As a food blogger, I’m excited to share my Easy No Bake Cheesecake Cups, which layer a simple graham cracker crust, silky cheesecake filling, and your choice of topping into a six ingredient no bake dessert that will make you curious to read on.

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I love testing quick desserts, and these Cheesecake Cups always make me overconfident. With a crunchy base of graham cracker crumbs and a silky filling of cream cheese softened its almost criminal how elegant they appear from so little work.

I bring them to potlucks when I want something that looks fancy but is totally chill, like No Bake Cheesecake Parfait Cups that hardly scream effort yet get devoured first. They also do great as Mini Dessert Cups for small gatherings.

People act surprised they were easy, and i’ll let you in on a few tricks later.

Ingredients

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Graham cracker crumbs, provide carbs and a little fiber, add crunchy, slightly sweet base.
Unsalted butter, adds rich fat and silky mouthfeel, low nutrition beyond calories.
Cream cheese, high in fat and protein, makes filling tangy and creamy.
Powdered sugar, pure carbs that sweeten and smooth the filling, no real nutrients.
Vanilla extract, tiny calories, big aroma, bring warm sweet flavor and balance.
Heavy whipping cream, heavy fat to whip, gives light texture and rich mouthfeel.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full crackers crushed)

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream cold

How to Make this

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1. Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl, add the melted butter and stir till crumbs are evenly moistened, they should hold together when pinched; press the mixture into the bottom of 8 to 12 small cups or a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners, pack it down firmly but dont smash it flat.

2. Soften the cream cheese at room temp so its easy to beat, then in a large bowl beat the cream cheese with the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla until totally smooth and there are no lumps, scrape the sides a few times.

3. Chill a metal bowl and beaters for a few minutes if you can, then pour the cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and whip to medium-stiff peaks, dont let it go grainy.

4. Fold about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until you have a smooth, fluffy filling, use a spatula and dont overmix or youll lose air.

5. Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling onto the prepared crusts, leaving a little space at the top if you plan to add toppings, tap the tray gently to settle any air pockets.

6. Refrigerate the cups for at least 2 hours to set, overnight is better if you have time, they will be firmer and easier to top.

7. When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings like fresh berries, pie filling, chocolate sauce, caramel, or extra crushed graham crackers, if using fruit pat it dry so it doesnt make the filling runny.

8. Quick tips: always sift the powdered sugar to avoid lumps, use cream cheese fully softened for a silky texture, whip cream cold and stop at medium-stiff peaks, and chill the finished cups well so they hold their shape when served.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the cream cheese and sugar, roomy so you can beat without splatter, scrape sides as you go
2. Metal bowl (chilled) for whipping the cream, helps it whip up faster and stay stable
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with beaters, saves your arms and gets a super smooth mix
4. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping, dont overmix when you fold in the whipped cream
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the powdered sugar so you dont get lumps
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the crumbs, butter, sugar and cream
7. Food processor or a zip top bag plus rolling pin to crush the graham crackers into crumbs
8. 12-cup muffin tin or small serving cups plus paper liners to form the crusts and hold the cups
9. Piping bag with a plain tip or a spoon for filling the crusts neatly, plus a tray to tap out air pockets

FAQ

Can I make these cheesecake cups ahead of time and how long will they keep?

Yes. Assemble and chill for at least 2 to 3 hours, overnight is even better. Store covered in the fridge up to 2 days. You can freeze assembled cups up to 1 month, thaw in the fridge before serving.

How do I get a firm, not crumbly crust?

Press the graham crumbs firmly into the bottom of each cup using the back of a spoon or a small glass. Make sure the melted butter is evenly mixed with crumbs. For extra hold, chill crusts 10 to 15 minutes before adding filling or bake crusts 5 to 7 minutes at 350 F, let cool, then fill.

Can I swap any ingredients if I don't have them?

Yes. Use any crisp cookie crumbs for the crust like digestive biscuits or Oreos (omit extra sugar if Oreos). Powdered sugar gives a smooth mouthfeel, you can use 1/2 cup granulated sugar but the texture will be slightly grainy. Low fat cream cheese or whipped topping will work but the filling may be softer.

My filling is lumpy, how do I fix it?

