Why choose between banana pudding and cheesecake when you can have both, thanks to this Biscoff Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe?! Y’all, this might be the best dessert I’ve ever made! It starts with a rich brown butter Biscoff cookie crust and then features layers of sweet banana pudding cheesecake filling, a cookie butter layer, and it’s all finished with a banana whipped cream. And with just one round of testing, I’ve perfected each component for a balance of tastes and textures that truly can’t be beat.
Scrumptious Banana Pudding Cheesecake
If you know me, you know I love a good cheesecake recipe. Over the years, I’ve tested countless recipes like my brown butter sweet potato cheesecake, Oreo cheesecake, and lemon blueberry cheesecake, becoming a self-proclaimed cheesecake king.
But this one? This one might just be the ultimate masterpiece. Combining two of my favorite desserts in one, the end result is a showstopping layered cheesecake. It’s rich, creamy, and packed with sweet banana flavor.
The funny thing is, I’ve never been a fan of banana pudding loaded with tons of banana slices. I love the flavor of bananas, but not the soft, sometimes mushy texture they can develop after sitting in the refrigerator for a few days. So I set out to create a version that delivers all that classic banana pudding flavor without the overwhelming banana chunks—and honestly, it turned out even better than I imagined.
And can we talk about the banana pudding whipped cream topping? It is absolutely everything. I could honestly eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon. Light, fluffy, and loaded with banana pudding flavor, it’s the perfect finishing touch that takes this cheesecake completely over the top!
More Delicious Banana Recipes
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe
- Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips
- Easy Banana Muffins with Crumb Topping
- Easy Banana Pancake Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Biscoff Cookie Crust
Biscoff Cookies: Also known as Speculoos cookies, these form the base of the crust, adding sweet, spiced flavor.
Unsalted Butter: Melted and cooked on the stove, this becomes brown butter, helping combine the crust and giving it a rich, nutty flavor.
Salt: Just a dash helps enhance the rest of the ingredients.
Cream Cheese Filling
Cream Cheese: The base of any cheesecake, this creates a thick texture and classic tangy flavor. Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese from a tub! Let it soften at room temperature before you begin for easy mixing.
Eggs: These create a custard and help bind the ingredients so the filling holds together once baked.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the filling, balancing some of the tang of the cream cheese.
Sour Cream: This is key to restaurant-quality flavor, adding an extra layer of tanginess and creating a creamier, silky filling while helping to temper the cream cheese.
Bananas: The star of the show! Make sure they’re nice and ripe for the best flavor.
Vanilla Bean Paste: Bolder than vanilla extract, this infuses the filling with incredible vanilla flavor, giving it lots of depth.
Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix: This melts into the filling, replicating a classic banana pudding taste.
Salt: Enhances the rest of the ingredients.
Biscoff Layer
Reserved Crust: I save some of the crust mixture to create a crunchy layer that adds texture and even more Biscoff flavor throughout the cheesecake.
Cookie Butter: A creamy spread made from spiced Biscoff (speculoos) cookies, cookie butter reinforces the warm caramelized flavor of the crust while adding a rich, gooey layer between the cheesecake filling.
Banana Pudding Whipped Cream: Combine heavy cream, vanilla pudding mix, powdered sugar, mashed banana, vanilla, and salt to create a fluffy, creamy topping.
How to Make Biscoff Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Make the Crust
Step 1. Make brown butter. Cut the butter into pieces, and heat it in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it turns amber in color. Once the butter is browned with a nutty aroma and the popping slows, remove the pan from the heat.
Step 2. Next, crush the Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs. I like to use a food processor, but you can also add the cookies to a sealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Combine the cookie crumbs with the brown butter in a bowl, mixing to combine and fully coat.
Step 3. Save a cup of the Biscoff mixture, and press the rest firmly into the bottom of a springform pan, and bake until lightly golden. Set the crust aside to cool.
Prepare a Quick Water Bath
Step 4. Bring water to a boil on the stovetop. Then, place one oven rack at the center of the oven and another rack beneath it. Place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack, and gently pour the boiling water into the roasting pan.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Step 5. Next, blend your cream cheese until smooth, and beat in the sugar, vanilla bean paste, and sour cream. Add the mashed banana and part of the vanilla pudding mix, and blend again until well combined. At this point, I always taste the filling and adjust the flavor if needed! Finally, add the eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they’re combined.
Step 6. Pour half of the filling over the cooled crust. Then, add the reserved cookie crust. Drizzle melted cookie butter on top. Do your best to distribute it evenly, but don’t stress if it doesn’t completely cover the banana pudding cheesecake. Pour the remaining cheesecake filling on top, spreading it out evenly to cover the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release air bubbles.
Bake the Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Step 7. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack above the water bath, and bake for about 60-70 minutes or until the cheesecake is lightly set but still jiggly in the center.
Step 8. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for an hour. Then, transfer the cheesecake to the counter for another hour. Chill the cheesecake uncovered in the fridge, allowing it to set.
Step 9. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. I run a warm knife around the edges to loosen it first!
