Can You Make a Great Cream Pie Filling in the Microwave?

Name: Banana Cream Pie Made in the Microwave
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups milk (any type will work but I use 1/4 cup whipping cream and 2 cups skim milk); 4 egg yolks; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons butter; 8 or 9-inch baked pie crust; 2 medium bananas

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Make a Great Cream Pie Filling in a Microwave as good or better than making it on top of the stove. I’ve been doing it for years. Try it out for yourself with this recipe for a scrumptious banana cream pie.

picture pie with filling made in the microwave

Why Use a Microwave?

In only 7 minutes, you can make the smoothest, tastiest cream pie filling your taste buds have ever encountered. No double boiler or a hot stove. No scorching or burning.

Granted, not everybody approves or even cares about using a microwave oven, but I love mine. I’ve been using it to make cream pie filling and pudding ever since I taught microwave cooking classes back in the era of stick-up bangs. In those days, the microwave was magical and mysterious.

Admittedly, they aren’t efficient for large quantities so it’s completely understandable why restaurants and bakeries might not use them. But for home cooks making one or two pies, it’s the best and easiest way, in my opinion.

Make a Great Cream Pie Filling in a Microwave-banana cream pie slice on a plate

One thing for sure, I’m less tempted to use a mix (questionable taste and ingredients) or a grocery-store pie (where’s the love and homemade flavor in that?) when I can make a cream pie filling in a microwave quickly and effortlessly.

Super flaky and buttery pie crust with a magic ingredient.

I’m excited about the flaky pie crust used in this pie. Check out the recipe.

NOTE to banana haters: Leave them out for a fabulous vanilla bean cream pie that stands on its own merits.

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If you make this recipe and enjoy it, consider helping other readers and me by returning to this post. Leave a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. Although always appreciated, comments aren’t required. Thank you for visiting! Paula

Yield: 8 servings

Banana Cream Pie Made in the Microwave

Use a microwave to make this super quick, super easy banana cream pie...from scratch.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Total Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups milk (any type will work but I use 1/4 cup whipping cream and 2 cups skim milk)
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
8 or 9-inch baked pie crust
2 medium bananas

Instructions

Dump milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt into blender or food processor. You may also whisk by hand--vigorously. Blend for about 10 seconds. Don't worry about the foam–it will disappear as filling cooks.
Pour filling into 2-quart Pyrex glass batter bowl. Cook in microwave on HIGH for 5-7 minutes whisking well after each minute. After 4 minutes, whisk every 30 seconds. Watch filling carefully. It will become thick in a split second and you want to be there to whisk and make sure filling cooks evenly. When this happens it may look like a big lump rising up in the middle or one side. Whisk furiously and it will all smooth out. Keep cooking till thick as pudding but do not allow to boil. Pour the custard through a sieve for the smoothest filling you've ever tasted.
Stir vanilla and butter into thick custard. Press plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool on the counter (or in ice bath if you are short on time) until lukewarm.
Whisk cream and pour thin layer into pie shell. Slice a single layer of bananas then cover with another layer of cream. Repeat. In the end, you should have three layers of cream with two layers of bananas, ending with the cream on top. Smooth as much as possible, cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill as least a couple hours before serving. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

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