This is a full page dedicated to homemade individual no-bake cheesecake jars! Use this simple no-bake recipe when you need a quick and crowd-pleasing 30 minute dessert. Have fun with different flavors and toppings, too!
No bake cheesecake jars are a fun individual dessert to serve when you’re short on time and don’t feel like turning on the oven. There’s literally no baking involved and the entire dessert takes around 30 minutes. You only need a handful of familiar ingredients and some cute little jars. Individual desserts have been all the rage the past several years and this mason jar dessert trend isn’t disappearing any time soon.
I’ve published no-bake cheesecake, classic baked cheesecake recipe, and even an easy cheesecake pie on my blog, all of which take hours to either bake, cool, and/or chill. Shortcut cheesecake, here we come!
Why You’ll Love Individual No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
If you’ve ever enjoyed my no-bake cheesecake recipe or mini no-bake cheesecakes, you know you’re in for a real treat with this jar version. You see, no-bake cheesecake (either served as a whole or in jars) is a lot easier than baked cheesecake. Without eggs and baking, there’s no way to mess up this dessert. You can’t over-bake it, you can’t over-whip the eggs, and there’s no cheesecake water bath involved. It’s easier and quicker than strawberry cream cheese pie, with all of the flavor and texture. If summer was a dessert, it would be no-bake cheesecake jars.
Here’s what I appreciate and know you will too:
- Easy recipe
- Creamiest cheesecake filling
- Few tools required—just a mixer and a couple bowls
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Unlimited flavors & topping options
- Convenient to transport to parties, BBQs, baby showers, & other events
- Did I mention no baking?
Video Tutorial: No Bake Cheesecake Jars
Before we get to the written out recipe, let’s review each layer. Even though this is a simple dessert, it’s important you familiarize yourself with the process before starting.
3 Layers in No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Buttery Graham Cracker Crust
- No-Bake Cheesecake Filling
- Topping
The graham cracker crust doesn’t need much explanation. You only need graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix the two together, then layer into the individual jars. Again, there is NO BAKING so you do not need to pre-bake this graham cracker crust.
If you use certified gluten free graham crackers, you can add these cheesecake jars to your list of go-to gluten free dessert recipes, too.
2 Parts to Cheesecake Filling
There are 2 parts to the cheesecake filling. First, whip heavy cream into stiff peaks. You’re essentially making whipped cream without sugar or flavor. Set that aside. Then beat the remaining cheesecake filling ingredients together. Finally, fold in the whipped cream. Whipping the cream 1st is imperative because it supplies all the deliciously fluffy and creamy texture. This no-bake cheesecake jar filling almost tastes like cheesecake mousse—it’s so light—and we have the whipped cream to thank for that. 🙂
Cheesecake Jar Filling Ingredients
- Heavy Cream: Whip into stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Brick Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. I recommend this for all of my no-bake and baked cheesecake recipes, including mini cheesecakes and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars.
- Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cheesecake jars. This is a lightly sweetened dessert, so you only need 1/3 cup of sugar in the entire filling.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is a must-have ingredient in this recipe. Even though you only need 2 Tablespoons, it promises a tangy cheesecake flavor and ultra creamy texture. In fact, I don’t make regular cheesecake without it.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a little brightness and slight flavor.
Here’s the heavy cream beaten into stiff peaks:
Here’s the cheesecake filling after you fold in the whipped cream. It’s airy, light, and fluffy:
Filling Flavors
The pictured no bake cheesecake jars are plain, but you can definitely add some flavor! Add these ingredients when you beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract together. I recommend leaving out the lemon juice if making the peanut butter, Nutella, chocolate, or coconut variations.
- Peanut Butter: 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- Nutella: 1/3 cup Nutella
- Lemon: 2 extra teaspoons lemon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Raspberry: 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons raspberry preserves
- Chocolate: 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate ganache and replace graham crackers with Oreos or chocolate graham crackers
- Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- Key Lime: replace lemon juice with lime juice and add 2 more teaspoons of lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
Toppings
Last layer! Finish the no-bake cheesecake jars with your favorite toppings. This recipe yields about 6 8-ounce cheesecake jars, so you can layer each with a different topping.
