Mini No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecakes

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 16 oz (452 g) full-fat block cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups (185 g) fresh or frozen raspberries, for the sauce
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for the sauce
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, for the sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
• 12–24 fresh raspberries, for topping

How to make mini no-bake raspberry cheesecakes

1. Step 1.

   Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Step 2.

   Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar together until the crumbs look like damp sand. Divide among the liners, about 2 tablespoons each, and press down firmly with the bottom of a small glass. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

3. Step 3.

   Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt on medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl, until completely smooth and free of lumps.

4. Step 4.

   In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, so the beaters leave sharp ridges and the peak stands upright when lifted.

5. Step 5.

   Stir a large spoonful of the whipped cream into the cream cheese to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two additions, using a spatula and stopping when no white streaks remain.

6. Step 6.

   Spoon the filling over the crusts, about 1/3 cup each, and smooth the tops. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm all the way through.

7. Step 7.

   For the sauce, simmer the 1 1/2 cups raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the berries collapse. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook 1 minute more, until slightly thickened. Cool completely.

8. Step 8.

   Just before serving, spoon about 2 teaspoons of cooled sauce over each cheesecake and top with one or two fresh raspberries.

What actually sets a no-bake cheesecake

Without eggs or gelatin, a no-bake filling holds its shape through two things: the fat in the cream cheese, which firms as it chills, and the air whipped into the cream. That makes this a recipe about temperature and technique more than ingredients. Block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub, because tub cream cheese contains extra water and stabilizers that keep the filling soft. Full-fat is just as important; reduced-fat versions have less of the fat that does the setting.

Soft cream cheese, cold cream

The two dairy ingredients need opposite temperatures. Cream cheese should sit out for about an hour, until a finger leaves an easy dent, so it beats completely smooth. Cream should stay in the refrigerator until the moment you whip it, because cold fat traps air better. Beat the cream cheese until no lumps are visible before the cream goes anywhere near it; lumps cannot be fixed once the whipped cream is folded in.

Whip to stiff peaks, then fold gently

Soft peaks look fine in the bowl but flatten as the cheesecakes chill, so whip until the peak holds straight up. Then stir a spoonful into the cream cheese first. That lightens the heavier mixture and makes the rest easier to fold in without deflating it. Stop folding as soon as the white streaks disappear; extra stirring pushes the air back out.

A crust that stays crisp

Pressing the crumbs firmly matters more than the amount of butter. Loose crumbs fall apart when you peel off the liner, while a packed base slices cleanly. If the crust seems crumbly, add a teaspoon more melted butter. Chilling the crusts while you mix the filling gives the butter time to firm up so the filling does not push crumbs around as it goes in.

A raspberry topping you cook for five minutes

Raspberry jam is sweeter and flatter than fresh fruit, so these are topped with a quick sauce made from real berries. A teaspoon of cornstarch thickens it just enough to sit on the cheesecake instead of running down the sides. Frozen raspberries work as well as fresh in the sauce, and you can use them straight from the freezer. Let the sauce cool completely before spooning it on, since warm sauce melts into the filling and loses its color.

Keep the sauce and the fresh berries off the cheesecakes until just before serving. Berries release juice as they sit, and the sauce slowly soaks the top of the filling.

Chilling time and unmolding

Four hours is the minimum, and overnight is easier to plan around and gives a firmer slice. To check, lift one liner gently: the filling should hold its shape and feel cold and set in the center. Peel the paper away and serve from a plate. If you would rather not use liners, a silicone muffin pan also works, and you can freeze the filled cups for 30 minutes before popping them out.

Serving and storing

Keep the cheesecakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, adding the topping the day you serve them. They can also be frozen without the sauce or fresh berries for up to 1 month; thaw them in the refrigerator for several hours. The texture is slightly softer after freezing but still creamy.

Variations

Other berries: blueberries or chopped strawberries work in the sauce at the same weight.

Lemon version: add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the filling and use a lemon curd topping instead of the sauce.

Gluten-free: use gluten-free graham-style cookie crumbs in the same amount.