Easy Banana Cream Pie Recipe Alton Brown
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06/09/2003
Woah baby! This is one you won't soon forget. My family was IMPRESSED. This was only the second pie I've ever made, and it turned out GREAT! I used the "Basic Flaky Pie Crust" recipe from this site (a terrific recipe too). I followed other reviewer recommendations to, 1) use less sugar - 1/2 cup, 2) not to bake, 3) use corn starh instead of flour, and 4) CHILL extensively. These were all excellent suggestions. I topped this pie with heavy whipping cream (easy recipe available on this website) and it disappeared in nothing flat.
01/02/2011
Probably would have been 5 without my changes. 1. Dip banana slices into either lemon juice or Sprite. The citric acid will keep them from turning brown quickly. Pat them dry. 2. Must use whole milk for pudding or it will be runny. Must cook over VERY low heat and stir constantly, until THICKENED. It will take a lot longer than 2 minutes. 3. Let the pudding cool slightly (you can stick your finger in it and leave it for a while without burning) before tempering eggs and adding all together. 4. Flour is terrible for pudding. Always use cornstarch. No lumps, no hassle. 3 Tablespoons of CS rather than 1/3 cup flour. Put sugar, CS, salt and milk in pan all together and start stirring over low heat. 5. I use a full Tablespoon of vanilla, but that's me! 6. Unless you WANT pudding skin, cover the surface of the pudding with saran wrap. 7. Use a pre-baked and COOLED graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust. CHILL the pudding for at least 2 hours before putting in crust. 8. DO NOT bake this pie after assembling! It will gum up your pudding and dry the whole pie out. Now, I realize if you follow my directions, it's not the same recipe. But it was a good basic start, and with these few tips, you can expect great results that avoid the other negative reviewers issues. P.S. Take a look at some of the Homemade Vanilla Pudding recipes & reviews for more tips on how to make great pudding. The secret is in the cooking and getting a feel for when it is thick enough, then chilling before use.
07/30/2008
So, so good for a hot summer afternoon or picnic. I can't agree more with 'kate'- DEFINITELY DO NOT BAKE THIS PIE. I've baked DOZENS of pies in the last 7 years, and I've never come across a banana cream pie that was baked. Might be a typo in the recipe. I must add, a baked-from-scratch pie crust is unparelleled in flavor and texture, so those who are intimidated: PLEASE DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND TRY IT! YOU WILL SHUN STORE-BOUGHT BRANDS =) Some of us have claimed the filling was runny; I highly suspect that the custard was not cooked to its full thickness. Remember: the custard should be at a constant SIMMER; meaning, small bubbles should be forming around the edges for about 3-5 minutes. If the custard is at a constant simmer, keep stirring and dip a spoon into it. Lift it out. With your finger, mark a line down the back of the spoon. The line should stay distinct and not meld together so easily. That means its ready. BTW, I once made this pie without the bananas. All I did was stir in 2 TBS. banana liquer into the custard along with the butter and vanilla. I suppose if I added the bananas, it would that much better. To really wow your guests, consider whipping your own sweetened cream instead of the whipped topping. Oh yes, and do not substitute skim milk- it will also negatively affect the consistency of the custard.
07/05/2002
Mine is also so soupy. How can I make it so thicken???
11/30/2002
This pie was the best ever, I made 2 and found out that it needed chilling for longer than 1 hour though. It was runny with the 1st pie and the 2nd I let set for 3 hours and it stayed together. I also found that mixing the banana into the pudding before putting it into the shell was easier to keep the pie together.
12/03/2002
My father has been dying for a made from scratch banana cream pie. I choose this one and he loved it! I used a made from scratch pie crust, which makes a huge difference, in my opinion. After reading other reviews, I decided not to bake it, but made sure the shell and filling was cool before I chilled it, and it came out great.
01/29/2002
This was the best banana cream pie I have ever tasted, I've made it twice and everyone loved it. I didn't bake it, I let it sit overnight. I also used 7 bananas (enough to fill the pie pan). I used a homemade graham cracker crust. The pudding is really good all by itself too.
11/14/2010
I made this pie for work and it was a HUGE hit! I was a little surprised that the final step was to bake the pie after the pastry cream was poured over the bananas. But after I pulled it out of the oven, I realized that this step helps to set the filling. I also noticed that some people left out or changed ingredients in the filling recipe. This is not a pudding, very similar but still not a pudding. This is a traditional French pasrty cream and is made with the traditional French method. I do not recomend changing anything with that part of the recipe! Esp. the addition of the vanilla and the butter! It is also important to make sure that your bananas are fully covered with the cream to prevent browning. One step that I did include was for the crust. Before I pre baked the pie shells I brushed them thouroughly with an egg wash, then baked. This will help to prevent a soggy crust, since I didnt serve this until the next day. GREAT PIE!
02/27/2012
For the cooks new to making scratch cream pies, here is a little help to prevent runny pies that didn't set up. Flour has to actually boil for a couple of minutes to achieve its thickening properties. Corn starch thickens a little quicker; it will start thickening the pudding before it actually comes to a boil. So, if you're not letting it REALLY boil and using flour, it won't set up all the way. The eggs also help to thicken it. Here is a nice website with lots of helpful pie information; http://www.preparedpantry.com/theperfectpielandingpage.aspx Also, for the people who think this has to be cooked, you are confusing it with a true "custard" pie, like a Sugar Pie, Egg Custard, Pumpkin or a Pecan Pie. This is a "cream" pie, similar to using Jello-o cooked pudding and pie filling. Only a thousand times better. Remember: the filling should have thickened before you pour it into a pre-baked pie shell or crumb crust pie (like Keebler graham cracker crusts), then you chill it and serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Keep trying, you will be rewarded with heavenly tasting pie. One last thing, be sure to use fully ripened bananas for full flavor. Don't use greenish ones. They need to at least have brown freckles on them to have a good banana flavor in the pie.
