Easy Banana Cream Pudding Pie with Cream Cheese Crust
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Served Person: 8
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup crisco baking sticks all-vegetable shortening
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) brick-style cream cheese softened (do not use lite or fat free)
- one 5.1-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (not not sugar-free or lite, not the 3-ounce size)
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk (i used fat-free skim i recommend cow's milk and not soy, almond, etc. because filling may not set up properly)
- one 8-ounce tub cool whip or similar whipped toppi thawed to room temp, divided (lite or fat-free okay; real whipped cream deflates easily and isn't recommended)
- 2 medium/large bananas sliced into thin rounds (should be ripe bu
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- about 2 1/2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped nilla wafer divided (most of an 11-ounce box, reduced fat okay)
- caramel or salted caramel sauce for drizzling storebought or homemade
- Carbohydrate 17.3966627304983 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.227411666956346 g
- Fiber 0.633364595315529 g
- Protein 2.31819687795354 g
- Saturated Fat 0.036114166712657 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (38g)
- Sodium 297.657167045938 mg
- Sugar 16.7632981351828 g
- Trans Fat 0.0750029167622311 g
- Calories 83 calories
My Easy Banana Cream Pudding Pie Adventure
As a busy working mom, finding time to bake is a luxury, not a given. But this past weekend, a craving for something sweet and comforting hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew I needed a pie, something creamy, something with a little bit of a kick. That's when I remembered seeing a recipe for a Banana Cream Pudding Pie online. I wasn't looking for anything too fancy, just something delicious and relatively quick to make. This recipe promised easy steps, and after a long week, "easy" was exactly what I needed.
The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. The cream cheese crust came together beautifully, offering a pleasant tanginess that perfectly complemented the sweet banana filling. I followed the recipe closely, making sure to use good quality ingredients. The instant pudding mix provided a wonderfully smooth and creamy texture, while the addition of Nilla wafers added a delightful crunch. Honestly, the hardest part was waiting for the pie to chill in the fridge—four long hours felt like an eternity! But the anticipation was worth it. The finished pie was a triumph – a delectable balance of creamy, sweet, and crunchy textures. It was the perfect ending to a hectic week. It even managed to survive the hungry clutches of my children, who declared it the best pie they’d ever had. Success!
Tips and Tricks from a Busy Mom's Kitchen:
- Prep Ahead: The crust can be made a day ahead of time. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the pie.
- Frozen Bananas: If you happen to have frozen bananas on hand (I always keep a stash in the freezer!), you can use them for this recipe. Just let them thaw completely and drain off any excess liquid before adding them to the pudding mixture.
- Variations: Don’t be afraid to experiment! Consider adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a swirl of caramel sauce into the filling for an extra burst of flavor.
- Make it Your Own: This recipe is a fantastic base. Use your favorite graham cracker crumbs in place of the Nilla wafers. Maybe add a dash of cinnamon for a warm spice note. There are tons of opportunities to make it your own!
- Serving Suggestions: This pie is wonderful served chilled, straight from the fridge. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would be a delicious addition for an extra decadent treat.
Making this pie wasn't just about baking; it was about creating a special moment in my otherwise busy life. The smell of baking pie filled my kitchen with warmth and happiness, and the taste? Let's just say it was a perfect reward for a week well-spent. Highly recommend trying this recipe—it's a winner!
Step-by-step
- Crust - Preheat oven to 400F and spray a 9 or 10-inch pie dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer), add the shortening, cream cheese, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, salt, and beat on low speed until a sandy, crumbly dough forms.
- Turn crumbly mixture out into prepared pie dish and using your fingertips, hard-pack the mixture to form and even, smooth crust making sure to press mixture up around sides of pie dish.
- Pierce crust in about a dozen places with a fork so steam can escape while baking.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until set and very lightly golden brown. Watch crust closely in final moments of baking as it will be prone to burning around the top edge.
- Set aside on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.
- Filling - To a large bowl, add the pudding mix, milk, and whisk to combine.
- Add half the whipped topping and whisk to incorporate.
- Slice the bananas, add to a medium bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, and use your fingers to gently toss to disperse the lemon juice which helps to prevent the bananas from turning brown.
- Add the bananas to the pudding mixture and fold gently to combine.
- Add about 1 1/2 heaping cups Nilla wafers and fold to combine.
- Turn mixture out into pie crust.
- Add and gently spread remaining half of the whipped topping.
- Sprinkle remaining Nilla wafers, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.
- Prior to serving, drizzle with caramel sauce to taste.
- Pie will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, noting that as time passes the Nilla wafers will soften and bananas could turn a bit brown.
