No Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake

5 from 5 votes

No Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Creamy, rich, and layered with nostalgic flavor, this no bake banana pudding cheesecake is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert. With a buttery cookie crust and perfectly set layers, its as easy to make as it is to slice and serve.

Prep Time35

Chill time:10

Total Time10 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: no bake banana pudding cheesecake

Servings:

Equipment

1 9-inch springform pan
Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups Nilla wafers crushed (plus extra for decorating)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the cheesecake filling:

1 cup heavy cream cold
24 ounces cream cheese fully softened to room temp (3 blocks)
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 box (3.4 oz) banana instant pudding mix (added dry, do not prepare)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the pudding layer:

1 box (3.4 oz) banana instant pudding mix
1 cup cold milk (less than the box says for a very stiff, sliceable layer)

For layers and topping:

2 ripe bananas sliced
1/2 tub (4 oz) Cool Whip thawed
Extra vanilla wafers + banana slices for decorating on top

Instructions

Prep the pan and make the crust:

Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease all sides.
Crush the Nilla wafers into fine crumbs, saving ~1 cup of whole wafers for the layer above the crust. Mix the crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Make the heavy cream:

In a large cold bowl, beat the cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Set aside in the fridge. This step is what makes the filling thick and sliceable.

Make the cream cheese filling:

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth with no lumps.
Add the condensed milk, vanilla, and 1 box of the dry pudding mix. Beat until silky.
Fold in the whipped cream, but do NOT beat.
Pour and spread the entire filling over the crust and smooth the top evenly.

Add the wafer and banana layer:

Alternate whole Nilla wafers and banana slices across the top of the cheesecake filling, about 8 wafers and 1 sliced banana, spaced apart. They don't need to cover the whole surface, gaps are totally fine.

Make the pudding layer:

Whisk the second box of dry pudding mix with only 1 cup of cold milk for 2 minutes (the box may say to add more milk, but only use 1 cup as that makes it thick and sliceable). Let it sit for 5 minutes, until very thick and stiff - it should not be pourable.
Carefully spread the pudding over the cheesecake filling on top of the wafers and banana slices. Smooth it to the edges.

Top and refrigerate overnight:

Spread a thin layer of Cool Whip (about half the tub) over the pudding layer.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for 10 hours or overnight. Do not skip this step as it's necessary for clean slices.

Notes

Make sure the cream cheese is room temp.
Do not prepare the pudding mix for the cheesecake layer. You will add it dry.
Use only 1 cup of milk for the pudding layer (not the amount listed on the box).
Add banana slices just before serving for the best texture and to prevent browning.
Chill overnight for the best results.

Nutrition