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These easy no bake mini cheesecakes are a delightful little dessert for summer entertaining.
With the perfect mix of salty and sweet, this recipe combines a pretzel crust with creamy no bake cheesecake filling. Add in fresh fruit – like strawberries & blueberries – and you have a perfectly festive and refreshing red, white, & blue dessert!
The pretzel crust idea was inspired by the super popular Strawberry Pretzel Salad that I grew up loving! It was often a dish that showed up at church potlucks and summer picnics. Use unsalted butter in the crust, as there is already a lot of salt in the pretzels.
These mini mason jar no bake cheesecake desserts are a small dessert size – like a “bite of brownie”. They would make great additions to a dessert bar or charcuterie dessert tray. Make them – minus the whipped topping – for a fun picnic idea and keep them in a cooler with ice. Don’t forget the spoons!
Make the pretzel crust and then press it into the bottom of 12 mini mason jars. Place the jars on a baking sheet to make it easy to store and serve them. Chill the crust in the freezer for 10 minutes. Don’t let the rest of your pretzels go to waste-use them up by making these cute Patriotic Pretzel Bites!
Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer if you don’t have one) beat the cream cheese until fluffy and then add the yogurt, vanilla, honey and powdered sugar.
Wash and prepare the blueberries and strawberries. Slice the strawberries into thin slices as shown. Make whipped cream and then assemble the no bake mini cheesecakes by layer.
These mini desserts can be assembled ahead of time without the whipping cream and kept in the refrigerator before serving. The jar lids and rings could be placed on top while storing, or the jars could be placed on a tray and covered with plastic wrap.
Assemble the mason jars in the following layers:
- pretzel crust
- strawberries
- cheesecake filling (Start with a heaping Tablespoon for each jar and add a little more in each jar until it is evenly distributed.)
- sprinkle of pretzel crumb topping left over from the crust layer
- strawberries
- ring of blueberries
- whipped cream
- slice of strawberry or blueberry for the top
Chill these desserts before serving-at least 6 hours or overnight is preferred for the best taste and texture.
What can I use instead of pretzels for the crust?
Graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or oreo cookies make a great crust that could be substituted for the pretzel crust if preferred.
Do I have to make my own whipped cream?
Personally, I prefer the taste of freshly whipped cream, but for a quicker option, canned whipped cream would work great. Slightly thawed cool whip would be another option. Or, you could omit the cream layer all together and just add more fruit.
Can mini no bake cheesecakes be frozen?
It isn’t recommended to freeze no bake cheesecake. However, it is best if refrigerated for 12 hours before serving, so it makes a great make ahead dessert.
It seems soft-will refrigerating a no bake cheesecake make it solidify?
Refrigerating no bake cheesecake does make it firmer. However, no bake cheesecake isn’t as firm as baked cheesecake. It is more like a creamy mousse consistency.
No Bake Mini Cheesecakes with Pretzel Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine pretzel crumbs
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup liquid honey
- ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 12 medium sized fresh strawberries
- ½ pint fresh blueberries
- ½ cup whipping cream whipped
Instructions
- Make the pretzel crust by mixing together the pretzel crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. (There will be a bit of pretzel crumbs left to use for topping later.)
- Press one tablespoon of pretzel crust mix in the bottom of each of 12 (4 oz.) mini mason jars. Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to allow the crust to get firm.
- In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Add in the greek yogurt and vanilla and mix well, scraping down the sides of the mixer. Drizzle in the honey while the mixer is on low speed, then add in the powdered sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Wash the strawberries and blueberries. To prepare the strawberries, cut off the tops and stand each strawberry on the cut portion on a cutting board. Slice each strawberry in thin slices.
- To whip the cream, follow these directions: With the whipping attachment on an electric mixer, whip 1/2 cup whipping cream until it starts to thicken. Slowly add in ½ teaspoon vanilla and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Taste it to see if it is sweet enough for you. If not, add a little more sugar.
- Assemble the mason jars in the following layers:pretzel cruststrawberriescheesecake filling (Start with a heaping Tablespoon for each jar and add a little more in each jar until it is evenly distributed.)sprinkle of pretzel crumb topping left over from the crust layerstrawberriesring of blueberrieswhipped creamslice of strawberry or blueberry for the top
- Chill these desserts before serving. 6 hours to overnight is best.
Notes
Nutrition
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