04/05/2002
This did not work out too well for me-I thought that the pudding layer was too gummy and the bananas underneath turned brown.
02/12/2010
I read through at least 50 reviews on this recipe, and took the best of advice to make the most delicious banananess my family has ever tasted. I made it with a Vanilla Wafer crushed (90 cookies crushed, mixed with 1.25 sticks of melted butter, baked for 10 min on 350 degrees). Then, added 3 whole sliced bananas on top of the crust before pouring in the pudding. I also added 3 diced bananas to the pudding, and let chill for about 5 hours before serving with fresh whipped cream. I used corn starch rather than flour, and the pie was the perfect consistency, so much that it even came out of the pie plate in perfect slices! Delish!
10/06/2011
This is a great recipe but the trick so it doesn't turn out 'gummy', is to mix the dry ingredients together in bowl. Heat the milk alone to a boil. Just when it starts to boil whisk in the dry ingredients. It will thicken immediately. At that point remove from the heat and add some of the mixture to the egg yolk until your sure the egg won't just cook and clump. You then add the yolk to the pot again using a whisk. Place the pot of pudding back on the heat(low so it doesn't scortch) and stir gently as needed for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat again and add your vanilla and butter. Stir well. Add to an already cooked crust that you have lined with thinly sliced bananas. Once cooled completely, add more sliced bananas to the top and finish with a whole lotta whipped cream. If you noticed. I don't bake it. The crust is pre done and the pudding cooks enough in the pot. I've never had this recipe fail me. It's exactly like my mothers. YUMMY!
06/22/2012
Everyone at the Memorial Day BBQ loved this! Here are the changes I made, based on other reviews: 1) I didn't bake it. 2) I mixed the bananas (dipped in a lemon juice/water mixture & patted dry) into the pudding a few hours before serving so that they didn't brown, and I put the pudding in the crust a few hours before serving so that the crust didn't soften too much. 3) I chilled the pudding by itself overnight (w/ Saran wrap layered directly on the pudding, so that it didn't develop pudding skin). 4) I subbed the 3T of cornstarch for the flour. 5) I used whole milk. 6) I made sure that I simmered (small bubbles around edges) for 3 minutes until I could make a distinct line down the back of the spoon without it melding back together. 6) I used 2 very large bananas. 7) For the crust I used the "Vanilla Wafer Crust" recipe from this site, and I used the "Sweetened Whipped Cream" recipe to pipe onto the top. 8) To transport w/out messing up the piped whipped cream, I used a few toothpicks along the outer edge of the pie and 1-2 in the middle to tent the Saran wrap covering.
03/03/2010
I like this recipe.. I took Nilla waffers and made my crust or buy the nilla waffer crust pre done... Much better than than the other crusts for banana cream pie. And at my last boil. I added about a 1/8 cup of cornstarch not straight in the mixture I blended it with about 1/8 cup of half and half, milk will do fine. I still used flour as well. It instantly gets alot thicker. Let cool for a few then poor into the pie. For my topping I used 3/4 cup whipping cream, 2tbsp powdered sugar, and 1tsp vanilla. whip it till you get your desired thickness. Not to much or you will have butter. After pie has been in the fridge for about a hour or 2 top with the whipped cream.. Seriously my favorite banana cream pie. The cornstarch after the flour really does help and my pies slice so well.. yummy!!! This recipe would be considered a old fashioned banana cream pie...give it a try I promise happy results evry single time. No soupy pies anymore!!! Dont add more flour or it will taste like flour!!
05/12/2013
This was my first time making a cream pie and I love it, I made two for my families gathering on mothers day. I was a bit nervous about doing it so I made sure to read through the comments with what people had problems with. I found that a fair amount of peoples pudding was coming out runny so I googled what would be causing that. I found this on the NPR website the author is Shirley Corriher "Pie fillings contain egg yolks, and egg yolks have an enzyme, alpha-amylase, which just loves to gobble up starch. The recipe tells the cook to heat the filling (bring it to a boil) after the yolks are added. But you need to really bring it to a boil to get all of the filling above 170 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the temperature needed to kill alpha-amylase. This is hard to do — the filling is thick and sticking and going blop, blop, blop. But if you don't get it hot enough, it just takes a few little alpha-amylase to gobble away like Pac-Man — and there goes all the starch that was holding your filling nice and firm."
12/05/2007
Outstanding! (I've made this pie twice within about 1 1/2 weeks, which should speak to the addictive and comfort-food quality :)) Followed recipe to a T, except I did not bake, just as other reviewers suggested. Also, I simply (gently) folded the bananas into the pudding mix, BUT first set aside a small amount of pudding w/ no bananas in it. Then cover top of pie with the plain pudding; any bananas exposed to air will turn brown within a few hrs, and this will seal them in nicely. I put whipped topping on each slice just before serving. (If you remove a wedge of the pie and the inside edges of remaining pie go brown by next day in fridge, fear not. Just remove thin slice where bananas were exposed, and the rest of interior of pie will remain beautiful and presentable.) Great thing about this recipe is that I now know how to make pudding as well; this vanilla-flavored pudding is just wonderful on its own.
