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Strawberry Cheesecake Banana Pudding
Creamy cheesecake mousse, silky vanilla pudding, fresh strawberries, and sweet banana slices layered with vanilla wafers—this no-bake
Strawberry Cheesecake Banana Pudding delivers bakery-level indulgence with simple, reliable steps. A make-ahead crowd-pleaser from
deesviral that’s perfect for potlucks, holidays, or any time you crave a chilled dessert.
Introduction
Think of this dessert as the love child of classic Southern banana pudding and a New York–style strawberry cheesecake. A cloud-light
cheesecake layer (no eggs, no bake) gets folded together in minutes, then stacked with cool vanilla pudding, juicy strawberries,
and ripe bananas. Vanilla wafers soften into a cake-like layer overnight, so every spoonful is creamy, fruity, and nostalgic.
It assembles beautifully in a trifle dish, a 9×13-inch pan, or individual cups for parties. Best of all, you can make it ahead—
which means stress-free entertaining and consistently perfect texture.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake layer
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the pudding layer
- 1 (5.1 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
For the dessert
- 1 box vanilla wafers (or cookies of choice)
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Crushed strawberry wafers (optional, for garnish)
Cookies: Classic vanilla wafers give that nostalgic softness, but shortbread or graham crackers work too.
Fruit: Use firm, ripe bananas and juicy, in-season strawberries for best flavor.
Whipped cream: For extra volume, you can fold in 1 additional cup of lightly whipped cream to the cheesecake layer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the cheesecake layer: In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, 1–2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to medium peaks. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until no streaks remain. Chill briefly while you prepare the pudding.
- Make the pudding: In a bowl, whisk instant pudding mix with cold milk for 2 minutes until thickened. Let stand for 5 minutes to fully set.
- Prep the fruit: Slice bananas and chop strawberries. Pat strawberries dry with paper towels to minimize excess moisture.
- Layer the dessert: In a trifle dish, 9×13-inch pan, or 12 individual cups, create layers in this order:
- A single layer of vanilla wafers.
- Half of the cheesecake mixture, spread gently.
- Half of the pudding.
- Half of the bananas and half of the strawberries.
Repeat the layers with remaining wafers, cheesecake mixture, pudding, and fruit.
- Finish & chill: Garnish the top with extra sliced strawberries and crushed strawberry wafers (if using). Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow cookies to soften and flavors to meld.
- Serve: Scoop into bowls or slice into squares. Keep chilled until serving.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Refrigerator: Cover tightly and chill up to 3 days. Bananas may lightly darken but remain delicious.
- Make-ahead: Assemble 8–24 hours in advance for ideal texture.
- Freezer: Not recommended; fresh fruit and whipped layers can weep after thawing.
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