No Bake Banana Split Dessert
No Bake Banana Split Dessert is a classic! It layers a graham cracker crust, cream cheese-based filling, bananas, pineapple, strawberries, whipped cream, nuts, chocolate & a cherry on top! Part banana pudding and part icebox cake, it’s a great dessert for the most special holidays or simple gatherings.
Each year, around Easter, I start to get a hankering for this no bake banana split dessert, which is peculiar to me, because I can only remember eating it once or twice ever, and that was at least 10 or 15 years ago. For some reason, it has stuck in my mind and I associate it with Easter. It’s quite possible that my mom made it for an Easter dessert a couple of years in a row, and then moved on to something else. A few years ago I finally asked my mom if she had the recipe for the “banana split dessert thing” that she made a long time ago, and she was able to dig it up for me. It took me approximately 2.2 seconds to assemble what I needed and I’ve been enjoying it at least a couple of times a year ever since!
First things first, let me break this banana split dessert down for you.
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Most importantly – it’s entirely no-bake. Absolutely no oven time is required, which makes it perfect for the summer when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen, and also perfect for when you need a quick dessert that you can throw together in very little time. Poof! Done!
Now, for the layers… It starts off with a graham cracker crust, topped with a cream cheese-mousse, and then layers of banana, pineapple, strawberries, and finally whipped cream, nuts, chocolate, and cherries on top! Talk about the ultimate banana split.
Now, a strange thing happened when I ran through the recipe the first time, and I had to do a double take. The layer above the graham cracker frosting consisted of butter, powdered sugar, and 2 eggs. EXCEPT… the eggs weren’t heated like a custard, and this dessert isn’t baked, so they’re just in there, raw. ::shudder:: I couldn’t do it, so after thinking through some workarounds, including a pastry cream layer or making it with pudding, I finally decided to use the filling from another of my favorite old-school desserts – the Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I went full steam ahead with that, and it works absolutely brilliantly in this recipe.
Don’t wait for a special reason to make this dessert, and certainly don’t wait years in between. Any ordinary day is special enough for this incredibly easy no bake banana split dessert.
If You Like This No Bake Banana Split Dessert, Try These Recipes:
- Banana Pudding
- No Bake Oreo Layer Dessert
- Banana Split Ice Cream Cake
- No Bake Cherry & Walnut Cheesecake
Four years ago: Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
No Bake Banana Split Dessert
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups (168 g) graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) Cool Whip
For the Fruit & Toppings:
- 3 to 4 bananas, sliced
- 20 ounce (566.99 g) canned crushed pineapple, drained well
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) Cool Whip
- ½ cup (58.5 g) walnuts, chopped
- Chocolate syrup
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter with a fork, stirring until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened. Dump the crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Refrigerate while you prepare the next layer.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the Cool Whip until thoroughly combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the graham cracker crust.
- Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on top of the cream cheese filling, top with an even layer of the crushed pineapple, and then an even layer of the sliced strawberries.
- Cover with the Cool Whip, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts, then drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with maraschino cherries. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I have made this many times and it is always a hit with a party. I would make half with nuts and half without nuts because some don’t like the nuts. Make sure to save this one.
Is there any way I could get the original recipe from you? My mother made this all the time and I lost my copy. Moms been dead 23 years and I was driving thinking about her and this recipe. I can totally see how cream cheese would work, but love the taste of the original. Thanks
This recipe looks so light and refreshing! It would be a great summer dessert!
Yummy…can I add strawberry
compote instead of fresh strawberries since we don’t get really
tart ones in India
Yes, I think that would work well!
Going to try this for the hubby i love banana splits but cant do ice cream anymore and hes not big on cream cheese (i love it) songoing to use banana pudding with maybe just a little cream cheese mix in it🤪
Everyone love it.
Back in the dark ages, aka the 80’s my mom made what must have been your original recipe with raw egg yolks in it. Kinda grossed me out but it was so delicious, everyone at the family gathering raved over it! I’ve wanted to make it for literally 40 or more years. Thank you so much for posting this, I can’t wait to try it out and take it to summer events
My husband is the banana split lover in our family, but we all love this easy, no-bake dessert. It halves easily to make in an 8-inch baking dish using one 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple and only one 8 oz. container of Cool Whip. If you skimp a bit on the Cool Whip in the filling, there’s still enough for the topping. The other ingredients halve easily enough. Is real whipped cream better tasting? Absolutely! But with lactose intolerance issues here, Cool Whip it is. And we don’t eat it every day, so as a once in a blue moon treat, we’re ok with it. Thanks for sharing your recipe, Michelle!
This is a recipe I lost from my mom thank you an I’m making it for church Sunday thanks again
Made this dessert and it was delicious. Turned out perfect!!!
Made this dessert and it was delicious. Turned out perfect!!!
Clearly stated and well-articulated
Thanks for the recipe
I’ll definitely try it out; maybe the little boys of the house will love it. Meanwhile, you could check out store guides at https://groceryoclock.com if you’re having a hard time finding any of the ingredients in your grocery store.
Why can’t you freeze this instead of keeping it refrigerated for 4 days
I took this banana split to a barbque & everyone loved it. They couldn’t stop at 1 piece.
This no bake banana split dessert looks yummy! I´ll try it before summer ends!
https://www.quieropostre.com/
So delicious . All my family loved it and so easy to make it
Easy to make and delicious for a summer gathering. I omitted the nuts, but followed the rest of the recipe.
I made this to bring to work. I forgot to take a picture, but it looked great. People at work loved it. 3 people asked me for the recipe. I sent them to Pinterest. Thank you very much.
I don’t see where you specified to use the entire tub of Cool Whip blended with the cream cheese mixture and then you used another tub for the topping. I wish your ingredients list said 2 8oz. tubs of Cool Whip. Luckily, I had two in the freezer.
Read the recipe again.
awesome! what a great baker as for baking best desserts that makes me proud of it, thanks for sharing beautiful post that looks very interesting. https://www.renderingmelbournepros.com.au/
My daughter loves bananas so I’ll definitely have to make for her for her birthday! Also,
at https://www.thesugarart.com/ there are vegan food coloring and cake decorating products so check it out!
Sounds awesome. Making for Memorial Day party so fingers crossed. And those of you who prefer the egg recipe, make it with eggs. What’s the point in arguing about and criticizing a recipe because it’s different than you remembered?
Only calls for 1 cool whip but requires 2?
Read the recipe again.
This is such a terrific recipe. It’s not too sweet but sweet enough – so very refreshing!. I made this recently for Easter and it was enjoyed by all (especially after eating salty and spicy boiled crawfish). I’m really glad there are no raw eggs as did the original recipe I used “back in the day.” I also like the use of regular sugar as opposed to powdered sugar with the cream cheese. This will now be my go to dessert for just about any occasion. Thanks!
Definitely a repeat recipe in my home
A hit for the Holiday!
Will definitely be making this again
I added Strawberry Jam under the fresh strawberries and chopped peanuts (in ice-cream topping area of store) instead of walnuts. Yum.
Just love your recipe, the best I’ve made and the people at my husbands job loved it!!!!
I have made this cake for over 30 years and we love it. My family was asking for the recipe and I had lost my original one. I looked on FB and found this one, which is just like the one I had. We love this.
all i can truly say for this bannanaspilt pie thing is wow.
I had the exact recipe from 30 years ago. And the eggs raw stumped me as well. I’m so happy I came across your version! Thank you so much!!
I gave this 5 stars it was easy to make,and we loved it.
i loved it to and i gave it 5 stars is not just like…. PERFECT