No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Mini Cheesecakes
Creamy individual cheesecakes with a graham cracker crust and strawberry swirl, no oven needed.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup thick strawberry sauce or strawberry puree chilled
Instructions
- Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir until the mixture resembles damp sand and clumps when pressed.
- Divide the crumb mixture evenly among the 12 liners, about 1 heaping tablespoon per cup.
- Press the crumbs firmly into an even layer in each cup using the bottom of a small glass or a measuring spoon.
- Refrigerate the crusts for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt with a hand mixer until smooth, fluffy, and completely lump free, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and mix until combined.
- Pour in the cold heavy cream and beat on medium high speed until the mixture thickens and holds soft peaks, similar to pipeable whipped cream.
- Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling evenly over the chilled crusts, leaving a little space at the top of each cup for the strawberry swirl.
- Place small dollops of strawberry sauce on top of each mini cheesecake, using about 2 teaspoons per cheesecake.
- Swirl the strawberry sauce gently into the top of each cheesecake with a toothpick or skewer to create ribbons without fully mixing it in.
- Refrigerate the mini cheesecakes for at least 3 hours, or until firm to the touch and set.
- When ready to serve, carefully remove the mini cheesecakes from the muffin tin and peel away the paper liners.
- Serve chilled, optionally topped with extra whipped cream or fresh berries.
Notes
- Use full fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture and best set.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before beating to avoid lumps in the filling.
- The heavy cream should be very cold so it whips and thickens properly in the filling.
- A thicker strawberry sauce or puree works best so it sits on top and swirls cleanly.
- The cheesecakes can be chilled overnight for an even firmer texture and cleaner edges when unwrapped.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before beating to avoid lumps in the filling.
- The heavy cream should be very cold so it whips and thickens properly in the filling.
- A thicker strawberry sauce or puree works best so it sits on top and swirls cleanly.
- The cheesecakes can be chilled overnight for an even firmer texture and cleaner edges when unwrapped.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.