banana tiramisu

Tiramisu is an all-star dessert. This creamy spiked treat rose to popularity in the U.S. in the 80s, but a classic never gets old—we’re still enjoying its creamy coffee-soaked layers in our favorite Italian restaurants today. To celebrate our love, we’ve created a spin that combines the flavors of two beloved desserts: banana cream pie and tiramisu.

Grab a bunch of ripe bananas, brew a little espresso, layer and chill. This no-bake dessert is a perfect treat when it’s too hot to bake, or when all of your oven space is claimed by the main course.

banana tiramisu ingredients
Banana tiramisu ingredients

Banana cream tiramisu recipe

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 8 oz chilled coffee or espresso
  • 4 medium bananas, thinly sliced
  • 1 box vanilla wafer cookies
  • Cinnamon, for serving

Place the softened mascarpone in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high 2 to 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Transfer half the whipped cream to the bowl of softened mascarpone and mix to loosen and combine. Transfer the remaining whipped cream to the bowl and gently fold until just combined. 

Line the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish with an even layer of vanilla wafer cookies; leave as little empty space as possible (some overlapping cookies are okay). Evenly top the cookies with half the iced coffee or espresso, then top with an even layer of sliced bananas.

Gently dollop half the whipped mascarpone cream on top of the bananas and spread in an even layer. Repeat with another layer of wafer cookies and the remaining coffee, bananas, and whipped mascarpone. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or up to overnight. Just before serving, dust the top of the finished tiramisu with cinnamon (and espresso powder, if desired). Enjoy!

decorate banana tiramisu
Dust with cocoa powder for an easy, beautiful finish

Still have a sweet tooth? Find some of our other favorite dessert recipes here.