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)!
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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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Mini Bananas Foster Cheesecakes
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 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.
Came out perfect. I put mines in a muffin pan with cupcake liners and a pan of water under it, just like I do any cheesecake I’ve baked. I had to cook it for 45 minutes. For the topping, I used a caramel Hersey topping that I had and added some cinnamon and bananas with bourbon. It was perfect and my family loved it! Definitely a must keep recipe!! Thank you!!!!
Wow, your topping sounds fantastic, Nicole, YUM! So excited to hear your cheesecakes were such a hit!
Can we use muffin pan and if yes then it should be removable base ones?
Hi Hina! We love using a mini cheesecake pan (linked above the recipe) as the bottoms are removable just like a springform or tart pan so you can pop out each cheesecake and keep it perfectly in tact. Muffin tins work fine, just make sure you line them with paper or foil liners; otherwise the crust might crumble and the cheesecake might stick when you go to remove them. Hope that helps!
MAKE THESE!! They are delicious!! My only recommendation is to make the glaze/topping right before you serve them as if they are left, they do get a little soggy. The glaze is the best part!
Hi any tips on how to remove it from the mold/cheesecake pan that it won’t break? Thanks!
If you use the same cheesecake pan that I mention above, you shouldn’t have a problem! There’s actually a removable bottom insert making it super easy to take them out of the pan 🙂
These turned out SO goood. This recipe is really easy to follow and that’s coming from someone who messes up everything. The topping is soooo good. I ended up smushing the bananas a little so I had little pieces instead of one big one but so good. You also really don’t taste the bourbon too strongly if that’s something you’re worried about, it just makes the flavors pop a bit more. The only modification I made was adding a little bit of olive oil to the crust because it didn’t seem moist enough, I kind of wish I had just adding a touch more butter. But they were great and I’ll def make again….after I try a new more of these recipes
YAY! I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
Sooo good! Easy. And what is it about mini desserts that are so impressive that people oh and ah? Order the pan, do it! Worth it!
Hi Tessa, these look amazing. I would love to try this but can I skip the bourbon or rum in this recipe? Do they taste the same? Let me know 🙂 Also, Graham crackers, do they have to be the same? Or any other biscuits do?
I tripled this recipe because I needed 36 for a party. I had so much crust and filling left over that I made a 9 inch tart that I mixed mini chocolate chips into. Not sure where it went wrong that I was left with that much of everything. I even filled the mini pans all the way to the top with the fear of them baking over, but thankfully they did not. The flavor is amazing and I will definitely make again.
Michele S. – I’m curious why you gave this 4 stars when you said the flavor was amazing. 🙂 Also, you wrote that you ended up with a lot of left over crust and filling. FYI to those who are on the fence about making. Just follow Tessa’s recipe. FILL each cavity on your tray. They may seem very full but after you bake and take out of the oven the cheesecake will settle and shrink down a bit.
These were a huge hit during Mardi Gras! Will definitely make them again.
Helli, i made these mini and they were wonderful! Can this be made i. 8×8 square pan? If so how long
I made these for Valentine’s Day (using a mini cupcake pan). I had leftover banana filling, so I blended crushed Grape Nuts and graham crackers with melted butter, and baked a small, thin cheesecake with the remaining filling.
I can’t wait to try your recipes! I have never made a cake like this but I am excited to try. Thank you for your experience and willing to share your recipe. I will be also trying out the Mini banana fosters.