Banana Split Lush

Banana Split Lush is a creamy, decadent no-bake dessert layered with bananas, pineapple, cream cheese, chocolate, and colorful sprinkles. Topped with whipped cream, toasted nuts, and cherries, it’s an easy crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword banana-split-lush, banana-split-recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 18

Chill time 4

Total Time 4 43

Servings pieces

Calories 464kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans divided use
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup salted butter melted
2 8 oz blocks cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple drained
4 medium bananas sliced
2 3.4 oz boxes instant white chocolate pudding mix or cheesecake instant pudding mix
3 cup cold milk or half and half
1 16 oz container whipped topping (Cool Whip) or 4 cups fresh whipped cream divided use
1/2 cup hot fudge sauce slightly warmed until pourable
16 maraschino cherries with stems
sprinkles or jimmies

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz the bottom only of a 13x9-inch baking dish or cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Toast Walnuts: Spread 1/2 cup walnut pieces in a single layer on a sheet pan and toast in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool. (This is for garnishing.)
Crust: In a medium mixing bowl stir together graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, granulated sugar and melted butter. Press firmly onto the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Layer: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to whip together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, drained pineapple and 1 cup whipped topping. Whip for 2 minutes until fluffy and combined. Spread mixture evenly over the crust.
Bananas: Top pineapple-cream cheese mixture with a layer of banana slices.
Pudding: Whip together both boxes of instant white chocolate pudding with 3 cups of cold milk for 2-3 minutes until thickened but still pourable. Pour pudding mixture over the bananas.
Topping: Frost the top with the remaining whipped topping. Drizzle whipped cream with chocolate fudge and garnish with the remaining toasted walnuts and maraschino cherries. Decorate as desired.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours or overnight, then slice and serve.

Notes

Cream Cheese - You could swap out full fat cream cheese using Neufchatel cheese with no other adjustments needed.
Additional Fruit - If you'd like to add a layer of fresh sliced strawberries to this dessert you can! You can add a layer of freshly sliced strawberries (about 2 cups) or drizzle the banana layer with strawberry ice cream topping, if desired. See how to make homemade Strawberry Sauce here.
Hot Fudge - I highly recommend using a thick fudge sauce for the topping and not chocolate syrup.
Nuts - You can use pecans, macadamia nuts or almonds in place of walnuts. The method of toasting in the oven would be the same.
Graham Crackers - You can use chocolate graham crackers for a chocolate twist.
Topping Options - I use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to decorate the top of this banana split lush. You could also use a large Ziploc bag with the tip of a corner snipped to drop one generous dollop of Cool Whip on each individual serving piece and then decorate with a maraschino cherry. Doing it this way makes for such a pretty presentation, every serving looks the same.
Cover the Bananas to Prevent Browning - When covering the banana slices with pudding, make an effort to spread to the edge of the dish to seal the and protect them from oxidizing too quickly. Doing so will delay browning.

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