No-Bake Cheesecake Jars

This is a full page dedicated to homemade individual no-bake cheesecake jars! Use this simple no-bake recipe when you need a quick and crowd-pleasing 30 minute dessert. Have fun with different flavors and toppings, too!

No-bake cheesecake jars are a fun individually portioned dessert to serve when you’re short on time and don’t feel like turning on the oven. There’s literally no baking involved and making the entire dessert takes around 30 minutes. You only need a handful of familiar ingredients and some cute little jars. Individual desserts have been all the rage the past several years and this mason jar dessert trend isn’t disappearing any time soon.

I’ve published no-bake cheesecake, classic baked cheesecake recipe, and even an easy cheesecake pie on my blog, all of which take hours to either bake, cool, and/or chill. Shortcut cheesecake, here we come!

Why You’ll Love Individual No-Bake Cheesecake Jars

If you’ve ever enjoyed my no-bake cheesecake recipe or mini no-bake cheesecakes, you know you’re in for a real treat with this jar version. You see, no-bake cheesecake (either served as a whole or in jars) is a lot easier than baked cheesecake. Without eggs and baking, there’s no way to mess up this dessert. You can’t over-bake it, you can’t over-whip the eggs, and there’s no cheesecake water bath involved. It’s easier and quicker than strawberry cream cheese pie, with all of the flavor and texture. If summer was a dessert, it would be no-bake cheesecake jars.

Here’s what I appreciate and know you will too:

1. Easy recipe
2. Creamiest cheesecake filling
3. Few tools required—just a mixer and a couple bowls
4. Ready in 30 minutes
5. Unlimited flavors & topping options
6. Convenient to transport to parties, BBQs, baby showers, & other events
7. Did I mention no baking?
8. Great make-ahead dessert recipe

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Video Tutorial: No Bake Cheesecake Jars

Before we get to the written out recipe, let’s review each layer. Even though this is a simple dessert, it’s important you familiarize yourself with the process before starting.

3 Layers in No-Bake Cheesecake Jars

1. Buttery Graham Cracker Crust
2. No-Bake Cheesecake Filling
3. Topping

The graham cracker crust doesn’t need much explanation. You only need graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix the two together, then layer into the individual jars. Again, there is NO BAKING so you do not need to pre-bake this graham cracker crust.

If you use certified gluten-free graham crackers, you can add these cheesecake jars to your list of go-to gluten-free dessert recipes, too.

2 Parts to Cheesecake Filling

There are 2 parts to the cheesecake filling. First, whip heavy cream into stiff peaks. You’re essentially making whipped cream without sugar or flavor. Set that aside. Then beat the remaining cheesecake filling ingredients together. Finally, fold in the whipped cream. Whipping the cream 1st is imperative because it supplies all the deliciously fluffy and creamy texture. This no-bake cheesecake jar filling almost tastes like cheesecake mousse—it’s so light—and we have the whipped cream to thank for that. 🙂

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Cheesecake Jar Filling Ingredients

1. Heavy Cream: Whip into stiff peaks. Set aside.
2. Brick Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. I recommend this for all of my no-bake and baked cheesecake recipes, including mini cheesecakes and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars.
3. Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cheesecake jars. This is a lightly sweetened dessert, so you only need 1/3 cup of sugar in the entire filling.
4. Sour Cream: Sour cream is a must-have ingredient in this recipe. Even though you only need 2 Tablespoons, it promises a tangy cheesecake flavor and ultra creamy texture. In fact, I don’t make regular cheesecake without it.
5. Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor.
6. Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a little brightness and slight flavor.

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Here’s the heavy cream beaten into stiff peaks:

Here’s the cheesecake filling after you fold in the whipped cream. It’s airy, light, and fluffy:

Filling Flavors

The pictured no-bake cheesecake jars are plain, but you can definitely add some flavor! Add these ingredients when you beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract together. I recommend leaving out the lemon juice if making the peanut butter, Nutella, chocolate, or coconut variations.

• Peanut Butter: 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• Nutella: 1/3 cup Nutella
• Lemon: 2 extra teaspoons lemon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Raspberry: 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons raspberry preserves
• Chocolate: 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate ganache and replace graham crackers with Oreos or chocolate graham crackers
• Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• Key Lime: replace lemon juice with lime juice and add 2 more teaspoons of lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon lime zest

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Toppings

Last layer! Finish the no-bake cheesecake jars with your favorite toppings. This recipe yields about six 8-ounce cheesecake jars, so you can layer each with a different topping.

• Chocolate Ganache (pictured with raspberries & mint)
• Strawberry Topping (pictured)
• Blueberry Sauce Topping (pictured with fresh blueberries and lemon slice)
• Whipped Cream
• Hot Fudge Sauce
• Lemon Curd
• Salted Caramel

And let’s not forget garnishes like sprinkles, berries, lemons, mint sprigs, and chocolate shavings/curls!

Jars for No-Bake Cheesecake Jars

8-ounce jars, as pictured, are a pretty generous serving size. Feel free to use smaller jars like we do for homemade dirt pudding, or even make this recipe as a trifle. Whichever size jar, I highly recommend using wide-mouthed jars so you can easily spoon the layers inside. These are all affiliate links:

• 8-ounce glass jars (pictured)
• 8-ounce glass jars (vintage fruit design)
• 6-ounce glass jars (hexagon shape)
• 6-ounce glass jars (smooth surface)

If you don’t have jars, use custard cups or bowls, ramekins, or dessert coupes. This cheesecake filling also works in place of pastry cream in homemade mille-feuille. No matter how you serve it, these are always fun to serve for bridal showers, baby showers, tea parties, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, wedding celebrations, BBQs, graduation parties, and more. A crowdpleaser every time!

See Your No-Bake Cheesecake Jars!

Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂

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