- Chocolate Ganache (pictured with raspberries & mint)
- Strawberry Topping (pictured)
- Blueberry Sauce Topping (pictured with fresh blueberries and lemon slice)
- Whipped Cream
- Hot Fudge Sauce
- Lemon Curd
- Salted Caramel
And let’s not forget garnishes like sprinkles, berries, lemons, mint, etc!
Jars for No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
8 ounce jars, as pictured, are a pretty generous serving size. Feel free to use smaller jars like we do for homemade dirt pudding, or even use this recipe as a trifle. Whichever size jar, I highly recommend using wide mouthed jars so you can easily spoon the layers inside. These are all affiliate links.
- 8 ounce glass jars (pictured)
- 8 ounce glass jars (vintage fruit design)
- 6 ounce glass jars (hexagon shape)
- 6 ounce glass jars (smooth surface)
If you don’t have jars, use custard cups or bowls. Same taste, different delivery. This cheesecake filling also works in place of pastry cream in homemade mille-feuille. No matter how you serve it, these are always fun to serve at bridal showers, baby showers, for tea parties, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, wedding celebrations, BBQs, graduation parties, and more. A crowdpleaser every time!
See Your No-Bake Cheesecake Jars!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
Print
No Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 8-ounce jars or 10 6-ounce jars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Description
This jar dessert recipe combines a 2 ingredient graham cracker crust with an easy no-bake cheesecake filling. For best results, read through the recipe and watch the video tutorial above before beginning. See blog post for cheesecake filling flavors and see recipe notes or blog post for topping and garnish suggestions.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (100g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- toppings & garnishes (see note)
Instructions
- Have your jars ready to go and lined up. This recipe yields about 6 8-ounce jars or 10 6-ounce jars.
- Crust: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium heat-proof bowl or use the stove. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. The mixture will resemble wet sand. Spoon a generous spoonful into each jar, about 2 Tablespoons into the 8-ounce jars and 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons into the 6-ounce jars. If there’s any crust leftover, sprinkle into the jars to use up or discard. Set jars aside.
- Filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
- Using your mixer on low speed or a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your silicone spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
- Layer a couple large spoonfuls of filling on top of the crust in the jars. Use about 1/4 – 1/3 cup filling in the 8 ounce jars and 3 Tablespoons (or however much you can pack in!) into the 6 ounce jars. Make sure to leave room for the topping.
- The cheesecake jars are at room temperature at this point, but if you’d like to serve chilled, chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days before adding the topping. (Cover if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.) I recommend adding the topping when serving or up to 2 hours in advance. The topping can seep down into the layers, so that’s why I recommend adding it soon before serving.
- Spoon topping and garnishes on top of filling, then serve.
- Cover and store leftover cheesecake jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: These cheesecake jars can be made 1-3 days in advance. They can be refrigerated in step 7 for up to 3 days before serving. You can also make & layer the crust 1-2 days ahead of time. Another way to make these cheesecake jars ahead of time is to freeze them before adding the toppings. Seal jars with the lids and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before topping and serving. You can also freeze the cheesecake filling as a whole. Cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before layering on top of crust.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-ounce Glass Jars (pictured), 8-ounce Glass Jars (vintage fruit design), 6-ounce Glass Jars (hexagon shape), or 6-ounce Glass Jars (smooth surface) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula
- Toppings: Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Topping, Blueberry Sauce, Whipped Cream, Cherry Pie Filling, Lemon Curd, Salted Caramel, Hot Fudge Sauce
- Garnishes: Fresh berries, chopped fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, lemon slices, lime slices, shredded coconut, sprinkles, mint, or whatever you desire.