06/15/2012
This pie was excellent! It tasted sweet, creamy, and thick! I would suggest cutting the bananas down to about two, instead of four. If you prefer using a graham cracker crust instead of regular pastry, Here is the thing to do: Spread the thickened pudding mixture into a ungreased square glass pan, and set the filling into the oven for the time said on the recipe, once it is done pour the mixture into the crust and refrigerate for one hour. Enjoy!
03/31/2009
This recipe was so easy and soooo delicious. Nice presentation too! I believe the reason some people had trouble with it was because they tried to hurry the process. This is not instant pudding, no fast track here, so slow down and stir, stir and more stirs. While constantly stirring I had the stove temp on High (never stopping) as soon as it started to bubble (slow boil) I turned down the heat to Medium and contined with directions and continued to stir. I used a whisk, got all my ingredients out and measured, eggs first, and by the time I needed them they easily blended with the hot custard. So creamy and so smooth....It's a WINNER!!! I did take the suggestions of a few and used cornstarch (as I feel it thicken smoother) and I also smashed some bananas on the bottom of the baked pie shell. I only had fat free milk so I used 1 1/2 cups of skim and 1/2 cup of Fat Free half and half...Delish! I DID NOT put in the oven.....I let the pie cool and I placed it in the frig at least 2 hours before serving. My pie was completely set in about 45 minutes. Thanks!
08/16/2005
This pie is delicious! and much easier than i thought it would be after reading the posts and i dont' cook that often. i did take some of the tips on this board cuz i figure you all know more than me. i used 1/2 c sugar rather than 3/4 c. i also packed the flour when measuring. used whole milk. made sure my eggs yolks were at room temp. let the pudding cool for about 45 minutes with plastic wrap over the top so it wouldn't form a skin. when the pudding had cooled i then sliced the bananas and added them to the mixture before putting into the crust and topping w/meringue. i cooked for 15 minutes as directed. several people said theirs was runny and the only reason i can think is that they did not cook the pudding long enough. i cooked it as the recipe says, for 2 minutes after it started bubbling...stirring constantly. i took it out, sprinkled the meringe with chocolate shavings and let it cool for an hour before putting it in the frig. i actually left it in the frig overnight. the results were just incredible. i shared with some friends and got nothing but raves. i highly recommned this pie...it's very yummy!
11/28/2009
I really liked this! I used the store-bought Nilla Wafer crust. The directions that came with the crust said to brush the crust with egg white and bake for 5 minutes at 375. I did this and it "sealed" the crust and made it crisper. A baking cookbook that I have said that bananas on the bottom make the crust soggy and if they are on top they obviously turn brown so I layered them in between layers of the pudding filling. The filling was sooooo good! I think it would have been 5 stars if it was a homemade pie crust but it was really a hit with everyone.
07/19/2011
This pie is perfect exactly as written. I use this custard base for most of my cream pies and have never had it fail or be runny. If you cook it long enough, it won't run. Be sure to let the mixture come to a boil and then cook an additional 2 minutes--not 2 minutes total. If you mash the bananas into the mixture it will brown more quickly, there is plenty of banana flavor with them on the bottom. For a treat in the summer, I slice fresh stawberries and add once the pie is cooled before I add whipped cream. YUM!
11/16/2011
This was my first time making any sort of pie dish and it came out AMAZING!! i was so happy! I looked up a pie crust recipe and it came out amazing. Also, if you are looking for a nice crisp and flaky crust, spread some egg wash on it and bake for about 3 minutes by itself and make sure the crust cools completely before you put the creme filling in. For the actual pie I kept stirring longer than the 2 minutes she recommended because the more you stir the more you can see it thicken and turn into like a custard texture! If it's not a custard like texture when u put it in the pie mold then it will come out soupy. I also took the advice of others and mixed the bananas in the mixture, rather than placing them at the bottom of the crust. BUT MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF YOUR BANANAS ARE ON THE TOP OF THE PIE. they will turn all brown and not taste right (helpful hint from my mama) When it comes time to cook the dish, you aren't really cooking much. It's just to help it set in shape. Once the pie dish cools, put in the refrigerator overnight. My custard came out super gorgeous the next morning and my fiance and I had a nice banana cream pie with coffee breakfast (not very healthy i know! LOL!) For the topping I used a simple sweetened whipped topping and it really complemented the flavors and made it look more professional! But that is totally optional since it makes the pie a lot sweeter! I will definitely be making this for thanksgiving this year to impress the future in-laws! :)
06/14/2011
This. is. delicious!!! I made the pie with the suggested substitute of cornstarch rather than the flour [as the author noted in the intro], and the texture was perfect. No runniness here! I've never made Banana Cream Pie from scratch before, so when I initially made the custard I thought it was decent, but I had no idea how the banana flavor would compare- the baking of the pie made the bananas soften and seemingly melt into the custard, filling it with a rich and even flavor. It's not comparable to storebought or artificial flavoring- it's simply blows them all out of the water! I started with a thin layer of custard on the bottom, then alternated thinly sliced [5mm?]bananas and thin layers of custard. The final layer of bananas I completely covered in custard, and the result was evenly softened bananas with no browning- perfection! I filled the pie just over the top [slightly domed] because I had so much filling for my smallish crust [I think it'd be perfect for a deepdish or homemade], and the way it settled was perfect. A thick layer of real, lightly sweetened whipped cream finished it off perfectly and made it melt in your mouth. If you don't intend to serve the entire pie I'd suggest putting whipped cream on the pieces individually, or the cream may deflate/melt overnight. Absolutely phenomenal: our company raved about it and the recipe has been requested multiple times. Definitely a keeper!!!
