All the Cream Pie Recipes

So since it's the holidays, it's time to make a batch of pies again.  I'm always making a few for Thanksgiving Dinner.  Then I remember how much I like them, get the craving for more,  and so I make a few more... and a few more...  Anyway, I know you all will be taking some to your dinners as well, so here's every variation of the Cream Pies that I make.  Make sure you read through the entire recipe.  The first section tells you how to make the pies, but there are slight variations at the end for each different recipe.  If you don't read ahead, you may add too much sugar, not enough butter and it won't taste nearly as good as it could.

Basic Cream Pie Recipe

2 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place the three egg yolks into a small container, mix them up and set aside for the time being.  In a medium saucepan, thoroughly combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Add the milk and cream and whisk until the sugar and cornstarch lumps are gone.  Cook over medium heat and stir constantly to prevent scorching. Once the mixture starts thickening (about 8-10 minutes), scoop a small amount of the mixture into the egg yolks and immediately start stirring the yolks. (Tricky part, continue to stir the other mixture too so it does not burn). Do this a few times so the yolks slowly warm up.  This will prevent them from curdling when they are added to the main mixture.  Now add the yolks into the saucepan very slowly, stirring the entire time.  Once added, pour in the butter and cook for two more minutes.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla.  Immediately pour it into a pre-cooked crust and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Differences to make each different type of pie…..

Chocolate Cream Pie

– When you add the butter, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or 6 oz of your favorite high-end chocolate and stir the mixture until completely melted.  Once the pie is cooled, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Coconut Cream Pie

– Increase the sugar to 1 whole cup at the beginning.  When you add the butter, add 1 ¼ cups of coconut and mix well. Once the pie is cooled, garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut (to toast, broil a few pinches of coconut in an oven safe dish until brown, then sprinkle over the pie)

Banana Cream Pie

– Increase the sugar to 1 whole cup at the beginning of the recipe.  Layer the bottom of the crust with slices of bananas.  Then as you add the butter, add ½ cup crushed banana and mix thoroughly. Once the pie is cooled, garnish with whipped cream and banana slices

Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry or Blueberry Cream Pie

– You can layer the bottom of the crust with sliced or crushed fruit.  Then as you add the butter, add ½ to ¾ cup of crushed fruit and mix thoroughly.  Garnish the top with whipped cream and slices of the fruit

German Chocolate Pie

– Reduce the sugar to ½ cup.  As you add the butter, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of coconut and ¼ cup finely chopped pecans.  Once the pie is cooled, take storebought hot caramel (or homemade if you’re skilled enough) and drizzle all over the top of the pie, covering most of the surface.  Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped pecans, toasted coconut, and shaved chocolate.

Butterscotch Pie

– Increase sugar to 1 cup and the butter to 6 tablespoons.  As you add the butter, add 2 oz of scotch (the alcohol will cook out).  Stir for 5 more minutes instead of two to cook off excess liquid.  Garnish with whipped cream.

Butter Rum Pie

– Increase sugar to 1 cup and the butter to 6 tablespoons.  As you add the butter, add 2 oz of dark rum (or light if you prefer the taste, don’t worry, the alcohol will cook out).  Stir for 5 more minutes instead of two to cook off excess liquid.  Garnish with whipped cream.

Peanut Butter Pie

– Increase the sugar to 1 full cup.  When adding the butter add 1 cup of creamy or chucky peanut butter.  After cooling, garnish with whipped cream and crushed peanuts.  Use a regular or Oreo Cookie Crust and slather on as much hot fudge sauce as you’d like (recipe at the bottom of this page).  If using the Oreo Crust add chocolate shavings to the crushed peanut garnish.

Peppermint Fudge Pie

– Before starting to cook, crush enough starlight mints or candy canes into very small pieces to fill 1 cup (about 20 starlight mints).  Add the candy when you add the butter and stir until they melt.  Add ¼ tsp peppermint extract when you add the vanilla, as well as 5 drops of red food coloring. Pour into an Oreo Cookie Crust.  Garnish with whipped cream, crushed peppermint candy and pour hot fudge over it when serving.

Oreo Cookie Crust

1 package oreos

8 tablespoons butter

Scrape the filling off of the oreos and place them in a large Ziploc bag.  Eat discarded filling…if you really want to.  Crush the cookies in the bag to your desired consistency, somewhere between very small chunks to almost powdered.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once butter is melted, add the cookies and stir until the cookies soak up the butter.  Scoop the mixture into a pie plate and press the mixture flat until the entire plate is covered

Hot Fudge Sauce

4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cups evaporated milk

¾ cups whole milk

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, then add the chocolates, increase to medium heat and fully melt them into the butter. Add half the powdered sugar and milks and stir until incorporated.  Add the other half and stir.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for about 8 minutes until it’s thick and creamy. Stir in the vanilla. The sauce will thicken as it cools.  Store in a mason jar in the fridge if you aren’t using it immediately.  To reheat, place the desired amount in a small bowl and microwave on high for 20-30 seconds.