Banana Cheesecake Bars

If you’re looking for an easy banana dessert that’s super popular with guests, these homemade banana cheesecake bars are always a hit with everyone who tries them!

Bring the bars to a party, and watch them all disappear.

With a sweet flavor and rich and creamy texture, these delightful banana cheesecake bars taste like a combination of traditional cheesecake and banana cream pie.

The kid friendly recipe calls for just five ingredients and can be egg free, dairy free, vegan, gluten free, oil free, and refined sugar free.

Also make Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana cheesecake bar ingredients

Banana – Either fresh or frozen banana works. Be sure to let the bananas turn at least partially brown before peeling and mashing, as this means the fruit is ripe.

Vanilla extract – Look for pure vanilla extract, not imitation or vanilla flavoring. You can also add in a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish.

Cream cheese – Go with full fat cream cheese. For vegan banana bars, you can use either homemade Vegan Cream Cheese or a brand like Kite Hill, Violife, Tofutti, or Trader Joes dairy free.

Sweetener of choice – Use any of the following: regular or brown sugar, powdered sugar, pure maple syrup or agave, coconut sugar or date sugar, or erythritol or xylitol for a lower sugar dessert bar.

Leftover bananas? Turn them into Banana Ice Cream

Banana bar crust recipes

Graham Cracker Crust: Pulse ten graham cracker sheets in a food processor with three tablespoons of oil (such as sunflower or coconut oil) or butter to form fine crumbs. Press down firmly into a parchment-lined pan before spreading the filling on top.

Almond Flour Crust: Stir one and a half cups of almond flour with five tablespoons of melted coconut oil or butter and one tablespoon of liquid sweetener of choice or water. Press into a parchment-lined baking pan and spread the filling on top.

Other Crust Ideas: You can use your favorite store bought or homemade pie crust recipe, substitute gingersnaps or sugar cookies for the graham crackers, or omit the crust completely for crustless banana cheesecake bars.

The easy banana recipe was adapted from both my classic Vegan Cheesecake and this Keto Cheesecake, and from these fall favorite Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

How to make banana cheesecake bars

Gather your ingredients, and line an eight inch pan with parchment paper.

If using a crust, press it into the pan. Set aside.

Bring the cream cheese to room temperature, and peel and mash the bananas.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a baking pan of any size about half way up with water. Place this pan on the lower rack of the oven. This step is optional to add moisture to the oven environment so that the cheesecake bars don’t dry out on top and begin to crack.

Blend the cream cheese, banana, vanilla, cornstarch, sweetener, and cinnamon (if using) just until smooth and even. Do not over blend.

Spread the banana filling into the first prepared pan. Place on the center rack of the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. Once time is up, turn off the heat but leave the oven door closed for an additional ten minutes.

Then remove the banana cheesecake bars and let them cool completely on the counter. Gradually allowing the bars to cool ensures they will not be shocked with any sudden temperature changes. It is another trick to keep the tops smooth.

I recommend refrigerating the pan for a few hours or overnight, loosely covered in a cloth towel, during which time the contents of the pan will firm up considerably.

Slice the bars with a sharp knife. If desired, top with gingersnaps or Vegan Nilla Wafers and store bought whipped cream or Coconut Whipped Cream.

After one day, cover leftover cream cheese bars in an airtight container and refrigerate for three to four days. Leftovers can also be frozen.

Above, watch the banana cheesecake bar recipe video

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