01/07/2012
Photo #48 (above) is mine. This is an excellent recipe, though I did alter it a bit to fit my needs. First, we needed a large dessert, so I doubled the recipe for a 9x13 dish. I used a reviewer's suggestion of a crushed vanilla wafer/butter crust. I used a whole box of wafers, 1.5 sticks melted butter, and added about 1/4 cup brown sugar and pressed it into the dish, baking for about 10 min at 350°, until it darkened. After the crust cooled I covered it with 3 bananas' worth of slices. Then I made the filling as directed (amounts doubled for my large dish), with the exception of adding 2 mashed bananas along with the butter and vanilla extract for an extra banana flavor. I let the filling cool for 10 minutes or so before I poured it, then i sprinkled about 1/2 cup of crushed vanilla wafers and 1/4 cup of sliced almonds over the top. Per reviewers' suggestions, I did not chance baking this pie, since the filling was already cooked and seemed like it would set up fine as is. I put it in the refrigerator for about 2 hours and served it with a dollop of cool whip on each piece. The filling set up perfectly, cutting into nice pieces. I loved the texture and think the mashed bananas added richness. The crust was awesome! It had a nice crunch and didn't sog up. I liked having sliced almonds on top, for extra crunch and flavor, though next time I'll toast them first. I'll be using this recipe again.
05/01/2012
To make it thick add more flour or cornstarch that what i would do.
12/08/2005
I found this recipe as I wanted to try baking a dessert pie, as most pies we eat here are savoury (mince, bacon and egg, etc). It tastes really delicious and I followed the recipe exactly. I would like to make it again but make a few adjustments as I don't like the tough crust that the custard forms on baking/chilling. I think next time I would put a meringue on top (using the spare egg whites of course, handy that) before baking the pie. That would prevent the custard from forming that crust and also make the pie look more 'creamy'. To make room for the meringue I will probably decrease to 2 or 3 bananas as the custard only just fitted into the pie dish with 4 bananas. The taste of this pie is really delicious, nice vanilla and banana flavours and very creamy tasting for something that doesn't contain cream! I would also consider using the pudding part of the recipe to make a warm custard to serve with bananas as a hot dessert as it is the best custard I have ever made and was a lot of fun too.
03/29/2003
Definitely DO NOT cook this recipe! Also, fold the bananas into the cream mixture. I followed the receipe exactly and it didn't turn out well. The bananas turned brown and tasted funny because they were cooked and just settled to a "brown mush" in the pie shell. The creme mixture was the right consistency and tasted great before cooking it, and so it would probably be a great recipe if it was just slightly changed.
06/21/2011
This came out absolutely perfect. I used 3 TB cornstarch in place of flour as suggested in the recipe description. When I make it again, I may try the following things, which I did NOT test out yet: #1 - 4 TB cornstarch to extra-thicken, #2 - dousing the sliced bananas in lemon juice or fruit-fresh to keep them from browning inside my pie. I did not bake this pie, nor would I unless I was putting a meringue on; be aware that your CHOICE not to bake it is what will cause it to not set. Baking it without a meringue will make a skin, not baking it is going to let it be runny (as written). Because I like whipped cream on my banana pie, I opted to not bake, and just have it be a little bit runny. What you choose is up to you, but buyer beware: If you don't bake it and it's runny, that's not a problem with the recipe :) Thanks for the BEST old-fashioned banana cream pie I've made, Ruby!
01/14/2009
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it! I paired it up with a shortbread crust and it was absolutely delicious! It did develop a "skin" over top, but this could be avoided by omitting the baking of the pie, or just cover it up with meringue, as I did, and bake it only as directed for meringue. I used the 3 egg whites, 1/4 tsp cream of tarter, 1 tsp of vanilla and 6 tablespoons of white sugar for meringue & baked for 7 mins. Very rich and creamy pudding!
01/16/2011
This is a great recipe. I used the 1/3 cup of corn starch instead of flour and only 1/2 cup of sugar. I didn't bake the pie either. I am so glad I read the other reviews. It's what makes this site great. I think the reason that people have runny pudding is because they don't cook it long enough. The pudding gets very thick once it is good and hot. That is when you pour a bit of that mixture into the egg yolks, stir well and then pour the egg mixture back into the pudding. Absolutely fantastic recipe!!
04/11/2007
This came out perfectly. I didn't change anything at all. You really have to keep stirring the whole time till it thickens up then a few minutes after. Don't stop! :) Yes the filling is darker, that's because there are no chemicals to change the color - like instant pudding. Yum yum! Try it. It's super easy.
05/20/2003
I substituted the sugar with 3 tbsp of honey, and used a bit less milk than called for to thicken it easier. Other than that I followed the recipe to a T. It turned out delicious...it was very flavorful and will make this recipe again and again!
01/17/2006
I added chocolate Cool Whip on top and my boyfriend said it tasted like a Fudge Bomb! Delicious!
10/11/2006
This is EXCELLENT! I read some of the other reviews. First, don't cook this pie. There is no need. Just let it cool. Also for those who were having trouble getting the pie to set I'm thinking that maybe you didn't stir enough as it was thickening. Be sure to cook on the stove on med heat and stir constantly while bubbling. Follow the recipe exactly, except for the baking part and you should have a perfect pie. I think I'll make it again tomorrow it was sooooo good.
07/02/2011
Two bites and my husband said it was better than his grandmother's famous banana cream pie. That's saying a lot! A few changes: I DID NOT put bananas in the bottom, I made the pudding as is, baked for HALF the time, just until it was the right consistancy, then let it cool. I topped it with fresh bananas just before serving (I hate mushy, cooked bananas) and topped with whipped cream. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, USE REAL WHIPPED CREAM!!! It's worth every calorie. I just whipped the cream in my kitchenaid, added powdered sugar and a spash of vanilla and it was divine.
