Ingredients
1 1/2 c. finely crushed Nilla Wafers
4 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (3.4-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 3/4 c. whole milk
5 large ripe bananas, sliced
48 Nilla wafers, plus more, crushed, for garnish
Cool Whip or whipped cream, for topping
Preparation
Step 1Make crust: In a medium bowl, stir together Nilla wafers, butter, and salt. Press into the bottom of 11x7 baking dish. Set aside.Step 2Make cheesecake filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in heavy cream and vanilla and until stiff peaks form. Set aside.Step 3In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Let pudding stand for 5 minutes until thickened. Fold pudding into cheesecake mixture.Step 4Pour half the filling into graham cracker crust. Add a layer of sliced bananas, then one of Nilla Wafers, then pour remaining half of filling over top. Add another layer of sliced bananas and Nilla wafers. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.Step 5Top lasagna with Cool Whip or whipped cream, sprinkle with more Nilla wafers and top with remaining banana slices. Slice and serve.
This one’s got everything you love about banana pudding, but comes together much easier and faster (well, excluding its necessary stint in the fridge). If you can find banana cream pudding, go ahead and use it, but vanilla works just as well (try French vanilla for even deeper flavor). You could even go wild and swap in chocolate, coconut, or even pistachio if you like. Speaking of pudding, make sure your box is labeled “instant” rather than “cook and serve”—the latter won’t set properly without heat. We’ve used a 11x7 (4 quart) rectangular pan here, but feel free to use other similar sizes, or split the recipe into two (one to keep at home, and one to take to a party 😉). We like this recipe topped with Cool Whip, but you could use simple homemade whipped cream too. Don’t forget to save a few extra banana slices and cookies to crumble on top for decoration—it’ll make this dish extra alluring on the dessert table. Not a fan of bananas? Check out our peanut butter dessert lasagna, our brownie lasagna, or our samoa dessert lasagna instead. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below. Editor’s Note: This recipe was updated on August 5, 2022.
