No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes

On Sunday, we spent a very fun evening celebrating our friend Sandra’s birthday. It was a low key event, with all the guests bringing a dish. Before Sandra even asked me to make a dessert, I knew what I wanted to make- No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes!

The best part of this recipe is how easy it is to customize! Sandra’s favorite fruit happens to be Mandarin oranges, but you can use any flavor of jam or pie filling you like. In fact, if you select a ready made filling, this recipe gets even easier! In order to simplify this recipe,  I haven’t included how to make the Mandarin glaze, but keep an eye out for another post!

Recipe Notes

Back in October, I made Mason Jar Caramel Apple Cakes. I used the eight ounce mason jars, and I think they were just a little too big. For this recipe, I switched and used the four ounce size. This recipe made about 20 jars; they were perfect for a crowd! That being said, the next time I make these, I will most likely double the cream cheese filling. Even with a garnish, there was room for more of the good stuff!

I did use some special equipment to prepare my No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes. To evenly distribute the cream cheese filling and avoid a mess, I used my Nordic Ware frosting gun, however if you don’t have one, a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner snipped off will work, too!

Like the topping, the graham cracker crust is another spot you can customize this recipe. I used a store bought crust for convenience, but you can certainly make your own or substitute an Oreo crust. Again, the best part of this recipe is making it your own!

No-Bake Mini Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 store bought graham cracker crust, crumbled.
• 8oz package of cream cheese, softened.
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 8oz COOL WHIP topping
• 1 1/2 cups pie filling, glaze or jam of your choice

To Make:

• Distribute graham cracker crumbles evenly throughout jars.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed.
• Stir in COOL WHIP.
• Transfer cream cheese filling into frosting gun, fill jars leaving enough room for the topping.
• Spoon topping into each jar over cream cheese filling.
• Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

Images are my own, recipe inspiration from See Vanessa Craft and Recipe4Living.