Mini Mason jar no-bake cheesecake made and served in tiny jars makes an ideal dessert for a picnic, for camping, or as a fun treat for kids. Quick and easy. Gluten-free!
This Mason Jar No-Bake Cheesecake is the perfect choice for those times when you need a dessert for a special occasion but you want one that's quick and easy to make. Like today, for example!
We're heading to the lake to celebrate Canada Day! I need a portable dessert that can be packed in a cooler. Making individual desserts in tiny jars makes serving a breeze. It also eliminates the need to pack extra dishes. Not only that, I can make it ahead of time.
After a day of swimming, sunning, playing in the water and hanging out on the wharf, I don't want to be busy preparing dinner!
This is an easy recipe, and it's a tasty dessert that both adults and kids seem to love.
🛒 Ingredients
Base: To keep this dessert as a no-bake recipe, you can use store-bought cookie crumbs (gluten-free, if necessary) combined with melted butter (or coconut oil). If you prefer, you can combine ground almonds with melted butter and sugar, press the mixture into small Mason jars and bake the base in the oven before adding the cheesecake filling.
Filling:
cream cheese: softened. Use either regular or reduced fat
Greek yogurt: firm style
sugar: coconut sugar or 0-calorie Monkfruit sweetener or you can use half sugar and half honey
Topping: fresh berries or other fruit, or rhubarb compote
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
- Make the base by combining cookie crumbs with butter. Press into the bottom of 12 four-ounce Mason jars or other small jars or dessert glasses.
- Beat softened cream cheese with sweetener and yogurt. Fill the jars, cover and refrigerate.
- When chilled, top with fresh berries or other fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries make good toppings. Finely chopped peaches, nectarines or mango work well, too.
🔁 Possible Variations
For the base: As an alternative to store-bought cookie crumbs, you can use ground almonds as the base for this dessert. Combine 1 ⅓ cups of ground almonds with 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil and 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar. Put the Mason jars on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes at 350°F. Cool completely before topping with the cheesecake mixture.
For the topping: With fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries ripening in the garden, it was an easy choice for me to decide on the topping for this Mason jar dessert. However, you can top it with any fruit you choose. It's delicious with rhubarb compote, fresh peaches, or even cranberries and mandarin oranges! Adding fresh fruit to the little Mason jars makes it a quick and easy dessert.
Keep it Keto: Use my ground almond crust alternative described above and Monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar.
Make it for a crowd
Double the recipe! Move the little slider in the recipe card below to calculate the amount for 16 or 24 desserts.
⏰ Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! Make it a day or two before you need it. Any longer than that and I would be concerned that the cookie crust may become soggy. Cover tightly and refrigerate and top with fresh fruit just before serving.
🥶 Can I freeze it?
Yes! Chill in the refrigerator first, then seal with a lid (or wrap individually) and freeze. Add fruit topping just before serving.
While this Mason Jar No-Bake Cheesecake with berries or this No-Bake Cherry Almond Cheesecake are both ideal for easy summer desserts, I love this Cranberry-Orange No-Bake Cheesecake in the winter months. I serve it in mini dessert glasses instead of Mason jars for a more elegant presentation!
But today, I plan to serve an easy dinner of these cute little fresh veggie zucchini roll-ups, Honey-Dijon Broccoli Salad, Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs, Summer Veggie Pasta Salad with Feta Dressing, these no-bake cheesecake jars. . . and Nanaimo bars and Nana's butter tarts because . . . we're Canadian, eh?
And that's it! How simple is that? Happy Canada Day and Happy Fourth of July to all my U.S. readers!
More gluten-free dessert recipes
🗒 More mason jar dessert recipes!
No-Bake Cherry Almond Cheesecake
📖 Recipe
Mason Jar No-Bake Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 1 ⅓ cups cookie crumbs, gluten-free if necessary
- 2 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil
No-Bake Cheesecake filling
- 16 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened (2 bricks)
- 2 cups firm Greek yogurt
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup sugar, or Monkfruit sweetener with erythritol
- fresh berries or other fruit for topping
Instructions
- Melt butter or coconut oil. Grind cookies in a food processor or with a rolling pin. Combine with butter or oil. Divide among 12 4-ounce Mason jars, pressing firmly into the bottom of the jar.
- Beat cream cheese with firm Greek yogurt and sweeteners until well combined.
- Spoon into jars. Top with fresh berries or fruit and refrigerate. If not serving the same day, top with lids, refrigerate and add fruit just before serving.
Kathy
would it be possible to use maple syrup instead of honey?
Elaine
Yes, maple syrup will work in this recipe!
Geraldine
Hi there
What size mason jar is this ?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Geraldine, It's the 4-ounce (half cup) size.
Elise
I've made these several times now, so thought I'd let you know how popular they are. Red and blue berries are perfect for the Fourth of July.
Flavour & Savour
Yes, they are! and people seem to love to have their own individual dessert! Thanks for commenting and for the 5 stars!
Tara Oliver
My kids love these! I do keylime, cherry, and lemon yogurt. It's super yummy! Thank you!!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Tara,
Those are wonderful flavour ideas! Don't you feel great when you find a healthy dessert that your kids love? Thanks so much for commenting!
Dee
I made this recipe for a birthday party and topped it with strawberries and added a bit of whipped cream on top. It was a hit!
Flavour & Savour
Oh yum! That would look really pretty too!
Tammy
I have made this a lot. I don't put the sweetener in. I feel like honey is enough. Especially if you're adding fruit on top.
Quick and easy recipe. Thanks
Elaine
Thanks Tammy! Happy to hear you made this recipe work for you!