These mini no-bake cheesecake jars are everything good about cheesecake but made with better-for-you ingredients for a healthy, fuss-free take on the old classic!
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No Bake Mason Jar Cheesecakes Ingredients
- Recipe Variations and Modifications
- How to Make No Bake Mason Jar Cheesecakes
- Recipe Tips
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Serve
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite No-Bake Dessert Recipes
- Mini No-Bake Cheesecake Jars Recipe
This recipe is…
Cream cheese? Check! Fresh, juicy berries? Check! Honey? Check! Yep, all of the good things make an appearance in this simple, no-bake mini cheesecake recipe! Truly, we can’t get enough of these little jars – they’re absolutely perfect for summertime parties or to keep stocked in the freezer for any I-just-need-a-dessert evening. If you’re a cheesecake lover, these perfectly portioned mini cheesecakes are for you!
Just as it sounds, this easy no-bake mini cheesecakes are a spin on traditional cheesecake that is sets up in the fridge and requires no baking! While traditional cheesecake combines cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and a few other ingredients baked together in a springform pan until the cake is fully “set,” these no-bake mini cheesecakes, with few modifications and better-for-you swaps require no baking at all! Overall, this no bake cheesecake recipe is an easier, healthier, and (dare I say) even more delicious take on the classic baked version!
Can’t get enough of this better-for-you mini cheesecake recipe? Then you will LOVE this creamy keto cheesecake recipe or these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake fat bombs for a low carb dessert option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s no-bake – this no bake mini cheesecake recipe is perfect for those hot summer days when you can’t bear to turn on the oven.
- It’s gluten-free – this mini cheesecake recipe is an easy gluten-free dessert. Simply choose your favorite gluten-free graham cracker or cookie for the crust and you are all set.
- It’s foolproof – unlike traditional, baked cheesecakes you don’t have to worry about under or over cooking these mini cheesecakes.
No Bake Mason Jar Cheesecakes Ingredients
To make these mini cheesecake beauties, you’ll need to pick up ingredients for the homemade jam, 2-ingredient buttery graham cracker crust, and the cheesecake filling. Though it may seem like a lengthy list, all of the ingredients are widely available at any grocery store, and you may have many of them on hand already! Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Mixed berries – you’ll need a pint each of blueberries and raspberries, plus 1 pound of strawberries for these mini cheesecakes. Be sure to wash all of your fruit and to remove the tops from the strawberries. Feel free to mix and match the berries, just keep the volume of berries the same. Mixed berry means any mix of berries that you love most!
- Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, which is about 1 lemon’s worth of juice, will add a refreshing tartness to your jam for these mini cheesecakes. We always prefer going fresh when it comes to lemon juice!
- Honey – we LOVE sweetening our better-for-you desserts with honey. Honey comes with a host of health benefits, and it adds the perfect subtle sweetness to any dessert!
- Graham crackers – use 2 boxes (about 16 ounces) of graham crackers for your crust (we LOVE this gluten-free brand). If you aren’t gluten-free, feel free to use any graham crackers you love.
- Condensed milk – you’ll need one cup of condensed milk for this mini cheesecake recipe! We are partial to this dairy-free condensed milk, which is slightly less sweet than traditional condensed milk. However, regular condensed milk will work in this mini cheesecake recipe, too.
- Cream cheese – for this recipe, you’ll need two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese. If you’re dairy-free, feel free to use an equal amount of Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese. Either way, let the cream cheese soften before getting started.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Switch up the jam – instead of making the triple berry jam used in this mini cheesecake recipe, opt for homemade chia jam for a seedier textured jam with a boost of antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids thanks to the chia seeds!
- Bring on the crunch – when you’re ready to enjoy, top these mini no bake cheesecakes with your favorite granola, crushed pretzels, chocolate chips, or cookies for a little added crunch!
- Top it with a homemade honey-sweetened whipped cream – top these no bake mini cheesecakes with homemade honey-sweetened whipped cream for an especially decadent dessert.
- Trade the mason jars for bars – if you’d rather enjoy no-bake cheesecake in bar form, these bars are an absolutely delicious option!
- Make it vegan – this recipe is easily made vegan with some of our favorite swaps mentioned above. For the crust, pick your favorite dairy-free butter, like this one from Miyoko’s Creamery or this one from Earth Balance, to make the vegan transformation of this mini cheesecakes recipe complete.
