These easy Lemon No Bake Cheesecake Cups are sweet, creamy, and bursting with tart lemon flavor. Handheld cheesecake parfaits are beautiful and perfect for sharing. This refreshing no bake lemon dessert is ideal for spring and summer and stores well in the fridge or freezer.
If I had to pick a type of dessert that was my favorite, it would be hard to choose just one. But I will say that anything lemon is ahead of chocolate in my book. These light and lemony cheesecake mousse cups are comfort food in a dessert. And when I can make a dessert that is good enough for company without having to bake, I am one happy lady!
The sweet-tart taste of lemon and the creaminess of the cream cheese and pudding make this no bake lemon dessert ideal for any time of the year. You can easily serve cheesecake parfaits for a baby shower, an afternoon tea party, or guests on the weekend. And if you can't resist a bit of chocolate, shave a bit of high-quality white chocolate on top of each no bake cheesecake cup for a fun twist that's not too overstated.
Ingredients Needed
- Instant Pudding – Lemon instant pudding is perfectly sweet and tart and makes these no bake cheesecake cups easy.
- Cream Cheese – Use regular or low fat cream cheese.
- Milk – Whole milk will make the cheesecake cups so creamy, but you won't be disappointed with lower fat milk.
- Cool Whip Topping – Cool Whip is found in the freezer section. Thaw completely before adding to the recipe.
- Graham Crackers – Crush Grahams in a food processor or a bag with a rolling pin.
- Whipped Cream (optional) – Homemade or store bought whipped cream makes a beautiful garnish. You can also use more Cool Whip if that is what you prefer.
- Lemon – Add thin slices of lemon to each no bake cheesecake cup.
How To Make Cheesecake Parfaits
- Prepare the lemon cheesecake. Combine both pudding mixes and 2 cups milk (this is different from the box directions) in a large bowl. Cut the block of cream cheese into cubes, and add to the pudding mixture. Mix well with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined, then fold in the cool whip.
- Crush the graham crackers. Blend the graham crackers into crumbs using your food processor. You can crush them by hand or put them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin if you do not have a food processor.
- Layer the parfaits. Add ⅛ of the crushed graham crackers to your 4 parfait glasses. Next, add a layer of the lemon cheesecake pudding mixture, followed by another layer of graham cracker crumbs and a final layer of the pudding mixture.
- Garnish and serve. Top with whipped cream and fresh lemon wedges before serving. (See recipe card below for full instructions.)
Tips for the Best No Bake Cheesecake Cups
- Use Full Fat Dairy – While you can certainly make these with low-fat milk and cream cheese, these cheesecake parfaits will be incredibly dreamy and creamy when made with full-fat dairy.
- Add Extra Lemon Juice – Add the juice of 1 fresh lemon to make the lemon flavor pop!
- Use a Piping Bag – You can certainly use a spoon to fill your parfait cups and they will be beautiful. Using a piping bag takes the presentation to a whole new level.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients – Bringing the ingredients to room temperature will make everything blend smoothly with no lumps. The cool whip should be completely thawed.
Variations
- Swap the Pudding – Lemon desserts are among my favorites, but you can make these with any flavor of pudding mix, from orange to chocolate, pistachio, or strawberry.
- Swap the Graham Crackers – Instead of regular graham you can use chocolate or cinnamon grahams. You can also skip graham crackers entirely and use any type of cookie as a base.
FAQs
Store these cheesecake parfaits in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! These easy no bake lemon dessert parfaits can be covered with plastic wrap and frozen for an easy single-serving dessert later on. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for 30 minutes for a still slightly-frozen dessert or an hour to completely thaw. Add the whipped cream topping right before serving.
More Easy No Bake Desserts
- Nutella Cheesecake Dip - No Bake Dessert
- Cannoli Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
- Double Decker Chocolate Strawberry Fudge
- Oreo Truffles from Herbs & Flour
- Limoncello Tiramisu from Christina's Cucina
If you like Lemon No Bake Cheesecake Cups, please leave a 5-star rating.
Lemon No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
Equipment
- 1 hand mixer
- 4 parfait glasses (or small wine glasses)
Ingredients
- 2 3.4 ox boxes lemon instant pudding
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 8 ounces cool whip topping
- 16 graham crackers, crushed
- whipped cream for topping
- sliced lemon for garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pudding mixes and 2 cups milk (this is different from the box directions). Cut the block of cream cheese into cubes, and add to the pudding mixture. Mix well with a hand mixer. Add cool whip, and mix until well combined and fluffy.
- Add the graham crackers to your food processor, and blend into crumbs. You can crush them by hand or put them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin if you do not have a food processor.
- Line up four parfait glasses and add a layer of crushed graham crackers to each, followed by a layer of the lemon cheesecake pudding mixture. Add another layer of graham crackers, and a final layer of the pudding mixture.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh lemon wedges or wheels. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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