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Mini No Bake Cheesecake is a perfect bite-sized treat. Kids will love to help make this easy recipe, and you can top them with your favorite fruit or other toppings. They’re great for a crowd, or handy to have as a single-portion dessert.
This recipe was featured in Stillwater Living Magazine
Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts, but I never made it because it just seemed like a lot of work. And, since I have no self-control, if I made a whole cheesecake I would eat way too much of it.
But when I realized that a no-bake version is easy and just as delicious as the traditional, I knew it was a must-make. And, once I figured that I could make them as single portions, I was sold on Mini No Bake Cheesecake
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- It’s easy to customize the size and toppings
- They’re great to make ahead and perfect for a crowd
- They’re a perfect bite-sized treat and just what you need on a hot summer day
INGREDIENT TIPS FOR MINI NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
You can buy Graham Cracker Crumbs, but I use regular Graham Crackers and my food processor.
I use unsalted butter and let it soften slightly at the same time as the cream cheese so it melts more evenly.
Granulated Sugar adds just enough sweetness to the crust. I don’t recommend cane sugar or regular sugar, because both are too grainy.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
Use full-fat block cream cheese. Cream cheese spread has too much air in it, and the low-fat cream cheese doesn’t stand up well enough to the other ingredients.
Soften the cream cheese for about 15 minutes on the counter. This prevents a lumpy cheesecake mixture and the cream cheese mixes more easily.
Fresh lemon juice adds such a nice pop of tart flavor and brightens up the cheesecake.
Make sure to use Powdered Sugar (also called confectioners sugar). If you use granulated sugar the cheesecake will have a grainy texture.
MAKING THE WHIPPED CREAM
Make your own whipped cream! It tastes better, and you make it fresh as needed.
Use heavy whipping cream for the best consistency. Half and half doesn’t do the trick.
Use a metal bowl and whisk, and chill them both in the fridge. I’ll do that when I take out the cream cheese to soften, and this ensures that the whipped cream is light and airy.
TOPPINGS
The great thing about Mini No Bake Cheesecake is that the topping options are all yours. Keep it simple with no toppings at all. Or, drizzle with melted chocolate or top with fresh raspberries.
One of my favorite topping combinations is strawberries and fresh blueberries. I macerate the strawberries in a little bit of granulated sugar and keep the blueberries fresh.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
15 minutes before starting:
- Allow the cream cheese and butter to soften on the counter
- Put the metal bowl and whisk into the fridge
Add the graham crackers to the food processor. Grind until the crackers become crumbs.
Add crumbs and sugar to a bowl and stir together. Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix well to combine.
Place cupcake liners into a muffin pan. Add 1 Tablespoon of crust to each liner. Press down with the back of the spoon to create the bases.
Put the muffin pan into the freezer.
Add the cream cheese to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on medium with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until soft.
Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and mix on medium until fully combined. Remove the bowl and set aside.
Put the cold bowl onto the stand mixer, and add the heavy cream. Mix on medium-low with the cold whisk for 30 seconds; turn to high and mix until stiff peaks have formed.
Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold together.
Take the muffin pan out of the freezer. Evenly fill each liner with the cheesecake mixture.
Transfer the muffin pan to the fridge for at least 6 hours, up to overnight.
30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING
Core the strawberries and cut them as desired. Add the strawberries to a bowl, along with granulated sugar. Rest for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Carefully take the Mini No Bake Cheesecakes from the muffin pan. Top each one with a spoon of the macerated strawberries and a few blueberries.
SERVINGS AND LEFTOVERS
Serving Mini No Bake Cheesecakes for a crowd? Do a make-your-own-cheesecake bar! Make a variety of toppings, portioned into bowls, and let your guests top with their favorites.
What about leftovers? Store the leftover Mini No Bake Cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. But they never last that long around my house!
If you know you’ll have leftovers, don’t top them until you’re ready to eat them.
MORE DELICIOUS DESSERTS
- Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
- No Churn Dark Cherry Ice Cream
- Patriotic Cake Bites
- Berry Burst Shortcakes
- Jelly Bean Rice Krispies Treats
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Mini No Bake Cheesecake
Mini No Bake Cheesecakes are a perfect bite-sized treat. Kids will love to help make this easy recipe, and you can top them with your favorite fruit or other toppings. They're great for a crowd, or handy to have as a single-portion dessert.
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 graham crackers)* SEE NOTES
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- 16oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar (also called confectioner's sugar)
- 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
TOPPING
- 2 pints fresh strawberries
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Put the metal bowl and whisk into the fridge to chill
- IF USING GRAHAM CRACKERS: break graham crackers in half and add to the food processor. Grind until the crackers become crumbs
- Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, add granulated sugar and stir together
- Add melted butter and mix well to combine
- Place cupcake liners into the muffin pans. Using a 1 Tablespoon measure, fill each of the liners with the crust. Press down with the back of the measuring spoon to fill the bottom of the bases.
- Put the muffin pans into the freezer while you make the filling
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl of the stand mixer. Affix the paddle attachment and mix on medium until soft
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium until fully combined. Remove the bowl and set aside.
- Take the bowl and whisk out of the fridge, and put onto the stand mixer. Add the heavy cream. Mix on medium-low for 30 seconds; turn to high and mix until stiff peaks have formed.
- Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold together. I recommend adding about 1/3 of the whipped cream at a time, so it's evenly incorporated
- Take the muffin pans out of the freezer. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into each cupcake liner, evenly filling all of them. Smooth the top of each cheesecake with an offset spatula or an icing spatula
- Put the muffins pan into the fridge for at least 6 hours, up to overnight
- 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING
- Core the strawberries and cut them as desired. Add the strawberries to a bowl, along with granulated sugar. Rest for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through
- Carefully take the cheesecakes from the muffin pans. Top each one with a spoon of the macerated strawberries and a few blueberries.
Notes
Use a metal bowl and whisk for the whipped cream. Put both into the fridge when you take out the cream cheese and butter so they are super cold when you're ready
CRUST
I don’t recommend cane sugar or regular sugar for the crust, because the texture of both are too grainy.
I grind graham crackers to make the crumbs, but you can buy them at the store
CHEESECAKE FILLING
Use full-fat block cream cheese. Cream cheese spread has too much air in it, and the low-fat cream cheese doesn’t stand up well enough to the other ingredients.
Soften the cream cheese for about 15 minutes on the counter. This prevents a lumpy cheesecake mixture and the cream cheese mixes more easily.
Make sure to use powdered sugar for the cheesecake mixture. If you use granulated sugar the cheesecake will have a grainy texture.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 88mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients, etc
Allyssa
Thursday 27th of May 2021
Thank you so much for this recipe! It's very easy to make and really taste amazing! Will make it again!