Prepare the crust
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
In a bowl, combine the crushed wafers, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.
Press the crust firmly into the bottom of each springform pan (two pans if making both cheesecakes). Use the bottom of a glass to even the surface.
Bake the crusts for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake base (cream cheese filling)
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until silky and smooth.
Add sugar and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is well combined before adding the next.
Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream until the mixture is creamy and uniform.
Reserve about 1 cup of this batter if you plan to create a layered or swirled effect (optional for banana pudding flavor).
Strawberry Crunch cheesecake assembly
Pour the cheesecake base over the cooled crust in the first pan.
In a small bowl, toss the 1 cup crushed Golden Oreos with 2 tablespoons melted butter until coated.
Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping evenly over the surface of the batter.
Lightly press the crumb topping into the batter to help it adhere.
Banana Pudding cheesecake assembly (optional flavor enhancement)
If you’re creating a separate Banana Pudding cheesecake, you can fold in mashed banana and banana pudding flavors into the reserved batter, or swirl cooled banana pudding into a portion of the base.
Pour the banana-flavored batter into the second pan (or into the remaining space if using a single pan with two layers).
If you prefer a banana pudding swirl, add spoonfuls of banana pudding mixture and vanilla wafer crumble to create ribbons, then swirl with a knife.
Baking
Place the filled pans in the oven. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 60–70 minutes, or until the centers are just set and the edges are slightly puffed.
Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let cheesecakes cool in the oven for about 1 hour to prevent cracking.
Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set.
Finishing touches and serving
If desired, top with additional fresh strawberries, a light strawberry glaze, or a drizzle of melted chocolate to enhance the strawberry cheesecake.
For a banana pudding cheesecake, a whipped cream topping with a few banana slices can complement the flavor beautifully.
Slice with a clean knife wiped between cuts for neat portions.
Notes and variations
If you don’t have Golden Oreos, you can use any vanilla or chocolate sandwich cookies for the crunch layer, or swap for shortbread crumbs for a different texture.
For a lighter texture, replace half of the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
If you’d like to make the crust gluten-free, use gluten-free vanilla wafers or graham crackers and ensure the other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
