No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
These No-Bake Cheesecake Cups will be a huge hit for those looking for something healthy to satisfy your sweet tooth. Featuring a cheesecake filling in individual cups for convenience and a perfectly sized portion. Instead of graham cracker crumbs for the crust base, we use ground pecans that are brimming with natural sweetness.
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No-Bake Cheesecake Cups are a perfect dessert because of their simple ingredients and easy preparation. These dessert cups are served in convenient, individual cups, and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of having to bake cheesecake filling.
Making the pecan crust is easier and provides another dimension of flavor and texture that you won’t get with a simple graham cracker crust.
This cheesecake cups are easy desserts that taste great without a ton of sugar, either. With the natural sweetness of pecans, honey, and fresh berries, you’ll have plenty of sweet flavor without the processed sugar.
There’s so much room for customization with these No-Bake Cheesecake Cups, too. We love to top it off with fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries but you can top it with graham cracker crumbs, chocolate curls, or any of your other favorite toppings.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
No baking required: These creamy cheesecake cups set in the fridge, no oven needed.
Rich and smooth: The cream cheese and heavy cream create a perfectly silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Naturally sweetened: Honey adds just the right amount of sweetness without refined sugar.
Nutty crust: Ground pecans and butter form a flavorful, wholesome alternative to traditional graham cracker crusts.
Perfectly portioned: Individual cups make for easy serving and built-in portion control.
Quick to make: Only a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time.
Customizable: Top with fruit, caramel drizzle, or chocolate sauce for endless variations.
Ingredients to Make Cheesecake Cups:
- pecans. Provide a naturally rich, nutty base for the crust. You can substitute walnuts, almonds, or a mix of nuts if preferred.
- butter. Helps bind the nut crust and adds buttery flavor, use unsalted butter for better control over sweetness.
- honey. Acts as both a sweetener and binder in the crust and filling. Maple syrup can also be used for a slightly deeper flavor.
- cream cheese. Use full-fat, softened cream cheese for the creamiest, smoothest texture. Low-fat versions can make the filling less rich.
- heavy cream. Adds lightness and helps whip the filling to a fluffy, mousse-like consistency.
- lemon juice. Balances the sweetness and enhances the cheesecake flavor with a subtle tang. Fresh lemon juice works best.
How to Make Cheesecake Cups:
- Add the pecans to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Add the melted butter and honey, then pulse again until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Spoon the pecan mixture evenly into the bottoms of 8 small dessert cups or ramekins and press down gently to form a crust layer.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the heavy cream, honey, and lemon juice, and beat again until light and fluffy.
- Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling evenly over the pecan crusts, smoothing the tops.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Serve chilled, optionally topped with fresh berries, chocolate shavings, or a drizzle of honey.
Recommended Equipment
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Soften the cream cheese fully: Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Use a food processor for the crust: It makes the pecans fine and evenly mixed with the butter and honey for perfect texture.
- Don’t over whip: Beat the filling just until creamy and smooth, over mixing can cause it to become too soft.
- Chill time matters: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the cheesecake cups firm up properly.
- Make ahead: These can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Serving idea: Top with fruit compote, a drizzle of melted chocolate, or crushed nuts for a beautiful finish.
- Crust variation: For a firmer base, lightly toast the pecans before processing to deepen their flavor.
- Portion control: Use small glass jars or ramekins for a neat, elegant presentation and easy serving.
Serving Suggestions:
- Homemade Unsweetened Almond Milk
- Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
- Cinnamon Apples
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store cheesecake cups covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep them chilled until ready to serve.
Freezer: Freeze unfrosted or plain cheesecake cups for up to 2 months. Wrap each cup tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make ahead: Perfect for entertaining, make the crust and filling the day before, assemble, and chill overnight for easy, ready-to-serve desserts.
FAQs:
Yes; walnuts, almonds, or cashews all work well. Each adds a slightly different flavor and texture.
Yes, maple syrup or agave can replace honey in both the crust and filling at a 1:1 ratio.
Yes, press the crust into an 8×8-inch dish, spread the filling evenly over the top, and chill. Slice into squares to serve.
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Cheesecake Cups
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the pecans to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
- Add the melted butter and honey, then pulse again until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Spoon the pecan mixture evenly into the bottoms of 8 small dessert cups or ramekins and press down gently to form a crust layer.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the heavy cream, honey, and lemon juice, and beat again until light and fluffy.
- Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling evenly over the pecan crusts, smoothing the tops.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Serve chilled, optionally topped with fresh berries, chocolate shavings, or a drizzle of honey.
Nutrition
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese fully: Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before mixing to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Use a food processor for the crust: It makes the pecans fine and evenly mixed with the butter and honey for perfect texture.
- Don’t over whip: Beat the filling just until creamy and smooth, over mixing can cause it to become too soft.
- Chill time matters: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the cheesecake cups firm up properly.
- Make ahead: These can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Serving idea: Top with fruit compote, a drizzle of melted chocolate, or crushed nuts for a beautiful finish.
- Crust variation: For a firmer base, lightly toast the pecans before processing to deepen their flavor.
- Portion control: Use small glass jars or ramekins for a neat, elegant presentation and easy serving.
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Easy and delicious!
calories 508
carbs 22
Fat 45
Protein 7
sodium 222
Sugar 19
Skip the last 3 Tbsp of honey and the carbs drop to 9.
Just tweaked the recipe a little bit and substituted coconut oil for butter – also added ricotta and fresh blueberries to the cream cheese for more texture and creaminess and boom! it did come out delish!
Love some of your recipes. But do you know how many carbs go with each recipe? I would love for you to put that on the recipes because when i show my friends ( we are all on low carbs), first thing out of their mouths is how do you know how many carbs it has? Some write down everything they eat which is a good idea but they want to know how many carbs and so do I.
Thank you,
Carol Cooper
Hi Carol,
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, we’ve been travelling for the past 2 weeks. The problem is that I am not a registered dietician/nutritionist and cannot legally give this information. I have looked into it in the past, but I will definitely try to give at least a rough estimate of the nutritional value/carb content of each recipe.
Thanks for the feedback!
Shay 🙂
Shay,
I understand about the dietician/nutritionist thing. But whenever I tell my low carb friends about a new recipe, one of the first questions is how many carbs? I know right? It drives me crazy because I can’t tell them. But I love my friends and am always on the look out to help our little low carb group get delish recipes.
Thanks for taking time to answer me back.