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Get ready to enjoy a slice of pure dessert perfection with this Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe. This yummy dessert has a buttery vanilla wafer crust, a velvety cream cheese filling with ripe bananas, and a classic banana pudding topping.
Cheesecake, with its creamy filling and delicious crumble crust, is a favorite of mine! There are so many flavors that you have got to try! Start out with this Key Lime Cheesecake, this Lemon Cheesecake, or this classic New York Cheesecake!
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Recipe
Banana pudding flavor is for everyone, and I mean everyone! It’s a classic, and after making this Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, I knew I had to take it to the next level with a cheesecake. Cheesecakes are elegant, creamy, and perfect for any occasion. This Banana Pudding Cheesecake is no exception!
Made with very ripe (and I mean almost brown) bananas, this cheesecake is going to be a crowd-pleaser. It has a graham cracker crust and is garnished on top wth fresh banana slices and some delicious nilla wafers. Once your teeth sink into the first bite, it’s game over, and I bet you can’t resist going for slice number two!
Ingredients in Banana Pudding Cheesecake
These ingredients will have you licking your lips as you read through them! Once you combine them all together, you will have a dessert that is sure to be a family favorite! Be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact ingredient measurements.
Crust
- Vanilla Wafers: These sweet and crunchy cookies form the perfect base for the cheesecake.
- Sugar: Used in both the crust and filling the sugar adds sweetness to balance the tartness of the cream cheese and banana.
- Unsalted Butter: The melted butter binds the crust together.
- Salt: A tiny amount of salt enhances the flavor and balances out the sweet sugar.
Filling
- Cream Cheese: The star of the filling, the cream cheese, gives the cheesecake a smooth and creamy texture.
- Banana: Use a really overripe banana for the batter’s best flavor. The brown and mushy ones end up being so sweet and bring explosive banana flavor to the table.
- Sour Cream: This adds a tangy flavor in the creamy filling.
- Instant Banana Pudding: The pudding mix complements the flavor of the natural bananas.
- Large Eggs: Room-temperature eggs help bind the filling together.
- Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the cheesecake.
Toppings
- Instant Banana Pudding: Since this is in the filling as well, adding it on top really makes the cheesecake come together.
- Whipped Cream: The whipped cream not only tastes delicious but it makes the final product look finished.
- Vanilla Wafers and Bananas: I use these to top the cheesecake.
How to Make Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Don’t let the length of these instructions discourage you! Anyone can make a cheesecake and I walk you through everything that you will need to know!
Crust
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by spraying lightly with cooking spray.
- Blend: Add the vanilla wafer cookies to a blender or a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs.
- Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and salt together. This should resemble damp sand.
- Press the Crust: Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.
- Bake: Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Keep the oven on, as the cheesecake will bake at the same temperature.
Cheesecake Filling
- Beat the Cream Cheese: Add the softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more.
- Add Banana, Sour Cream, Sugar, and Pudding: Add the mashed banana and sour cream and mix at medium/low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix for 30 seconds. Add in the sugar and pudding powder and mix until combined.
- Mix in the Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low speed until combined (for about 30-60 seconds).
Prep The Cheesecake
- Wrap in Foil: Using 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of the springform pan with four sheets of foil, ensuring the sheets are long enough to go up all sides of the pan. You can use regular foil, but it may take a couple more sheets to ensure the water does not get into the pan.
- Add Springform Pan to Roasting Pan: Place the wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.
- Add Batter: Add the cheesecake batter to the springform pan and smooth over the top of it.
- Create a Water Bath: Add very hot water to the baking pan until there is about 1 ½ inches of water around the springform pan. Carefully move the baking pan to a rack in the oven that is positioned in the lower third of the oven.
Bake the Cheesecake
- Bake: Bake for 1-1 ½ hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should be jiggly, but not liquid. If it seems very liquid still, give it 15 more minutes and check it again.