- More Cheesecake Jars: This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled. Keep in mind the whipping and beating times will increase with the added volume.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made this for my ridge group of eight and it was a hit. I topped mine with strawberries.
Have you tried this recipe with liquors such as Kailua or Baileys or even Lemoncello? Wondering if the alcohol would create a runny cheesecake mixture. Thanks!
Hi Robin! We don’t recommend adding extra liquid to the filling as it would really throw off the texture.
Thanks so much for replying, thought Kahlua and chocolate would be yummy! I make these for cancer patients in my community and they are a hit! It’s nice to drop off little mason jars they can put in the fridge for later. Many thanks for sharing your recipe!
Want to make this for a Hawaiian themed party….how to I add pineapple or mango to give it a tropical flare
Hi, what preservative can I use to give them some shelf life. Let’s say maybe a 14 day shelf life
Hi Tricia, we have no experience working with preservatives. Sorry we can’t offer any advice!
Hello Sally!
I am a query!
When we have to add filling flavors?
Let me know! ThankYou!
Hi Surbhi, see Step 8 for adding filling toppings and garnishes.
ThankYou so much Sally for this amazing recipe! Can’t wait to try this! Just want to ask can I substitute the Garaham Crackers with other brand Crackers Biscuits or can I use marie gold biscuit? Do let us know! ThankYou!
Hi Surbhi, Marie Gold biscuits or other digestive biscuits are a great replacement for the graham crackers. Enjoy!
Woww! That’s great! ThankYou so much for on the time reply! Will
Surely try this recipe and share the pics as well! Do let me know ur Instagram page name so that I can follow you and tag ur page as well. ThankYou so much!
Hi Surbhi, our Instagram handle is @sallysbakeblog. Happy baking!
ThankYou So much! Followed ur Insta page! Just a little request do share more eggless recipes!
Hey i made this today but the texture turns out to be too airy. Is there something that i do wrong here? I followed the recipe thoroughly
Hi Jennifer, no-bake cheesecake is definitely lighter and airier than traditional cheesecake. How was the taste? And did it “set” at all? We’re happy to help you troubleshoot!
I really do love the taste! Thank you so much for the reply!Yes i let it set in the fridge for 8 hours! Is there any way to make it less airy? Cause it’s almost foamy
Hi, once these are made
How long do they stay good in the icebox till they go bad?
Sounds like a cute Christmas gift for my husband’s office
Hi Shirley, these no-bake cheesecake jars will last in the fridge up to 5 days. For longer storage options, these can be frozen for up to 3 months (without the toppings). See recipe notes for more details!
Is it possible to make this into a pumpkin cheesecake filling? 🙂
Hi Jessica! We suggest following this no bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe instead – see the section of the blog post titled “Smaller Serving Alternatives” for details on making the recipe as jars. Hope you love them!
No bake cheesecake jars-
Made this with splenda for low carbers. Absolutely delicious
Would these work for an outdoor party? Wondering about the need to be kept cold or maximum time at room temp.
Hi Karla! Because these are dairy-based, we recommend keeping them chilled until as close to serving as possible.
Can this be made with a sugar substitute? Keto friendly?
Hi Barbara! We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
Made these with my grand daughter and this is an easy recipe to use. Each person had a selection of different pie fillings, whipped cream and plain cut up fruit to put on the 8 ounce cheesecake jar. A big hit! Thank you.
The Nutella filling intrigues me. What for a topper? A thin layer of Nutella?
Hi Carol, a thin layer of Nutella on top would be perfect! Let us know if you give these a try.
What is the serving size
Hi Jorjah, this recipe yields 6 8-ounce jars or 10 6-ounce jars.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I prepared this for my kid’s birthday party and it turned out perfect. And the mildly sweet taste is perfect for our palate.
Hi! My mom and I tried making this it turned out really delicious but we can’t really find heavy cream here in Canada. We used whipping cream but I didn’t achieve the stiff peaks. Would you suggest just adding the whipping cream as it is? Thank alot
Hi Allea! The cheesecake jars will most likely end up runny but still delicious (like a cheesecake sauce). Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 36% fat will work better for next time.