11/28/2011
I thought this recipe was a fantastic one for beginners like me. It was the second pie I ever made alone aside from the cheesecake I made( if you consider it a pie). Well this came out amazing and to address a previous review, I highly suggest you bake it as mine didn't come out dry or with a thick skin( it helps give it some form so that it's not just oozing pudding). It is very easy to make and to all the ppl who say that it was too runny, did you make sure that it finished cooking before taking it out because it stays runny for most of the cooking process and eventually begins to custardize if you give it enough time. Well this came out great so i suggest it to all you young bakers who want to begin baking with something do-able. Like a reviewer before me also said, the bananas can also be interchanged with other fruits to give it different types of flavors.
07/28/2013
Amazing pie! I always thought for some reason that making homemade banana cream pie was difficult. Not so! I did not bake this pie per instructions, as after reading all the reviews it seemed that was the consensus. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and the custard was PERFECT! I used whole milk, which I believe it important. Have patience while waiting for the custard to come together and thicken. It's worth the wait! I decided to slice my bananas directly into the custard and then put this mixture into my shell, smoothing out. When I served it someone asked if I had put lemon on my bananas because of how white they were. I think that I sliced into the custard and mixed it right away, coated them and therefore prevented the ugly browning. I also did it this way because I didn't want the fruit on top of itself, and instead wanted it mixed throughout. Super good. Try it, you'll love it! Thanks Ruby!
08/15/2010
This pie turned out more like banana cream soup than pie for me. I think part of the problem was the instructions say to stir until "bubbly" and should say stir until "boiling". I didn't heat it long enough for sure. I also think the amount of bananas should be reduced and not added until the pudding has started to set (there is something about bananas that prevents the pudding from setting all the way). After an unsuccessful attempt at this recipe, I tried another that turned out very well.
09/25/2007
made with store bought graham cracker crust. cool whip on top and chocolate shavings. yummy! family loved it. I did do the half flour and cornstarch as recommended in review. Thickened up nicely. I did not bake either. a keeper!!!
08/25/2011
Really easy to make and really tasty pudding. Overall the pie was a tiny bit bland, but I think that had to do with my bad pie crust and that that's just how banana pudding tastes. Also I didn't have whipped cream or meringue on top - just some sliced fresh bananas for decoration. Tip: Use whole milk - reduced fat milks will make a soupy pudding. Tip 2: Before you take it out of the saucepan it should no longer be soupy - it should have turned into pudding. This transformation is instantaneous and seems somewhat inexplicable because one moment it's soup and the next it's thick pudding. If your pudding is soupy you'll need to cook it longer than the recipe says -- this could be due to the way your pan has heated up and the level of heat used. SO, you look for large bubbles throughout before you cook for 2 minutes and add the egg mixture. Then a little after you add the egg mixture (as I remember) it suddenly turns to pudding.
09/28/2009
This pie is AWESOME!!!! I followed the recipe and it came out PERFECT!!!! And, this was the 1st pie I have EVER made in my 37 years of life. It is not runny at all. For the person(s) who had runny pudding mixture...I don't think you cooked the pudding mixture long enough....when it says until it starts bubbling...it isn't the little bit of bubbling you get from stirring it. It really starts to get big bubbles from the heat and then you just continue to stir as the instructions state and just keep stirring......I think you should try making it again and you will be pleasantly surprised:o)
06/22/2007
This is the best recipe for Banana Cream pie, all of our friends and family rave about how great it is! My best suggestion is to subsitute part of your 1/3 Cup of flour for cornstarch. This will help everyone with the 'soup' part, and make it firm. Take out your 1/3 Cup dry measuring cup and fill it with half full of flour, and the other half with cornstarch, works everytime!! Cornstarch is the key here!
11/18/2007
Yummy and it was a big hit...CLue though make sure to use at least 2% milk. If you use 1% or less it will not set up and you get the ooey gooey pie instead.
07/29/2003
I made this yesterday. I used 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and I did not bake it. When I served it, it didn't stay together too well, but was plenty thick enough. I sprinkled some coconut on top and it was fabulous! I will make this again.
06/02/2011
Perfect! Everytime!
03/15/2008
Excellent recipe! I did as others suggested and used 1/2 cornstarch and 1/2 flour as the thickener. Also, another reviewer suggested that there wasn't enough banana flavour. I've always used banana extract instead of vanilla. Adds a rich banana flavour. (I also use coconut extract in my coconut cream pie.)
03/06/2011
Pretty tasty - next time I'll mix in the bananas before putting in the crust and remember the whipped cream but the family enjoyed it and my 2 year old was singing 'more banana pie' the rest of the evening.
06/19/2007
I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong - every banana cream pie I make fails to set up right. It always ends up as banana pudding! I made this (and have made at least two other recipes) EXACTLY as directed. I made this pie the night before so it would have extra time to firm up and it didn't. It looked like it was pretty firm until I cut into it. The taste, however, was absolutely delicious. I made it for a graduation party for two of my daughters and it was gone in a matter of minutes, even though it was soft. People raved about the taste. I made the crust out of nilla wafers. Also, if you dip the banana slices in lemon juice, if keeps them from discoloring (and it's such a small amount that it does NOT give them a lemony taste). If anyone can give me some advice, I'd appreciate it. I really do love the taste of the pie, which is why I gave it four stars. ***UPDATE: I made this pie again, after reading JDMITR98's review. I filled the 1/3c. measuring cup with 1/2 flour, 1/2 cornstarch. I also cooked it a tad longer than the recipe states and DID NOT bake it, as others suggested. It came out PERFECT! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. Thanks so much, JD!
