This delicious Hot Cross Bun Cheesecake is flavoured with delicious warming spices. It has a buttery biscuit base studded with dried fruit, the cheesecake filling has added spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, it's topped with cinnamon sugar and a white chocolate cross. It has all the flavour of hot cross buns in an easy no bake dessert. This would be an amazing dessert to enjoy after Sunday lunch, or any time over the Easter season!
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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 cheesecake sets. 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 be sliced.
- 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 used some mixed dried fruit in the biscuit base, but you can use all raisins, or a combination of whatever dried fruit you prefer.
- 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.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend usually containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, you can use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead. Or try ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg.
- 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!
- 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 Hot Cross Bun Cheesecake
To make the biscuit base, whizz the digestive biscuits in a food processor until they become crumbs. Stir in the cinnamon, mixed spice and dried fruit, then add the melted butter or baking spread and mix it in, press the mixture into the tin until compact and even. Put in the fridge to set.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese, icing sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg, vanilla extract and orange extract together. Then mix in the double cream until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape. For best results use an electric mixer. Put in the fridge for 4 hours to set. Remove from the tin. To decorate sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar and pipe a white chocolate cross onto the cheesecake.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How do you make sure the cheesecake sets?
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.
How do you remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin?
To see step by step photos and a video showing you how to remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin, as well as the answers to lots of other common no bake cheesecake questions, check out my How to make a No Bake Cheesecake guide!
How long does the cheesecake last and can it be frozen?
The cheesecake should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake, however you do need to let it set in the fridge first. Setting it in the freezer will affect the texture and it won't be as nice. Once it's set in the fridge, you can remove it from the tin and put the cheesecake in a box or tupperware. You could also slice it up, and freeze in portions. Then you can easily defrost a few slices at a time depending on when you'd like some cheesecake!
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.
Can you use mascarpone instead of cream cheese?
Yes, you can swap the full fat cream cheese for full fat mascarpone cheese. I prefer using cream cheese as it has that slight 'tang' that you expect from a cheesecake. I find mascarpone to be much creamier and a little too rich. But, if you prefer it then you can absolutely use it instead!
More tips for making the Hot Cross Bun Cheesecake:
- I used white chocolate for the cross, you could also use marzipan or fondant, or even a simple water icing.
- The fruit in the biscuit base is optional, you can just have a plain biscuit base if you prefer.
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 Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended Equipment and Ingredients
- 23cm Springform tin
- Electric hand mixer
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Angled palette knife
- Kitchen scales
- Food processor
- Piping bags
- White chocolate
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More Easter recipes...
Hot Cross Bun Cheesecake (No Bake)
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 300 g Digestive biscuits crushed
- 135 g Butter melted
- 100 g Mixed dried fruit or any dried fruit you prefer
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Mixed spice
For the cheesecake filling
- 750 g Full fat cream cheese I use Philadelphia
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Mixed spice
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Orange extract
- 300 ml Double cream
For decoration
- 1 tbsp Light brown soft sugar
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- 50 g White chocolate melted
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 (or baking spread) into the biscuit crumbs. Add the cinnamon, mixed spice and mixed dried fruit and mix them in. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm springform tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 mins to set
- For the cheesecake filling use a food mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer to mix together the full fat cream cheese, icing sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg, vanilla extract and orange extract 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
- Smooth the filling into the tin on top of the biscuit base, ideally using a palette knife, then put it in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to set
- Remove the cheesecake from the tin and put on your serving plate. Smooth the sides with a butter knife to create a neater finish if needed
- To decorate the cheesecake mix the light brown soft sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it all over the top of the cheesecake. Melt the white chocolate and put it in a piping bag, pipe a cross over the cheesecake
- 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 cheesecake sets. 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 be sliced.
- 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 used some mixed dried fruit in the biscuit base, but you can use all raisins, or a combination of whatever dried fruit you prefer.
- 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.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend usually containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, you can use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead. Or try ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg.
- 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!
- 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.
Eb Gargano
This looks awesome! I love the simnel flavours and I love cheesecake, so I imagine I would really love this. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Kat BakingExplorer
Thank you so much Eb!
Kate Glutenfreealchemist
This cheesecake is totally awesome Kat..... Perfectly formed and very very tempting!
Kat BakingExplorer
Thank you so much!
Sammie
This cheesecake looks and sounds amazing. The spices along with the decoration have me completely hooked. X