Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: That rich caramelized banana flavor with hints of cinnamon and bourbon plays so nicely with the tangy cream cheese.
Texture: The crust is perfectly crunchy yet buttery, the filling is rich yet light, and the banana topping just melts in your mouth.
Ease: Easy but a little messy. Can be made ahead of time!
Pros: Easier than a full-sized cheesecake with tons of gourmet flavor.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Oh definitely!
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These Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes are sure to be the hit of any dinner party or potluck!
One of the first things I learned to make in culinary school was bananas foster.
It makes for a fun first lesson because you get to flambé the bananas (aka light them on fire)!
It’s often the go-to table-side dessert presentation at many traditional gourmet restaurants.
Bananas Foster is an impressive yet surprisingly easy dessert to make and, when combined with another stellar dessert such as cheesecake, everything is taken to a whole new level.
I don’t call for any flambé action in this recipe because it can be dangerous in home kitchens, but if you feel daring, go ahead and light the bananas foster ablaze after the alcohol is added. Here’s a helpful video if you want to see how it’s done.
How to Make Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes
How to Make Smooth & Creamy Cheesecake
- Make sure all of your ingredients are completely at room temperature.
- The cream cheese specifically needs to be totally softened.
- If it’s a cold day, then the cream cheese will need to sit on the counter for several hours or you may need to nuke it in the microwave until it’s completely soft.
- Be sure to use high-quality full-fat cream cheese bricks. Don’t use the spreadable tubs meant for bagels.
Do I Need a Special Pan for Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes?
- I love my mini cheesecake pan for this recipe. Each cavity in this pan has a removable base, so you can easily pop the mini cheesecakes out of the tin, without the need for muffin liners or any fuss at all. They come out of the tin looking so perfect and beautiful.
- My favorite Chicago Metallic pan is sometimes out of stock, but this alternative pan will work perfectly too.
- If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, you could use a muffin tin.
- Just be sure to line it with cupcake liners, otherwise the graham cracker crust might crumble and the cheesecake might stick when you go to remove them.
Can I Make One Large Cheesecake Instead of Minis?
We haven’t tried that. Instead, you could make my Ultimate Classic Cheesecake, omitting the lemon. Add this Bananas Foster topping before serving, for an equally delicious dessert!
Can I Substitute the Graham Crackers?
You can use the same amount by weight of digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, Biscoff cookies, or any crunchy cookie you’d like! Please note that Biscoff cookies are a little richer than graham crackers (which are drier), so add just enough butter until it holds together when pressed.
Do I Have to Use Alcohol? Will it Cook Out?
The bourbon in this recipe adds a beautiful depth of flavor, so I encourage you to use bourbon here. Dark rum will also work just fine. The alcohol is such a small amount and will cook out, but feel free to omit it entirely if you need to.
How to Store Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes
Store cooled mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add the caramel topping shortly before serving for best results.
Can You Freeze Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes?
While we haven’t tried that, it should work just fine to freeze these un-topped mini cheesecakes. Place individual cheesecakes on a baking tray and freeze until solid, then move to an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 sleeve (9 cookies, 136 grams) graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (about 113 grams) ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup mini cheesecake pan with nonstick spray.
- Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add in the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Divide the mixture among the cavities of the cheesecake pan, about 1 heaping tablespoon in each. Firmly press into the bottom of each cavity (a shot glass or other small object makes easy work of this).
- Bake the crusts for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325°F.
For the filling:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the banana, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Add the egg and beat until just combined. Divide the mixture among each cavity.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, or until set. Let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
For the topping:
- In a medium skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the sugar and cinnamon and whisk until melted and smooth. Add the banana and allow to soften and brown slightly. Add the bourbon and simmer for a few minutes.
- Top each cheesecake with a small spoonful of the topping. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.
This recipe was created in 2015 and has been updated with additional recipe tips and weight measurements.
This sounds amaaazing but I would like to use this topping only on some and another topping on others that doesn’t pair very well with banana so I’m wondering if I can just leave the banana out of the the actual cheesecake recipe or if I would need to substitute the banana with some added moisture? Am I better off using a different recipe for a plain cheesecake base?
Hi Davida! Removing the banana from the cheesecake filling would mess up the texture and require additional testing to get the ingredient ratios right. What if you made a half batch of this recipe instead?
I made these as 12 cupcakes (didn’t have a cheesecake pan) and it turned out fine. However, it is very important to use a skillet when making the sauce. I used a regular pan and twice the sauce broke. I think using a skillet keeps the heat even when melting the sugar.
Yummy! Thank you for sharing !
Why does everyone want to change the specifications in the recipe and expect you to know the conversions? You can Google it for some helpful tips.
Can I use rum extract and how much
Hi Gail! I’m sorry – we haven’t tried rum extract in this recipe! Depending on where you want to use this (in the cheesecake itself, or instead of the alcohol in the topping), you will just want to start off with a very small amount, as extract is extremely potent. You will have to do a little experimenting and see what works for you and your flavor preferences! Let us know how it goes! 🙂
I totally love these and they are adorable as well as delicious, but will I be able to make this in a round cake pan or a square pan to make bars? What Would the cooking time Be if I do either of these?
Hi Rhonda! I’m sorry, but we haven’t tried these cheesecakes any other way, except minis as written! You could do some experimenting and try these out in an 8×8-inch square pan, and hopefully they will work well as bars – but I don’t know how long to bake for as we have not tested that out! The closest guidance I can offer is continuing to follow the sensory indicators mentioned in the recipe (“bake until fragrant”; “bake until set”). Please let us know if you do try these as bars – we’d love to know how it goes! Good luck and happy baking 🙂
This recipe is amazing. LOVE bananas and this is so perfect! I couldn’t figure out the sauce for some reason the butter kept separating but I made a creme brulee topping and it was a hit! I’ll try the sauce again. Definitely one of my favorites and so easy to make!! I also used a cupcake pan with silicone liners and it worked great. Just a little longer cook time. Thank you! I use a lot of your recipes and this is my absolute favorite!!!
Hi Jen! I’m so happy to hear you loved these cheesecakes! Please let us know if you would like help troubleshooting what may have gone wrong with the sauce! You can reply here with some more information, or email us at [email protected] 🙂
Can I make this on 6 cup removable bottom cheesecake pan? Each cup measures 2” deep x 3” across.
Hi Joyce! This is the pan Tessa used to create this recipe. Your pan cavities sound a little larger. I can’t say exactly how well those would work, as we haven’t tried it, but you could certainly try! Just follow the sensory indicators Tessa mentions in the recipe (i.e. bake until just set) and you should be fine 🙂 Happy baking!
Raves of compliments! Easy and delicious!
I made this recipe for a dinner at home! and my guests are still raving about the delicious dessert. They couldn’t believe was home made. The only changed I made was to use half quantity of Nilla Wafer for the crust. We live in New Orleans so I decorated with a Mardi Gras Mask pick I wish I can post a picture…
That sounds amazing!! Glad everyone enjoyed them 🙂 If you’re on Instagram, please tag #handletheheat in your photo so Tessa can see them and comment, or you can join our Facebook Group and post there 🙂
Can you freeze these ahead of time ?
Sure, just without the topping. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping and serving 🙂
I loved this. I like the mini version of baked items so I don’t overdo it! Mine was close, but I will do again.