04/05/2005
I didn't bake the custard - just chilled and topped with Cool Whip. It was amazing! Everyone at the gathering raved over this pie.
08/18/2000
I tried the 3 tlbs. corn starch and the filling was perfect. Great flavor! I did not agree with the baking part of this recipe but did it any way. It seemed to make the filling thinner then when I had it in the sauce pan. After filling the pie crust I knew that it could be chilled then served with no problem. But, I went ahead and baked it. It was all over from that point. Sorry I ever made this one. I will try again and not bake it. Will comment again when done.
03/15/2010
My boyfriend is a banana cream pie fanatic, and he said this was the best he ever had! I also substituted 3 tbsp cornstarch for flour, didn't bake the pie, and ensured the pudding and crust were cool before assembling and chilling for another 3 hours... like many of the readers.
01/02/2004
This pie was so easy to make and tasted phenomenal. I topped it with sliced bananas for a party and it was just beautiful.
09/22/2007
excellent pie - i add a bit of coconut with the bananas and top with sliced almonds - i do bake it until the almonds on top brown and it has never ever been dry - you will only get a skin on it if you do not cover it before you refridgerate - i make this about once every two weeks and it has turned out every time
07/01/2007
This was awesome. A few changes after making it once, and it was a little runny. 1. Make sure to use yolks of egg only 2. I replaced the milk with half and half 3. I added 1/2 tsp. of amond extract 4. I used a graham cracker crust from ALL RECIPES submitted by Janaan Cunnungham (Thank you Janaan) 5. I served with homemade sweetened whipped topping with sliced almonds on top. 6. I did bake it, other reviews said not to, and it was great 7. I brushed lemon juice on the bananas to keep them from browning I would make this again and again. My tasters loved it. It was very attractive, held it's shape nicely and it had AWESOME flavor, from the crust to the top!!!! Thanks so much to Ruby!!!!
09/23/2005
Love this recipe! I will make the custard part alone as a banana pudding as well because it is THAT good and so simple!! HAd no trouble with thickening, I did decrease the sugar a bit- as recomended by others. Yummmm!
05/21/2012
My dad's favorite
06/21/2011
I made this recipe only because I saw a number of posting that stated the 'batter' was runny. The recipe as stands serves up perfectly. To those that are too runny I can see a couple of things that can happed to create this. Your sugar or flour amounts were to low (incorrect measure or omitted) number two your cooking to bubbling and then 2 additional minutes where not achieved. There is also the additional 2 minutes of cook time after the introduction of the egg yolks. I believe this to be the root of most 'runny' results. I only give it a four because the flavor of the custard/pudding is a bit bland. Increase the vanilla to 2 tsps would help.
10/08/2009
I never made a home made banana cream pie. I always used the banana pudding mix. This was easy to make and the cream pie filling was delicious. I followed the recipe excatly. We gobbled this up in two day, between two of us.
04/09/2007
This was fabulous! I made the nilla wafer crust instead, 1 1/2 cups well crushed vanilla wafers , 6 tablespoons melted butter. Toss. Bake 350 until slightly golden. 5-9 minutes. Let cool. I used a 10 inch deep dish pie plate, so I scaled this to 1 recipe x's a half of the recipe and it fit perfectly in my pie pan. Oh! I didn't bake it. We use skim milk so I put a little half n half cream for some of the milk. Topped it off with Ready whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate pieces. What a good taste combo. Absolutely delish! Brother in law said I should enter it into a contest! Thanks for the recipe!
06/15/2009
This was great! I used 3 tbl cornstarch and cut down on the sugar as suggested, and it was fantastic! Only suggestions I have are: 1. Make sure bananas are ripe, and 2. If the whole pie is not going to be devoured immediately, then make sure one puts some kind of cover on it, for the top of the pudding dried out and became kind of hard. But it was delicious! I have 2 requests for it already!
07/03/2008
Excellent! As others before me I substituted 3 TBS of corn starch for the flour for a smoother, cleaner taste. I made a second pie using coconut and almond extract. Soupy pies are a result of not cooking the starch out of the flour-a common mistake for beginners. I would encourage you to try again with this recipe, it is worth the effort. Thanks for the excellent recipe-sooo much better than instant pudding mix!
03/30/2008
My husband loved this pie. I didn't have to add any cornstarch, I just continued cooking the pudding until it thickened up. I also did not bake it, as the other reviewers suggested not to, and I only used 2 bananas since that's all I had and it still turned out great!
07/24/2010
A bit sweet. If your finding the topping runny, you didn't heat/stir it enough. It took me about 15-20 minutes to get it to a pudding stage. You don't need cornstarch; just keep stirring, just keep stirring . . .
07/16/2010
Okay.. so here is what happened. i used flour, but also used a bit of cornstarch too. This pudding looked like the pudding my mom makes when she makes banana pudding. MUST keep stirring until it is thick enough. The secret for me for is to strain/sieve the custard so it is silky smooth. Then I mashed the bananas and mixed it in. I chilled it overnight as some ppl suggested, but that did not do anything. So i baked it for about 20 minutes until it did not jiggle. Then once it cooled I made whipped cream, spread it on top, garnished with crushed nilla wafers, YUM! taste just like store brought banana cream pie, with more of a real banana taste to it. I also used a vanilla wafers crust, definitely a keeper? espescially for a person who hasn't had good experiance with homemade custards/puddings.
