This Banana Pudding Cheesecake combines the best banana cheesecake recipe with a classic banana pudding. Layer it with fresh bananas and whipped topping and you get an amazing banana dessert!
If you are a fan of banana and cheesecake, you need to try this mini chocolate banana cheesecake too.
Why This Works
Cheesecake is one of our favorite things to make for dessert. Over the years we have come up with so many recipes for cheesecake bars, full sized cheesecake, mini cheesecakes, and no bake cheesecakes.
This banana cheesecake recipe is a combination of two of our favorite classic desserts...banana pudding and banana cheesecake. A few years ago we made this Banana Split Cheesecake, and it is still one of our our all time favorites because it is made with real bananas.
I decided to make that same banana cheesecake, but this time I added a simple banana pudding layer on top. The combination of thick creamy cheesecake with light fluffy pudding turned out so good. It may be our new favorite cheesecake.
Packed with banana pudding flavor, this twist on banana cheesecake will be a new favorite with your family too.
Ingredients Needed
Real bananas, banana pudding, and a vanilla wafer crust add a delicious twist to a classic banana cheesecake.
For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Nilla Wafers - Buy a big box of cookies, so you have enough for the crust and the decorations.
- Sugar - Sweetens the crust and also helps it bake firm.
- Butter - Unsalted, melted, and mixed with wafer crumbs.
For the Banana Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese - Make sure to set the 4 blocks out ahead of time.
- Sugar - Sweetens the cheesecake.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds flavor.
- Bananas - 3-4 ripe bananas mashed up.
- Flour - Adding flour helps to stabilize the filling, so it doesn't crack.
- Eggs - Binds everything together and helps the cheesecake bake.
For the Banana Pudding
- Vanilla Pudding Mix - One small box of instant pudding.
- Milk - 2% or whole will give you the best pudding texture.
- Cool Whip - Gives the pudding a light and fluffy texture. You can also use heavy cream to make this homemade whipped cream, if you prefer. You will need 6 cups.
- Bananas - 3 sliced ripe bananas for inside and on top.
How to Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake
This banana pudding cheesecake recipe has a few steps, but it is really quite simple to make. I added banana pudding and fresh bananas to the top of the fresh banana cheesecake. If you are opposed to box mixes, check out this banana pudding from scratch.
Step One: Make the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Mix together the crushed vanilla wafers, sugar, and melted butter.
- Press firmly and evenly in the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
BruCrew Tip: Make this graham cracker crust recipe, if you prefer that flavor instead.
Step Two: Make the Cheesecake Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
- Add the vanilla, mashed banana, and flour and mix again.
- Add the eggs and gently mix until everything is combined.
- Pour onto the vanilla wafer crust and bake.
- Once it is done baking, remove and cool 5 minutes. Loosen edges from pan.
- Cool on wire rack to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled through.
Step Three: Make Banana Pudding
- Whisk together the pudding mix and milk.
- Refrigerate 5-10 minutes.
- Fold in Cool Whip gently.
Step Four: Assemble the Cheesecake
- Arrange sliced bananas on top of the cooled cheesecake.
- Place Nilla Wafers around the very outside edge of the pan standing up on the cheesecake.
- Spread the banana pudding evenly over the bananas.
- Top with another layer of Cool Whip and refrigerate.
- Right before serving, add Cool Whip swirls, mini Nilla wafers, banana slices, and wafer cookie crumbs.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure you set out your cream cheese ahead of time. It is so much easier to cream the ingredients if they are softer. Although, if you do forget, you can remove the foil wrappers and microwave each block for about 15-20 seconds.
- Preheat your oven and place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack of the oven. Fill it at least halfway with water for a steam bath. This is quite a controversial topic, but I have found that the steam bath method works to work great. Plus, it's so much easier than a water bath, and you don't have to worry about water seeping in and ruining a perfectly good cheesecake.
- Use parchment paper in the bottom of the springform pan if you want to remove the cheesecake completely from the pan later. This is an optional step though. If you do not mind serving your cheesecake from the bottom of the pan, you can skip this step.
- Make sure you add the eggs one a time while mixing the batter. Do NOT over beat the cheesecake batter once your eggs are incorporated. This can add extra air bubbles which could cause cracks when the cheesecake bakes.
- When you bake the cheesecake, place the pan on the oven rack directly above the steaming pan of hot water.
- As soon as your timer goes off, remove the cheesecake from the oven. There is no need to keep it in the hot oven. A cheesecake kept in a hot oven keeps cooking, which in turn could mean cracks or an over dry cheesecake.
- TIP: The only time you will leave the cheesecake in the oven after the timer is if you are running your air conditioning and it is below 75° in your house. Crack the oven door and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Let the banana cheesecake chill for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Again, this is to keep the cheesecake from cracking as it cools and pulls away from the pan.
Recipe FAQS
Cheesecake is the perfect dessert to make ahead of time because it needs time to chill.
Yes, you can. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour the cheesecake filling on top and bake for 40-50 minutes.
Gently shake the pan of baked cheesecake to see if the center jiggles. Cheesecake is done when the outside is set and the center jiggles. It should wiggle as a whole, like a pan of Jello.
More Simple Cheesecake Recipes
- Orange Cream Cheesecake
- Cookie Dough Mousse Cheesecake
- Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Cookie Bars
- Cashew Cheesecake
- Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars
- Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
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Recipe
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
This Banana Pudding Cheesecake combines the best banana cheesecake with a classic banana pudding. Layer it with fresh bananas and whipped topping and you get an amazing banana dessert!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 50 Nilla Wafers
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 4 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed banana (3-4)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Topping
- 20-30 Nilla Wafers, divided
- 1 - 3.9 ounce (small) box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 - 16 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed and divided
- 3 ripe bananas, sliced
- mini Nilla wafers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack of the oven and fill it halfway with water. Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Crush the Nilla Wafers with a food processor and stir in the sugar and melted butter. Stir until mixed and then press it evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla, mashed banana, and flour and beat again.
