Cheesecake In A Jar

A mason glass jar of cheesecake topped with fresh berries.

These no bake Cheesecake In A Jar are the perfect individual treat for a cheesecake lover! Pretty layers of a buttery graham cracker crust, a creamy and smooth cheesecake layer, and topped with your favorite fresh berries. This easy dessert is made in mini mason jars for individual portions.

Course Cheesecake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesecake in a jar, cheesecake jars, mason jar cheesecake

Prep Time 25

Optional Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 25

Servings

Calories 482kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulate sugar
1/4 cup butter melted
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Toppings & Garnish Ideas

whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, pie filling, sundae sauce or syrups, sprinkles, chopped nuts, chopped cookies, fresh fruit

Instructions

Make The Crust : Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand. Divide the crust mixture into the bottom of the jars (six 8-ounce glass mason jars), and use the back of a spoon to firmly press the crust into an even layer.
1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup granulate sugar, 1/4 cup butter
Divide the crust mixture into the bottom of the jars (six 8-ounce glass mason jars), and use the back of a spoon to press the crust into an even layer.
Make The Cheesecake Filling : Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat unit it's soft and creamy. Beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes.
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a separate bowl beat the heavy cream (start at low speed to avoid splashing, and increase as needed) until soft peaks form.
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture and stir gently, with a rubber spatula, to combine.
Assemble Cheesecake Jars : Place the no bake cheesecake filling inside a piping bag or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Snip the corner off and pipe it into each jar.
Top each cheesecake jar with additional whipped cream, fresh berries, and any other toppings.
whipped cream, mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, pie filling, sundae sauce or syrups, sprinkles, chopped nuts, chopped cookies, fresh fruit
Optional Chill Time : If you prefer a mousse-like, fluffier cheesecake texture then serve the cheesecake jars right away.
For a chilled, more dense cheesecake - cover the jars with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving. Do not refrigerate the cheesecake jars with the toppings on them. Wait to add whipped cream and toppings until right before serving.

Video

Notes

Jars : Use 8 ounce glass mason jars. Linked above in the recipe card. Or you can use stemless wine glasses for a pretty look, clear plastic Chinet brand cups (9 ounces in size), or any other glass shaped jar you want.

Cool Whip : Instead of beating the 1 cup heavy cream for the cheesecake filling, use an 8-ounce tub of thawed Cool Whip instead.

Piping Tip : If you don't want to pipe the cheesecake mixture into the glass jars there is another option. Simply spoon the cheesecake into each jar but please be aware that doing it this way (without piping it) will result in a messier looking cheesecake jar, and you won't get the pretty layers you see in the photos. Spooning the cheesecake layer into the jars usually results in the sides of the glass jar getting some mess on them. For the best presentation, I highly recommend piping it into each mason jar. You don't even need a tip or a piping bag! Simply put it inside a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, snip the bottom corner off, and pipe it in. Easy peasy!

Graham Cracker Crumbs : You can buy a box of already crushed graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle. You can also process graham crackers in a food processor until they're in very fine crumbs. The other way is to add the graham cracker sheets into a Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or meat pounder to crush them. I prefer buying a box of graham cracker crumbs at the store or using a food processor - as that's what will yield the finest crumbs for these cheesecake jars. You can also use other cookies and crackers for the crust - crushed teddy grahams grahams, Oreo cookies, chessmen cookies, Nilla Wafers, etc.

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