That usually means cream cheese wasn't softened enough. Beat the cream cheese on medium until totally smooth before adding powdered sugar. Sifting the powdered sugar helps too. If lumps remain, use a hand mixer on low and scrape the bowl, keep mixing till smooth.

How do I whip the heavy cream so the filling stays light but not runny?

Chill the bowl and whisk for best results, start whipping cold heavy cream and stop when you reach soft to medium peaks. Fold the whipped cream gently into the sweetened cream cheese so you keep the air, overwhipping will make it grainy and underwhipping will make filling loose.

Any quick topping ideas to make them look fancy?

Yep: fresh berries, a spoonful of fruit compote, lemon or orange zest, melted chocolate drizzle, salted caramel, or crushed cookies. Add toppings right before serving for best texture.

Cheesecake Cups Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Graham cracker crumbs: swap 1:1 with crushed digestive biscuits or vanilla wafers. For a sweet-salty twist use crushed pretzels, just cut back a little on any extra sugar.
Unsalted butter: equal amount of melted salted butter (skip any added salt) or melted coconut oil for a dairy free crust, it firms up when chilled so the crust will hold.
Cream cheese: Neufchâtel is an easy 1:1 lower fat swap, mascarpone gives a richer, silkier filling, or use softened silken tofu blended with a bit of lemon and powdered sugar for a vegan option.
Heavy whipping cream: use the chilled solid part of full fat coconut cream to whip for a dairy free version, or a good store bought non dairy whipping cream designed for whipping.

Pro Tips

1) Get the cream cheese totally smooth without overworking it. If it has small lumps, zap it in the microwave for 5 to 8 seconds, then beat again, scraping the bowl a lot. Dont let it get warm or soupy though or the filling will be greasy.

2) Pack the crust well but not like youre stomping on it, use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it evenly. If the crumbs seem soggy, chill the crust 10 to 15 minutes before adding the filling so it firms up and wont mix into the filling.

3) For stabler, pipeable filling use a tiny stabilizer: sprinkle 1 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin over 1 tbsp cold water, let bloom 2 minutes, microwave 5 seconds till melted, cool slightly then whisk into your whipped cream before folding. That keeps the cups holding shape longer for parties.

4) Keep toppings from making the filling runny. Pat berries very dry, add syrup just before serving, and store the finished cups in an airtight container so they dont absorb fridge smells or get soggy.

Cheesecake Cups Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

481

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl for the cream cheese and sugar, roomy so you can beat without splatter, scrape sides as you go
2. Metal bowl (chilled) for whipping the cream, helps it whip up faster and stay stable
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with beaters, saves your arms and gets a super smooth mix
4. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping, dont overmix when you fold in the whipped cream
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the powdered sugar so you dont get lumps
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the crumbs, butter, sugar and cream
7. Food processor or a zip top bag plus rolling pin to crush the graham crackers into crumbs
8. 12-cup muffin tin or small serving cups plus paper liners to form the crusts and hold the cups
9. Piping bag with a plain tip or a spoon for filling the crusts neatly, plus a tray to tap out air pockets

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full crackers crushed)
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream cold

Directions

Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl, add the melted butter and stir till crumbs are evenly moistened, they should hold together when pinched; press the mixture into the bottom of 8 to 12 small cups or a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners, pack it down firmly but dont smash it flat.
Soften the cream cheese at room temp so its easy to beat, then in a large bowl beat the cream cheese with the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla until totally smooth and there are no lumps, scrape the sides a few times.
Chill a metal bowl and beaters for a few minutes if you can, then pour the cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and whip to medium-stiff peaks, dont let it go grainy.
Fold about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until you have a smooth, fluffy filling, use a spatula and dont overmix or youll lose air.
Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling onto the prepared crusts, leaving a little space at the top if you plan to add toppings, tap the tray gently to settle any air pockets.
Refrigerate the cups for at least 2 hours to set, overnight is better if you have time, they will be firmer and easier to top.
When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings like fresh berries, pie filling, chocolate sauce, caramel, or extra crushed graham crackers, if using fruit pat it dry so it doesnt make the filling runny.
Quick tips: always sift the powdered sugar to avoid lumps, use cream cheese fully softened for a silky texture, whip cream cold and stop at medium-stiff peaks, and chill the finished cups well so they hold their shape when served.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.