Name: Banana Cream Cheesecake
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 500 min
Ingredients: 1 11 ounce box Nilla Wafer cookies ((3 cups crushed)); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted); 1 pint heavy whipping cream; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 3 8 ounce boxes of cream cheese (softened); 2 3.4 ounces instant banana cream pudding mix; optional garnish: whipped topping and banana slices

By: Jill Mills Updated: Jul 26, 2024

Jump to Recipe Save

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These Banana Cream Cheesecake Bars are a crowd favorite and very simple to make using just 6-ingredients. Made with a creamy no bake banana cheesecake on top of a buttery vanilla wafer crust.

Featured Comment

This is hands down one of my favorite cheesecakes to make! Simple & easy recipe, SO tasty! I've made it so many times, great summertime dessert!

– Briana

84 More Comments

Easy Banana Cream Cheesecake Recipe

This creamy no-bake cheesecake makes the perfect summer dessert! It’s quick to whip up, with no baking required, but still elegant enough to impress your friends when you set the plate out on the table. The cheesecake filling has the perfect amount of banana flavor. The hardest part of making this is having to wait for the chill time.

What You’ll Need

These simple banana cream cheesecake bars call for only 6 ingredients. Exact measurements for everything can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Nilla Wafer Cookie Crumbs: Break up any larger pieces, but don’t go too small. You want crumbs, not dust.
Butter: I use unsalted butter. This is melted and used for the crust.
Heavy Whipping Cream: this will be used to make the whipped cream.
Cream Cheese: Always go for full-fat when you’re making no-bake cheesecake and make sure it’s completely softened.
Sugar: granulated.
Banana Cream Pudding Mix

How to Make Banana Cream Cheesecake

All you need to make this no-bake cheesecake come together is a stand mixer or electric hand mixer and a fridge! With only 20 minutes of active prep time, getting these bars into the fridge is a breeze.

Crush the Cookies: First, crush the Nilla Wafers, either with a food processor or by placing the cookies in a ziplock bag and grinding them down with a rolling pin.
Make the Crust: Mix the cookie crumbs with melted butter until they form a crumble, then press them into the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan that has been lined with parchment paper. The paper will make it easier for you to lift the whole cheesecake out of the pan after it chills.

mixing the vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter

pressing the vanilla wafer crust into pan

Whip the Cream: Beat the whipping cream and sugar together in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, then set the bowl aside.
Mix in the Banana: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed in a large bowl until it’s smooth. Add the instant banana pudding mix a little bit at a time, mixing well between each addition. This mixture will become very thick, so make sure to use a good hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer.
Combine and Assemble: Add the whipped cream into the bowl with the cream cheese and beat it until everything is smooth. Scoop the cream cheese mixture over the Nilla Wafer crust and spread it out evenly using a spoon or rubber spatula.

adding banana pudding into the cream cheese

adding banana cream cheese mixture over the crust

Chill: Add a secure layer of plastic wrap over the top of the pan and refrigerate the cheesecake for 8 hours, or overnight.

cutting banana cream cheesecake into squares

Serve: Lift the chilled cheesecake out of the pan by using the edges of the parchment paper as handles and cut it into 9 even squares. Top the cheesecake bars with the garnish of your choice and serve.

top view of banana cream cheesecake bars

Tips and Variations

This cheesecake is so easy to make, and it tastes great too! Here are a few quick tips to follow so it comes out perfect every time.

Keep the Bowl Cold: Before you whip the cream in it, try placing the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes so that it’s cold. This helps the stiff peaks form quicker.
Pan Size: I have made this in a 9×9 pan and a 9×13 pan. Both will work well. The 9×9 will obviously create a thicker filling (which I prefer), but many prefer a standard filling using a 9×13 pan.
Don’t Skimp on the Chill Time: The chill time is what allows the cheesecake flavors to meld together.
Use a Warm Knife: If you want really clean squares, try running your knife under hot water and then drying it with a paper towel before you cut the cheesecake into bars. This will stop the cheesecake from sticking as much.
Bigger Handles Are Better: When you line the pan with parchment paper, make sure you leave enough sticking up over the edges so that you can get a good grip when you lift the bars out. Otherwise, your cheesecake might end up on the floor.
Crust: This crust uses crumbled Nilla Wafers, but another classic when it comes to cheesecake is graham cracker crust. Just replace the Nilla Wafer crumbs with graham cracker crumbs. There are also more creative options, like Oreo cookie crust. Biscoff cookies and gingersnaps also work, and if you want to go really old school, try pure butter shortbread crumbs.

Best Toppings For Banana Cream Cheesecake

This simple dessert is the perfect place to let your creativity roam free. Try adding some of these toppings, or put a variety out and let people choose for themselves!

Whipped Cream: Follow this recipe for sweet and fluffy Homemade Whipped Cream or use Cool Whip.
Banana Slices: You can also try other fruits, like strawberries or blueberries. Maraschino cherries will give this dessert a fun banana split vibe.
Cinnamon: Add a sprinkling of cinnamon over the top, or try nutmeg instead.
Chocolate Ganache: Whip up a quick ganache to add richness and complexity to your cheesecake.
Caramel Sauce: Drizzle some salted caramel across the top to help bring out the flavors. You can also try this Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel, also known as dulce de leche.

Storing and Freezing

If you have leftovers or decide to make this cheesecake in advance, cover the bars with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Make sure you always serve them chilled, since they’ll get soupy if they’re left out for too long. It’s best if you wait to add any toppings until you’re ready to serve.

Freezing: These bars do great in the freezer. Before you add the toppings, wrap them tightly in plastic and stick them in the freezer for up to 3 months. These cheesecake squares should never be heated, even for defrosting, so thaw them out in the fridge overnight. If you coat them in ganache so that the cream is fully covered, you can even eat them straight out of the freezer for a delicious frozen cheesecake treat!

Banana Cream Cheesecake Bars on a serving platter.

More Banana Desserts to Try

5 from 206 votes