These no bake mini lemon cheesecakes are made without an oven and finished with a delicious lemon curd topping. Absolutely irresistible and super easy to make too.
Cheesecake and lemon are a combination that never fails. For these small no-bake mini lemon cheesecakes, I added a layer of lemon curd on top.
Combine that with a crunchy cookie crust and you’ve got the perfect dessert. These little cakes are unbelievably delicious!
For making these no-bake mini lemon cheesecakes, you use pretty much the same ingredients as you would for a regular no-bake cheesecake but just less.
For making this no bake lemon cheesecake recipe, I use a cheesecake pan with removable bottoms. Super convenient, because not only does it give you the perfect size for mini cheesecakes, but it also makes it easy to release them from the pan.
I do line the pans with parchment paper to make sure they release easily. You grease the cavities lightly and add a strip of parchment paper to the side of each one.
Crush your cookies into a fine crumb. Melt the butter and mix it with the crumbs. Divide over the 6 cavities and press down firmly.
Place in the refrigerator while you work on the cream cheese filling. Soak your gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl mix the cream cheese with about 100 grams/3.5 oz of lemon curd until it is smooth. While the machine is turning slowly pour in 75 ml/2.5 fl. oz. heavy cream. Mix this for about 2 minutes or until smooth and than set aside.
Now warm the remaining 25 ml/0.8 fl. oz. of the heavy cream in a small saucepan. You want it warm but definitely not boiling!
Squeeze the water out of the gelatin and add to the warm cream. Stir until dissolved and let it cool slightly.
While letting the machine turn slowly you add the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese. Once it is fully combined you can divide the mixture over the cheesecake pans.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until fully set. Just before serving you stir the remaining lemon curd and spread this over the top of the cheesecakes.
These mini lemon cheesecakes can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to place in an airtight container.
Yes you can freeze these mini cheesecakes. Preferably without the lemon curd on top. If you freeze them, let them set completely first.
Then wrap in plastic wrap and place each mini cheesecake into a freezer bag. Let it slowly defrost in the fridge before using again. You can store them up to three months in the freezer.
I’ve made mini cheesecakes before, but this lemon version is definitely the most visually appealing one yet. The shape of these little cheesecakes is especially perfect.
That’s thanks to the mini cheesecake pan, but the good news is that this pan works great for other mini cheesecake recipes too:
For no-bake recipes, I recommend lining the sides of the cavities with parchment paper. First lightly grease the pan (for example with baking spray) so the parchment sticks better. For baked recipes, simply greasing the pan is enough. Thanks to the removable bottoms, you can easily release the cheesecakes either way.
If you’re not a fan of lemon or lemon curd, there are plenty of other options you can use. Think of blackberry curd, passion fruit curd, or orange curd. If you just want a hint of lemon flavor in the cheesecakes, you can simply leave off the lemon curd topping or replace it with a dollop of whipped cream and a raspberry.
Absolutely. Speculoos (Biscoff) cookies taste amazing with these mini lemon cheesecakes. If you use Biscoff cookies, reduce the butter by about 10 grams, since these cookies already contain more fat.
Yes, you can turn this into one larger cheesecake. Use a small (6-7 inch / 15-18 cm) springform pan and increase the chilling time slightly to ensure it sets properly.
Definitely! You can add lemon zest for extra citrus flavor, or even swirl in raspberry puree for a fruity twist.
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