My Mason Jar No-Bake Cheesecakes require no oven, no stove and no baking whatsoever. They are the ideal dessert to make during the dog days of summer when it’s too darn hot to cook. These cheesecakes can be made with a regular or gluten-free crust and they store well too. Each cheesecake is housed in its own little half pint glass mason jar that’s not only cute, but practical and easy to transport. What a perfect dessert to bring on picnics, camping trips, to neighborhood barbeques, or the like!
To start, wash and dry 12 half-pint mason jars, lids and metal rings. Set out two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese on the counter to come to room temperature and soften. Thinly slice 12 strawberries and add to a bowl along with one tablespoon of sugar. Stir to combine, then store the berries in the refrigerator to macerate (soften) while you make the cheesecakes.
In a medium-sized bowl, add 3 tablespoons of melted butter to two cups of gluten-free or regular graham cracker crumbs (that’s about two sleeves of whole graham crackers, crushed), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix with a fork until the ingredients are well combined. Spoon 2 ½ tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs into each mason jar and using a wooden muddler or small spoon, tamp down the crumbs to make a nice flat layer, or crust, in the bottom of each jar.
Next, place one pint of heavy whipping cream into a bowl with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken, then add ⅓ cup of powdered sugar. Continue whipping the cream until thick and fluffy. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together the soften cream cheese with one cup of powdered sugar and two teaspoons of vanilla until smooth. Fold 1 ½ cups of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, being sure not to deflate the aerated cream as you gently mix the batter.
Scoop ⅓ cup portions of the cream cheese mixture into each glass jar and smooth over top of the graham cracker crust. Next, add a layer of the sliced strawberries, then top the berries with dollops of the remaining whipped cream. Serve immediately, or seal each jar with a lid and metal ring and store the cheesecakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Mason Jar No-Bake Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar + ⅓ cup, divided
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 12 strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Wash and dry 12 half-pint glass mason jars, lids and rings. Set aside.
- Wash and thinly slice 12 strawberries and place in a bowl with one tablespoon of granulated sugar. Mix to combine, then store the strawberries in the refrigerator to macerate while you prepare the cheesecakes.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Place 2½ tablespoons of crumbs into each mason jar and using a wooden muddler or small spoon, press down the crumbs to form a flat crust on the bottom of each jar. Set aside.
- Using a hand or standing mixer, whisk together one pint of heavy whipping cream along with the corn starch and ⅓ cup of powdered sugar until thick and fluffy. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese along with one cup of powdered sugar and two teaspoons of vanilla until smooth. Fold 1½ cups of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to make a nice airy batter.
- Spoon ⅓ cup portions of the cream cheese batter into each mason jar and smooth evenly over the graham cracker crust. Top with a layer of strawberries then a dollop of the remaining whipped cream.
- Eat the cheesecakes immediately, or seal and store the jars in the refrigerator to serve later. These cheesecakes will keep well for up to three days.
