1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Featured in Sweet treats that make you happy.

This creamy dessert mixes banana pudding and cheesecake into one standout dish. It has a crisp Nilla Wafer crust, mashed bananas folded into cheesecake filling, and added banana slices and crushed wafers within. The fluffy pudding topping completes it. Baking it in a water bath guarantees a silky, crack-free finish.
Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump To Recipe
Maria from tastyhush
Updated on Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:16:37 GMT
Banana Cheesecake Pudding Pin it
Banana Cheesecake Pudding | tastyhush.com

Imagine blending two dessert favorites into one incredible treat - that's what this Banana Pudding Cheesecake does. The velvety smooth cheesecake pairs wonderfully with classic banana pudding flavors, making something totally unique yet comfortingly familiar. When you cut into it, you'll see amazing layers - vanilla wafer base, banana-filled cheesecake middle, and a light-as-air pudding on top. Together they create a dessert you won't forget anytime soon.

I whipped this up for my mom's birthday celebration a few weeks back, and she told me it topped the banana pudding she's been making for four decades! The trick? Grab bananas at just the right ripeness and let everything hang out in the fridge so the flavors can really get to know each other.

Key Components and Smart Picking Advice

  • Cream Cheese: Stick with full-fat blocks only, not the whipped stuff or light versions. They'll give you the structure you need.
  • Bananas: Go for yellow ones with dark freckles - they pack the most banana punch without getting too wet.
  • Nilla Wafers: These original cookies bring that real deal flavor. Cheaper versions often fall apart too easily.
  • Sour Cream: Don't skimp on fat here, and make sure it's not cold from the fridge for smooth mixing.
  • Heavy Cream: The carton should say 'heavy whipping cream' with 36% fat or more to get that dreamy texture.

Step-by-Step Baking Guide

Step 1: Making Your Base
Heat your oven to 325°F. Crush Nilla Wafers in the food processor until they look like sand. Stir in the melted butter and brown sugar. Pack it down hard in your pan with a measuring cup's flat bottom. Pop it in the oven for 11 minutes.
Step 2: First Cooking Phase
Let the base cool down. Get all your filling stuff ready and make sure nothing's cold from the fridge.
Step 3: Putting Together The Filling
Whip the cream cheese until it's totally smooth. Add sugar and keep scraping down the sides. Squish the bananas into mush, then mix them in with your vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream. Drop in eggs one by one, mixing slowly.
Step 4: Building It Up
Pour half your mixture over the cooled base. Add a layer of thin banana slices and sprinkle broken wafers on top. Pour the rest of your mixture over and smooth it out nice and flat.
Step 5: Water Bath Setup
Cover your springform pan with foil, put it in a bigger pan, then set both inside a roasting pan. Pour hot water around it, coming halfway up the sides.
Step 6: Cooking and Cooling It Right
Bake for 80-90 minutes until the edges don't move but the middle still wobbles a bit. Turn the oven off and crack the door open so it cools down slowly.
Tasty Banana Pudding Cheesecake Pin it
Tasty Banana Pudding Cheesecake | tastyhush.com

The Hidden Magic Behind Dreamy Cheesecake

Knowing how stuff works together helps you nail the texture. The proteins in cream cheese and eggs firm up as they heat, while fats from cream and sour cream make everything rich. Bananas add moisture and sweetness, but you gotta be careful they don't make things too soggy.

Handling Heat Just Right

Getting temperatures right makes all the difference. Your ingredients should be warm from sitting out - they'll mix way better that way. I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush making this for friends coming over. Cold stuff just leaves lumps!

Delicious Banana Pudding Cheesecake Pin it
Delicious Banana Pudding Cheesecake | tastyhush.com

Making this Banana Pudding Cheesecake has turned into something I really care about doing right. It mixes the deep flavor of cheesecake with the comfort of banana pudding, creating a dessert that turns heads and starts conversations whenever I bring it to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How does a water bath help?
It keeps the heat steady and moist, making the cheesecake smooth and free of cracks.
→ Why use room-temp ingredients?
Softened ingredients mix easier and give the cheesecake a smoother texture.
→ Is this dessert make-ahead friendly?
Absolutely! Chill it for at least 6 hours, and it’s perfect up to 2 days later.
→ Why add a banana layer in the middle?
Adding wafers and banana slices there brings out the classic pudding flavor.
→ How do I avoid water getting in?
Wrap the pan tightly in foil or check out the cake pan baking trick.

Banana Pudding Cheesecake

A rich and creamy blend of banana pudding and cheesecake that includes layers of Nilla Wafers, sliced bananas, and a smooth vanilla topping.

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Total Time
120 Minutes
By: Maria

Category: Desserts

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 12 Servings (One 9-inch dessert)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Crust Base

01 1 box of Nilla Wafers
02 2 tablespoons of lightly or darkly packed brown sugar
03 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter

→ Banana Cheesecake Layers

04 24 ounces of softened cream cheese
05 3/4 cup of regular white sugar
06 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
07 2 ripe bananas, mashed
08 1/2 cup of room-temperature sour cream
09 1/4 cup of room-temp heavy cream
10 4 large eggs at room temperature
11 1 cup of ground-up Nilla Wafers
12 2 bananas, sliced thin

→ Creamy Pudding Topping

13 3.4 ounces of instant vanilla pudding mix
14 1 cup of cold milk
15 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
16 1 cup of chilled heavy cream
17 Extra crushed Nilla Wafers for garnish

Instructions

Step 01

Turn the oven on to 325°F. Blend Nilla Wafers into crumbs, stir with melted butter and brown sugar. Firmly press it into the base of a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 11 minutes.

Step 02

Whip sugar and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and heavy cream. Lightly mix in eggs. Pour part of the mixture onto the crust, add banana slices and wafer crumbs, then cover with the remaining filling.

Step 03

Set the springform pan in a warm water bath and bake for 80-90 minutes until firm edges and a wobbly center appear. Let cool for 30 minutes in the oven with the door open, then fully cool on a rack before refrigerating for at least 6 hours.

Step 04

Whisk pudding mix with cold milk for 2 minutes. Separately, whip heavy cream and vanilla until fluffy peaks form, then gently fold that into the pudding mixture until smooth.

Step 05

Take chilled cheesecake out of the pan, spread the whipped pudding topping on top, and sprinkle crushed Nilla Wafers over everything for a final touch.

Notes

  1. Dairy products need to be at room temperature beforehand.
  2. Use a reliable waterproof option for the water bath.
  3. You'll need at least 6 hours to chill the dessert.

Tools You'll Need

  • A 9-inch springform pan
  • Blender or food processor
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • A large roasting pan for the water bath

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Includes dairy (cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream).
  • Made with gluten-containing Nilla Wafers.
  • Has eggs in it.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 370
  • Total Fat: 28 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 28 g
  • Protein: 4 g