Crush the golden sandwich cookies into fine crumbs—you want them resembling wet sand, not powder, so they'll hold together well. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then combine with the cookie crumbs, stirring until evenly coated. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar size, using the bottom of a measuring cup to create an even, compact layer. Freeze for 10 minutes while you prepare the other components—this sets the crust so it won't crumble when you layer the pudding mixture on top.

Pour the milk into a medium bowl and add the instant banana cream pudding mix. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until the pudding thickens and reaches a custard-like consistency—don't skip this step or it won't set properly. Move this to the refrigerator while you prepare the cream cheese layer. I like to let the pudding chill for at least 15-20 minutes so it firms up slightly, which makes layering much easier without everything sliding around.

In a separate bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer or whisk until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Gently fold in 1.5 cups of whipped topping using a rubber spatula with slow, deliberate strokes—this keeps the mixture light and airy rather than dense. The result should be fluffy, mousse-like, and easy to spread. I find that folding rather than mixing preserves all that whipped topping's lift, which gives the final dessert a much better texture.

Remove the frozen Oreo crust from Step 1 and spread the cream cheese frosting mixture from Step 3 evenly across it as your first layer. Arrange the banana slices in a single, slightly overlapping layer on top of the cream cheese mixture, then pour the chilled pudding from Step 2 over the bananas in an even layer. Finish with the remaining 0.5 cup whipped topping spread gently across the top—this creates a protective barrier that keeps the pudding from drying out.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the pudding is completely set and the flavors have melded together. The layers will firm up and create distinct bands in the finished dessert. This chilling time is essential—it allows the cream cheese layer to set properly and prevents everything from being too soft when you serve it.

Just before serving, top the pudding with fresh banana slices arranged decoratively across the surface and a sprinkle of crushed golden Oreo pieces for textural contrast and visual appeal. This fresh topping adds a pop of flavor and prevents the pudding from tasting stale, plus it gives your guests that satisfying cookie crunch with every spoonful.