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Banana Cheesecake is a delicious hybrid of Banana Cream Pie and cheesecake. A rich, creamy, pile of cheesecakey banana deliciousness. It’s the perfect finale to any meal!
This cheesecake though. Vanilla cookie base. Creamy filling with banana pudding, real bananas, topped with whipped cream and garnished with more banana.
The Cheesecake Factory makes a Banana Cream Cheesecake…. and I like mine better. Yup, I said it.
Baked cheesecake can be intimidating to make, I get it – but below is the step by step recipe, including water bath, and possible substitutions if needed. I hope you give this a try, it really is worth it!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Make ahead. This cheesecake is the perfect choice for making ahead for a celebration.
Delicious. Banana cream pudding mix in the cheesecake filling makes the banana flavor pop!
Water baths for Cheesecake
I have made this recipe a few times – with a water bath, and without. I know, I know – many of my previous cheesecake recipes have been either mini cheesecakes, or have been non-water bath methods. BUT – and this is important – just this once, try the water-bath. For me?
Without it, the edges get brown, but the center is still wobbly and unset. Or, it cooks up, then cracks after cooling. The cracking is usually no big deal – if you are covering the top with ganache like in this To Die For Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. The ganache just fills the cracks and actually improves each slice that is lucky enough to HAVE a crack!
I’ve actually messed up with my water bath – and water got into my pan. If this happens to you – don’t freak out. Just CHILL. Literally.
Chill the cheesecake overnight (24 hours is awesome), and everything will work out just fine. Trust me.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
How to make Cheesecake
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The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Make the crust
Heat oven to 325F In a food processor, crush the cookies until they become crumbs. Melt the butter the add to the crushed cookies with the sugar, and mix well. Press into the bottom and a little way up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes then remove, and cool.
Make the filling
Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees F. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attached (or a large bowl and a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and pudding mix with an electric mixer until combined.
Add eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each.
Add the mashed banana and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined, but still lumpy.
Let’s bake!
Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
Wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top. Set wrapped pan in a large roasting pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan—to a depth of 2 inches or about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake for 90 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven with the door closed for 20 minutes. Crack open the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 20 minutes or until set.
Remove from oven and chill overnight.
Serving
Slice and decorate as desired – with fresh bananas, extra vanilla wafers and whipped cream (heavy cream whipped with a little powdered sugar).
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
Whipped topping (like Cool Whip) can be used instead of whipped cream if you prefer.
Make the Banana Cream Cheesecake ahead – I typically can’t wait to try desserts and might make it the same day – for eating that night. However, I’ve found that the flavor develops more with more chilling time, the crust is more solid.
Brush the sliced bananas with a little lemon juice to stop them from going brown!
Water bath – if a little water gets into your springform pan, no worries – just chill overnight, it will be just fine!
The crust – if you prefer a graham cracker crust, just switch them out in place of the wafer cookies.
What do do with leftovers
Hide them. You aren’t going to want to share. But if you do have any – just place in a sealed container and refrigerate until needed.
Some of my favorite cheesecake recipes:
- No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake. A delicious no-bake cheesecake that whips up in very little time
- Toffee Caramel Cheesecake. Creamy. Dreamy. Easy to Make.
- Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. It’s rich, decadent, and full of chocolate dessert (the best kind!). Seriously, just go make this immediately.
- Classic Cheesecake from Sugar Spun Run
- All Dessert Recipes
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on Kylee Cooks, leave a comment and rating – I truly love to hear from you!
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Banana Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 28 vanilla wafer cookies
- 5 Tbs butter
- 5 Tbs granulated white sugar
Filling
- 1 ½ lb cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 3 Tbs all purpose flour
- 3.4 oz package dry banana cream pudding mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup bananas (mashed )
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- Sliced bananas
- Mini vanilla wafers
- Whipped cream
Instructions
Crust
- Heat oven to 325F
- In a food processor, crush the cookies until they become crumbs.
- Melt the butter the add to the crushed cookies with the sugar, and mix well.
- Press into the bottom and a little wayup the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes then remove, and cool.
Cheesecake filling
- Reduce oven temp to 300F.
- Using an electric mixer with the paddle attached, mix the cream cheese, sugar, flour and pudding mix with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each.
- Add the mashed banana and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined, but still lumpy.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
- Wrap outside of pan in a double layer of foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top.
- Set wrapped pan in a large roasting pan, and pour hot water into roasting pan—to a depth of 2 inches or about halfway up the sides of cheesecake pan.
