Blueberry Cheesecake Surprise

This Blueberry Surprise Recipe is an amazingly yummy layered treat, perfect for any occasion.  Layers of cheesecake, blueberries, cool whip, (and surprise – bananas) over a graham cracker crust make this sweet treat the hit of any get-together!

Blueberry Suprise

Last year for Mother’s Day, hubby surprised me with a massage he had booked for me in advance.  (Yep, this was last year, and I’m only writing this post up now – I’m a major procrastinator.)  While I was having a bit of peace and quiet at the spa, he took the kids with him to a potluck brunch at his niece’s house.

Hubby was assigned to bring a dessert to share at the meal.  Neither one of us wanted to cook anything, so I suggested he purchase a sour cream bundt cake from the deli section at our local grocery store.  (They are soo good, you just can’t go wrong with one of those cakes!)

After we were all back home, I asked him about the potluck and what was the best dessert. He said his sister’s mother-in-law had brought an amazing blueberry dessert, and was the hit of the party. The dessert was called Blueberry Surprise.

I quizzed him about the dessert, but he couldn’t remember anything about it, just that it was really good.  I asked if it was better than my Blueberry Dump Cake. (How can that be?)  He told me, “Not better- just different.” (Good save, Honey.)

So, after all that build-up, I had to get the recipe and try it myself.

He was right; The Blueberry Surprise dessert was amazing!

TL;DR:

Hubby took the kids to a potluck brunch. The best dessert was the Blueberry Surprise. I got the recipe and made it. He was right; Blueberry Surprise is delicious! (Just look at those layers.)

Blueberry Suprise vs. Blueberry Yum Yum Vs. Blueberry Delight

I was told this recipe was called Blueberry Suprise (the surprise being the bananas, I guess), although when I received the recipe card, it was titled Blueberry Delight. I googled around a bit but didn’t find a definitive answer on the recipe name.

Turns out, this type of dessert can be called several different names. You might have heard of it as Blueberry Lush, Blueberry Yum Yum, Blueberry Lasagna, Blueberry Surprise, or Blueberry Delight.

It is important to know, whatever the correct name is; this version is not a no-bake version. The cheesecake layer is an actual layer of cheesecake made with eggs, so it is dense, velvety, and richer in flavor than cream cheese mixed with cool whip. (If you are looking for a no-bake version of the Blueberry Surprise, I do give directions on how to make it no-bake at the bottom in the FAQ’s.)

I’d love to know, though, have you ever made this recipe, and what did your family call it? (For now, I’m going with Blueberry Surprise – after all, there are blueberries, cheesecake, and a surprise, bananas!)

Why Make The Blueberry Surprise Dessert

• Tastes amazing – You can’t go wrong with 6 layers of deliciousness. Graham cracker crust, cheesecake, bananas, whipped topping, blueberry pie filling, and topped with a final layer of whipped topping and pecans.
• Looks gorgeous – The layers of bright purple blueberry pie filling, white whipped cream, yellow bananas, and cheesecake on a golden graham cracker crust are show-stoppingly pretty.
• Perfect for a crowd – This dessert is one of those potluck dessert recipes that Grandma or great Aunt Mary would make for holiday get-togethers, family reunions, or summertime barbecues. It is large enough to feed a crowd and it is absolutely loved by all. If you make this dessert, I promise there will not be any leftovers!

Ingredient + Tips for the Blueberry Surprise Recipe

• Graham cracker crumbs | You’ll need about 2.5 cups or about 48 squares.
• Granulated Sugar | Divided. Sugar is used in both the crust and the cheesecake.
• Butter | One stick, melted for the graham cracker crust.
• Blueberry pie filling | Canned is fine, but you could totally make your own.
• Eggs | Large. The eggs are for the cream cheese layer; you want them at room temperature for the best results.
• Cream cheese | 8 oz, brought to room temp. You want the eggs and cream cheese at room temperature for easy blending. You don’t want to over-mix cheesecake. (Overmixing incorporates too much air into the batter. And then, the air bubbles will burst during baking, causing the cheesecake to fall and crack. Cold ingredients are the main reason overmixing happens because when cream cheese is cold, it is harder to get the ingredients to blend, hence: overmixing.)
• Cool whip | You will need about 1.5 8 oz containers. Homemade whipped cream works great too. (You’ll need about 2.5 cups of heavy whipping cream and about 6btablespoons of sugar.)
• Bananas | You’ll need two large bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick.
• Optional: 1/4 cup pecans (chopped) and/or fresh blueberries for garnish.

How to make Blueberry Suprise

1 Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

2 Make the Graham Cracker crust. If using squares of graham crackers, process the crackers in a food processor or crush them with a rolling pin in a ziplock bag until they are ground into fine crumbs. Combine graham crackers and sugar. Add melted butter and stir with a fork til well mixed. Press mixture into greased 13 by 9 pan.

Pro tip: Use the bottom of the measuring cup to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan for a finely packed and smooth, even layer. Just don’t press too hard. You want to press hard enough to keep the crumbs in place but not too hard, or the crust will be difficult to cut.

3 Make the Cheesecake layer. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar till fluffy. Add sugar and eggs, mixing until thoroughly combined. Pour cream cheese mixture over the crust, and bake until done and golden brown at the edges (about 20 to 25 minutes.) Let the cheesecake completely cool for a few hours before adding the next layers.

4 Layer the rest of the ingredients. Layer sliced bananas over cooled cheesecake. Top with a generous layer of cool whip. Gently spread blueberry pie filling over the cool whip layer. Top blueberries with a second layer of the remaining cool whip. For garnish, sprinkle the top with optional pecans and fresh blueberries. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours until ready to serve.

Tips

• Make sure to bring the eggs and cream cheese to room temperature. This makes them easier to blend and you will be less likely to overmix.

Variations

• Replace 1 cup of ground graham crackers with ground pecans or other nuts like walnuts for a delightfully crispy, nutty-flavored crust.
• Make a shortbread crust. (Easy shortbread crust recipe: 1 cup room temp butter, 3/4 cup white sugar, 2.5 cups flour. Combine butter, sugar, and flour. I like to use my fingers for this. The dough should be a bit crumbly. Press dough into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 F oven.)
• Use a different cookie for the crust, like vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, pecan sandies, or chocolate cookies.
• Use a different flavor pie filling, such as lemon, cherry, or strawberry.
• Switch out the traditional pie filling, use vanilla or chocolate pudding, and replace the bananas with Chocolate Oreos.

Storage

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FAQs

More blueberry Desserts

• Blueberry Dump Cake
• No Bake Blueberry Pie
• Easy Homemade Blueberry Cobbler Recipe
• Microwave Blueberry Lemon Mug Cake
• Blueberry Cheesecake
• Easy Blueberry Galette
• Lemon Blueberry Bread W/ Lemon Glaze

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