Classic Banana Pudding – Transformed into the best Cheesecake
I gave my old-fashioned banana pudding recipe a makeover with this amazing recipe for Banana Pudding Cheesecake!
Because Nilla Wafers are such a classic part of banana pudding, I made sure to incorporate them in the recipe as the main ingredient of the crispy, buttery crust.
Then I topped that crust with a thick, creamy cheesecake infused with mashed ripe bananas, a layer of even more bananas, and a homemade banana pudding topping.
This cheesecake recipe is, well, Bananas! Like, it’s crazy good, and well worth the time it takes to put together.
Follow along with the recipe and make sure to read through my tips, especially if it’s your first time making a baked cheesecake like this one. It’s easy with the right tools and ingredients!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this amazing banana cheesecake:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Crust
- Vanilla wafer cookies and melted unsalted butter make the perfect thick cookie crust for this dessert. A standard box of Nilla Wafers is the perfect amount.
For the Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese: You’ll need 4 blocks of regular full-fat cream cheese for this recipe, softened to room temperature.
- Sour Cream: This adds richness to the filling.
- Eggs: In cheesecakes, eggs provide structure to the dessert as it bakes.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds the right amount of sweetness.
- Mashed Bananas: Use about 2 ripe bananas in the cheesecake layer.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla enhances all of the other flavors here.
To Make the Banana Pudding Topping
- All-Purpose Flour: This is an old-fashioned cooked pudding recipe which uses flour as a thickening agent.
- Eggs: 3 whole eggs create a luscious custard texture.
- Milk and Cream: Use whole milk and heavy cream (or you can use all half and half) for a creamy, rich pudding.
- More Bananas! They don’t go into the pudding, but we will add a layer of sliced bananas underneath the pudding layer.
How To Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake
1: Make the Crust by combining crushed Nilla wafers with melted butter in a small bowl.
2: Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan.
3: Beat Cream Cheese and sugar until smooth. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
4: Mix in the sour cream, then Fold in the mashed bananas.
5: Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared crust. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil, and place it into a large roasting pan.
6: Carefully fill the roasting pan half way with boiling water. Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Cool completely.
Tip!
To properly cool a baked cheesecake, do it slowly and gradually. First, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the cheesecake inside the oven for 1 hour. Then remove the cheesecake and let it finish cooling on the counter.
7: Whisk together sugar, flour, salt, and eggs in a medium saucepan to start the pudding.
8: Gradually Add the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly.
9: Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Let cool for 15 minutes.
10: Arrange freshly sliced bananas over the cooled cheesecake.
11: Pour the banana pudding over the bananas and smooth the top with a spatula.
12: Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. Garnish with fresh whipped cream, Nilla Wafers, and banana slices before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Making the Crust. Be sure to really press down on the Nilla Wafer crumb mixture in the pan to create a firm, even crust. A flat bottomed measuring cup or a glass can help you do this.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. For a super smooth cheesecake mixture, the eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese should all be at room temperature before mixing.
- Mixing. As you’re mixing the cheesecake filling, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times so that everything is evenly mixed.
- Water Bath. Don’t skip this step! Creating a water bath around your cheesecake turns the oven into a moist environment, which will keep the cheesecake from cracking or drying out.
- Use Foil to wrap the springform pan so that none of the water will seep into the cheesecake.
- Chilling. For the best texture, allow the cheesecake to chill overnight. This way it will be fully cooled and set when you’re ready to slice it!
Cheesecake Storing Tips
Once baked and cooled, the banana pudding cheesecake can be covered or wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you are planning to store this dessert, leave off the garnishes, as the banana slices will turn brown with time.
It’s also super easy to freeze cheesecake! I like to freeze individual slices. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Variations
This dessert is pretty darn perfect already, but you can make changes if you’d like!
Add Nuts: Walnuts or pecans go well with bananas. Consider adding some chopped nuts to the crust, or using them as a garnish.
Crust: Instead of Nilla Wafers, make a classic graham cracker crust. You can also use a different type of vanilla cookie, like Golden Oreos, shortbread cookies, or Chessman cookies like I use in my Banana Pudding recipe.
Skip the Toppings: A swirl of fresh whipped cream and extra cookies and bananas really pulls the whole dessert together, but you can omit them if you’re short on time. The banana cheesecake is still delicious without any toppings.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make cheesecake with low-Fat Cream Cheese?
While the technical answer would be yes, I really do not recommend baking cheesecake with low fat dairy. In a rich dessert such as this one, full-fat cream cheese will give you the best flavor and texture.
How do I make a water bath for cheesecake?
The easiest way I’ve found is the method I show you here, which involves placing the cheesecake into a large roasting pan with hot water before baking. If you don’t have a roasting pan large enough, place a smaller baking pan on the oven rack underneath the cheesecake. Fill it halfway with hot water.
How do I know that My bananas are ripe?
The best bananas for this recipe will be completely yellow and just starting to show brown spots on the peels. Underripe bananas won’t be sweet enough or smooth enough for your cheesecake, and overripe bananas are just not quite ideal either.
More Decadent Cheesecake Recipes
Baked Coffee Cheesecake
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe With Chocolate Ganache
Reese’s Caramel Cheesecake
Turtle Cheesecake
If you have an abundance of ripe bananas, consider making my banana pudding poke cake (it uses 4 bananas) or brown butter banana bread (3 bananas) too! If your bananas aren’t quite ripe yet, Pin this recipe to save it for later!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Hand mixer or Stand mixer
- Roasting pan
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 11-ounce box (312 g) Nilla wafers
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake:
- 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (23 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
Banana Pudding:
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream double cream in the UK
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 bananas sliced
For Garnish (Optional):
- Whipped cream
- Nilla wafers
- Banana slices
Instructions
Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325F° (160°C), or 140°C for a fan oven.
- In a food processor, crush the Nilla wafers into fine crumbs. Reserve ½ cup of crumbs for garnish.
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups of cookie crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened.
- Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Make the Cheesecake:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high speed until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, then mix in the eggs one at a time, beating just until incorporated.
- Add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the mashed bananas.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.
- Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with two layers of foil to prevent water from seeping in.
- Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly wobbly.
- Turn off the oven, crack the oven door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour inside the oven.
- Remove from the water bath and let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature.
Make the Banana Pudding:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt.
- Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Let the pudding cool for 15 minutes.
Assemble and Chill:
- Slice 1-2 bananas and arrange them in a single layer over the cooled cheesecake.
- Pour the banana pudding over the bananas and smooth the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Before serving, garnish with whipped cream, Nilla wafers, and additional banana slices, if desired.
Notes:
- Making the Crust. Be sure to really press down on the Nilla Wafer crumb mixture in the pan to create a firm, even crust. A flat bottomed measuring cup or a glass can help you do this.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. For a super smooth cheesecake mixture, the eggs, sour cream, and cream cheese should all be at room temperature before mixing.
- Mixing. As you’re mixing the cheesecake filling, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times so that everything is evenly mixed.
- Water Bath. Don’t skip this step! Creating a water bath around your cheesecake turns the oven into a moist environment, which will keep the cheesecake from cracking or drying out.
- Use Foil to wrap the springform pan so that none of the water will seep into the cheesecake.
- Cooling. Cool the cheesecake gradually to avoid cracks. But if you do get cracks, they’ll all be covered underneath the pudding topping!
- Chilling. For the best texture, allow the cheesecake to chill overnight. This way it will be fully cooled and set when you’re ready to slice it!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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