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 individual 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 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:
- Easy recipe
- Creamiest cheesecake filling
- Few tools required– just a mixer and a couple bowls
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Unlimited flavors & topping options
- Convenient to transport to parties, BBQs, baby showers, & other events
- Did I mention no baking?
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
- Buttery Graham Cracker Crust
- No-Bake Cheesecake Filling
- 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.
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. 🙂
Cheesecake Jar Filling Ingredients
- Heavy Cream: Whip into stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Block Cream Cheese: Use full-fat block 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a little brightness and slight flavor.
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
Toppings
Last layer! Finish the no-bake cheesecake jars with your favorite toppings. This recipe yields about 6 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
- Lemon Curd
- Salted Caramel
And let’s not forget garnishes like sprinkles, berries, lemons, mint, etc!
Jars for No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
8 ounce jars, as pictured, are a pretty generous serving size. Feel free to use smaller jars or even use 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. Same taste, different delivery. These are always fun to serve at bridal showers, baby showers, for 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. 🙂
No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 8-ounce jars or 10 6-ounce jars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
This jar dessert recipe combines a 2 ingredient graham cracker crust with an easy no-bake cheesecake filling. For best results, read through the recipe and watch the video tutorial above before beginning. See blog post for cheesecake filling flavors and see recipe notes or blog post for topping and garnish suggestions.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (100g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- one 8-ounce block (224g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- toppings & garnishes (see note)
Instructions
- Have your jars ready to go and lined up. This recipe yields about 6 8 ounce jars or 10 6 ounce jars.
- Crust: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium heat-proof bowl or use the stove. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. The mixture will resemble wet sand. Spoon a generous spoonful into each jar, about 2 Tablespoons into the 8 ounce jars and 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons into the 6 ounce jars. If there’s any crust leftover, sprinkle into the jars to use up or discard. Set jars aside.
- Filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
- Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
- Layer a couple large spoonfuls of filling on top of the crust in the jars. Use about 1/4 – 1/3 cup filling in the 8 ounce jars and 3 Tablespoons (or however much you can pack in!) into the 6 ounce jars. Make sure to leave room for the topping.
- The cheesecake jars are at room temperature at this point, but if you’d like to serve chilled, chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days before adding the topping. (Cover if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.) I recommend adding the topping when serving or up to 2 hours in advance. The topping can seep down into the layers, so that’s why I recommend adding it soon before serving.
- Spoon topping and garnishes on top of filling, then serve.
- Cover and store leftover cheesecake jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: These cheesecake jars can be made 1-3 days in advance. They can be refrigerated in step 7 for up to 3 days before serving. You can also make & layer the crust 1-2 days ahead of time. Another way to make these cheesecake jars ahead of time is to freeze them before adding the toppings. Seal jars with the lids and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before topping and serving. You can also freeze the cheesecake filling as a whole. Cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before layering on top of crust.
- Toppings: Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Topping, Blueberry Sauce, Whipped Cream, Cherry Pie Filling, Lemon Curd, Salted Caramel
- Garnishes: Fresh berries, chopped fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, lemon slices, lime slices, shredded coconut, sprinkles, mint, or whatever you desire.
- More Cheesecake Jars: This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled. Keep in mind the whipping and beating times will increase with the added volume.
Keywords: cheesecake
I doubled the recipe and did half with strawberries and half with blueberries for the 4th. They were a big hit with everyone – even my brother who usually doesn’t like cheesecake.
★★★★★
This was so easy it allowed me to experiment. I used Pecan Sandies to make the crust and topped with your salted caramel sauce and chopped pecans. Yum!
★★★★★
Hi Sally, any chance I can use non fat greek yogurt in place of the sour cream? I usually dont keep that on hand.
Yes, definitely! Sub the same amount of greek yogurt for the sour cream.
So tasty – I couldn’t stop eating the filling! I made 2 different flavors in 4 oz jars: peanut butter with a salted caramel drizzle and strawberry with some diced strawberries folded into the filling. Will be making again!
★★★★★
Wow! These are amazing!! Made them today and used plain smashed strawberries and whole blueberries as toppings. SO GOOD. Perfect for our hot day. Thanks!!
So easy, so tasty, and so much fun to customize! This came as the perfect challenge for July – I got a chance to participate in the challenge and provide an easy, delicious dessert for my 4th of July meal!
Excellent. Everyone loved them. Made blueberry and strawberry!