Every grocery store in Canada sells heavy cream. It’s called whipping cream and is either 33% or 36% fat.
If you get on pinterest you can find an easy recipe to make heavy whipping cream at home. It turns out very good.
Recipe says this is “lightly sweetened” and I found it to be really sweet, not a bad thing just my personal observation. I love how simple this is though! Really easy to follow and just as easy to customise to your own taste!
I used speculaas (dutch spiced biscuits) for the base as a treat for my partner and he was so excited for it
These are the most delicious cheesecakes I have ever tasted!!
Absolutely devine!
I also made the strawberry topping to go on top and that’s soooo good !!
Very good recipe!!!
Hello, I LOVE your recipes!! how much chocolate ganache do I put into the recipe for putting together no bake cheesecakes in a jar? Also would you suggest putting the ganache on top warm or cooled?
Hi Elaine! A couple Tablespoons per jar is plenty for a topping. I wait for the ganache to cool so it doesn’t melt or deflate the cheesecake filling.
Can I use brownie as a base?
Yes, that sounds delicious!
Thank you for this amazing recipe…
Thank you very much for sharing this luvly receipt.. Its my first time.. It turned out very well… All my family members loved it..
Hi Sally! I am planning on making these this weekend. Is it possible to replace the sour cream with buttermilk or yogurt? Thanks!
Hi Gayatri, Plain Greek yogurt would be the best option.
Hi Sally
Thank you for this recipe. I tried and turned put great. The only change i was thinking to make it a bit firmer next time was to up the quantity of cream cheese to 1.5 times i.e 12 ounces. If i do that do i need to increase any other ingredient? From you no bake mini cheesecake recipe i can see you have doubled the cream cheese and kept all other ingredients same so just wondering if it should be the case here too? I.e increase cream cheese without increasing other ingredients?
Hi Akbar, These jars are super creamy and soft but you can use the same ratios as the mini no bake cheesecakes if you wish.
Can I add cool whip instead of whipping the topping? I don’t do good when I have to whip the topping.
Yes, absolutely!
Hi Sally
Can you please tell me why this recipe uses 1 block of cream cheese as opposed to 2 blocks for your no bake mini cheesecakes….whilst all the other ingredients portions stay same? The cream, sour cream, lemon juice all our similar portions but only cream cheese seems to be halved in this one. Thank you 🙂
Hi Hina! These no bake cheesecake jars are more like a spoonable mousse. We need a sturdier batter for the no bake cheesecakes because they need to hold their shape better. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally, can I bake the crust for 5 mins like your mini no bake cheesecake? My hubby really like the crunchy crust. I plan to ship this cheesecake jar for my niece who live in neighboring city and compared with mini no bake i think this version is safer for delivery. Thanks!
Hi MaryJane, You can bake the crust for a few minutes as long as your jars are oven safe. For shipping make sure you use a refrigerated pack and you may wish to pack the toppings separately.
This turned out amazing and was a big hit at the gathering we brought it to! It’s not overly sweet like some boxed mixes and has a rich, decadent cheesecake flavor. Not too difficult to make or too expensive either, and I had fun while making it.
Sally, thank you for sharing your lovely recipes! They never disappoint!
Out of all the recipes I have tried on this site (and I have made tons so far!), this has got to be the easiest and most delicious dessert ever. I topped it with plain diced strawberries. The very slight tartness of the berries balanced the sweet whipped cheesecake perfectly. Tastes even better after letting the cheesecake flavors meld together overnight. Everyone I have served it to all begged for more! The light, slightly sweet & tangy, soft, fluffy cheesecake is so heavenly. Honestly, this is what dreams are made of. I go to sleep dreaming of this no-bake cheesecake. I wake up reminiscing on said dream. 5 stars all around!