These easy no bake banana pudding cups are creamy, delicious, and incredibly simple to prepare. Layered in individual dessert cups, they are essentially a mini banana pudding trifle or banana pudding parfait. Regardless of what you call them, they are delightful!
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Do you love an easy recipe? This easy no bake banana pudding cheesecake dessert is a delicious little mini-trifle. It's the best of two of our favorite desserts - banana pudding and cheesecake.
Individual Banana Pudding Cups is an ideal dessert for special events and simple enough to make for an everyday treat.
This sweet and simple no bake banana pudding trifle dessert is creamy goodness with a combination of banana, cheesecake, and essential vanilla wafer cookies.
You always have the option of making a 13 x 9 inch instead, but I prefer these individual serving bowls. Use dessert cups, canning jars or simple glassware.
I absolutely love banana desserts. If you do too, you'll want to check out these recipes for Banana Dessert Egg Rolls, Banana Pudding Layer Cake, and these delectable Banana Cookies.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No cooking or baking required!
- Requires few ingredients.
- A family-friendly dessert the kids will love!
- Single serve cups, so the kids won't fight over who got the bigger portion!
- Banana pudding cheesecake is creamy and delicious.
I'm a huge fan of this dessert because it's nice and cool and creamy. The banana pudding cheesecake layer is to die for! I love the way that it makes me feel like summer is already here. Plus, banana is a fruit so I don't feel at all guilty when I eat banana pudding trifle.
Ingredients in No Bake Banana Pudding Cups
Everything you need to make this easy no-bake banana pudding cheesecake dessert is readily available at your grocer and probably already in your kitchen. This banana pudding trifle recipe has just about the easiest list of ingredients you'll find.
For measurements check the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- instant banana flavored pudding
- cold milk
- cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- whipped topping
- vanilla wafer cookies
- banana slices
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Variations
Don’t have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Though there aren't a lot of ingredients, here are some ideas for you to change this banana cheesecake pudding recipe.
- Pudding: If you don't have banana pudding, vanilla pudding will work just fine or swap out the banana pudding for chocolate or butterscotch pudding and top with OREO cookies.
- Vanilla Wafer Cookies: Substitute with graham crackers, gingersnap cookies, butter cookies or any cookie you like.
- Whipped Topping: You can use fresh whipped cream that has been sweetened, instead of the ready-made whipped topping.
- Topping: Sprinkle shredded coconut over the top for a tropical taste. Add a drizzle of chocolate, strawberry or caramel syrup.
If you love recipes like this, you may also like Chocolate Strawberry Layered Pudding Dessert or our Pistachio Fluff recipe.
How to Make No Bake Banana Pudding Cups
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this easy no-bake banana pudding trifle. For the complete instructions, check the recipe card further down on the page.
Mix And Slice
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the instant banana pudding and milk. Cover and refrigerate until thickened.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese together with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Reserve ¾ cup of the whipped topping and set aside. Beat the remaining whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and creamy.
Slice your bananas about ½ inch thick.
Making Individual Cups
Crush 30 cookies in a resealable bag then divide evenly amongst cups.
Evenly divide the pudding on top of the cookie layer in the cups. Crush remaining 30 cookies in a resealable bag then divide evenly amongst cups.
Add "cheesecake" layer evenly to all of your cups. Cover and refrigerate to allow the cookies to soften, if needed. When ready to serve, lay about 5-6 slices of banana flat on top of the pudding.
Place a generous dollop, or piping of whipped topping on each and garnish with a wafer and banana slice, if desired.
Layer Trifle
Line a 3-quart 9x13 inch glass dish with a single layer of the vanilla wafer cookies. Pour the prepared banana pudding recipe over the cookies and gently spread out evenly with a spatula.
Peel the bananas and slice into ½ inch thick rounds. Add the bananas to the dish over the vanilla layer. Dollop the banana pudding cheesecake mixture over top of the bananas and use a spatula to very gently spread until the dollops meet and the cheesecake layer is evenly spread over all of the bananas.
Top the banana pudding cheesecake layer with an even layer of vanilla wafer cookies. Scoop the reserved whipped topping into a small zip-top bag and cut off the corner to create a piping bag. Refrigerate until ready to serve then decorate the top of the dessert with the whipped topping, banana slice and cookie, if desired.
Scoop and enjoy every bite.
Recipe Tips
- Once you mix the pudding and milk, let it sit in the fridge for a bit to thicken up.
