raspberry cheesecake (no bake mini cheesecakes)

these no bake raspberry cheesecake cupcakes are simple, delicious and so incredibly dreamy. a buttery biscuit base, velvety raspberry cheesecake filling and a cloud of fresh whipped cream on top – perfect!

these no bake raspberry cheesecake cupcakes feature a golden, buttery biscuit base cradling a creamy raspberry cheesecake filling, made with a vibrant raspberry puree for a burst of fruity flavour. with ripe, sun-kissed berries. top with a generous swirl of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry for the perfect summer dessert.

why you will love this raspberry cheesecake recipe:

• easy and no bake – i wanted to keep this raspberry cheesecake no bake since i hate heating up the oven in summer when it’s already hot! this recipe is perfect for when you’re craving a sweet dessert but don’t want to use an oven or don’t have access to one.

• perfectly portioned – these raspberry cheesecake cupcakes are perfect for gatherings or when you have guests or even to bring on a picnic because they’re already in individual portions, so there’s no need for slicing anything. so easy to serve and share these with others!

• easier to make than they look!! – these mini no bake cheesecakes look a lot more impressive than they actually are, and are so easy to make, even for beginners.

learn how to make this homemade raspberry cheesecake from scratch in just a few easy steps:

to make these homemade raspberry mini cheesecakes, we’re going to start off with the cheesecake crust by mixing any kind of sweet biscuits/cookies or graham crackers with melted butter. then, we’ll press the mixture down into a lined cupcake pan in individual liners. let this set in the fridge while you make the raspberry cheesecake filling. the raspberry cheesecake filling recipe involves mixing cream cheese and sugar until smooth. then we’ll whip some heavy cream until thick and fluffy and mix that into the cream cheese. blend fresh raspberries to make a raspberry puree and mix it in until the batter is thick and smooth. add this on top of the base and leave your raspberry cheesecake cupcakes in the fridge to set overnight. the next day, make a quick raspberry cheesecake topping with freshly whipped cream and pipe that on top, decorate with fresh raspberries, and we’re done!

raspberry cheesecake ingredients:

• biscuits/cookies -any kind of sweet biscuits/cookies will work here. so you can use anything that you like or anything that’s easy for you to get. most cheesecakes typically have a graham cracker crust so you can also use graham crackers.

• butter – i’m using salted butter for this recipe. this will be melted and mixed into the crushed biscuits/cookies/graham crackers. you can also use unsalted butter if you prefer – i just like the balance of salty and sweet!

• cream cheese – the main ingredient for our raspberry cheesecake filling! i like to use full-fat, block-style cream cheese. make sure that this is at room temperature so that it’s easy to mix and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

• granulated sugar – we’ll mix sugar and cream cheese for our cheesecake filling.

• double cream or heavy cream – we’re going to whip heavy cream until it reaches stiff peaks and mix that into the raspberry cheesecake filling. the heavy cream will also be used later on for our raspberry cheesecake topping.

• icing sugar or powdered sugar – this will be added to the heavy cream when we whip it for some sweetness.

• vanilla – this is optional but adding a small amount to the cream when you whip it adds a nice flavour. it’s absolutely not necessary though, and this was only added in the cream for the topping, and not in the actual filling.

• raspberries -i use fresh raspberries for this recipe. they’ll be blended until smooth to make a raspberry puree and then folded into the cheesecake filling. you can also add some at the end on top of your mini cheesecakes for decoration.

tools:

• hand or stand mixer – a hand or stand mixer will speed up the process when it comes to whipping the cream. a whisk will do just fine if you don’t have access to a mixer but it will definitely take a little longer.

• blender – you’ll need to blend the raspberries to make a raspberry puree.

• spatula or spoon – great for gently folding the cheesecake filling when adding the other ingredients in.

• cupcake pan and liners – this raspberry cheesecake dessert involves making mini cupcake cheesecakes so we’ll be using a cupcake pan for this. if you would prefer to make raspberry cheesecake bars instead, you can just add the mixture to a normal baking dish.

• 3 medium bowls or large bowls – you’ll need 3 separate bowls – one for the cheesecake crust ingredients, one for the cheesecake filling, and one for whipping the cream.

• rolling pin – to crush the biscuits/cookies for the cheesecake crust.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: in a bowl, or a bag, add biscuits/cookies/graham crackers. use a rolling pin or something similar to crush them until fine.

step two: add melted butter and mix it in. once all of the butter is mixed in, when you press the crumbs together, they should stick and not fall apart.

step three: line a cupcake pan with cupcake cases and add crumbs to each liner.

step four: use a flat bottomed glass or cup to press the crumbs down and get them to stick to the sides of the liners. you might have to press crumbs into the sides of the liners with your hands if needed.

step five: place the pan in the fridge or freezer while you make the cheesecake filling.

step six: in a bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy. you can use a whisk, spoon or mixer for this.

step seven: add sugar and beat the cream cheese and sugar together until the mixture becomes smooth. continue to mix until you can no longer feel any sugar granules between your fingers.

step eight: in a separate bowl or jug, add cold heavy cream or double cream, as well as some icing sugar or powdered sugar. use a mixer or whisk to beat the cream until stiff peaks.

step nine: add the whipped cream to the cream cheese and sugar mixture and gently fold it in.

step ten: add fresh raspberries to a blender and blend until it looks relatively smooth. add the raspberry puree to the cheesecake filling, and gently fold it in. at this point, your cheesecake filling should look thick, smooth and be a light pink colour.

step eleven: gently add the cheesecake filling to the cupcake cases on top of the base. place the cupcake pan with the raspberry cheesecake bites into the fridge and let it set overnight.

step twelve: the next day, add some cold heavy cream to a bowl or jug, as well as some icing sugar or powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla. use a mixer or whisk to whip the cream until soft and thick.

step thirteen: add the cream to a piping bag and pipe the cream on top of your raspberry cheesecake cupcakes.

step fourteen: top with fresh raspberries, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• try to use fresh raspberries for the best flavour and texture in your raspberry cheesecake.

