy and requires very little effort.
The pie starts with a layer of bananas in the crust, creamy filling, and topped with whipped topping. Creamy banana filling is one of the best comfort foods. YUM!
This is one of the simplest pies to make. You will need either a Homemade Pie Crust or a store-bought, banana pudding, Cool-Whip, and some bananas. So incredibly easy!
Fold In The Cool Whip
Once you have your whole milk and banana cream pudding mix thoroughly whisked together, you can add in your Cool Whip. Start by adding the Cool Whip right on top of the pudding mixture, and then using a spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the Cool Whip in. Be sure to fold the Cool Whip and not whisk it we want to keep this mixture as light and fluffy as possible.
Don’t Miss: Campbells Chicken Pot Pie With Cream Of Potato Soup
How To Make This Easy Banana Cream Pie:
When you are ready to get started, in a large mixing bowl combine the vanilla pudding mix with the milk, whisking it all together and then let it sit for about 5 minutes to let the pudding set up.
After the pudding has set up, get out your premade pie crust and you will begin to assemble the pie.
Start by lining the bottom of the pie crust fully with sliced bananas.
Then, evenly spread about half of the vanilla pudding on top of the sliced bananas.
Once that is done you are going to make a layer of vanilla wafers on top of the pudding.
After the wafer layer is done, spread the rest of the pudding on top of the cookies and then layer the remaning bananas on top of the pudding.
When the last layer of bananas is finished, top it off with the Cool Whip.
Next place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let it chill before serving.
Allow the pie 2 hours before serving to give the flavors time to come together and for the wafer to get their ideal consistency for the pie.
Banana Cream Pie Can Go Oh So Very Wrong
I will tell you the truth, guys, I NEVER pick Banana Cream Pie first. You know, at Thanksgiving or Easter or Pi Day, whenever you are in a situation when pies are lined up, competing for your attention. Which one do you slice into first?
Banana Cream pie has never been at the top of my list because there are just so many ways for it to turn to the dark side.
First of all, there are never enough bananas and I want my banana cream to GIVE ME THE GOODS. Dont be stingy now.
Second, most of the time people are making this pie with instant pudding and Cool Whip. Now Im no pudding hater, folks , but Banana Cream Pie is supposed to be made with CUSTARD, which is way richer and creamier than pudding. You know when you serve up this pie and instead of staying in a neat slice, it turns into puddle on your plate? Thats instant for ya.
But I have found it! Only five pies in and I found THE ONE. The Banana Cream Pie that made me change my mind about it all. Converts, unite!
You May Like: Supreme Bean Pie Recipe
How To Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
Stabilized whipped cream is simply cream thats been fortified with a little gelatin before being whipped so that it holds its shape and doesnt weep.
Stabilized whipped cream will hold its shape for at least 24 hours. I generally pipe the whipped cream right before presenting the pie, but with the stabilized version you can do this well in advance.
To learn more about making whipped cream check out our post on How to Make Whipped Cream. If you have any leftover, freeze it!
Slice The Bananas And Put Them On Top Of The Pie
Once your pie is nearly done cooling in the fridge, you can get the bananas ready to go. Simply peel and slice the bananas into roughly quarter-inch slices. Then, you can grab your pie from the fridge and begin adding the banana slices. Carefully place the slices along the top of the pie so the entire surface is covered, the goal here is full coverage of fresh banana.
Recommended Reading: Campbells Mini Chicken Pot Pie
Gather Your Ingredients For This Easy Banana Cream Pie
To start making your easy banana cream pie, you’ll need to gather the ingredients for it. Luckily, this recipe calls for very few ingredients you’ll need banana cream pudding mix, Cool Whip, a graham cracker crust, whole milk, and bananas for garnish. Carli notes that you can use lite Cool Whip or sugar-free pudding to make an even “lighter” version of this dessert, and the texture and consistency of the pie will turn out the same.