- Bake for 90 minutes. Turn off heat and leave in oven with door closed for 20 minutes.
- Crack open the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 20 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven and chill overnight.
To Serve
- Slice and decorate as desired – with bananas, extra vanilla wafers and cream.
- Devour.
- Hide the leftovers.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in January of 2017. It was republished with updated photos in November of 2020.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
What a great fusion between banana cream pie and cheesecake. It has been TOO long since I have made either. I know we would love this, and hubby would be happy if I somehow slipped in some bourbon into the recipe. That would be awesome.
Kylee says
I can always be convinced to improve desserts with booze! I’d love to hear how it goes. A little would go a long way, I’d bet.
Kim Lee says
I’m a huge fan of banana pudding and this looks like it takes it up a notch with the cheesecake! Love the nilla cookie crust too!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I used to get requests to make cheesecakes all the time for birthdays. Haven’t made one in a while. I did the water bath and it did seem to help. This is kind of like two great desserts in one..banana pudding and a cheesecake combined 🙂
Kylee says
Thanks Stephanie – it’s a family favorite around here!
Byron Thomas says
I have never attempted to make a cheesecake in my entire life. There; I’ve said it! You know what the sad part is? I love cheesecake! I have to admit, the water bath and the cracking things scares the hell out of me. I have major OCD and tend to be a slight perfectionist, so I’d probably have a breakdown if I got water in the mix or if the top came out looking like a dry dessert. But, you might just have convinced me to give it a go. I’m pinning this one for when my bravery is at its peak. 🙂
Kylee says
Honestly, Byron – I used to be afraid of the water bath. Now, I don’t sweat it. If you want to start with a non-water-bath option, my To Die For Triple Chocolate Cheesecake is a good place to begin! If it cracks – no matter! Just add the ganache over the top, and it will look perfect (plus the ganache will fill the cracks, meaning more ganache in each slice – which is never a bad idea)
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
I am not a cheesecake fan (I know, I know…). In fact, I’d probably say it’s my most hated dessert. The one exception is the Banana Cream Pie cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. It taste just like banana cream pie, but a little more set, and I love it! (I haven’t been to a Cheesecake Factory in at least a decade, so I have no idea if they still make it.) I’ve never thought about replicating it, and I’m not sure I would have thought about using banana pudding mix, but I’m so intrigued. Going to have to give this a try. 🙂
Kylee says
I hope you do try it, Julie! I’m convinced you’ll love it.
Kathy says
I try to do water baths for all my cheesecakes. Chilling the cheesecake in case you get water in the pan is genius! I don’t think I will be able to wait to eat it though but the idea of hiding it from the kids and hubs is wonderful! More for me!!! YUM!
Manila Spoon says
This cheesecake is dreamy-licious! I can imagine myself dreaming about this tonight and wishing I have 3 slices for tomorrow! What a yummy idea to combine banana cream pie and cheesecake – such a winner!
Natalie | Natalie's Food & Health says
OMG you just managed to blend my favorite fruit – banana and my favorite dessert – cheesecake! This sounds like HEAVEN! Leftovers? Seriously? There will be NONE 😀 Sharing and pinning!
Srivalli says
Cheesecake with banana sounds fantastic. The crust sounds very interesting as you seem to have used wafer cookies..and wow you have so many versions of cheesecakes!
Srivalli Jetti says
I can understand why you couldn’t wait, that cheesecake surely looks so sinful. With vanilla base and topped with banana must have made this a delightful dessert to indulge!…and wow you do have so many cheesecakes to checkout!
Mark, CompassandFork says
I love it that you suggest hiding the leftovers. That is exactly the sort of thing that I would do. And banana cream – sounds delicious. This might have my name on it this weekend.
Megan Marlowe says
Mmm… I love absolutely love banana cream pie and made into a cheesecake?! Pass me a fork!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I always do the water bath! Thats a great tip about chilling the cake if the water gets inside- It’s never happened to me (I don’t make cheesecake super often), but it’s bound to happen at some point!!
Veena Azmanov says
I must admit I am a cheesecakeholic if that’s a word… but I’ve never had a Banana Cheesecake..! Never. I cannot wait to try. Thanks
Kate says
I don’t love the texture of banana cream pie, so this cheesecake looks like the perfect solution!
Kylee says
I’m the same way, Kate! I REALLY love this cheesecake. Like, hide the leftovers and get up at 2am to eat it so the kids don’t beg for a taste kind of love…