Banana Cheesecake With Cookie Crust Recipe
If you like cheesecake and adore Paula Deen’s Banana Pudding, then you are bound to love this Banana Cheesecake With Cookie Crust Recipe. It combines the best of both into one delicious dessert.
Ingredients
For this decadent baked cheesecake, you need the following ingredients:
- Chessman cookies
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- cream cheese
- salt
- vanilla
- eggs
- sour cream
- 1 ripe banana
How To Make Banana Cheesecake
The base of this banana cheesecake is made with crushed Chessman cookies. You know the ones – the sweet butter cookies made by Pepperidge Farm. When combined with sugar and melted butter, they make the perfect base for cheesecake.
You can crush the cookies in a zip-top bag or use a food processor or blender to make finer crumbs. Combine the cookie bits and pieces in a bowl with sugar and melted butter and then press in the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan or springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper.
I recommend using a springform pan so that you can easily remove the cheesecake once it has baked and cooled.
Bake the crust in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) for 8 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it cool.
Now, it’s time to make delicious cheesecake.
While the crust is cooling, beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until it becomes smooth. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until it is all well combined.
Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. The reason for adding them one at a time is to ensure that the eggs get mixed into the batter. Once they have been emulsified, you can go to the next step.
Fold in the sour cream, and mashed banana until there are no streaks of cream or banana.
Pour the cheesecake mix onto the baked crust and bake.
Tip: To prevent the cheesecake from cracking during baking, bake it using a water bath, aka bain marie. Water baths help to create gentle and uniform heat around delicate dishes like custards and cheesecake.
To make a water bath, place the prepared cheesecake in the center of a roasting pan or large casserole dish. If you use a springform pan, tightly cover the bottom and sides with aluminum foil to help keep water out and the cheesecake in.
Pour boiling water into the space around the cheesecake, filling it up to halfway up the cheesecake pan. Carefully place it all in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set.
To make miniature banana cheesecakes, halve the recipe and follow all of the same direction using 4 ramekins. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the center is set.
Cool the cheesecake(s) to room temperature and then chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
Once the cheesecake has cooled, you can decorate it with whipped cream “rosettes” and additional Chessman cookies.
Homemade Whipped Cream
To make homemade whipped cream, pour 2 cups of chilled heavy cream into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until very frothy. Next, slowly pour in the granulated sugar and vanilla and beat on medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form. (Don’t keep on beating or you will end up with a mess!)
Insert a piping tip in a pastry bag and fill the bag with the sweetened whipped topping.
Holding the bag straight up and down, squeeze the whipped cream with constant pressure making a small circle. This will create a rose pattern.
Create the roses at the top, bottom, left, and right – think of the ends of a plus sign or the ends of a compass. Next, create a rose in between each of those. Break a Chessman cookie in half and place in the middle of the roses.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. The cheesecake should safely store in the refrigerator for 5 days without the whipped topping.
Banana Cheesecake With Cookie Crust
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups Chessman cookies crushed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temp
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 1 ripe banana mashed
Garnish
- 8 Chessman cookies
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch spring-form cake pan with non-stick spray.
- Combine crushed Chessman cookies, 1/2 cup sugar, and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- While the crust is cooling, beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, until combined. Fold in the sour cream, and mashed banana until there are no streaks of cream or banana.
- Pour cheesecake batter into cooled crust and bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Garnish with whipped cream and Chessman cookies. Chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Store cheesecake in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like cheesecakes that impress, you’ll want to check out the Cannoli Cheesecake recipe at This Vivacious Life.
Meanwhile, here are some more delicious desserts at Southern Kissed you may like:
