It’s bananas how good this dessert is! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than this. A creamy peanut butter topping covers layers of fresh bananas and a tasty vanilla-wafer crust. Drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce, we think it’s the best in the bunch!

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 to 10 servings

　　Cooking spray

　　1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookies (about 30 cookies)

　　1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　4 ounces cream cheese, softened

　　1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　2 (8-ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed

　　2 cups sliced banana (about 2 bananas)

　　1/2 cup chocolate syrup

　　

Step 1

Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Pulse the cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and the butter; pulse two to three times or just until combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

Put the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, the cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping.

　　

Step 4

Lay the banana slices on the prepared crust and drizzle with the chocolate syrup. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the bananas and drizzle again with the chocolate syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen through, about 5 hours. Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

　　

Step 5

To store, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.