Creamy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Cups
A bright, tangy, and creamy no-bake lemon cheesecake dessert perfect for summer gatherings, featuring a graham cracker crust and luscious lemon cheesecake filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets, finely crushed)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 16 ounces (450 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- Optional toppings: fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries), extra lemon zest or thin lemon slices, mint leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until crumbs are evenly coated and mixture holds together when pressed. Add more butter if too dry.
- Assemble the crust layer: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of crust mixture into each serving cup. Press firmly to create a compact base. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes.
- Make the lemon cheesecake filling: Beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until silky smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add lemon flavor: Stir in fresh lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Whip the cream: In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture gently to keep filling light and airy.
- Assemble the cups: Spoon or pipe cheesecake filling over chilled crust in each cup and smooth the surface.
- Chill to set: Refrigerate assembled cups for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Add toppings before serving: Garnish with fresh berries, extra lemon zest, or mint leaves.
Notes
Use room temperature cream cheese for smooth mixing and cold heavy cream for fluffiness. Fold whipped cream gently to keep filling airy. Fresh lemon juice is preferred over bottled for best flavor. Chill cups long enough to set filling firmly. For dairy-free, substitute cream cheese with plant-based alternative and heavy cream with coconut cream. For gluten-free crust, use almond flour or gluten-free graham crackers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Protein: 4
Keywords: no-bake, lemon cheesecake, summer dessert, easy dessert, creamy cheesecake, lemon dessert, graham cracker crust