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Easy no-bake mini cherry cheesecakes are adorable, two-bite party desserts! These are easy to make-ahead and freeze without the topping. Just pull out and top the day of!

Mini cheesecakes in baking cups topped with cherries all on a cake stand

Overview

This simple party dessert is perfectly adorable and great for sharing! Make up a big batch and bring to a party or store in the freezer for later.

What’s the Difference Between a Baked and No-Bake Cheesecake?

The first answer to this question is obvious! One is baked and the other is not. But the other main difference is in texture. Baked cheesecakes contain eggs while no-bake cheesecakes do not. Baked cheesecakes are essentially a baked custard resulting in a creamy, thick, and smooth texture. 

A no-bake cheesecake does not have eggs making it safe to eat unbaked. To get a creamy texture, a no-bake cheesecake recipes calls for whipped cream to be folded into a cream cheese base. This results in a more light and airy texture than a baked cheesecake.

What Ingredients Do You Need For a No-Bake Cheesecake?

Cheesecakes come with 3 components: base crust, filling, and a topping. Here’s the rundown!

Crust

The crust for my no-bake mini cheesecakes is so simple! I found mini vanilla wafers that are perfect vehicles for this dessert. If you can’t find mini vanilla wafers you can use the regular size but you’ll also need to use regular sized baking cups. They’ll be more like single serving desserts than two-bite snacks.

Filling

The filling for my no-bake mini cheesecakes is essentially whipped cream folded into a cream cheese mixture. The cream cheese mixture is whipped cream cheese with a little powdered sugar and a touch of flavoring. I like to use lemon juice or vanilla extract for a subtle hint of flavor. The whipped cream and cream cheese mixture is folded together to make a perfectly light and airy filling.

Topping

I chose to top my mini cheesecakes with a little cherry pie filling! You can use canned or homemade cherry pie filling– whatever you have the time for! You can also mix it up with another flavor like fresh strawberries, blueberry jam, or even a caramel sauce.

Upclose view of the mini cheesecakes on a cake stand

How long does it take for a No-Bake Cheesecake to set?

A no-bake cheesecake doesn’t really need to “set” since it’s not baked and doesn’t contain eggs. It does however need to firm up just a little bit in the fridge. These mini cheesecakes are so small that they will firm up fairly quickly in the fridge in about 1 hour.

How to Freeze No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes

These mini cheesecakes freeze so well! They can be made in advance, stored in the freezer, and then popped out whenever they are needed.

After you have filled the mini baking cups with the filling, line them up in an airtight container with a lid. Do not top them with anything. Freeze them up to 3 months. When you are ready for them, move your container from the freezer to the fridge for 2 hours. Right before serving, add your topping.

Mini cheesecakes in baking cups topped with cherries all on a 2 layer cake stand

Upclose view of the mini cheesecakes on a cake stand
Yield: 40 mini cheesecakes

No-Bake Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Easy no-bake mini cherry cheesecakes are adorable, two-bite party desserts! They are easy to make-ahead and freeze for later!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Line up the baking cups (40 mini) on a sheet pan. Put a vanilla wafer (40 mini) into each cup, flat side down. Set aside.
  2. Place the cold heavy cream (235 grams/ 1 cup) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Begin whipping on medium speed until stiff peaks are formed.
  3. In a separate bowl using a hand mixer, whip the room temperature cream cheese (226 grams, 1 cup) until soft and light. Add the powdered sugar (40 grams, ⅓ cup) and vanilla extract or lemon juice (1 teaspoon) and whip together until combined.
  1. Spoon the whipped cream into the bowl with the cream cheese mixture. Gently fold using a spatula until fully combined.
  2. Fill each baking cup with approximately 1 tablespoon of the cheesecake mixture. (*see tip below)
  3. If serving that day: Refrigerate cheesecakes for 1 hour. Top with 1 heaping teaspoon of cherry pie filling right before serving. If serving at a later date: Store mini cheesecakes in an airtight container and freeze. Move to the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. Top with cherry pie filling right before serving.

Notes

*I find it faster and less messy to put the cheesecake mixture into a piping bag (or ziploc bag) with the tip snipped off. And then pipe the mixture into the baking cups. Fill it ¾th of the way to the top leaving room for the cherry pie filling.

**These mini cheesecakes are best eaten within 1-2 days from the day they are made or the day they are thawed from the freezer. The vanilla wafers will eventually become soggy in the fridge.

VARIATION IDEAS:

  • Instead of the cherry pie filling, try using fresh fruits, jams, or caramel sauce.
  • Instead of the vanilla wafers, you can make a graham cracker crust. Make ¾th of this Graham Cracker Crust recipe for the amount of filling in this No-Bake Cheesecake recipe.

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© Baker Bettie
Category: Cheesecake