★★★★★
Hi Sally! If I wanted to use Oreos instead of graham crackers, about how many Oreos would I use?
Hi Stephanie! You need 1 cup crumbs, which is about 10 Oreos.
Just made these for a party tomorrow night and they look beautiful! I’m curious if you have any tips for transporting them?
★★★★★
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I recommend transporting in a cooler or insulated grocery bag 🙂
These are great! They are easy to customize with what you have hanging out in your fridge! Cool and creamy on a hot summer day!
These are SO easy and so yummy! I couldn’t fall asleep last night because I was thinking of all the different toppings I could try. So far I made peach and chopped crystallized ginger, and it was delicious.
★★★★★
Delicious and really easy. Thanks Sally!
★★★★★
This recipe was so amazing! I love cheesecake and this was the perfect baking challenge! It was so creamy and luscious and my family loved it. The flavors are so customizable too.! It was really tasty with my peach sauce. Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
So easy, and so delicious! I will definitely be making these more often. I made strawberry and blueberry toppings, but the flavor additions are endless!
★★★★★
No-bake cheesecake jars, such a perfect summer dessert! I made mine with a low carb almond flour crust and swerve sugar substitute and they turned out delicious! Also not to mention how easy they are to travel with. Perfect for an on the go dessert!
★★★★★
We brought this to a friends house for dinner. Because they are in the mini jars they travel well! And score for no bake. What a fun July challenge. In full disclosure we had trouble not eating the cheesecake filling just by itself.
Forgot to add 5 stars!!
★★★★★
After reading the comments it’s good to see that Digestive Biscuits make a great alternative for Graham crackers! When I first saw these, my first thought was – wow these would also make a great breakfast haha!
I’m excited about making this recipe but, I have a friend that is allergic to citrus. Can I leave the lemon juice out?
Sure can! No need to replace with anything.
So Fun to make. I couldn’t wait for the correct jars to come in so sort of sloppy but really fun and delicious. Raspberries and nutella, orange marmalade and black berries. Perfect!
Thank you!
Cheryl
Hi! You said on your blog to join the July challenge I also had to comment on the recipe, so I am! I loved this recipe! Easy to make and delicious to eat!!
★★★★★
So excited to try this recipe!!! As a lover and home Baker, my business is cheesecakes! But this is a great idea to keep my oven off, yet keep my clients! Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
★★★★★
I made this today. It was so delicious and super easy to make! I did it start to finish while wearing my newborn! I topped my individual cheesecake with a quick balsamic strawberry compote. Thank you for another great dessert recipe!
★★★★★
I would like to use oreos, how would I go about doing that?
★★★★★
Replace the graham crackers with whole Oreos. Grind them up into 1 cup of crumbs and mix with butter. 🙂
Ok, awesome! Thank you so much for answering my question.
★★★★★
One thing about me is that I don’t really like cheesecake. I don’t know why. When I saw this recipe it looked really good do I had to try it out even though it was cheesecake! It was so easy to make too! I made blueberry sauce to go on top and that made it really good! I will totally make this recipe again! It really surprised me how good it was! If you ever need a good recipe for a small summer gathering use this recipe!
★★★★★
I made this tonight for dessert. It was so good! Really easy to make. Next time I’m going to mix crushed Graham’s and pretzels for the crust. Super fun!
Made these today with strawberry compote for a red and white dessert for Canada Day. They were very tasty, and quick and easy to make, as I had all the ingredients in my fridge. I would definitely make these again!
★★★★★
I just made these this afternoon. My daughter (2) enjoyed helping me make them when I was putting the different layers in the jar (bonus points)! The cheesecake was so delicious, light, and satisfying to have on a hot day.
★★★★★
Hi sally, this looks delicious. But as cream cheese block is not available here ( only spread variety available ) can I use mascopone cheese or just whipped cream ?
If not as a previous challenge do I only make one of the challenge of any other recipe from your blogs
Mascarpone would be EXCELLENT! Use a 1:1 substitution.
Hi this looks gorgeous. Can I use mascopone cheese or just whipping cream as creamchesse block is not readily available here.
★★★★★
This is perfect for the 4th coming up. I can use large Mason jars to hold the toppings.
P.s. My hubby loves no bake cheese cake.
★★★★★
I love cheesecakes in a jar – so easy and creative! Looks delicious and perfect for parties.
★★★★★