Hi vicsgirl. I was just thinking about Banana Cream Pie so I had to open the thread. lol!

When I make banana cream pie I use vanilla pudding and fresh-sliced bananas, then I top with whipped cream or cool whip.

Generally you bake a meringue-top pie, so I would go with whipped cream.

Rather than using prepared whipped cream, I prefer to make my own so I can control the amount of sugar.

Thanks-I'll make whipped cream-I have the ingredients I need- heavy cream (organic), powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

Later- I made my own whipped cream-it was delicious! i noticed a tiny slice out of the pie a few hours later-the only person who could have got to it was my 26 YO daughter. She said it was good, and we both had a big piece for dessert. Hubby enjoyed his too! Thanks to those who answered.

I like to make banana cream pie the way my mother did. I use a regular pie crust, not graham cracker, and Jello brand vanilla cooked pudding. Fill the bottom of the crust with thin slices of ripe banana, spoon a layer of slightly cooled pudding over it, add another layer, and fill the pie to the brim. Cool in the refrigerator and top it with whipped cream that has been flavored with sugar and vanilla.

We prefer fresh whipped cream. I use a Nilla wafer crust instead of a graham cracker one. I don't even bother with cooked pudding. I use instant French Vanilla and I do several layers of bananas so the pudding is just the "mortar" anyway. If I don't have whipping cream and use cool whip I add some to the pudding mix to make it more fluffy. Banana cream pie is a no cook/no baking pie in our house. I've never seen banana cream pie topped with meringue. It's always cream topping here even in pie shops, bakeries and restaurants.

The Marie Callender's restaurants have Banana Cream Pie on the menu, and they offer it both ways. You have your choice of whipped cream or meringue.

I've never made a pie with meringue topping, but I would think if you don't want to stick it in the oven, couldn't you use one of those little "kitchen torch things" to brown the meringue?

Watchmel said what I was thinking when I read the thread title Nilla Wafers! Not a big fan of pie, but I've never heard of banana cream pie without the Nilla wafers!

My thoughts exactly rhizo. For sure you need a cooked single shell--crust is sooo easy to make and the filling is too easy to use jello!! I am quite sure the pie you usually purchase is not made with pudding. Meringue/whipped cream is a preference thing. Both/either are done. What does the pie you purchase that he likes, usually have?

Interesting, lukki....I know that banana pudding is always made with Nilla Wafers, but have never seen pie with them.

But then, I've never seen the pie made with pudding, either, lol.

Vicsgirl, however you make it, I'm sure it will make your husband a happy man!

So sweet of you to want to make you husband a pie from your own kitchen. I've made a lot of pies, but only two BCPs (Banana Cream Pies). I love BCPs and home baked, from scratch always tastes the best. Both times I couldn't resist making "black bottom BCP" -- that means I grated semi-sweet chocolate atop the baked (from scratch) pie shell, then added the easy-as-pie to make vanilla/banan pudding and banana filling. I topped it with my own whipped cream (just a bit of sugar and vanilla added). I put a few shaving of semi-sweet chocolate atop the whipped cream (just a bit).

Pie crust is easy for me to make, but it was t always that way. My first attempt used a d tossed out a whole 5 pound bag of AP flour just trying to get a simple shell. So if making your own pie crust will be anything other than fun for you, keep it simple for now and go with a sure bet such as the wafers. Same for the filling and topping. Your sweetheart will find your homemade pie delicious. Have fun making it and send us a photo if not a slice.

i too was just looking at a photo and recipe of BCP, so there could be something in the air.

My banana cream pie will always have meringue and pudding made from scratch on a real crust, not a crumb crust. Yes, you can bake your meringue with a filling inside. Even the pudding type would do fine. I love meringue better than whipped topping on a pie.

Sue

I always chuckle thinking or hearing of banana cream pie. I've never liked it, an old gf never liked it but she'd always make it when she was making a bigger meal for us. Another couple of friends were over the last time and they didn't care for it either so I asked her why she always made banana cream pie when nobody would eat it. Her answer? it was the only pie she knew how to make. I told her to buy a pie from now on, or let me know and I'll make one or buy one. I'm guessing she must have grown up with it as a staple of the holiday or guest meal and just continued the tradition.

I had no idea banana cream pie was banana pudding in a smaller container. Shows how little I've lived! In the south, I often see vanilla pudding with banana slices instead of banana pudding.

Really? When I was a kid, the box of Nabisco (the only real nilla wafer IMO) had a picture similar to this on it and at some recipes for pudding and pie on the back of the box.

The crust is made of crushed Nilla wafers and butter just like a graham cracker crust is make from graham crackers. It's not layered Nilla wafers. That's the banana pudding. sort of like a trifle. Keebler also make a shortbread crust that works well for no bake cream pies and a chocolate cookie crumb one.

Marie Callender's defaults to meringue on all their pies that give a choice of whipped cream or meringue unless it's for a pre-order. They just cut the slice, scrape off the meringue and replace with whipped cream for those that request it.