How to Make No Bake Mason Jar Cheesecakes
This no-bake cheesecake recipe is as easy as one (make the jam), two (make the crust), three (make the filling). To find out how to make it yourself, follow along below.
Step 1: Make the jam. In a large pot of medium heat, combine the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, lemon juice, and honey. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until the berries have begun to break down. Remove the pot from the heat and mash the berries in the pot with a potato masher or the back of a large fork. Return the pot to the heat and cook until the berries reach a jam-like consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Once thickened, remove the pot from the heat and allow the jam to cool to room temperature.
Step 2: Make the crust. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs. Add the softened butter (about 4 tablespoons at a time) to the crumbs, pulsing in between each addition, until the crackers and butter form a crumbly dough.
Step 3: Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice and the vanilla extract. Beat with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until the cheesecake filling is smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Assemble the mini cheesecakes. Divide the crust evenly between the mason jars, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of crust to use as topping later. Pat down the crust to form a ½-inch layer in the bottom of each jar. Divide the filling evenly, pouring over the crusts. Top with the jam and reserved graham cracker crumbles.
Step 5: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- I don’t recommend using the freezer to speed up the setting process. The cheesecake will not set the same as it will in the refrigerator.
- For that light as air texture, you have to start with room temperature ingredients. Slightly softened cream cheese is essential.
How to Serve
Serve straight from the fridge with a spoon. Yes, it’s that simple.
How to Store and Serve
To store: These no-bake, mini cheesecakes will keep in the fridge sealed in their jars for up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze in freezer safe jars or containers for up to 6 months.
To serve: Simply remove the top from these mini cheesecakes and enjoy. If serving from frozen, allow the jar to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to soften a little before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can! Frozen or fresh fruit both work great here. Frozen fruit is actually picked and frozen at its peak, so frozen berries taste good all year round…score!
You can, but part of the ease of this recipe is that it sets up in the serving container. If you piped the semi-set filling into the jars later, you may not end up with the same light, fluffy texture you have here.
Yes! You can simply make this mini cheesecakes recipe in a springform pan instead. Press you crust into the bottom of the pan, top with the filling and jam and chill for 8 hours or overnight, until set.
More Favorite No-Bake Dessert Recipes
If you tried this no bake mason jar cheesecakes recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Mini No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
Ingredients
For the Jam
- 1 pint blueberries
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 pound strawberries, tops removed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 boxes, about 16 ounces graham crackers (we use these for gluten-free)
- 12 tablespoons 1½ sticks grass-fed butter, softened and cut into ½-inch chunks
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1 cup condensed milk, we used this dairy-free coconut condensed milk
- 2, 8- ounce packages cream cheese, softened (use an equal amount of Kite Hill for dairy free)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8, 4 ounce mason jars
Instructions
For the Jam
- Add the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, lemon juice, and honey to a pot over medium heat and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the berries have started to break down. Mash the berries with a potato masher and return to heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened into a jam-like consistency.
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Place the two boxes-worth of graham crackers into a food processor and pulverize until you have fine crumbs. Adding 4 tablespoons-worth of softened butter pieces at a time, pulse the food processor with the butter. Continue for the rest of the butter, until the graham cracker crust comes together in a flaky, slightly-crumbly dough.
- Divide the crust evenly among the mason jars and pat down to make a ½-inch thick crust in each one.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Add the condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the crust, dividing evenly among the jars, then pour the chia jam over top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, then serve!
Recipe Notes
- I don’t recommend using the freezer to speed up the setting process. The cheesecake will not set the same as it will in the refrigerator.
- For that light as air texture, you have to start with room temperature ingredients. Slightly softened cream cheese is essential.
Nutrition
Any substitutes for condensed milk?
Are these Keto Friendly
There are 56 grams of carbohydrates per mini cheesecake, Christina, so they aren’t keto-friendly! Sorry about that!
This was delicious, looks pretty and was easy to make. I made the jam on a Sunday morning and used a couple of spoonfuls on my waffles instead of syrup.
While the mini mason jars are cute – I don’t have them and wasn’t interested in purchasing them. I used a muffin pan to make mini cheesecakes and froze for 2 hours. Then I popped them out of the pan – worked like a charm!
Great idea!! And I bet that jam was SO yummy on waffles!!!
About how many cups of fruit to make the topping if I’m not using fresh fruit?
About 2.5 pounds of frozen fruit should do the trick!
How long would these keep in the fridge?
They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. They freeze really well if you need to save them beyond the 5 days!