Creamy no-bake lemon cheesecakes made with healthier ingredients, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free! They're tangy and delicious, and you wouldn't believe how easy it is to make them.
These are without cookie base and instead, we'll make our own hearty oat, pecan and honey base. The nutty flavour of oat and pecan is just wonderful.
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If you love anything lemon, like my husband Marco, then you just have to make this recipe. Or hey! Perhaps our no-bake lime cheesecake bars? I promise you will absolutely love them!
And if you love healthy no-bake cheesecakes then try my mango lassi cheesecake or my blueberry mini cheesecakes. They're to die for! If you're looking for just a plain no-bake vanilla cheesecake with no gelatine, I have you covered!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Cream cheese - I always use Philadelphia full-fat cream cheese for all my cheesecakes. There's no gelatine in this recipe so we need the fat for the cheesecake to set. Also, don't use the one for spreading, alright?
Erythritol - I'm using erythritol as the sweetener for the cheesecake. You can use any other dry sweetener of your choice.
NOTE: Erythritol is generally 30% less sweet than white sugar. So bear that in mind when you use other sweeteners. You might need to use less.
Whipping cream - Use the one with a minimum of 35% fat. Make sure to chill it in the fridge first before using it.
Honey - Acts as the sweetener and binder for the base. You can use any other liquid sweetener like maple syrup or coconut syrup.
Pecans - Add that delicious nutty taste. You can use any nuts that you like, of course.
How To Make Lemon Cheesecake Cups
- Base - Blend all of the base ingredients into a semi-fine mixture. Set aside.
- Mix cream cheese - Whisk cream cheese and erythritol until fluffy.
- Lemon flavour - Add in lemon juice and zest. Mix well.
- Whipping cream - Whip until stiff peaks in another bowl. Add into cream cheese mixture. Using a spatula, fold gently until everything is well combined
- Base layer - Spoon 1 tablespoon of base into a short glass.
- Lemon slice - Place a slice of lemon against the glass wall.
- Filling layer - Spoon in the cheesecake filling into the glass.
- Smooth out - Roughly smooth out the top for that homemade look. Chill for minimum 4 hours.
Tips To Make This Recipe
- Room temperature cream cheese - It mixes better when it's not cold. So take it out from the fridge half to one hour before using it.
- Chilled whipping cream - Contrary to cream cheese, whipping cream needs to be cold before you can use it. Else it'll take forever to whip. I usually place it in the fridge 1 day before.
- Give time for it to set - Cheesecakes are not pancakes that can be eaten immediately *wink!*. No-baked cheesecakes need time to set. The colder your fridge is, the faster they'll set.
How To Serve & Store
Serve - Serve chilled straight from the fridge. Although it's very tempting to display these beauties on the dining table while the main course is being served, I don't recommend it. These cheesecakes don't have gelatin and need the cold to hold their textures.
If you love these, then our strawberry cheesecake cups, which are high in protein, are a must-try!
Store - Always in the fridge, best consumed within 2-3 days. Although, if you freeze them, they'll last up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen ones in the fridge whenever you feel like enjoying some.
FAQs
Why is my cheesecake not setting?
It's the temperature of the fridge. Since you can control the temperature, so make sure it's at its coldest. Also, no-bake cheesecakes need time to set. Be patient, they're worth it.
How many hours does the cheesecake need to set?
Minimum 4 hours (see also my related answer above) but preferably 8 hours to get the perfect texture.
Can I turn this into one whole big cheesecake?
Yes, of course. I'd recommend you use a 7 inches (18 cm) springform pan. For this, chill for a minimum of 8 hours.
Watch How To Make It
📖 Recipe
Healthy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Cups
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup (42.8 g) instant oats
- ¼ cup (26.15 g) pecans
- 1 tablespoon honey
Filling
- 16 oz (453.59 g) full fat plain cream cheese , room temperature
- ⅔ cup (140.89 g) erythritol
- ¼ cup (64.46 g) lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup (251.49 g) whipping cream , min 35% fat, chilled
- 5 slices of lemon , for decoration
Instructions
Base
- Blend all base ingredients in a food processor into a semi-fine mixture. Divide evenly into 5 cups and set aside.
Filling
- Using a handheld whisk, mix cream cheese and erythritol in a big bowl until fluffy. Then add in lemon juice and zest. Mix well and set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk the chilled whipping cream until stiff peaks, using a handheld whisk. Add it to the cream cheese mixture bowl.
- Using a spatula, gently fold until everything is well combined. Set aside.
Assembling
- Place a slice of lemon each against the walls of our prepared cups. Spoon in the filling. Roughly smooth out the top with the back of the spoon. Chill for 4 hours in the coldest part of the fridge.
E says
Your healthy mango cheesecake uses Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese. Can I use same here with gelatine? Instead of cream cheese
Bea & Marco says
Yes, you can 😊.