02/18/2004
I have to give this 5 stars. It is fantastic! I have tried making banana cream pies in the past and it has failed every time in one way or another. This one was perfect! The pudding thickened appropriately, the bananas didn't turn brown (you have to make sure they are covered by the pudding), the crust was nice and golden. I couldn't wait to dig in! I used the flour and not the corn starch. I think it tastes better that way.
09/20/2005
WOW I am speachless - This blew my expectations away it was TDF!!!! I followed the recipe exactly as written EXCEPT I did NOT bake it and added some cool whip to the top because what is banana cream pie without the Whipped Cream :). My family LOVED it it was gone in one night and they are all asking for more. Some others mentioned theirs did not set but I let mine cook real good in the pan and let it get thick before I continued with the recipe. YUMMY is all I can say. I don't know how you could possibly make this recipe any better. You will NOT be dissapointed with this one.
12/12/2008
It turned out great! I was multi-tasking when I started and put the sugar, cornstarch (I used 1/4 c. cornstarch due to relative with allergy to flour), milk and beaten eggs in saucepan--not what the recipe says. Oh! Oh! So, I cooked it as instructed--probably a little too long even though I took it off as soon as it started to bubble because it was thick. I put in the butter and vanilla, and added 3 drops of yellow food coloring (my preference). It was a little jellied looking and not smooth. So, I took my electric mixer and mixed it up. It turned out GREAT! I had intended to make the Vanilla Wafer Crust from allrecipes, but was short on time so used a purchased graham cracker crust. I tasted the custard--yummmm!! I'll make this again, and next time will try to follow the recipe as far as cooking it.
01/02/2002
I think this pie was YUMMY!! I used up the 3 leftover egg whites to make a meringue for on top and put it on before baking and it came out great!!!
01/06/2006
This recipe is a MAJOR HIT! It is SO incredibly easy to make and so quick to disappear once prepared! The pudding recipe alone is a fabulous stand alone dessert! Add 1/2 cup of cocoa to the dry ingredients at first and you have the most mouth watering chocolate pudding! MMMMMM
08/03/2011
Delicious! I took the advice of others that reviewed this recipe and used 3 tablespoons of corn starch. It came out the perfect consistency not runny at all. I also cut back the sugar to 1/2 cup and for me it is perfect. I did not bake the pie. Like others I used a vanilla wafer crust and topped it with whipped cream. When I was done this pie was truly amazing! Thanks for the recipe :o)
04/24/2007
this recipe is fantastic; I used corn starch instead of flour and reduced the sugar amt to 1/2 a cup
08/03/2009
Don't put this in the oven - chilling in the fridge or even freezing it will do just fine. Freezing might cause a more ice-cream like texture in the pudding, but otherwise, this pie was delicious. Thanks!
10/02/2012
Made this pie twice this month. Once just to try, then another for my mom. i've never made a banana cream pie before so this was a first for me. I usually try a recipe as is first, but after the first pie, although it had great flavor, I made a few small changes. First, I made my own graham cracker crust (another first for me outside of cheesecake) baked and cooled it. Then i used a little cornstarch instead of flour(this was purely a personal prefference, cornstarch just works better for me)and i did not bake this pie either. The eggs cook enough in the saucepan and the pudding is awesome! Then I chilled it for a few hours and right before serving, add a few dollops of whip cream, maybe even a few slivered almonds. This one is definately a keeper, thanks for the recipe.
11/25/2012
This was such a wonderful pie! The recipe was easy too! As others directed - I did not cook the pie, I used whole milk and cornstarch , rather than flour. I upped the vanilla to 1 Tablespoon. I topped it with cool whip. It was luscious and had great banana flavor! I made a homemade graham cracker crust. Next time I may try with a touch less vanilla and maybe add banana extract. It didn' need it though!
03/11/2015
Delicious! One of the best, ever. Just one tip: Only bake the pie for about 7 minutes to set it, otherwise the pie will dry out. I top mine with real whipped cream.
08/31/2009
This pie is excellent! I followed another reviewer's advice and didn't bake it. It was delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
06/29/2009
This is absolutely delicious! I used cornstarch instead of flour and it came out just right and creamy. I cooked the cream in medium heat. It may look watery at first. But when it bubbles, it gets thick and creamy. I took the reviwers' advise not to bake the whole pie and it sure came out just fine. I also made my pie crust with vanilla wafer as someone suggested and it complemented the cream filling so well. I just love this pie recipe. THANK YOU!!!!
07/06/2011
Wow! This is so good! I have never made pudding/custard and was able to pull this off no problem. I usded cornstarch and did not bake the pie. The consistency was perfect- exactly what I would expect in a cream pie. I decided to mash up 2 bananas and give them a good mix with the vanilla. I then added this liquid banana mix to the pudding. Oh my the pudding is soooo good! I'm wondering if some people's pies turned out runny because they covered them and put them in the fridge with they were still warm. I put the pie in the fridge uncovered for the first 20 minutes to let the steam escape and then I covered it.
02/15/2009
I cook/bake ALL the time, I follow directions, I'm not your "typical" guy. Kate's advice May/2006 of not baking this pie was either poor advice or not complete as to what you should do in lieu of baking. My Valentine's Day surprise for my wife is now banana cream soup. For those who read this review, I assure you will find this helpful! Very expensive and disappointing.
