Red, White and Blue Mini Cheesecake Cups (No Bake)
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Looking for a fun and festive treat to wow your guests this 4th of July? These easy no-bake cheesecake cups are the perfect red, white and blue dessert for your summer celebration.
How to make mini cheesecake cups for the 4th of July
The recipe is simple yet a bit different, using ladyfinger crumbs as the base layer. No need to press this down.
The next layer is the creamy cheesecake filling, which does not contain gelatin. I used this twice. In between, I sandwiched sweetened strawberry sauce thickened with cornstarch. Piping this layer seems to be the easiest way to do it.
To finish it off, I used fresh blueberries – rinsed and patted dry.
Make ahead: I’ve noticed that these mini dessert cups taste best when prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Just like any ordinary no-bake cheesecake with raspberries, strawberries or other fruits.
Possible substitutions
Ladyfingers – Biscoff cookies, Nilla wafers, Graham crackers (US) or digestive biscuits (UK) are all delicious options. Sponge or pound cake will also work, but skip the butter if you decide to use the last two alternatives.
Strawberries – You can use raspberries as an easy substitute, but consider removing the seeds.
Sour cream – Crème fraiche is the best option. You could also try unflavored Greek yogurt.
Storage
These red, white and blue dessert cups must be stored in the fridge before serving. It’s good to cover them with plastic wrap too.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! In this case, you might not need to add any water at all.
Absolutely! They taste better the following day!
Top each dessert cup with as many berries as you like!
Julia’s tips
- If you don’t have enough small glasses, don’t worry. Use whatever you have on hand. As you can see from the photos, I used what I had on hand.
- With large glasses – you want to keep them half-full only or even less, to roughly match the size of the smallest glasses you are using.
- To achieve maximum freshness, I recommend topping them with fresh blueberries right before serving.
- Cornstarch can be omitted completely here!
More summer desserts for the 4th of July
Pavlova Cake – An impressive sweet treat perfect for summer with whipped cream, meringue base and a ton of fresh berries.
White Chocolate Waffle Cake – If you like unique cakes, try this one! Store-bought waffles serve as a base for a rich white chocolate layer and a delicious blueberry topping.
Lemon Posset – An easy citrus dessert without gelatin, this English version of Italian Panna Cotta can be easily topped with berries to turn it into a simple 4th of July dessert.
Red, White and Blue Mini Cheesecake Cups Recipe
Ingredients
Red layer:
- 3 cups fresh strawberries 350 grams, see note 1
- ¼ cup white sugar castor, 50 grams
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
White layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces sour cream 180 grams, see note 2
Blue layer:
- 1.5 cups fresh blueberries 200 grams
Bottom layer:
- 3 ounces ladyfingers 90 grams, see note 4
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Red Layer: In a medium saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and a splash of water (about ¼ cup). Cook over medium heat until the strawberries break down and become soft. For a smooth sauce, use an immersion blender, or mash with a fork for a chunkier texture.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the strawberry mixture and stir until slightly thickened. Simmer for another 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- White Layer: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Blue Layer: Rinse and pat dry the blueberries.
- Bottom Layer: Place the ladyfingers in a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or use a food processor to pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, add the melted butter, and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- To Assemble: Layer each glass (see note 5) as follows: about 2 teaspoons of ladyfinger crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the white layer, 1 tablespoon of the red layer, another 1–2 tablespoons of the white layer, and a topping of fresh blueberries. Cover each glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
- Frozen strawberries can be used in place of fresh.
- About ¾ cup of sour cream is needed. You can also use unflavored Greek yogurt or plain natural yogurt as a substitute.
- Depending on how thick the strawberry layer is, you can either spoon it in or pipe it. If it’s too thick to spoon easily, piping may be neater.
- These dessert cups work well with ladyfingers, Nilla wafers, graham crackers, digestive biscuits, or Biscoff cookies. You should get about 2/3 cup of crumbs from 3 ounces, but feel free to use more for a thicker base.
- You can use glasses of various sizes – they don’t have to be full. A 5-ounce (150 milliliter) glass is a good size but a smaller one can be used as well.