Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bites

5 from 2 votes

Indulge in a bite-sized delight with our Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bites! These irresistible treats combine the creamy richness of cheesecake with the nostalgic flavors of banana pudding. Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a luscious banana cheesecake filling + a light-as-air whipped cream topping--- Each bite is a heavenly experience. Perfect for parties, potlucks, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth!

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Total Time33

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked, banana, banana pudding, bites, cheesecake, classic, dessert, easy, holidays, homemade, indulge, recipe, southern, sweet, vegetarian

Servings: bites

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

NILLA WAFER/GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:

1 cup Nilla wafer cookies
1 ½ cups Graham crackers, chopped
2 Tbsps organic brown sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
3 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted

BANANA CHEESECAKE FILLING:

1 banana, fully mashed
12 ozs. organic cream cheese, softened at room temp. (That's 1 ½ packs!)
½ cup organic cane sugar
2 Tbsps organic all-purpose flour
2 Tbsps vanilla instant pudding mix
2 large organic eggs, room temp.
3 Tbsps low-fat sour cream
2 tsps vanilla extract
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

TOPPINGS:

Whipped cream, store-bought or homemade
Vanilla wafer cookies, whole + crushed
Banana Slices

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

NILLA WAFER/GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 12-cavity cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Grind the nilla wafer cookies and graham crackers in a food processor, until almost finely ground (it’s OK to leave a few medium chunks, if your’e a lover a little crunch!). Combine the cookie/cracker mixture along with the brown sugar, and melted butter into a medium bowl and stir until full combined.
Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners (about 2 Tbsps per well) and press down into the bottoms with your fingers (focusing on the middle) to ensure that it’s perfectly covering the bottom and sides (like a deep well).
Bake the crusts for about 5 minutes and then remove from oven and allow it to cool until you’re ready to use.

BANANA CHEESECAKE FILLING:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together on low speed: the cream cheese, cane sugar, vanilla pudding mix, and flour until combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed.
Next, add the vanilla extract and the first egg and beat slowly until mostly combined. Then add the remaining egg and mix until well combined, still mixing everything on low speed. Now, add in the sour cream, mashed banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and continue mixing.
Change mixer attachment to a whisk and beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or so until completely smooth and lump-free. NOTE: DO NOT OVER-MIX. Be sure to stop once the batter becomes smooth.
Add a small amount of filling to each cupcake liner (about 2 Tbsps), repeating until all batter is used.
Bake the cheesecakes for 16-18 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit in the oven for another 5 minutes with the oven door halfway open to avoid cheesecakes from deflating. NOTE: When baking, I always prepare a medium pot with water and add it to the oven as well, to keep cheesecake temperature even and to add moisture.
Remove cheesecakes from the oven and allow them to continue to cool for another 15-20 minutes or until at room temperature coolness, before putting them in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM + ASSEMBLY:

Add 2 cups of organic heavy whipping cream, ¼ cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer (w/ a whisk attachment) and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. Once fluffy, add whipped cream to a piping bag with your favorite tip and add it to the refrigerator until ready to use.
Once cooled, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and remove cupcake liners. Top cheesecakes with the whipped cream along with banana slices and Nilla wafer cookies. NOTE: let the sauce further 'set' as both the topping + cheesecakes continue to cool. You can add cheesecakes back to the refrigerator for a few minutes to aide in this.
Grab a bite and enjoy.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Leftover Cheesecakes can be stored (tightly wrapped) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best results, keep cheesecakes in the freezer until the night before you’re ready to serve. Defrost by refrigerating.

WHIPPED CREAM: If you decide not to make your own whipped cream, feel free to substitute with Coolwhip!

Nutrition