Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup butter (, melted)
  • 17 vanilla wafers
  • 2 ripe bananas, (diced)
  • 1 ripe banana, (mashed)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2-3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (, softened)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • whipped cream and vanilla wafers for garnish

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together crushed vanilla wafers, chopped pecans, and melted butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
  • Stand 17 vanilla wafers around edge of pan with rounded sides facing outward. Press them gently into the crust.
  • In a small saucepan, combine bananas (both diced and mashed) and lemon juice. Stir in brown sugar, using 2 tablespoons if your bananas are super ripe and 3 tablespoons if they are medium ripe. Cook over medium heat until brown sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
  • Gradually add granulated sugar.
  • Add eggs, one at a time and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl after each addition. Do not over beat. Only beat until most of yellow disappears before adding next egg.
  • Beat in vanilla extract.
  • Stir banana mixture in until evenly mixed. Pour batter into springform pan on top of crust.
  • Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until center is almost set. Jiggle the pan to check.
  • Turn oven off, open door about 6 inches and leave cheesecake in oven to cool for about 1 hour.
  • Remove cheesecake to counter to cool for another 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.