Start A Rada Fundraiser Today
Starting a Rada Cutlery fundraiser is easy. Heres what you need to do:
Also Check: Shabazz Bean Pie Recipe
Best Banana Cream Pie Recipe Ingredient Notes
The ingredients are common, but the final result is heavenly!
Crust:
A lot of pies use homemade flaky pastry crust but I love how easy crumb crust is to prepare! No rolling or floured counter mess. Plus, it tastes like cookies, so double win! I use vanilla wafers but is also absolutely delicious with either a rolled pastry crust or a graham cracker crumb crust as well.
Another alternative for the crust, that I occasionally make, is a crumb crust made with half Nilla wafers and half graham crackers. I follow the recipe Ive given you below and but instead of using all Nilla wafers, I use 1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers with 1 1/4 cup crushed Nilla wafers.
One thing that may go without saying for most people, but I, of course, had to find out the hard way, is all Nilla Wafers are not created equal. My favorite are the ones made by Nabisco .
If youre short on time, or just want a quicker version of this recipe, you can simplify things by using a store-bought graham cracker crust or a boxed pastry crust.
Custard:
You must cook your custard to 212 degrees, which is just around the boiling stage. The egg yolks have a starch-digesting enzyme called alpha-amylase. In order for a successful gelling of starch, it has to be cooked at that temperature, or your custard will be nothing but liquid.
Bananas:
This recipe is best made with firm, just-ripe bananas. They hold up in the pie better than very ripe bananas and they keep their nice bright color longer.
Topping:
Easy Banana Pie Recipe
You can’t go wrong with this classic Banana Pudding Pie Recipe. If you liked our Banana Pudding Cupcakes, then you’ll love this vintage pie.
Banana Cream Pie is one of my Dad’s favorite treats, and this recipe reminds me of him. It’s sweet with layers of flavor. You can’t beat a pie that’s got a homemade crust and homemade whipped topping, right?
This is a classic recipe that goes way back to the early 1900’s and there are many variations. Fun Fact Banana Cream Pie was ranked the number one favorite dessert among the soldiers of the United States Armed Services in the 1950s.
Personally, I love pudding pies because they’re so quick and easy to make! I have never met a semi-homemade recipe I didn’t love.
You May Like: Lactaid Peanut Butter Pie
Variations On This Banana Cream Pie Recipe:
- I add a little bit of smooth peanut butter to my filling at the end, because peanut butter and bananas are meant to be together. However, you can absolutely skip this part and the rest of the recipe wont change at all.
- Add a tablespoonful of cocoa powder or a handful of chocolate chips to the custard filling for a chocolatey twist even better if youre also including the peanut butter!
- Swap the sweetened whipped cream for the homemade marshmallow creme from this Smores Pie.
- Grab a can of dulce de leche and spread a good thick layer in the bottom of your pastry before adding your filling for a Banoffee twist!
Pin this recipe to save for later
How To Make Sure Your Gf Banana Cream Pie Sets
To ensure that your filling sets up perfectly and slices cleanly, you need exactly the ratio of filling ingredients Ive specified in the pie filling recipe belowand to cook it long enough. Its very common to undercook the filling, since it will appear thickened, but is still undercooked until it passes the right doneness test.
The doneness test for a fully set custard filling is that it must not just coat the back of your mixing spoon or spatula very thickly, but the whisk or spatula youre using to mix leaves a very visible trail in the mixture that pauses before it runs back together in the pan. If your pan is relatively small , you will need to tilt it to the side before you do this test since the bottom of the pan must be visible when you drag the implement through it.
The best way to help you visualize this doneness test is to watch the video, if thats possible. The photos just above this text also demonstrates the test.
You May Like: Campbells Recipe Chicken Pot Pie
How To Make This Easy Banana Cream Pie Even Easier:
- You can swap out the homemade pastry with a simple homemade or even store bough graham cracker crust .
- You can swap out the homemade pastry with a refrigerated pie crust, simply roll it out and bake as directed in the recipe.
- I dont condone skipping out on the homemade custard filling , but I suppose it could be done.