- Cool IN THE OVEN: Once the cheesecake is fairly firm but still has a slight wobble, turn the oven off. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so, until the oven has cooled down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! The purpose of this step is to allow the cheesecake to cool slowly as the oven cools. Doing this will prevent it from cracking. One of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.
- Remove from Oven: Once the oven and the cheesecake are cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan.
- Chill: Chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight before serving. Prepare the second box of banana pudding according to the directions on the box and store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve the cheesecake.
- Add Toppings: Before serving, top the cheesecake with banana pudding, whipped cream, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafers
Tips and Variations
These tips are a must when making this banana pudding cheesecake (or any cheesecake). It will make yours come out perfect every time!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature ingredients will help you achieve a smooth cheesecake batter. I usually get the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the fridge a couple of hours before I’m ready to start baking to ensure they have enough time to soften.
- Scrape the Bowl: Scrape down the bowl several times between each step. Doing this will prevent the thicker batter and cream cheese from sticking to the sides and bottom of the bowl, only to end up making your batter lumpy.
- Use Heavy Duty Foil: Heavy-duty 18-inch aluminum foil is one of the secrets to making a cheesecake that bakes evenly in a water bath and prevents any water from getting in and making the crust soggy. I’ve tried with 2-3 layers of foil, but have found that this can still sometimes leak. Best to go with 4 layers of foil, making sure it is a big enough piece to go all the way up each side of the pan.
- Let it cool IN THE OVEN: Letting the cheesecake cool in the oven as the oven cools will prevent it from cracking. You don’t want to poke it or stick a thermometer in it, either! That will greatly increase the risk of the cheesecake cracking as it cools down.
- How to Crush the Wafers: If you don’t have a food processor or a blender to crush up the vanilla wafers, put them in a large ziplock bag and use a heavy rolling pin to crush them as best you can.
Storing Leftovers
- Before Adding the Toppings: The baked cheesecake can be frozen as long as it has not been topped with pudding or whipped cream. Remove the chilled cheesecake from the springform pan and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Once it has frozen completely, wrap it tightly in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap. Place in an extra large freezer ziplock bag and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove from the plastic wrap and place on a cake plate or serving plate. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping and serving.
- After Adding the Toppings: After adding the topping and additional wafters and bananas to this banana pudding cheesecake, it should be eaten within 3 days. It should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The sliced bananas will discolor the longer they sit, so it is best to discard them before storing them.
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Crust
-
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by spraying lightly with cooking spray.
-
Add the vanilla wafer cookies to a blender or a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs.
-
In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and salt together. This should resemble damp sand.
-
Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.
-
Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Keep the oven on, as the cheesecake will bake at the same temperature.
Cheesecake Filling
-
Add the softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more.
-
Add the mashed banana and sour cream and mix at medium/low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix for 30 seconds. Add in the sugar and pudding powder and mix until combined.
-
Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low speed until combined, about 30-60 seconds.
Bake The Cheesecake
-
Using 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of the springform pan with four sheets of foil, ensuring the sheets are long enough to go up all sides of the pan. You can use regular foil, but it may take a couple more sheets to ensure the water does not get into the pan.
-
Place the wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.
-
Add the cheesecake batter to the springform pan and smooth over the top of it.
-
Add very hot water to the baking pan until there is about 1 ½ inches of water around the springform pan. Carefully move the baking pan to a rack in the oven that is positioned in the lower third of the oven.
-
Bake for 1-1 ½ hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should be jiggly, but not liquid. If it seems very liquid still, give it 15 more minutes and check it again.
-
Once the cheesecake is fairly firm but still has a slight wobble, turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so, until the oven has cooled down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! The purpose of this step is to allow the cheesecake to cool slowly as the oven cools. Doing this will prevent it from cracking, as one of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.
-
Once the oven and the cheesecake are cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan.
-
Chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight before serving. Prepare the second box of banana pudding according to the directions on the box and store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve the cheesecake.
-
Before serving, top the cheesecake with banana pudding, whipped cream, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafers.
Calories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 7gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 1280IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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