These No Bake Cheesecake Bites are easy, creamy, and delicious! You can whip them up within 20 minutes, and the topping choices are endless. The graham cracker crust pairs perfectly with the sweet cream cheese filling. They're the best mini bite-size desserts that are great for sharing!
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Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts! Especially when it's no-bake cheesecake. Without the flour, eggs, and baking, it makes an extra creamy and refreshing treat!
These mini cheesecakes are super versatile and can be decorated for any occasion! Try a fall version with my No Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes or a Holiday version with my No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake, too!
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What Are No Bake Mini Cheesecakes?
No bake cheesecake is cheesecake made without an oven. The filling is free from eggs, flour, or other raw ingredients. Instead, heavy cream forms the base, creating a texture similar to a mousse. Then, it is poured into a crust and chilled in the fridge until set.
These bites are divided between a cupcake pan, creating single-serving treats. Try my no-bake mini chocolate cheesecakes when a chocolate craving hits!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It doesn't require any advanced skills, an oven, or flour and eggs!
- You don't have to worry about a water bath or a cheesecake top cracking.
- This easy cheesecake cupcake recipe can be turned into a delicious chocolate or fruity dessert!
- They're perfect to share with family and friends, or pack in your school lunch for a quick little treat!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make these no-bake cheesecakes:
Ingredient Notes:
- About 8 graham crackers go into the classic graham cracker crust. The crust is frozen instead of baked, so you don't need an oven for this entire recipe! I like to use honey graham crackers, but feel free to use cinnamon or whatever kind you prefer!
- Sour cream adds extra creaminess and a slight tang to this sweet treat.
- One 8-ounce block of cream cheese is softened to room temperature and mixed until smooth. Use full-fat for the best flavor and texture.
- Heavy whipping cream gets whipped to stiff peaks. Then, it's folded into the cream cheese mixture, giving these mini cheesecakes a light airiness to them!
- Vanilla extract gives the filling that delicious, sweet flavor we all love.
- Lemon juice is a key ingredient for these no-bake cheesecakes! Not only does it help balance out the flavor, it also contributes to firming up the filling.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions: This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions. If you do replace any ingredients, please let us know how they turned out in the comments below!
Variations: This no bake cheesecake bites recipe can be easily adjusted to fit any preference or occasion! There are so many tasty ways you can top these off! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Cherry pie filling (or any other fruit)
- Fruit preserves (raspberry is my favorite)
- Chocolate
- Peanut butter
- Oreos
- Speculoos or Biscoff cookies
- Nutella
- Caramel
- Dulce de leche
- Fresh fruit
- Whipped cream
You can also make these using a Biscoff cookie crust, like in my no-bake mini lemon cheesecakes recipe!
Equipment
- These mini cheesecakes will be made in a cupcake pan filled with parchment liners.
- If you aren't using graham cracker crumbs, you'll need a food processor.
- I highly recommend using a hand mixer for this recipe! A stand mixer will also work. Just use the whisk attachment for the heavy whipping cream and the paddle for the cream cheese mixture.
How to Make Easy Mini No-Bake Cheesecakes
Quick Recipe Video
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the graham cracker crust by chopping the graham crackers in a food processor. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and cooled melted butter, and pulse until combined.
Step 2: Evenly distribute the graham cracker mixture among the cupcake liners, and press down to pack it into the bottom of the liners. Freeze while you make the filling.
Step 3: Whip the heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a whisk attachment) until it reaches stiff peaks. This is when the cream holds its shape when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
Step 4: Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until it's smooth. This is an important step to make sure there aren't any cream cheese clumps in your filling!
Step 5: Mix the sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice into the smooth cream cheese.
Step 6: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture just until combined. Be careful not to stir too much, or the batter will lose air and won't be able to hold its shape.
Step 7: Scoop the no-bake cheesecake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ full. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Step 8: Add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use cold cream. The colder your heavy cream is when you go to whisk it, the easier and faster it will whip up!
- Don't over-mix the filling. The whipped cream holds air, which helps give the cheesecakes their shape. Mixing the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture too much will deflate the filling.
- Chill overnight. The longer you chill the cheesecakes, the better they'll set! To get them extra firm, you can put them in the freezer. However, then you'll probably want to let them thaw a bit before eating them.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! These do not have any flour, eggs, or other potentially harmful raw ingredients.
Since these aren't baked, they are definitely softer than normal cheesecake. The acidity from the lemon juice helps react with the cream cheese to get them to set. Whipping the cream to stiff peaks and gently folding it into the batter also plays a role in the texture. Refrigerating them overnight gives them time to harden as well.
This could be that you left out the lemon juice, did not whip the cream enough, folded the whipped cream into the batter too vigorously (causing it to deflate), or that they haven't chilled in the refrigerator long enough.
These can be made gluten-free if you use gluten-free graham crackers.
You can if you're careful so that it doesn't curdle. Microwave it in 5-second intervals, and stir after each heating. Only do this if you're in a hurry. I highly recommend letting the cream cheese soften by having it sit at room temperature.
Storage
Store these no bake cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They hold up well for the first 1-2 days, but after that the crust might start to get a bit soggy.
Freezing
These mini cheesecakes can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before adding the toppings and enjoying!
📖 Recipe
Easy Mini No Bake Cheesecake Bites
Equipment
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (stand with paddle attachment or hand mixer)
- Food Processor
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 8 (120 g) graham crackers (crushed in food chopper) ~1¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) ground cinnamon optional
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- ¾ cup (177.44 ml) heavy cream
- 1 block (8 oz) (226 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) sour cream
- 5 tablespoons (63 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 can (12 oz) (1 can (12 oz)) pie filling or other toppings
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Fill a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners.
- In a food chopper, puree the graham crackers, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it resembles wet sand.
- Evenly distribute the graham cracker mixture into the cupcake liners (~1 tablespoon per cup) and pack it down with the back of a spoon or bottom of a cup. When all 12 graham cracker crusts are flattened, put the pan in the freezer and move onto the cheesecake filling.
No-Bake Cheesecake Filling
- Pour the heavy cream in a medium-large bowl and whisk vigorously until it's thick with stiff peaks (this will take a few minutes or so).
- Beat the softened cream cheese in a separate medium-large bowl until it's smooth. Then, add the sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix together until combined and smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, just until combined.
- Scoop the cheesecake filling onto the frozen graham cracker crusts until the liners are about ¾ full. Smooth the tops and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (it'll still be pretty soft at this point though so preferably overnight).
- When you're ready to eat the cheesecakes, add a spoonful of pie filling to the tops (or whatever toppings you like)!
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Diane Rivera says
Easy recipe, I took to a party everyone loved it. I love the softer, creamy texture. I made one modification, I swirled in guava preserves, the Latinos went insane in good way!! Will make other Kayla recipes, they always come out.
Adrienne Bailey says
Awesome recipe! I make these up ahead a time and freeze. I like to set up a cheesecake bar at parties with several toppings options. They have been a big hit and are often requested!
Kayla Burton says
Aw I love this idea so much!! Thank you for sharing! 😄
Mindy says
I love this recipe. I did the 2x for my son birthday. It made a whole 8x8 pan cheesecake and 12 cupcakes. The flavor is so good. Now my other children want this for there birthday.
My husband said it tasted like a fresh cheesecake pudding when he tried a little spoonful before I got it into the fridge.
I will be making this again.
Rosario Guerra-Perez says
Loved the recipe.
SHILPA KHANNA says
Hi would love to give these a try !
Just that it’s hard to get hands on sour cream ! Any substitute for that 😟
Kayla Burton says
Hi! You could try plain Greek yogurt if you're able to find that 🙂