• if you’d like a subtle vanilla flavour in your raspberry cheesecake, feel free to add a teaspoon of vanilla when you’re whipping the cream before adding it to the cheesecake filling.

• to make things easier, you might want to use a food processor to crush the biscuits/cookies/graham crackers. this will help you get a fine, even crumb. if you don’t have this, using a rolling pin and a plastic bag or a bowl (which is what i did!) will work just fine.

• use any biscuits or cookies that you like! something like digestive biscuits, graham crackers or shortbread cookies would complement the raspberry cheesecake really well.

• use a small flat bottomed cup or glass or the back of a spoon to press the biscuit crumbs into the cupcake liners – this will help the base hold together when you remove the cheesecake cupcakes from the pan.

• make sure to use cold double/heavy cream straight from the fridge otherwise it won’t whip well.

• make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. it will just be easier to mix and blend more smoothly with the rest of the ingredients in the cheesecake filling.

• i would recommend using full-fat, block-style cream cheese, as reduced-fat cream cheese or a cream cheese spread might affect the texture and stability of the raspberry cheesecake.

• i didn’t do this, but if you want your raspberry cheesecake filling to be extra smooth, you can push the raspberry puree through a sieve after blending the raspberries. this will help remove the seeds and give you a smoother texture.

• you can adjust the sugar in your raspberry cheesecake filling to your taste.

• i made 6 no bake mini cheesecakes, but i had a pretty thick biscuit layer, as well as a lot of cheesecake filling in each one. you can definitely make more of these if you use less for each one.

• i would recommend chilling the raspberry cheesecake cupcakes in the fridge overnight so that they are able to set properly.

• decorate the raspberry cheesecake with the whipped cream topping and fresh raspberries just before serving to keep the whipped cream looking fresh and prevent it from deflating.

• if you’re serving these to guests, i would recommend keeping the raspberry cheesecake cupcakes in the fridge before it’s time to serve. this will help them maintain their texture and prevent them from softening too much.

• store any leftover raspberry cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge. they would be best consumed within 3-5 days.

• if you think that making raspberry cheesecake cupcakes might be too much of a hassle, you could also put this raspberry cheesecake in a jar or in a glass to make little raspberry cheesecake cups!

• if you’d prefer flavours other than raspberry for cheesecake, feel free to experiment with different fruits! swap the raspberries in this raspberry cheesecake recipe for something like strawberries, blueberries or mango. keep in mind that you might need to adjust the sugar depending on the fruit you use, as some fruits will be sweeter.

frequently asked questions

1. can i make this raspberry cheesecake using frozen raspberries instead of fresh ones?

   – while fresh raspberries are ideal for this raspberry cheesecake recipe for the best flavour, you can use frozen ones if you don’t have fresh raspberries on hand. just thaw them and drain any excess liquid before blending them and adding the puree in.

2. can i make this raspberry cheesecake recipe with mascarpone?

   – yes, you can absolutely make this raspberry cheesecake with mascarpone! it will be a bit richer and creamier in texture and slightly milder in flavour in comparison to cheesecake made with cream cheese, but if you’re okay with that, you can use equal amounts of mascarpone instead of cream cheese.

3. can i make these no bake mini cheesecakes ahead of time?

   – absolutely! these mini raspberry cheesecakes actually need to be placed in the fridge overnight to set, so making them a day or two ahead of time is actually ideal.

4. can i use a different type of fruit instead of raspberries?

   – yes, you can absolutely adjust the flavour of this cheesecake to your preference and use any kind of fruit that you like. bear in mind that some fruits are sweeter than others so you might want to reduce some of the sugar so that the cheesecake is not too sweet if you are using a sweeter fruit. mangoes, strawberries or even peaches would all be great options.

5. can i add other flavours to the raspberry cheesecake filling?

   – yes, you can absolutely adjust the flavours of the cheesecake mixture to your own taste and add anything else that you like. you could add some vanilla or even some lemon zest if you want a subtle citrus flavour. white chocolate also works great with raspberries!

6. how long will these raspberry cheesecake cupcakes last in the fridge?

   – these raspberry cheesecake cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for about 3-5 days in an airtight container.

7. how many raspberry cheesecake cupcakes does this raspberry cheesecake recipe make?

   – the number of raspberry cheesecake cupcakes this recipe makes will depend on the amount of biscuit crumbs and cheesecake filling you use for each cupcake. i wanted a thick base and a lot of cheesecake filling in each one, so for me, this made 6 mini cheesecakes.

8. can i make this recipe without a blender?

   – a blender is used in this recipe for pureeing the raspberries. it will make things easier for you, but if you don’t have one, you can try mashing the raspberries with a fork until it resembles a puree and then folding that in.

recipe