No need for the ice cream parlor–or even ice cream for that matter.  Here it is in cheesecake form!

What do you do when you end up with TOO many ripe bananas in your freezer?  If you’re tired of the banana breads and muffins and would like to use some of them up, this could be your answer.

I bought a load of bananas a few weeks ago when they were on special for 49 cents per pound.  I had every intention of using them all too…but as usual, forgot a couple.  I already had some mashed and portioned out in my freezer already.  So I just stuck these in the freezer whole.

You can freeze banans in their skins.  I often to.  OK a better way is to mash them in portions of about 1 cup which is what most recipes call for using.  But having a few in their jackets in the freezer works out well too.  You just partially thaw, then squeeze like a tube of toothpaste.  Each medium banana will yield between 1/3 and 1/2 cup mashed.  Truthfully?  I don’t bother measuring.  If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup, I use one banana; never had a disaster yet.

The crust here is also something special.  I had plenty of graham cracker crumbs left over, but I wanted to kick that up a bit so I threw some walnuts in the food processor and ground them down finely and added to the graham cracker crumbs.  If you want, toss some coconut in too.  I didn’t because I just plain FORGOT–which is a problem lately LOL.

Make sure to serve this with a dollop of whipped cream, some chopped walnuts and a drained maraschino cherry on top…and whatever you do, don’t forget the chocolate sauce!!!

Banana Split Cheesecake Bars

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup ground walnuts
• 4 tbs butter, melted
• 2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup banana, very ripe, mashed (about 1 medium)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbs sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray a 9-inch square baking pan.


Prepare crust by mixing the graham cracker crumbs, the ground walnuts and the melted butter.  Combine well and press into prepared baking pan.


Beat the softened cream cheese until light.  Grandually add the sugar, beating until well incorporated.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in banana and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.


Pour cream cheese mixture over crust in pan and bake at 350 for 25- 30 minutes, or until center is set.  


Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.


Serve with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, some broken walnuts and a cherry on top.


Makes 9 servings

Banana Split Cheesecake

Banana Split Cheesecake

Banana Split Cheesecake

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