Individual No-Bake Christmas Cheesecakes are everything you could want in a creamy, minty and decadent festive dessert - and they take just 20 minutes to prepare!
The luscious, white chocolate cheesecake filling is subtly flavoured with peppermint and will satisfy any sweet-tooth.
There are a few desserts that are completely synonymous with Christmas.
Personally, I don't think you can go past a trifle, whether it be a classic Strawberry Trifle, or an adults-only Baileys Chocolate Brownie Trifle.
A pavlova is another favourite dessert at Christmas; covered in plenty of cream and fruit.
However, a non-negotiable, must-have Christmas dessert for me is cheesecake!
Individual cheesecakes, with a (portion-controlled!) serving all to myself, is my idea of bliss!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
Because it's CHEESECAKE, and you get one all to yourself! That really is reason enough, but if you need more convincing....
Simple - these individual Christmas cheesecakes are really simple to make and take under half an hour to have prepped and in the fridge to set.
No-bake - I love a baked dessert as much as anyone else, but if you can get away with not having the oven on in summer (here in Australia!), that's a win!
Make-ahead - with all the preparations that go into a Christmas meal, a make-ahead dessert that's ready to serve, and needs nothing more than a candy cane garnish, is just the time-saving option you need.
Festive flavours - the delicate flavour of candy canes, and the sweet creaminess, is a perfect fit for a Christmas dessert and a worthy way to end a sumptuous celebration meal.
What You Need
A few simple ingredients is all you need...
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Plain sweet biscuits - also known as cookies. I like to use Arnott's Nice biscuits which are very popular in Australia. If you can't buy this variety you can use any type of plain sweet cookie you like, such as Nilla wafers or Digestives.
- Melted butter - you can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Cream cheese - a full-fat cream cheese is preferable for the best texture. For a smooth cheesecake, ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature before using.
- Caster sugar - this is also known as superfine sugar in some countries, and it dissolves quicker when it is beaten into the cream cheese, giving you a perfectly smooth filling.
- Peppermint extract - you don't need much of this natural flavouring to get the lovely taste of peppermint in your cheesecake filling!
- Gelatine powder - this setting agent is available in many forms, and helps the cheesecake filling hold its shape. For best results, sprinkle the gelatine over the boiling water and mix with a fork until dissolved.
- White chocolate - you can use either baking white chocolate or a white chocolate block, like Cadbury Dream, from the confectionery aisle in this cheesecake.
- Thickened cream - this is regular cream that has been thickened with gelatine and is good for cooking, whipping and pouring.
- Candy canes - these are widely available at Christmas time, and come in a variety of flavours, so it's worth a quick check on the packaging to make sure you have the peppermint flavoured ones to go with the peppermint extract!
How To Make Christmas Cheesecakes
Your individual No-Bake Christmas Cheesecakes will be in the fridge to set in less than 20 minutes!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Prepare The Base
Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb in a food processor, and stir the melted butter in to form a crumbly mixture.
Divide the mixture between the dessert glasses. Place in the fridge while preparing the filling.
Step 2 - Prepare The Filling
Add the cream cheese, caster sugar and peppermint extract to a large bowl.
Beat them together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour the gelatine, slightly cooled after being dissolved in boiling water, into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.
Add the crushed candy canes, melted white chocolate and whipped, thickened cream to the filling mixture.
Fold through until well combined.
Step 3 - Assemble The Cheesecakes
Divide the filling evenly between the dessert glasses and place into the fridge to set.
When ready to serve, add whole candy canes to the side of the dessert glasses to decorate.
Expert Tips And FAQ
Chocolate can 'seize' very easily if melted too quickly, or in a container that's not completely dry. The best way to melt the chocolate smoothly is to break it into pieces and place in a dry microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time with a dry metal spoon, until it is melted.
If you want your cheesecakes to be perfectly smooth and creamy, it is essential to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. This stops the gelatine from going lumpy, and gives the filling the perfect texture.
These Christmas cheesecakes get their minty flavour from crushed candy canes and a tiny bit of peppermint extract. They have quite a subtle peppermint flavour, so if you're a HUGE peppermint fan, you could increase the amount of peppermint extract.
These No-Bake Christmas Cheesecakes will need to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but it's always preferable to make them the day before you need them to allow the flavours to really develop best!
Yes, you can decorate the cheesecakes with crushed candy canes, but you will need to do this just before serving rather than ahead of time. The food colouring in the canes bleeds into the cheesecake when it's in the fridge and the crushed canes can clump together and set instead of remaining crumbled. Garnishing the glass instead of the cheesecake with a whole candy cane is much simpler!
Related Recipes
Choosing what to make for dessert is definitely one of the fun parts of planning Christmas!
Here are a few suggestions to add to your shortlist:
No Bake Christmas Cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the base
- 125 g plain sweet biscuits like Arnott’s Marie biscuits
- 80 g butter melted
For the filling
- 375 g cream cheese room temperature
- 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 teaspoon gelatine powder
- 180 g white chocolate melted (see notes)
- 300 ml thickened cream lightly whipped
- 200 g candy canes plus 6 extras to decorate
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Set 6 serving glasses or individual bowls aside.
For The Base
- Use a food processor to finely crush the biscuits. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Divide the mixture between the 6 glasses and place into the fridge.
For The Filling
- Beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and peppermint extract in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Lightly whip the cream and set aside.
- Sprinkle the gelatine powder over ¼ cup of boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. When the mixture has cooled, add it to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined.
- Crush the candy canes using a food processor or a rolling pin.
- Add the crushed candy canes, melted white chocolate and whipped cream to the cheesecake mixture and fold through.
- Divide the mixture equally between the glasses and place into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to set (preferably overnight).
- When ready to serve, add candy canes to the side of each of the glasses to decorate.
Thermomix Method
- Set 6 serving glasses or individual bowls aside.
- Crush the candy canes by pressing Turbo 5-10 times - depending on how chunky or fine you would like them. Set aside.
For The Base
- Place the butter into the Thermomix bowl and melt for 2 minutes, 100 degrees, Speed 2. Add the biscuits and crush for 10 seconds, Speed 10 or until they resemble fine crumbs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat until completely combined.
- Divide the mixture between the 6 glasses and place into the fridge.
For The Filling
- Place the cream into the Thermomix bowl and beat on Speed 3.5 until peaks are just starting to form (this can be anywhere between 10 seconds and nearly 2 minutes - depending on the freshness of your cream). Set the cream aside in a separate bowl.
- Place the cream cheese, caster sugar and peppermint extract into the Thermomix bowl and mix for for 20 seconds, Speed 5.
- Sprinkle the gelatine powder over ¼ cup of boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. When the mixture has cooled, add it to the cream cheese mixture and mix for a further 20 seconds, Speed 5.
- Add the crushed candy canes, the melted white chocolate and whipped cream to the bowl and mix for 45 seconds, Speed 5 or until smooth.
- Divide the mixture equally between the glasses and place into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to set (preferably overnight).
- When ready to serve, add candy canes to the side of each of the glasses to decorate.
Renee says
These look amazing!
Can you recommend any other flavours to add to these though instead of peppermint perhaps?
Bake Play Smile says
You could add caramel sauce instead, or chopped up honeycomb or Cherry Ripes! YUM!
Bianca says
If I wish to make as 1 large one would the recipe be OK for that also I have a large family
Thanks they look so good.
Bake Play Smile says
Absolutely!
Cindy@Your Kids OT says
Popping this onto the Christmas menu now!
Bake Play Smile says
Thanks!