These Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes are a few bites of zingy lemon heaven. They're individually sized, making them ideal for dinner parties, garden gatherings or afternoon tea. The mini cheesecakes are easy to make and no bake too. They have a buttery base with added lemon zest, a creamy lemon cheesecake filling, a hidden lemon curd centre, and are decorated with whipped cream and more zesty lemon curd. They are absolute lemon heaven!
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecakes set. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to hold their shape.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use Digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like ginger nuts or Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- If you need a lemon curd recipe, check out my Homemade Lemon Curd recipe.
- For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality lemon extract and not an essence. I like Nielsen Massey and Steenbergs.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes
To make the base use a food processor to crush the biscuits into crumbs, or crush them in a bowl with a rolling pin. Mix in the melted butter and lemon zest. Divide the biscuit base evenly into the tin, and press the mixture down to flatten it out. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
For the cheesecake filling use an electric whisk to mix together the full fat cream cheese, lemon extract and icing sugar. Once it is smooth with no lumps, add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it’s shape.
Pipe or spoon a thin layer of the filling over the biscuit base and smooth it out. Add a dollop of lemon curd in the middle of each one. Cover with the remaining filling mixture and smooth out the top. Put them in the fridge overnight to set, or for at least 4 hours. Remove it from the tin and decorate with whipped cream, more lemon curd and lemon zest.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How do you make sure the mini cheesecakes set?
When you’re mixing the filling, you want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more. Always use an electric mixer for best results. It’s also very important to use full fat cream cheese and double cream (heavy cream), as any low fat versions will affect the setting of the cheesecake. I always set my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I’d suggest a minimum of 4 hours.
What lemon curd should you use?
If you are using a shop bought lemon curd, make sure to get a good quality one. They are worth the extra pennies for that delicious lemon zing! If you fancy giving Homemade Lemon Curd a try, check out my recipe. It's easy and quick to make with only a few ingredients, it's also creamy and silky smooth, and the flavour is incredible!
How do you remove mini cheesecakes from the tin?
They can be removed after setting in the fridge by gently pushing the loose bottomed base of the tin upwards. I find it easier to freeze the mini cheesecakes while they're still in the tin for 30 minutes, once you take them out wait a couple of minutes, then push the loose bottomed base upwards and they'll pop out very easily. Because they're a bit frozen they are sturdier and you can also pull the tin base off with your fingers quite easily too. This is the mini cheesecake tin I use.
Can this cheesecake be made gluten free?
Yes! To make this recipe gluten free, swap the biscuits in the biscuit base for gluten free biscuits. I would also recommend that you check the packaging of everything you're using in the recipe in case of cross contamination, and especially if you are serving this cheesecake to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
How long do the mini cheesecakes last and can they be frozen?
The mini cheesecakes should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecakes (without the whipped cream topping), however you do need to let them set in the fridge first for the best texture.
Can this recipe be made into a larger cheesecake?
Yes, you might like my full size No Bake Lemon Curd Cheesecake recipe.
More tips for making the Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes:
- I use a shot glass with a flat bottom to press the biscuit base evenly into the tin. If you have a pastry tamper that would be ideal, but the back of a small spoon works well too.
- This recipe would also work well with another type of fruit curd - orange, lime, raspberry etc.!
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Mini cheesecake tin
- Kitchen scales
- Food processor
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Zester
- Lemon Curd
- Lemon extract
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More lemon curd recipes...
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- Sticky Ginger Cake with Lemon Curd
- Mini Easter Cakes
- Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling
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Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes (No Bake)
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 150 g Digestive biscuits crushed
- 75 g Butter or baking spread melted
- 1 Lemon zest only
For the cheesecake filling
- 450 g Full fat cream cheese I use Philadelphia
- 75 g Icing sugar
- 185 ml Double cream
- 2 tsp Lemon extract optional
- 125 g Lemon curd good quality shop bought or homemade
For decoration
- 150 ml Double cream
- ½ tbsp Icing sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract or paste
- 45 g Lemon curd good quality shop bought or homemade
- 1 Lemon zest only, optional
Instructions
- To make the base, use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits into crumbs, if you don't have a food processor, bash the biscuits gently with a rolling pin in a bowl or freezer bag
- Mix the melted butter and lemon zest into the biscuit crumbs, and press the mixture into the bottom of a 12 hole loose bottomed mini cake tin. You can do this with a flat based shot glass, the back of a small spoon, or a pastry tamper if you have one. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set
- For the cheesecake filling use a food mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk to mix together the cream cheese, lemon extract and icing sugar until smooth with no lumps
- Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it's shape, You want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more
- Pipe or spoon about half of the cheesecake filling over the biscuit bases. Add a dollop of lemon curd in the centre of each mini cheesecake. Pipe or spoon the remaining cheesecake filling around and over the lemon curd. Use the back of a spoon or a small palette knife to smooth out the tops
- Put the filled tin into the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight, for the mini cheesecakes to set. You can remove the cheesecakes from the tin straight from the fridge. Or freeze the filled tin for 30 minutes, remove from the freezer, wait a couple of minutes, then push the mini cheesecakes out and remove the tin bases
- To decorate, whip up the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla, ideally using an electric whisk, and pipe a swirl onto each of the mini cheesecakes. Drizzle over some lemon curd and add a sprinkle of lemon zest. Serve immediately, store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2-3 days
Notes
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecakes set. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to hold their shape.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use Digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like ginger nuts or Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- If you need a lemon curd recipe, check out my Homemade Lemon Curd recipe.
- For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality lemon extract and not an essence. I like Nielsen Massey and Steenbergs.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
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