Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars
A delicious and easy combination of banana pudding and cheesecake. A delicious graham cracker crust layered with a sweet, creamy cream cheese filling that is generously topped with banana pudding and garnsihed with vanilla wafer cookies.
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Equipment
- 8 x 8 baking dish
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
For the Filling
- 3 8oz blocks of cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Banana Pudding Topping
- 1 3.4 oz package of banana instant pudding, plus milk needed according to package instructions use instant, not cook & serve
- vanilla wafer cookies for garnish
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non stick baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter; mix together to combine and the crumbs are fully coated with butter. Pour the crumb mixture into the baking dish and firmly pack it together to form a crust along the bottom of the pan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Make the Filling & Banana Pudding
- In a separate, large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and brown sugar together and beat of medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes using a handheld mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and continue to mix the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Filling should be smooth without any lumps. Pour the cream cheese filling on top of the graham cracker crust and smooth it out with an off set spatula to create a smooth, even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator over night to firm up and set.
- Make the instant pudding in a mixing bowl according to package instructions. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refridgerator to set.
Assemble the Cheesecake Bars
- When ready to serve, cut cheesecake into squares and top with banana pudding. Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers and fresh banana slices if desired. Cheesecake stays fresh in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
Notes
recipe adapted from Butter Be Ready