Chimpanzee Cheesecake
This banana cheesecake sits on a buttery graham cracker crust and bakes into a creamy, dense slice with real mashed banana flavor. Sour cream keeps it silky smooth while a hint of lemon brightens every bite.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
100 minGo ahead and laugh at the name, but this cheesecake is no joke.
Mashed bananas fold right into a rich cream cheese and sour cream batter, giving every slice a naturally sweet, tropical undertone that pairs beautifully with the buttery graham cracker crust.
The texture lands somewhere between a classic New York cheesecake and banana pudding. Dense, creamy, and just barely sweet enough to feel like a proper dessert without tipping into sugar overload.
Let it cool slowly in the oven with the door cracked open. That gentle cooldown is the secret to a smooth top with no cracks.
Kitchen Tips
- Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They mash smoother and bring more natural sweetness.
- Bring your cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of beating will fix.
- Don’t overbeat the batter once the eggs go in. Too much air creates cracks as the cheesecake cools.
- This freezes beautifully. Wrap tightly in plastic and foil for up to a month.
Variations
- Drizzle with chocolate ganache and top with sliced bananas for a banana split cheesecake.
- Swap the graham cracker crust for crushed vanilla wafers or chocolate cookie crumbs.
- Fold in a swirl of peanut butter before baking for a banana-peanut butter cheesecake.
Ingredients
Directions
Crust: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and add the butter and sugar.
Blend well.
Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and partly up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
Smooth the crumb mixture along the bottom to an even thickness.
Bake for about 10 minutes in the oven at 350℉ (180℃).
Cool before filling.
Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice together.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the sour cream and the mashed bananas and blend well until very smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour.
Cool in the oven, with the door propped open, until the cake is at room temperature.
Chill until serving time.
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