- Add the eggs one at a time until mixed in. Pour onto the prepared crust.
- Place the springform pan on the oven rack directly above the steaming water. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven when the timer goes off and place it on a wire rack. Cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Cool for another 1-2 hours on the wire rack, then refrigerate for 4-6 hours or until firm.
- Whisk together the instant pudding mix and milk. It should thicken right away. If not refrigerate for a few minutes. Fold in 3 cups Cool Whip and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to chill the mousse.
- Arrange Nilla Wafers around the outside edge of the cheesecake and banana slices on top of the chilled cheesecake. Spoon the pudding mixture into the center and spread out evenly.
- Spread 1 ½ cups Cool Whip evenly on top of the pudding and chill for another 2-3 hours before removing the sides of the springform pan.
- Use a disposable piping bag and icing tip 1M to swirl the remaining Cool Whip around the edge of the cheesecake. Top with mini Nilla Wafers and banana slices. Add crushed cookies to the center of the cheesecake.
Notes
- Make sure you set out your cream cheese ahead of time. It is so much easier to cream the ingredients if they are softer. Although, if you do forget, you can remove the foil wrappers and microwave each block for about 15-20 seconds.
- Preheat your oven and place a large sheet pan on the very bottom rack of the oven. Fill it at least halfway with water for a steam bath. This is quite a controversial topic, but I have found that the steam bath method works to work great. Plus, it's so much easier than a water bath, and you don't have to worry about water seeping in and ruining a perfectly good cheesecake.
- Use parchment paper in the bottom of the springform pan if you want to remove the cheesecake completely from the pan later. This is an optional step though. If you do not mind serving your cheesecake from the bottom of the pan, you can skip this step.
- Make sure you add the eggs one a time while mixing the batter. Do NOT over beat the cheesecake batter once your eggs are incorporated. This can add extra air bubbles which could cause cracks when the cheesecake bakes.
- When you bake the cheesecake, place the pan on the oven rack directly above the steaming pan of hot water.
- As soon as your timer goes off, remove the cheesecake from the oven. There is no need to keep it in the hot oven. A cheesecake kept in a hot oven keeps cooking, which in turn could mean cracks or an over dry cheesecake.
- TIP: The only time you will leave the cheesecake in the oven after the timer is if you are running your air conditioning and it is below 75° in your house. Crack the oven door and let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 631Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 378mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 1gSugar: 41gProtein: 9g
*The post for Banana Pudding Cheesecake was first published May 2019. The post was updated and republished July 2021.
Amanda
I made this cheesecake yesterday for my father's birthday who loves banana pudding. I knew this recipe was going to be great when I tasted the batter from the mixing bowl. I made it in a 9" pan because that's the only size I had but fit perfectly perfectly and was done at the time allotted. I followed the recipe exactly except for one detail. I added a layer of Dulce De Leche which I put on top of the cheesecake then layered the bananas and then the rest of the layers. I only did this because I initially was struggling to decide between makin this cheesecake or banofee pie. The result was insanely delicious and my satisfied my craving but this recipe really is perfect as is. The only thing to note is that the swirls of whipped cream on top melt pretty quickly so pictures had to be taken fast. Not an issue as everyone was eager to dig in. I got a ton of compliments which I pass on to the creator!
Connie Carter
Hi, I made this with some changes. I didn’t add the fresh bananas because it was made for a restaurant and I didn’t want the bananas breaking down. The cheesecake itself came out good with the time allotted with just the slightest little gooyiness to one or two slices near the tip. On top I added the pudding mix but Not Vanilla, I used Banana Pudding mix! It tasted great! It was a little annoying with the nilla wafers getting in the way of slicing so I just removed the one in the way, sliced and put the cookie back either sliced in half or whole. The cheesecake was Fabulous!! It tasted great and everyone loved it! It went very quickly so the fresh fruit would have been safe to use!! Thanks for this delicious recipe… it’s a keeper!!
Christopher Brandl
Just made for me and my wife have it in the oven right now. I'm preying it come out good. I'm using 8 inch pan so in guessing I don't have to cook so long. Thank you for the recipe. I leave another comment on how it came out with a pic if I can
Jocelyn
Did you use the full amount or did you cut the recipe in half? If you used the full recipe in an 8 inch pan it may over flow and will definitely need to bake longer. Keep me posted on how it turns out.
Amy
So, I just mixed together the pudding, 1 cup milk and whipped topping and put it in the fridge for 15 mins and it's a runny mess. How did you prevent this?
Jocelyn
Oh, no! Did you use an instant pudding mix? The pudding mix and milk should set up right away and be really thick even before refrigerating, then you stir in the Cool Whip gently to make a fluffy mixture.
Evelyn
Once I put cool whip in mine it became runny even after leaving it in fridge. My pudding was firm before I added the miracle whip. I used the vanilla jello pudding "cook and serve."
Jocelyn
Did you use cool whip or miracle whip because that's a very big difference. And also you need to use the "instant" pudding for it to set up right.
Tanya Schroeder
Each layer is absolutely amazing! What a great recipe!
Ashley F
This is one of our favorite desserts! Simple to make and delicious!
Kristyn
This is such a pretty cheesecake!! I will have to make it for my dad, who loves banana & wafers together!
Sara Welch
What a decadent dessert! This looks restaurant worthy, indeed!
Jessica
Okay this is delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!