Banana Pudding.  The ol’ dessert with nilla wafers, boxed pudding mix, and bananas layered on top of each other.  A childhood classic comfort food.  I am a total pudding snob and since I know I can make homemade pudding in 15 minutes that will be SO much better, I always make it that way.  The recipe for my banana pudding is here.

Anyway, back to banana cream PIE.  I needed to make one for my father-in-law for his birthday, and I was browsing pinterest and just happened to see a recipe for Nilla Wafer Crust.  Whaaaaaaat?  Mind. Blown.  I usually make banana cream pie with regular pie crust, I’ve done it with graham cracker crust, but I thought “Oh my goodness, this is going to be like a banana pudding pie hybrid.”

I was excited.

I was right to be excited.  This was the perfect combo.  I use my no-fail vanilla pudding recipe.  It’s easy, even for beginning bakers, and the crust was the perfect compliment to the bananas and the pudding.  I had to travel two hours with my pie, so I used cool-whip.  Under any other circumstance I would have made homemade whipped cream.  Would have been better.  Even with cool whip though….

This pie was devoured.  I barely got a picture of it.

Enjoy!

Crust recipe from momontimeout

Ingredients:

For the crust:
60 Nilla Wafer Cookies
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup melted sugar

For the rest of the pie:
3 cups of whole milk (it has to be whole milk)
3 egg yolks
2/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-4 ripe bananas
2 cups cool whip or homemade whipped cream

Directions: 

First, make your crust.  In a food processor or blender, process the nilla wafers until they are fine crumbles.  Add the sugar and melted butter and mix together.  Press into a pie pan, up around the edges as well, and bake in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Now, make the rest of the pie.  In a medium saucepan (not over heat) whisk together your milk, egg yolks, and sugar.  Mix the cornstarch and salt in a separate bowl, and then add them to the milk mixture and mix well.

Over medium high heat, continuously stir the mixture for about 15 minutes, until it is a thick, pudding consistency.  When it is, remove it from the heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Set aside.

Slice your bananas and layer them in the bottom of your pie pan.  Pour the pudding over the top.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours.  Overnight is much better.  Top with whipped cream and additional bananas (if desired) and serve.  Enjoy!