- Use an electric mixer for mixing the sugar and cream cheese. This will get out the lumps and make it nice and creamy.
- Make certain that you slice the bananas about ½ and inch thick so that they hold their texture and shape.
- To give the flavors a chance to meld together and time for your cookies to soften, I recommend placing the banana cheesecake trifles in the refrigerator for up to an hour or two before serving.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, including the day you made it.
Freezer: I don't recommend freezing this dessert. No worries, you're not likely to have any leftovers!
Recipe FAQs
The bottom layer of this banana pudding trifle is going to get soft, no matter. If adding whole or crushed wafers to the top I recommend doing so just before serving.
Bananas contain an enzyme that when combined with oxygen contains a chemical reaction that turns them brown. This reaction begins once the banana is peeled, however, it does not change the taste of the banana in any way. Either wait to slice the bananas when you are ready to use them or toss them in a little lemon juice.
You can definitely make each layer thinner in each cup and repeat layers in this order: crushed cookies, pudding, banana slices and cheesecake layer until you are close to the top of each cup. Remember you need space to add whipped topping on top of each.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake Trifle Video
More Recipes That Use Banana Pudding
Do you like banana pudding? Here some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
No Bake Banana Pudding Cups
Equipment
- 18-20 9 oz disposable cups or 13 x 9 inch pan
Ingredients
- 2 pkgs (3.4 oz) instant banana pudding or vanilla or your favorite flavor
- 4 cups cold milk
- 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tub (12 oz) whipped topping, thawed or 16 oz with some leftover usually
- 1 box (15 oz) vanilla wafer cookies divided
- 4-6 large bananas
Garnish
- vanilla wafer cookies crushed or full
- banana slices
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the instant banana pudding and milk. Cover and refrigerate until thickened.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese together with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Once smooth and creamy, add 1 ½ cups of whipped topping and beat until blended. Reserve remainig whipped topping for decoration and set aside.
- Peel the bananas and slice into ½ inch thick rounds if making Trifle or serving cups right away, otherwise wait to cut bananas before serving cups.
20 Individual 9 oz Cups
- Prepare 30 wafer cookies by crushing them in a resealable bag to resemble a chunky texture.
- Divide crushed wafer cookies onto the bottom of each of your cups.
- Evenly divide the pudding on top of the cookie layer inside each cup.
- Crush remaining 30 cookies in a resealable bag then divide evenly amongst cups.
- Add "cheesecake" layer divided evenly to all of your cups.
- Cover and refrigerate to allow the cookies to soften, if needed. Ideally no more than 1-2 hours.
- Right before serving lay 5-6 slices of banana flat on top of the cheesecake layer.
- Place a generous dollop, or piping of whipped topping on each cup and garnish with a wafer and banana slice, if desired. Serve.
Trifle
- Line a 3-quart 9x13 inch glass dish with a single layer of the vanilla wafer cookies. Pour the prepared banana pudding recipe over the cookies and gently spread out evenly with a spatula.
- Add the bananas to the dish over the vanilla layer.
- Dollop the “cheesecake” mixture over top of the bananas and use a spatula to very gently spread until the dollops meet and the cheesecake layer is evenly spread over all of the bananas.
- Top the cheesecake layer with an even layer of the vanilla wafer cookies.
- Right before serving, scoop the reserved whipped topping into a small resealable bag and cut off the corner to create a piping bag. Decorate the top of the dessert with the whipped topping, banana slices and crushed or whole cookies, if desired.
Notes
- Refrigerate the pudding mixture. Once you mix the pudding and milk, let it sit in the fridge for a bit to thicken up.
- Use an electric mixer for mixing. I’m always really tempted to mix everything by hand but an electric mixer is needed to mix the sugar and cream cheese. This will get out the lumps and make it nice and creamy. You just can’t get the same super-smooth texture that you get from an electric mixer when you mix by hand.
- Make certain that you slice the bananas thick enough that they hold their texture in the dish. I’ve found that ½ inch seems to be a great size for this recipe. Any thinner and the bananas turn to mush.
- Chill before serving. To give the flavors a chance to meld together, I recommend placing the banana cheesecake trifles in the refrigerator for up to an hour or two before serving, but not so long that your wafers turn to mush.
- Place cookies or wafers on top right before serving so they don't become soggy.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2022. It's been updated with new content and images.
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