Mini No Bake Orange Cheesecakes (Printable)
Creamy citrus mini cheesecakes with a buttery biscuit base—no oven needed, pure orange zest freshness.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 4.2 oz digestive biscuits or graham crackers
02 - 2 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheesecake Filling
03 - 8.8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
04 - 2.1 oz powdered sugar
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
06 - 2 tsp orange zest (from 1 large orange)
07 - 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Topping
09 - Segments from 1 orange
10 - Zest of 1/2 orange
11 - Fresh mint leaves
# Directions:
01 - Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners or arrange silicone molds on a flat tray.
02 - Pulse the biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Pour in the melted butter and blend until the mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand.
03 - Divide the crumb mixture evenly among the liners, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon or a small measuring cup to create a compact, even layer. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
04 - In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until completely smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.
05 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, being careful not to overbeat.
06 - Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions. Add the orange zest, fresh orange juice, and vanilla extract, folding until smooth and uniformly combined.
07 - Spoon or pipe the filling evenly over the chilled crust bases, filling each liner to just below the rim. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
08 - Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 3 hours, or until the filling is firm and set throughout.
09 - Before serving, top each cheesecake with orange segments, a sprinkle of orange zest, and fresh mint leaves as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No oven required, which means you can make these even on the hottest summer day without heating up the entire house.
- The orange flavor is bright and surprising, not heavy or cloying like traditional cheesecakes tend to be.
- They look impressively elegant in individual portions but take almost no effort to assemble.
02 -
- Room temperature cream cheese is non negotiable because cold cream cheese will leave stubborn lumps that no amount of mixing can fix.
- Fold the whipped cream in gently with a spatula rather than stirring briskly or you will lose the airy texture that makes these feel light.
- These can be made up to two days ahead and kept covered in the fridge, making them a stress free option for entertaining.
03 -
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for ten minutes before whipping the cream because cold equipment helps the cream reach stiff peaks faster and hold them longer.
- Roll the orange firmly on the counter before zesting to release the essential oils from the peel, which will give you a noticeably more fragrant filling.