Ingredients (with structure)
Cheesecake Pudding Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
This base is very similar to other strawberry–banana pudding recipes that whip cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and instant pudding to create a rich, cheesecake-like mixture.
Whipped Layer
- 1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
(or homemade whipped cream)
Folding in whipped topping to the pudding is a technique used in many strawberry banana puddings to keep the mixture light and mousse-like.
Fruit & Cookies
- 4–5 ripe bananas, sliced
- 2–3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 box vanilla wafers or Chessman cookies
- Optional: extra strawberries for topping
- Optional: strawberry sauce for drizzling
Layering cookies, bananas, and strawberries with pudding matches the approach in several strawberry banana trifle and pudding recipes that use vanilla wafers or similar cookies for texture.
Step-by-step method
Step 1: Cream cheese base
Beat softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and fluffy, just as other strawberry-banana pudding recipes recommend for avoiding lumps. Add powdered sugar and continue beating until creamy, creating that cheesecake-style base that sets this pudding apart from basic box pudding.
Step 2: Pudding mixture
Blend in the sweetened condensed milk until fully incorporated. Slowly pour in the cold milk, then add the instant vanilla pudding mix and beat for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is thickened, silky, and lump-free; recipes with similar ratios often note that it should coat the back of a spoon and look slightly thick but still pourable. Stir in the vanilla extract to round out the flavor.
Step 3: Fold in Cool Whip
Gently fold the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture using a spatula, working slowly to keep it airy. This is the same technique other strawberry banana pudding recipes use—overmixing deflates the mixture and makes it dense instead of cloud-like.
Step 4: Prep the fruit
Slice the bananas and strawberries just before assembling so they stay fresh and don’t brown or weep too much juice. Pat the strawberry slices lightly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, a trick used in similar trifles to keep the pudding layer from becoming watery.
Step 5: Assemble the layers
Use a trifle dish, 9×13-inch baking pan, or deep glass bowl, following the same serveware style as other Christmas trifle and strawberry banana pudding desserts. Build your layers in this order:
- Layer 1: Cookies (vanilla wafers or Chessman)
- Layer 2: Sliced bananas
- Layer 3: Sliced strawberries
- Layer 4: Cheesecake pudding mixture
Repeat the layers until you use up the ingredients, finishing with a layer of pudding on top, which matches how other strawberry banana puddings and trifles are layered to show off the fruit along the sides.
Step 6: Festive finishing touches
Top the pudding with extra strawberry slices, crushed cookies, or a drizzle of strawberry sauce for a holiday-ready finish. Many Christmas trifle recipes recommend garnishing just before serving with fresh fruit or sauce to keep the top looking bright and fresh.
Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. This chill time echoes guidance from multiple banana and strawberry pudding sources: the longer it rests, the more the cookies soften into a cake-like layer and the flavors meld together.