Serve these Mini No-Bake Cherry Almond Cheesecakes in small jars or ramekins. A great choice for a dessert buffet or for picnics. Gluten-free and sugar-free options.
1teaspoonground cardamomoptional or ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
No-Bake Cheesecake filling
16ozlow-fat cream cheese,softened to room temperature
2cupsfirm Greek yogurt
⅓cuplow-carb granulated sweetener
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Cherry Topping
3cupscherries,pitted, fresh or frozen
¼cuplow carb granulated sweetener
1tablespooncorn starch
Instructions
Make sure the cream cheese has been softened to room temperature to avoid a lumpy filling.
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Melt butter. Sift almond flour before measuring. Combine flour with butter, sweetener and optional cardamom. Divide among 15 4-ounce Mason jars or ramekins, pressing firmly into the bottom of the jar. (A shot glass works well for this job.) Place the jars on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat softened cream cheese with sweetener, then add Greek yogurt and vanilla and beat until well combined. Make sure you have softened the cream cheese ahead of time to avoid lumpy cheesecake.
Spoon into cooled jars and refrigerate.
To make cherry topping, combine cherries, sweetener and cornstarch in a saucepan. If using fresh cherries, add ⅓ to ½ cup water. Simmer until thickened, stirring gently. Chill completely before adding to cheesecake jars.
Garnish with a sprig of mint, if desired and serve. Store leftovers covered.
Notes
This cherry dessert freezes well. Cover the jars with a lid and freeze without the cherry topping. Thaw completely in the refrigerator. Spoon cherries on top just before serving.