Make Banana Whipped Cream
Step 10. Whisk all the whipped cream ingredients in a bowl, starting on low speed and increasing it to medium-high, beating until the ingredients are completely incorporated and the whipped cream holds its shape.
Step 11. Top the cheesecake with the banana whipped cream, banana slices, and crushed Biscoff cookies, and enjoy!
My Top Tips & Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients to bake your banana pudding cheesecake, which helps to ensure your cheesecake won’t crack.
- Don’t overmix your filling. Overmixing can lead to cracks.
- Don’t overbake. You know the cheesecake is ready when the sides are set, and the center has a little jiggle.
- Be patient during the cooling process to ensure your cheesecake doesn’t crack.
- To make your banana pudding whipped cream, use cold heavy cream. It also helps to use a cold whisk and mixing bowl (just pop them in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes prior to whipping up your cream, but of course, this is optional).
- Chill overnight if possible. While 4 hours will work, an overnight chill allows the flavors to develop and makes the cheesecake easier to slice.
How to Prevent Cracking
Cracks in your Biscoff banana pudding cheesecake won’t impact its flavor, but there are a few steps that you can take to prevent them for an even prettier presentation:
- Avoid overmixing the filling. Blend just until the ingredients are smooth. Continuing to mix will introduce too much air into the mixture. Excess air can cause the cheesecake to rise as it bakes, only to deflate and crack as it cools. To help the process, allow your ingredients time to come to room temperature before you begin.
- Resist the urge to open the oven during baking. Unlike cookies or brownies, which can withstand a little temperature change, cheesecakes cannot. The rush of cold air is one of the most common reasons cheesecakes crack!
- Take your time. Avoid rushing the cooling process for all the layers, but especially the filling. Removing it from the oven too soon will have the same result as opening the oven door while it bakes, causing a drastic temperature change that makes the filling crack.
How to Store and Freeze
Keep any leftover Biscoff banana pudding cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze individual slices in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months!
Store the whipped cream in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge. Whip it quickly before serving if it deflates a bit. I don’t recommend freezing the whipped cream. It will deflate and become runny and grainy once thawed.
More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love
- Biscoff Cheesecake Bars with Biscoff Whipped Cream
- Birthday Cake Cheesecake w/ Edible Cookie Dough
- Key Lime Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
- Homemade Salted Caramel Cheesecake
I hope you love my Biscoff Banana Pudding Cheesecake recipe! It’s layered with sweet, banana flavors and and cookie butter goodness! If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake with Biscoff
Ingredients
Crust
- 375 g Biscoff Cookies 1 8.8 oz pack and a half or about 46 cookies (13.2 oz)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter diced
- Pinch salt
- Reserved 1 cup of the crust mixture for the Biscoff layer
Cream Cheese Filling
- 32 oz 4 blocks of cream cheese room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding mix about half of a 3.4 oz box (make sure it's instant)
- Pinch salt
Biscoff Layer
- 1 cup of the reserved crust
- 1/2 cup Biscoff cookie butter melted (about 30-45 second in microwave, stirring halfway)
Banana pudding whipped cream
- 2 cup heavy cream cold
- About 1/4 cup vanilla pudding mix the remaining half
- 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 ripe banana mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and get out a 9-inch springform pan.
- Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Next, crush the Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor, or place the cookies in a gallon-sized bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Then, combine the Biscoff crumbs and brown butter in a bowl, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F.
Make Quick Water Bath
- Bring about 4-6 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the center of the oven and another rack directly beneath the center rack. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.
Make Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Then, add the sugar, vanilla bean paste, and sour cream and beat until well incorporated. Then, add the mashed banana and 1/4 cup of the vanilla pudding mix. Blend until well combined (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Be sure to scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed. Lastly, add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and beat on low until combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Assemble. Pour half of the filling over the crust. Then, create the cookie layer by adding the reserved cookie crust even over the cheesecake. Next, drizzle the melted cookie butter on top. Try to even distribute the cookie butter as much as butter, but note, it may not fully cover every part of the cheesecake. Then, pour the remaining cheesecake filling over cookie layer. Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the cheesecake over the cookie to ensure it is completely covered and smooth on top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release air bubbles.
Bake Cheesecake
- Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack above the steamy water and close the oven door. Bake for about 60-70 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake; it should still be a bit jiggly in the middle (think jello).
- Once your cheesecake is done, turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for at least 1 hour. Then, remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight.
- Once the cheesecake has set and you are ready to serve, take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator remove it from the springform pan (to ensure easy release from the pan, run a warm knife around the edges to loosen it).
Make the Banana Pudding Whipped Cream
- When you are ready to serve, make the Banana Pudding Whipped Cream topping. In a large (preferably chilled) bowl, add the powder sugar, the remaining vanilla pudding mix, smashed banana, heavy cream, and salt, and whisk on medium-high speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and it holds peaks (about 3 minutes). Start on a lower speed to decrease the chances of a sugar cloud.
- Top the cheesecake with the whipped cream and add banana slices and crushed cookies. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan.
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