I made this for a sleepover with my friend, and we at over half the pie in one sitting - just the 2 of us. She was so surprised at how good it was and made me give her the recipe. Before she tasted it, she really, really wanted to go to a local ice cream shop for dessert. But I told her I made a pie, and she was like: "okay...well...I guess I'll try it." And when she tasted it - well, lets just say she really did not want to go to get ice cream anymore. This is by far the best banana cream pie I've ever had. The sugar cookie crust makes it extra special, as opposed to a normal, flaky pie crust. The crust makes it very sweet, but it's just so delicious and pairs perfectly with the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth, banana filling. Without the crust, the filling is also the best tasting pudding I've ever had! The filling has a wonderful banana flavor that I'm sure you will love. This pie is the ultimate comfort food...especially for those warm summer nights.
For the Crust:
Ingredients:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of a 9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before filling.
For the banana cream filling:
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 bananas, sliced
Directions
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
- Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
- Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for at least one hour.
- Garnish with whipped cream and/or extra sliced bananas, if desired.
The other day, I had some left over Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix in my pantry, so I wanted to use it up. Of course, I had bake something much more exciting than plain old sugar cookies. So I went online to the Betty Crocker Website and found these magnificent little bars. When I saw them, it said they were the prize winning recipe in 2008, so I had to make them. And guess what? I was not let down in the slightest. These have so much flavor! The sugar cookie base, almond extract, and cherry filling transform your average cheesecake into a heavenly baked cherry-streusel bar. They truly are delicious. My mom got really mad at me for making them because she was scared she'd gain weight. The base is a delicious sugar cookie, and then there is a layer of creamy cheesecake, topped off with a sweet cherry filling and a touch of almond. [Absolutely perfect.]
*you can find the recipe here.
Ingredients:
Cookie Base and Topping
- 1
- pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
- 1/4
- cup cold butter or margarine
- 4
- oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese
- 1/2
- cup sliced almonds
Filling
- 2 1/2
- packages (8 oz each) cream cheese (20 oz), softened
- 1/2
- cup sugar
- 2
- tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
- 1
- teaspoon almond extract
- 2
- eggs
- 1
- can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
- 1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in large bowl. Cut in butter and 4 oz cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 12 minutes.
- 2Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat 20 oz cream cheese, the sugar, flour, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- 3Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with reserved topping and almonds.
- 4Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
