Banana Pudding Cheesecake has a Vanilla Wafer crust and a creamy banana filling flavored with fresh bananas and brown sugar. Makes a showstopper dessert.

Slice of Banana Pudding Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and a vanilla wafer.

This creamy dessert flavored with fresh banana is a combination of two of my favorite desserts- cheesecake and banana pudding. I’m a huge fan of banana pudding anything and everything. In the past I’ve made Banana Pudding Pancakes, Banana Pudding Bars, Banana Pudding Cupcakes, Banana Pudding Cake, Twinkie Banana Pudding and Banana Pudding Ice Cream.

Banana Pudding Cheesecake starts off with a vanilla wafer crust – because it’s not banana pudding without nilla wafers  ๐Ÿ™‚ . Just  to make sure there’s enough Nilla Wafer goodness a ring of whole vanilla wafers is placed along the circumference of the springform pan. If you wanted even more vanilla wafers in your cheesecake, you could also do a layer of them in the middle of the filling.

Slice of Banana Pudding Cheesecake on a plate.

Tips For Making Banana Pudding Cheesecake

The original recipe, which came from Southern Living, called for baking the crust before the filling is added, but I skipped this step and it turned out fine. No need to do extra work :). Plus I find crusts made out of vanilla wafers can get a little hard to cut through if they are precooked.

It’s best to use ripe, but not overripe bananas for this cheesecake.

The filling is creamy and rich with just the right amount of banana flavor. Top the cheesecake off with whipped cream and vanilla wafers and you have a showstopper southern dessert that would be perfect to serve for Easter.

How To Store

This cheesecake can be stored for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

More Banana Pudding Recipes

Cheesecake with a slice cut out.

More Cheesecake Recipes

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake

4.91 from 31 votes

By Christin Mahrlig

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 55 minutes
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 16
Banana Pudding Cheesecake is a combo of 2 of my favorite desserts! A vanilla wafer crust with a creamy banana filling makes a delicious southern-style cheesecake.
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup butter, , melted
  • 17 vanilla wafers
  • 2 ripe bananas,, diced
  • 1 ripe banana,, mashed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2-3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, , softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • whipped cream and vanilla wafers for garnish

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers, chopped pecans, and melted butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
  • Stand 17 vanilla wafers around edge of pan with rounded sides facing outward. Press them gently into the crust.
  • In a small saucepan, combine bananas (both diced and mashed) and lemon juice. Stir in brown sugar, using 2 tablespoons if your bananas are super ripe and 3 tablespoons if they are medium ripe. Cook over medium heat until brown sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  • Gradually add granulated sugar.
  • Add eggs, one at a time and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl after each addition. Do not over beat. Only beat until most of yellow disappears before adding next egg.
  • Beat in vanilla extract.
  • Stir banana mixture in until evenly mixed. Pour batter into springform pan on top of crust.
  • Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until center is almost set. Jiggle the pan to check.
  • Turn oven off, open door about 6 inches and leave cheesecake in oven to cool for about 1 hour.
  • Remove cheesecake to counter to cool for another 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.

Video

Notes

If you’re a huge fan of vanilla wafers, try adding 1/2 cup coarsely chopped vanailla wafers to the batter.
You can leave the pecans out of the crust if you wish. Add maybe 1/4 cup more vanilla wafer crumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag us @spicysouthernkitchen on social media!

Recipe Source: adapted from Southern Living

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

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100 Comments

  1. Betty says:

    What another nuts can I replace pecans with? (I can stand pecans)

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      Walnuts or almonds should work well or even macadamia nuts. Or you could just leave the nuts out. You might want to add a few more crushed Vanilla wafers if you do this to make sure you have plenty of crust.

  2. Lauren says:

    I’m allergic to pecans do I have too use them ?

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      No, you can leave the pecans out.

  3. Lauren Hart says:

    Has anyone made this in mini cheesecake springform pans 4″?

  4. Monica says:

    My Mom made this for Thanksgiving 2016…such a HUGE hit..it turned out so pretty just like the pic and she used the helpful hint of other reviewer of bakers joy for the pan and it worked great! Thanks so much for the recipe…our family devoured it and didn’t wan to stop….definitely a new Thanksgiving tradition!

  5. Emily F. says:

    I made this cake for the first time for our Thanksgiving feast at work. It was a HIT! People were scraping the cake plate and begging me to make another one! Most delicious cake I’ve ever eaten (and I have eaten a lot of cake). This one is going in the favorites file for sure!

  6. Edward Crutchfield Jr. says:

    In the last year, I’ve fallen head over heels for Cheesecake. I started making my own about eight months ago; first no bake; out of the box. Then I started with my cousin Teresa helping me cook my first real Cheesecake and now I’m the self proclaimed King of Cheesecake in Lexington, Ky. I love banana pudding and my sister in Louisville, Ky saw this recipe on line. I got mine in the oven now. I know it’s going to come out scrumptious. Thanks so much. Eddie?

  7. Sierrasqueen28 says:

    Can I make this in a regular pie dish instead of a spring foam pan

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      The sides of the pie dish, even a deep-dish one, won’t be high enough.

  8. Pat says:

    Oops! I meant to say I was “wondering” if I could use non-dairy cream cheese?

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      Hi Pat, I’ve never baked with non-dairy cream cheese so I’m not sure how it would turn out.

  9. Pat says:

    I just came across your recipe and it sounds delicious. I love banana pudding. I was spending if I can use non-dairy cream cheese since I am lactose intolerant?

  10. Michelle says:

    I am wondering if it HAS to cool for 8 hours in fridge? Could it maybe do a couple hours in the freezer to speed it up? I just took it out of the oven and I’m not so sure we can wait till tomorrow to eat it! Lol. Maybe 8-9 tonight we can wait? Have you ever tried the freezer/fridge combo?

    1. Christin Mahrlig says:

      I know I am too late to help you. Haven’t ever tried the freezer, fridge thing. Did you try it?

      1. Michelle says:

        I did not try it, I actually waited until the next day to eat it. I did make it again today and may end up trying it.