09/21/2011
I made this for my dads 69th birthday dinner dessert. Since I can remember, my dad has always boasted how his mom would make "just the best banana cream pie". He will go on to describe how the distinct custard taste perfectly combined with an awesome banana taste. I have never made a pie before, and felt this recipe seemed easy enough for me to make. Well it was a hit. My dad loved it! He said it was just like his moms. -The recipe was spot on. Make sure you constantly stir the mixture while cooking to avoid lumps. -instead of slicing the bananas into the pie shell, gently stir them into the pudding mixture, then pour the whole mixture into the pie shell and bake. -I made my own pie crust. I have used Nilla Wafers once and then vanilla wafers from Trader Joes. They are equally different and delicious. First, melt a half stick of butter. Finely crush them (I put the cookies in a plastic ziplock bag and use a meat tenderizer hammer to crush them). Pour the butter and crushed cookies into the dish. Use your hands/fingers to gently push the crust into place. Place the pie crust in the freezer while you start making the banana cream pie recipe.
10/18/2010
sooooo wonderful- I used brown sugar in place of white...its was like caramel bananas!!!
11/13/2010
My husband said this was the best banana cream pie he has ever had. This is the first time I've made one but it turned out great. My 8 year old loved it too. I accidently put too much vanilla in it but my husband said that may be what it made it so good - not being overwhelming with the banana taste.
10/30/2007
This was a good pie but I don't think I would ever make it again it just wasn't a hit with the family.
11/21/2011
If you are having a problem with the banana turning brown, you have to use an acid of some sort like lemon juice or orange juice when you cut the banana. And if it is too soupy, take some cornstarch, about 2 tbsp with a bit of cold water, and gradually stir it into the hot mixture to thicken it up. That will cure the soupy!
07/05/2009
Loved this pie recipe. I did make a whipped cream mousse to top off the pie. So yummy. I took whipping cream, half packet instant vanilla pudding, dash of vanilla and dash of sugar. Whipped until peaks formed and spread over the top. Yummy!
09/07/2010
Banana cream pie was my Grandma's specialty, but I didn't have her recipe, so I thought I'd look for one here. I'm so glad I found this recipe--it was delicious! I made the changes suggested by many--reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup, used cornstarch instead of flour and didn't bake it, just chilled it for about 3 1/2 hours. I had no problems with the custard filling being runny--but I made sure to use whole milk and I cooked the custard until it became nice and thick. I think if you do both of these things, yours should turn out great like mine did. I tossed my cut-up bananas in some lemon juice to prevent browning, but it didn't do any good--they still turned brown. That is my only complaint about this recipe, but I don't see how that can really be prevented. I also folded the bananas into the custard and then put everything into the pie crust--I didn't layer bananas on the bottom first. I topped with Cool Whip since my family doesn't like meringue and this pie was for my son's birthday. If I was making it just for me, I would have topped with fresh whipped cream! All in all, a delicious pie and it was easy to make as long as you follow the instructions carefully.
11/28/2005
My husband who's allergic to raw bananas ate this with no problems and the bananas were not mushy. It's even better a few days old.
02/26/2002
This was easy and wonderful. If you want to make the perfect Banana Cream Pie there is no better recpie than this.
09/14/2003
I am giving this 4*s because I don't like the texture the corn startch gave it. I made the substitutions just like everyone else and am sorry I did. Next time I am going to stick to flour. I think the people who substituted might be afraid of making a white sauce. I am sure flour would thicken just as nicely and would have given a much smoother texture. If you like to make a nice cream sauce then definitely stick to flour on this one. Maybe next time I'll give it 5*s.
04/08/2010
this pie is absolutely amazing! i followed it exactly as written with 2% milk (as suggested by another reviewer) and cooked it slowly over med-low heat. once it came to a bubble the pudding was super thick and adding the egg yolks perfected it. if the pudding isnt thick then it needs to be cooked longer so the flour can naturally thicken it, flour thickens at the boiling point. i used a nilla wafer crust and made fresh whipped cream for the topping to a wonderful pie. thank you!
01/13/2002
My children loved this pie, but it was not the easy to make. I also used the cornstarch in place of the flour. I made 2 of them for Christmas dinner and they were a big hit, the taste was wonderful, and well worth the work.
05/03/2001
All I can say is Yummy, Yummy, Yummy...
12/10/2010
I had the same problems as some of the other reviewers even after it set for 2 whole days in the fridge. My husband and brother-in-law loved it in spite of that. It was delicious, but I think it would be better as a banana pudding. Thanks for sharing.
01/13/2007
the best banana cream pie i have ever had! i followed the recipe exactly as it was written and it turned out beautifully. the only thing i recommend is to be very careful when you are making the pudding portion of the recipe. i burnt mine a little bit as i was warming it up but it was easy to get rid of the burnt portion. this will be the only banana cream recipe i ever use again and it was easy too!
01/23/2011
This is the first banana cream pie I have ever made. I followed this recipe but used cornstarch and a mixture of whole milk and evaporated milk. I followed the recipe for everything else. It turned out absolutely superb--even the pudding!!! I will be making this pie to serve at my cafe!!!!
01/18/2003
VERY VERY GOOD. MY HUSBAND AND I ATE ALL OF IT. WE ADDED WHIPPED CREAM TO MAKE IT A BANANA CREAM PIE.
12/20/2011
Excellent :) I was soo surprised that for the first time - my pie came out great! I actually baked my pie crust until brown, then layered the bananas and pudding and just put in the fridge, not sure if anyone else did that hahaa..Great recipe, my 2nd time making it in the last four days - it's that addicting!! My usually very critical younger brother even asked for 3rd helpings! Thanks so much!
12/28/2005
Spectacular! This recipe is so delicious! We bring these pies to summer parties.
11/27/2008
I don't eat banana cream pie, but made this for my Family on Thanksgiving. Everyone LOVED it and said it was the highlight of the meal :)
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12151/banana-cream-pie-i/
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