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Serve up these no bake individual Cheesecake Cups for any occasion! With a simple graham cracker crust, smooth cheesecake filling and your topping of choice, they’re stunning, yet so easy to make!
As much as I LOVE a classic cheesecake, sometimes (especially when it’s warm out!) I don’t want to use the oven, a water bath, etc.! So more times than not, I’ll whip up a simple no bake cheesecake instead. It’s easy and everyone raves about it!
But… if you don’t want a whole cheesecake or don’t want to deal with cutting, slicing and serving, these Cheesecake Cups are IDEAL! They’re so darned cute and I love that they can be customized with different toppings and garnishes!!
Ingredients Needed (Amounts listed in recipe card below)
- Graham Crackers – You’ll need 8 full sheets (16 squares).
- Butter – I like to use salted butter.
- White Sugar
- Cream Cheese – Use the brick-style cream cheese (not the soft cream cheese that comes in a tub).
- Sour Cream – I love the very subtle tang the sour cream brings to this recipe!
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Whipped Topping – You’ll use the tubs you find in the freezer (but make sure it’s thawed completely before using)
How to Make Cheesecake Cups
Start by gathering 6 small glasses or cups to serve these in. I find that the 5 ounce Oui yogurt jars are a great size for these!!! You can also use small little cappucchino cups, disposable dessert cups, small jars, etc.
Now, make the graham cracker layer that will go on the bottoms of the cups.
Start by adding the crust ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulverize until the mixture looks like wet sand. If it gets stuck to the sides of the bowl, use a rubber spatula to make sure it’s all combined.
Divide the crumbs between 6 jars or glasses. Lightly press the crust down with the back of a spoon.
For the cheesecake filling, you can mix it in a stand mixer OR use the same food processor (saves on dishes!). Add the softened cream cheese to the bowl and mix until smooth.
Tip!
Make sure the cream cheese is softened so you don’t end up with clumps of cream cheese in the filling.
Add the sour cream and vanilla and once smooth, add the whipped topping. Don’t worry about folding it in….just mix it! This gives you a more dense, creamy cheesecake filling you’ll LOVE.
Spoon the mixture over the graham cracker crumbs. I like to use a cookie scoop or a piping bag so it doesn’t get super messy. Smooth out the top, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve! I recommend refrigerating for at least 2 hours to give the filling a chance to set up nicely.
Cheesecake Toppings
One thing I love about cheesecake is the wide variety of topping options! Here are a few options…
- Fruit Filling – Try a classic cherry pie filling or go for blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, etc!
- Fresh Fruit – Opt for fresh fruit in the summertime when berries are in season!
- Lemon Curd or Pie Filling – It’s the perfect spring & summer cheesecake topper!
- Chocolate Ganache – This is rich, velvety topping chocolate lovers will be SO pumped about!
- Caramel or Chocolate Sauce – Grab a jar of dessert sauce for an easy, yet delicious topping.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Keep the cheesecake cups refrigerated for up to 5 days. Be sure to cover them well with plastic wrap.
Freezer
Cheesecake cups can be frozen. However, the texture of the crust and filling may change a bit. Cover well and freeze for up to 2 months.
Variations to Try
Oreo Cheesecake Cups – Use Oreos in place of the graham crackers for the crust. Roughly chop a few additional cookies and fold them into the filling. Lastly, top with a little dollop of whipped cream and a few Oreo crumbs!
Turtle Cheesecake Cups – Use a combination of Oreos and toasted pecans in the crust mixture. Skip the powdered sugar in the filling and stir in 1/4 cup caramel sauce instead. Top with a dollop of whipped topping, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce and chopped pecans!
Triple Lemon Cheesecake Cups – Use Lemon Oreos for the crust, stir 1 tablespoon of lemon zest into the filling and top with lemon curd. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a curled lemon peel on top!
Cheesecake Dessert Shooters – The perfect way to end a big meal; just a little something sweet! Divide the mixture between 12-15 shooter glasses instead of bigger glasses. Super cute & delish!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Use a gluten free graham cracker (or shortbread cookie or Oreos!) for the crust and the rest should be good to go!
Yes, but it’ll take a little more work. First, increase the powdered sugar in the filling to 3/4 or 1 cup. (Because heavy cream isn’t sweetened, this will help balance it out). Whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Add the when the recipe calls for the whipped topping and continue as directed.
If you like Oreos, that’s always a great option! I like using these and then topping them with a little dollop of whipped cream and a mini Oreo or Oreo crumbs! You could do the same with golden Oreos, too.
Other No Bake Recipes You’ll Love
Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 8 sheets graham crackers*
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 12 ounces cream cheese (1 1/2 8-ounce bricks), softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 8-ounce tub whipped topping
- fresh fruit or fruit filling
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Add the graham crackers, melted butter and sugar to the bowl of a food processor.8 sheets graham crackers*, 1/4 cup butter, 2 tablespoons sugar
- Process until the graham crackers and in fine crumbs (should resemble a wet sand), scraping down the sides of the bowl, if needed.
- Divide the mixture between six cups and press down with a spoon; set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- Add the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend until smooth.12 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until smooth.1/3 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the whipped topping and mix until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once.1 8-ounce tub whipped topping
- Spoon the mixture into the cups on top of the graham crackers and use the back of a spoon to smooth out the tops.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Top as desired and enjoy!fresh fruit or fruit filling
