Does it get any better than banana bread? OR cheesecake? How about we put the two together to create these delicious banana bread cheesecake cups. Not only are they absolutely amazing and super easy to make, but they’re also gluten free AND dairy free!

This post is sponsored by Simple Mills and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Butternut Bakery possible!

How to make gluten free banana bread cups

What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make. Using a simple mix for the banana bread bottom and a no bake banana cheesecake filling, these little cups come together in no time.

For the base, I used Simple Mills Banana Muffin and Bread mix. It’s naturally gluten free because it’s made with almond flour and only 6 other ingredients!

That’s why I love using their baking mixes. I’m not usually a fan of box mixes but because I know exactly what ingredients are in a box of Simple Mills, I trust that it will turn out amazing every time. It’s just a little homemade shortcut!

Using the muffin instructions, all you need is eggs, water, and oil. Pour the batter into a cupcake tin that has been coated in nonstick spray. It’s important to not use paper liners for this specific recipe.

During the baking process is where we shape the banana muffins to cups. Bake for 10 minutes, then take the muffins out of the oven to rest for about 2 minutes.

Using a round tablespoon or a utensil that is around the same size, press into the center of the muffins to form a well for the banana cheesecake filling. It should ALMOST reach the bottom of the muffin, but don’t press all the way through. Rinse the utensil with water between each muffin so it doesn’t stick.

Continue baking the muffins for 10 more minutes then let them cool completely before filling with the dairy free banana cheesecake filling.

How to make a dairy free banana cheesecake filling

Honestly, you won’t even know these are dairy free. The center is creamy, tangy, and tastes exactly like a no bake banana cheesecake…only better because of the banana bread bottom!

I wanted to make this recipe super simple for anyone who might be intimidated by dairy free baking. For that reason, I made an easy swap of using a diary free cream cheese as the base of this mix.

If you don’t care to make these dairy free, simply use regular cream cheese in place of the non-dairy option for the same result. You will also want to omit the coconut oil.

To make sure it still had that signature tang that regular cheesecake has, I added in a little bit of lemon juice. You can barely taste it but it’s exactly what the recipe needed!

I also like to use just barely ripe bananas here. If they’re too brown, it can make the mixture too thin. Make sure to use bananas that are mostly yellow with a few brown spots to get the perfect consistency.

Once your cups are completely cooled, spoon the batter into the banana bread bites and spread it even. It will fill the cup as well as spill over slightly on top.

a bite taken out of a banana bread bottom cheesecake

Topping your banana bread bottom cheesecakes

To finish off these cute mini banana cheesecakes, I topped them with some finely chopped pecans. I love the texture it gives to these creamy and soft cups.

There are also so many other toppings you could add to these! Here are just a few that I think would go great on top:

Honey
Maple Syrup
Chopped dark chocolate
Fresh banana slices (if you’re consuming these right away)
Crushed banana chips
A dollop or swirl of peanut or almond butter
Dairy free whipped cream

And the list goes on and on. If there’s something you absolutely love with bananas, don’t hesitate to sprinkle it on top. Which reminds me…I could add sprinkles to this list too!

Making an EASY gluten free and dairy free dessert recipe

My goal when making recipe modifications (like gluten or dairy free) is to make it approachable. Often times we think that desserts without dairy or gluten are tasteless and boring which is so far from the truth!

This no bake banana bread cheesecake is the perfect example. It’s flavorful, sweet, creamy, and so freakin’ addictive. If you fed these to someone and DIDN’T tell them they were gluten and dairy free, they wouldn’t even know.

It helps that Simple Mills makes it so simple (see what I did there?) to make gluten free treats in a snap. And now that ingredients like almond flour and dairy free cream cheese are so easily accessible, it’s turning recipes like this into the norm.

And you don’t need a long list of special ingredients to make these banana bread cheesecake cups. You probably have almost everything you need already in your kitchen! Whether you follow a gluten or dairy free diet or not, you’ll definitely love this recipe either way.

For more modified banana recipes:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram or comment below if you make these Banana Bread Cheesecake Cups. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!