No Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Recipe
These No Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars combine the nostalgic flavors of banana pudding with a creamy cheesecake texture, all set atop a crunchy Nilla wafer crust. Perfect for a sweet treat without turning on the oven, this recipe requires minimal hands-on time and delivers rich, indulgent bars that are chilled to perfection.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) Nilla wafer crumbs (about 50 cookies)
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese (two 8-ounce bricks), room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 3.4 ounces banana pudding mix
Garnish
- Sliced bananas
- Nilla wafers
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Make cookie crust: Grease or line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. Place Nilla wafers in a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with light brown sugar and melted butter, pulsing to combine thoroughly.
- Press crust: Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press the crumbs evenly across the bottom. Freeze the crust for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 30-40 minutes to set.
- Prepare cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides to incorporate all cream cheese evenly.
- Add sour cream and vanilla: Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Dissolve pudding mix: In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the heavy cream and banana pudding mix until the pudding powder dissolves fully, creating a thick mixture.
- Combine heavy cream mixture: Gradually add the whipped heavy cream and pudding mixture to the cream cheese base in three additions, beating well after each addition to achieve a smooth, fluffy texture.
- Assemble and chill: Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled cookie crust, smoothing the top evenly. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow the bars to set completely.
- Serve: Once set, slice into 12 bars. Garnish each bar with fresh sliced bananas, a dollop of whipped cream, and a Nilla wafer before serving for an extra special presentation.
Notes
- Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in the filling.
- If short on time, freezing the crust accelerates the process.
- Banana slices can brown quickly; garnish just before serving to keep the bars fresh looking.
- Store leftover bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute sweetened condensed milk for sour cream to adjust sweetness and texture, but it will alter the flavor profile.