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Home » Recipe Index » Dessert: Pies and Crisps » Banana Cream Pie Recipe
by Kara Cook16 Comments
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Made from scratch Banana Cream Pie is one of the most delicious pies you will ever taste! The homemade pudding knocks the boxed pudding out of the water. So rich and creamy!
My food assignment for Thanksgiving involves baking. Which is perfect, because I love baking! I am usually in charge of rolls or pies, or some of both. My family doesn’t love pumpkin pie, so I usually leave that one for someone else and make other pie recipes. We always have an apple pie, and then a few non-traditional pies.
I’ve noticed the last few years that the Banana Cream Pie is always the first one gone. I knew my boys loved it, but apparently so does everyone else!
If you’ve never had a homemade banana cream pie with pudding that doesn’t come from a box, and real whipped cream on top, you are missing out! Yes, the instant pudding/Cool Whip variety is faster, but I think this one is so worth it. Especially for Thanksgiving. It only comes once a year after all. 🙂
Banana Cream Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Banana Cream Pie
Homemade vanilla pudding and fresh whipped cream make this the best banana cream pie ever!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ingredients
Filling
9 inch pastry crust, baked and cooled
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 bananas, sliced
Topping
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a large saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks till smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk; mix well. Slowly stir the milk mixture into the saucepan, whisk together.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. (If desired, pour through a metal strainer to remove any lumps.)
Place saucepan in an ice water bath to cool the pudding. ( I usually fill my sink with 2-3 inches of ice water and place the pan in it.) Stir often to prevent a skin from forming on the top of the pudding.
Slice the bananas into the pie shell. Pour the lukewarm pudding over the bananas. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Whip the cream till soft peaks form. Whip in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread on top of the chilled pie. Serve immediately.
Doesn’t it look amazing? It’s no wonder it is always the first pie to go!
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Comments
Debra
I followed your directions, and the pie was runny and too sweet. Next time I would use 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup sugar. Perhaps that is what you meant.
Reply
Kara Cook
Not sure why it was too runny, but my guess is that you just needed to cook it a little longer. You could use 1/3 cup of sugar if you like it less sweet. Using 1/2 cup of cornstarch would ruin both the flavor and the texture.
Reply
Allison
Assuming Butter needs to be melted before adding in?
Reply
Kara Cook
No, you don’t need to melt the butter first. The heat of the cooked pudding will melt it even if it is cold.
Assuming Butter needs to be melted before adding in?? But it doesn’t specify?!
Reply
RossC
I have baked this pie a number of times since finding this recipe.. Each time has been a delightful success.. I keep thinking that I must comment and thank you.. I’m finally doing so.. :O)
Reply
Cathleen
Dear Kara : I just made your banana cream pie recipe and it turned out great. I cooled it off in the freezer for awhile, whisking it after 10 minutes, but found out not to cool it so much that it doesn’t stay spreadable. I put banana slices on the bottom, middle and top, then plastic wrap. I like that the filling gets nice and solid, won’t run out onto the plate when cut. I don’t have whipping cream so I’m going to use whipped topping for the top. Your photos are stellar! I know this takes some skill and ability, good job! I took pictures of mine, would like to share them with you. I will save this filling recipe. Thank you so much for the recipe. Cathleen ????
Reply
Kara Cook
It can be tricky getting the filling cool enough without it setting up to much, although I can usually whisk it if it sets up too much. Thanks so much for your comment about my photos. It is still sometimes a challenge for me to take great photos, so I appreciate it! I would love to see your photos, you can email them to me!
Reply
Lui Recto
I made this using the ready made small pie crust that you can buy in Publix. My husband loved it. thanks for the recipe ???????? cheers!
Reply
Kara Cook
So glad to hear that your husband loved it! 🙂
Reply
Laura
Does homemade whip creme get runny after a day or 2 in fridge ?
Reply
Kara Cook
I haven’t had it get runny, but we usually eat it pretty fast. The bananas turning brown is more of an issue than the cream getting runny. 😉
Reply
Daryl
How to stop the pie from being running. When you cut that peace stay frim
Reply
Debbie
What do put on the bananas to prevent them from browning?
