Banana Pudding Cheesecake – A Delectable Dessert Delight
With a vanilla wafer crust and creamy banana filling, this banana pudding cheesecake brings together two of your favorite desserts into one decadent bite.
If you’ve been around MBA for a while, you know that I love banana pudding. Whether it’s homemade banana pudding or the easy Magnolia Bakery banana pudding, I’m all in. And you all know what else I adore: any and all cheesecake recipes.
So it only made sense to me to combine these two beloved desserts into one. And let me tell you, this banana pudding cheesecake did not disappoint.
What is banana pudding cheesecake?
Banana pudding cheesecake is the best combination of two of my favorite things: banana pudding and vanilla cheesecake.
The base is a crust made from vanilla wafer cookies instead of graham crackers. On top of that, we have a rich, creamy filling that contains a full cup of mashed bananas. Finish off the cheesecake with some homemade whipped cream and you have all of the components of a delicious banana pudding in a decadent slice of cheesecake.
This banana pudding cheesecake makes for a beautiful dessert any time of year, but I think it would be especially perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day!
How to make this banana pudding cheesecake
If you haven’t made many cheesecakes before, don’t worry. I’ll walk you through every step, including my favorite tip for preventing leaks when using a water bath.
Ingredients you’ll need
This banana pudding cheesecake recipe is very similar to my vanilla cheesecake, with a few simple tweaks that make all the difference.
Instead of a graham cracker crust, this cheesecake has a vanilla wafer crust. For that, you will need:
- 2 cups Nilla Wafer crumbs
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
You will need about 8 ounces of the cookies to get 2 cups of crumbs. Save some of the rest of the cookies for garnishing the finished cheesecake. Keep in mind that the vanilla wafer crust is a bit softer than a traditional graham cracker crust. If you prefer to use a graham cracker crust, no worries! The cheesecake will still be delicious.
Making banana pudding cheesecake
Before you get started, prep your 9-inch springform pan for the water bath. You can wrap the outside of the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil; however, my favorite method is to simply set the pan inside of a 10-inch cake pan. Both pans can go inside of a roasting pan – the regular cake pan will keep the water from getting into the springform.
Spray the springform pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
To make the crust, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. Press this into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 350°F, then let it cool while you prepare the filling.
To make the banana cheesecake filling, you will need:
- 32 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 large room-temperature eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium bananas)
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Before mixing, ensure your cream cheese and eggs are both at room temperature for a creamy cheesecake filling. If you don’t want to see flecks of banana, you can puree them in a food processor instead of mashing them.
Recipe
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Preheat oven to 350°F. |
| 2 | Tightly wrap a 9-inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. Alternatively, place a 9-inch springform pan into a 10-inch round cake pan to prevent leaks. |
| 3 | Lightly spray the springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. |
| 4 | In a medium bowl, stir together crushed Nilla Wafer cookies and melted butter until thoroughly combined. Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan. |
| 5 | Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove and let it cool. |
| 6 | In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and flour, mixing until smooth. |
| 7 | Add eggs one at a time, ensuring each is incorporated before the next addition. |
| 8 | Add in vanilla, mashed bananas, sour cream, and salt and mix until smooth. |
| 9 | Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. |
| 10 | Place the springform pan into a roasting pan and fill it halfway with boiling water. Bake for 65-70 minutes. |
| 11 | Once baked, let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the bath and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. |
| 12 | Before serving, top with whipped cream, crushed Nilla Wafers, and freshly sliced bananas. |
Storage tips
Store banana pudding cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If not serving right away, keep toppings separate until just before serving. To freeze, wrap the cooled cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and foil; it will last up to 1 month.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! A food processor will work well to get a smooth filling.
Absolutely! Wrap slices in plastic wrap and then foil, placing them in a zip-top bag and freezing for up to 1 month.
