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.
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.
- 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.
- Chill: Add a secure layer of plastic wrap over the top of the pan and refrigerate the cheesecake for 8 hours, or overnight.
- 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.
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!
More Banana Desserts to Try
- Banana Split Pie (No-Bake)
- Banana Foster Cheesecake
- Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding
- Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Crumb Muffins
- Banana Foster
Banana Cream Cheesecake
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
Instructions
- Crush the Nilla Wafers in a mini processor or place in a large zip lock bag and crush using a rolling pin.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Nilla Wafer crumbs and the melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a square 9×9-inch pan (for thicker bars) or a 9×13 pan, lined with parchment paper. Chill the crust in the refrigerator or freezer while you move on to the next steps.
- In a large metal mixing bowl (I like to place the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes so it's cold), with an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar together until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the dry pudding mixes a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the whipped cream and mix until smooth.
- Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the chilled crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for 8 hours, or overnight.
- Cut the chilled cheesecake into squares and garnish with whipped topping and banana slices if desired. Serve chilled.
Last Step:
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Notes
- To Store: Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Serve chilled.
- To Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. OR: Coat completely with chocolate ganache and serve frozen.
Nutrition
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87 comments on “Banana Cream Cheesecake Bars”
Can’t find instant. Have you done this with the regular box?
Never mind. I actually do have instant. It just was in really small letters and the package looks different.
Sounds Alta yummy. When I was a kid my mother made a cake called “Banana Delight Cake” it had a graham cracker crust, sliced bananas some rich filling more sliced bananas whipped cream topped with chopped nuts. It didn’t require baking. She has passed and I can’t find the receipt anywhere. This sounds almost as good. I’m definitely going to try this.
That’s a wonderful memory.
Looks like something I might try.
Easy to make and DELICIOUS! A Crowd Pleaser!
I don’t see aprint option
Hi Ruth, there is a Print Button at the top of the Recipe Box.
Just finished making, definitely put in a 9 x13 pan. Couldn’t find instant banana cream pudding in instant or regular. Opted out for instant coconut cream, very good. Will toast coconut and sprinkle on top. Will make again
I made this, but used a 9×13 pan instead because the crust filled the whole 8×8 pan. 9×13 pan worked way better. It tasted really good aswell. I did doctor it up a bit. I used honey gram cracker crust instead of vanilla wafers and one 5 oz box of banana cream pudding and one 3.4 oz box of vanilla pudding. Yummy yummy
Yes… As well I used a 9 by 13. Way too much for the smaller pan. Next time I will try your idea of half and half of the pudding flavors :).
I also used 9X13 pan perfect fit !
I wish I had read these comments before trying the recipe. It’s WAY too much for an 8×8 pan. I actually filled two 8×8 pans, and still have crumbs left over (I used graham crackers instead of Nilla wagers, because cheesecake isn’t cheesecake without graham cracker crust).
I still haven’t eaten any of it. Both pans are chilling in the fridge. But I know I’ll like it because I licked the utensils after I finished mixing it and putting it in the pans. 🙂
I will make them next weekend, however, I was disappointed that the only option was INSTANT pudding. We don’t care for the instant, it has a different flavor than the superior cooked pudding. I will prepare the cooked pudding first and chill until it is set. I will add it to the other ingredients and hopefully, it will turn out just fine. When there are options and suggestions for the option (such as cooked pudding) it is helpful to those of us who don’t do everything instant.
You add the dry pudding mix to the cream cheese. You don’t make the instant pudding.
Just wondering how this turned out as I only have regular on hand
You don’t cook it! It is dry mix.
Just finished making this, its not ready to eat yet. Used the 8 x 8 pan, followed the recipe to a tee. There was so much filling left over im not sure what to do with it. I filled the pan up to the top. Not sure what went wrong. I wish I had a bigger pan I could have used it instead!
Enjoyed recipes
D