Reply
Kara Cook
We always eat it fast enough that they don’t turn brown. But you can dip them in Sprite or 7-up, or even lemon or lime juice.
Reply
denyse@crazy beautiful life
Oh my goodness! That looks really yummy. I am definitely going to have to try it!
You can toss the sliced or diced banans in a bit of lemon juice before adding them to pie. or you can simply refrigerate them for long before adding to pudding, this may cause cold. Both of the above will restricts the bananas from turning brown.
Why is my banana cream pie filling runny? It's either your filling has too much liquid or is undercooked. If it's too much liquid, just add more cornstarch and let it cook to thicken the mixture. Or add some whipped cream to the custard mixture and whisk until you get the desired consistency.
😉 Seriously, though, banana cream pie combines homemade pie pastry crust, fresh bananas, vanilla custard, and fluffy whipped cream. Homemade Vanilla Custard: This is a lot like my caramelized banana pudding, only a bit sturdier so it holds a nice slice.
All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.
Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients, but it won't make your pie taste salty. Milk: Two cups of milk lends moisture and thins the filling. Egg yolks: Three egg yolks help create a rich, decadent texture. Butter: Butter adds even more moisture and richness.
A honey and water mixture can help prevent sliced bananas from turning brown. The honey technique works similarly to the acidity in fruit; however, it leaves behind a much sweeter taste and stickier texture.
Beat a mixture of thickened cornstarch and water into the egg whites to bind and stabilize the liquid in the meringue (and keep it from seeping out). Cook the filling for the full 2 minutes on the stove top so the cornstarch thickens completely and doesn't start breaking down and "leaking" during chilling.
If you usually use flour to thicken your apple pie and it's not doing the job, try something different: cornstarch, tapioca, and arrowroot are other established fruit pie thickeners. For more on specific thickeners and how to use them, see our Pie Filling Thickeners Guide.
Should banana cream pie be refrigerated? You should definitely refrigerate banana cream pie as it is filled with dairy, which should not be left out for longer than an hour or so. Cover with a large cloche or arrange some tin foil loosely over the pie and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
What Can You Use Instead of Pie Weights? Instead of pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice, granulated sugar, popcorn kernels or steel ball bearings. If you are not using pie weights, the idea is to mimic what the pie weight does and to make sure that the alternative is oven-safe.
Here's what I learned…that happens as a result of not cooking the custard long enough. Eggs are typically the main thickeners in custard and when cooked, the proteins in the eggs get thicker.
Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture. When cornstarch is combined with acidic ingredients such as rhubarb or lemon juice, it can cause the texture to break down over time.
Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.
How far in advance can I make the pie?" There are a few things you can do to maintain the nice yellow color of the bananas. * Treat the bananas with citrus juice: Lemon, orange or pineapple juice will prevent browning.
In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding mix and vanilla for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Fold in 3 cups whipped topping. Pour 1-1/3 cups pudding mixture into pie crust. Layer with banana slices and remaining pudding mixture.
It is hard to pinpoint the origin of banana cream pie, but many people think it came from the American Midwest, where pies have been popular for many years.
Just toss your banana slices in some lemon juice to inhibit enzymatic browning. Full coverage, particularly on the cut sides, will help prevent the slices from turning brown. In addition to lemon juice, vinegar will also work. So would sulfuric acid, for that matter, but you probably don't want to eat it afterwards.
Sprinkle a few drops of citrus juice—lemon, lime, or orange—into the purée to slow down oxidation. The juice contains ascorbic acid which prevents oxidation.
However, if you sprinkle them with a little lemon juice, it lowers the pH levels and will keep browning at bay. Following the lemon trick, put them in the fridge, either wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight food storage container or bag. Stored this way, sliced bananas can stay fresh for three to four days.
There are a few cautionary points to keep in mind when refrigerating your bananas. Bananas are very temperature sensitive, so the cold temperature of the fridge will cause the skin of the bananas to darken after a few days, at which point they should be discarded.
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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