Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Ultra-fresh with the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
Texture: The crust is crunchy and buttery, while the cheesecake filling is super creamy, luscious, and rich.
Ease: Ridiculously easy. The hardest part is waiting for them to chill and set before eating!
Pros: Perfect spring or summer dessert. Fast, easy to transport, and requires no oven or stove use.
Cons: I’ve noticed if you don’t use high-quality bricks of cream cheese, you end up with extra moisture, making it harder for these cheesecakes to set firmly.
Would I make this again? Absolutely!
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These No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes are the perfect treats to make this spring or summer!
When it’s 110°F or hotter here in Phoenix, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven.
Sometimes I make that sacrifice in order to continue testing new recipes to share with you. It’s a small price to pay to wake up to my dream job every day!
That’s why I love thinking up new no-bake recipes once the temperatures start to soar.
I knew I wanted to create a no-bake recipe incorporating berries, and I’m so pleased with how delicious and beautiful these No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes are.
I’m a weirdo and would much rather eat berries raw and fresh than bake with them, so this recipe worked out perfectly to preserve the sweet and tart freshness of the blackberries.
I particularly love mini cheesecakes because they’re so much quicker and simpler to make and transport than full-sized cheesecakes. Plus it gives the illusion of moderation … that is, until you realize you’ve actually eaten 4 mini cheesecakes!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes
The Blackberries in No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes
To keep things simple, we’re using blackberry jam in the cheesecake itself. I find that adding fresh fruit to a no-bake cheesecake “batter” makes it too watery to set properly, so the jam is a perfect workaround.
An easy puree of fresh blackberries then gets dolloped on top. Feel free to use defrosted frozen blackberries in the puree, if preferred.
What Type of Cream Cheese is Best for No Bake Cheesecakes?
- Be sure to use blocks of full-fat, high-quality cream cheese.
- I recommend using a high-quality brand such as Philadelphia, for the best possible texture.
- Do not use reduced-fat cream cheese, or your mini cheesecakes may be watery, rubbery, or may not set properly.
- Don’t use whipped cream cheese or cream cheese for spreading on a bagel.
- Be sure your cream cheese is COMPLETELY softened to room temperature before beginning.
Graham Crackers Substitutions for the Cheesecake Crust
Feel free to use the same amount by weight of digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, or any crunchy cookie you prefer.
What Type of Pan for No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes?
- For perfectly adorable mini cheesecakes, get yourself a mini cheesecake pan. The bottoms are removable, just like a springform or tart pan, so you can pop out each cheesecake and keep it perfectly intact.
- If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, use a muffin tin instead.
- Use high-quality liners to avoid the graham cracker crust crumbling and avoid the cheesecake sticking to the pan.
- Another super cute idea is to use mini mason jars to assemble and serve this recipe. You might end up with less than 12 cheesecakes, but they’d be perfect for a dinner party or BBQ.
Chilling No Bake Cheesecake
No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes need to chill for at least 4 hours to ensure the cheesecakes are fully set and hold their shape. I usually prepare the mini cheesecakes the day before I plan to serve them, just to ensure they’re fully set before serving.
How to Store No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes
Store No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Can You Freeze No Bake Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes?
While we haven’t tried that, it should work just fine to freeze these un-topped mini cheesecakes. Place individual cheesecakes on a baking tray and freeze until solid, then move to an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. Add the blackberry topping and fresh blackberries before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
- Baked Strawberry Lemon Doughnuts
- No-Bake S’mores Mini Cheesecakes
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 sleeve (9 crackers, 140 grams) graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180 grams) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (80 grams) blackberry preserves
For topping:
- 1 cup (145 grams) blackberries, fresh or thawed frozen
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Fresh blackberries, for garnish
Instructions
For the crust:
- Thoroughly grease a mini cheesecake pan. Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Divide the mixture among the cavities of the cheesecake pan, about 1 heaping tablespoon in each. Firmly press into the bottom of each cavity (a shot glass or tart tamper are perfect for this). Set aside.
For the cheesecake:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until creamy and well combined. Add the cream, lemon juice, and blackberry preserves, and continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined and thickened, with a texture similar to frosting. Divide the mixture among each cavity and cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
For the topping:
- Combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in the bowl of a blender or food processor and pulse until pureed. Top each cheesecake with a dollop of the sauce. Garnish each mini cheesecake with fresh blackberries. Serve.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with additional baking tips. Photos by Constance Higley.
Love this is no bake. Thinking about making a bunch of mini desserts for New Years Day.
Sounds delicious! I hope you gave this recipe a try 🙂 If you did, let us know what you think!
These were delicious & so easy to make! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe that my guests loved!
Can these little cheesecakes be made in small muffin tin with small cupcake liners instead?
Can I use a muffin tin? Should I line it? Looks amazing!
These cheesecakes are flavor bombs and have become one of our favorite desserts. They wow our company and are a great make ahead. A definite 10! Way to go Tessa! Would Like to know what brand of blackberry preserves you use.
This was so delicious! And a perfect, unique dessert for company. Picky Hubby gave it a quick 10! I did add a few steps. I wanted more blackberry flavor in the cheesecake, so I added another tablespoon of blackberry preserves, and didn’t incorporate it all the way so I would have little flecks of color and flavor inside the cheesecake. Then I doubled the topping mixture, and strained out the seeds. It was an absolute flavor bomb! I also used individual silicone cupcake molds. I was a little nervous about the cheesecake being firm enough, so put them in the freezer while we ate. They popped right out of the silicone molds perfectly. So easy, I will be making these with my 8 year old granddaughter for our next FaceTime baking session! Thank you Tessa!
How far in advance can you make these?
Can you use a no bake cheesecake mix?
Hi, will it work to make these using a muffin tin instead of a mini cheesecake pan? If so, will the baking time vary? Also, will fresh berries work as a substitute to frozen? I’d love to try this recipe!
Can you substitute with raspberry and raspberry preserves? Would it make a difference with sugar and lemon juice etc or just substitute as normal!
I would just sub as normal!
Can you freeze? for how long and how with or without topping/berry?
I am always in the lookout for desserts that cane be made in the mini dessert cups. This looks perfect!