An easy make-ahead dessert with one creamy filling and five festive toppings
For Channan’s 20th birthday, I wanted a dessert that felt festive but still easy enough for a busy summer Shabbat. So I made 20 individual no-bake cheesecakes and divided them into five different flavors. I paired it with an ice coffee bar and had an instant stand-out Shabbat kiddush.
The cheesecakes can be made ahead, served straight from the refrigerator, and customized with whatever toppings your people love.
Makes 20 small cheesecake cups
Ingredients
For the crust
- 3 cups finely crushed graham crackers, tea biscuits, or cookies
- 115 grams butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar, optional
- Pinch of salt
*I opted for three different crusts — one Oreo, one graham crackers, and one Lotus
For the cheesecake filling
- 900 grams cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding powder, optional
For the toppings
Choose any combination of:
- Crushed graham crackers or Biscoff cookies
- Crushed Oreos
- Thin pretzel sticks
- Caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
Make the crust
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed cookies, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
Spoon about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each cup. Press the crumbs down gently with the back of a spoon.
Place the cups in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and instant pudding powder, if using. Beat again until creamy and fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until it holds firm peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, a little at a time, until the filling is light, fluffy, and smooth.
Fill the cups
Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling over the chilled crusts. Smooth the tops lightly.
Divide the cups into groups and decorate each group with a different topping.
For Channan’s birthday, I made four of each:
- Graham-crumble cheesecake
- Oreo cheesecake
- Pretzel cheesecake
- Caramel cheesecake
- Birthday-sprinkle cheesecake
Add the pretzels shortly before serving so they stay crunchy.
Chill
Refrigerate the cheesecake cups for at least four hours, or overnight, until cold and set.
Serve straight from the refrigerator.
A Few Notes
The pudding powder is optional, but it helps the filling hold its shape, especially in warm weather.
You can also top the cheesecakes with berries, lemon curd, chopped chocolate, cookie butter, nuts, or crushed candy bars.
And while making 20 cheesecakes for a 20th birthday is not strictly necessary, it does make a very satisfying birthday table.