These Mini Lemon Cheesecakes are the perfect bite sized after dinner treat. They’re no bake, made with simple ingredients, and are sugar free. They sweet, tart, fresh and creamy and can be made in around 20 minutes.
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Why Make This Recipe?
- They last in the fridge a whole week and there is an ideal ratio of base to filling
- Perfect to satisfy after dinner cravings, as an afternoon pick me up, or with a coffee
- These lemon cheese cupcakes are delicious with extra zest, or a little canned whipped cream
- They’re naturally sweetened, so no added sugar
- It’s a light and summary dessert
- You don’t have to turn the oven on, as they set in the fridge (but there’s no gelatin needed)
- Easy to switch out the lemon for lime, or even orange
- Quick and easy to make the base in a food processor
- Simple to make in advance for when people are coming over
- They travel well
Ingredients
Even though these mini cheesecakes have peanut butter in the filling, you really can't taste it and the predominent flavour is definitely lemon with a sweet tartness.
The peanut butter is added to help thicken and set the filling and to be a background note only and means no gelatine is needed to set them in the fridge,
Ingredient Notes
- Almonds: I used toasted almonds, however you could also use almond meal which is already ground almonds.
- Cream Cheese: Full Fat or Low Fat works perfectly fine. I usually use full fat cream cheese in my cheesecakes, but for these mini versions, low fat cream cheese works really well to keep the calories lower.
- Powdered Sweetener: I use lakanto powdered sweetener which is superfine and perfect for no bake sweets as it disappears and there is no trace of gritiness.
- Almond Butter: Cashew butter can be substituted for almond butter. I would avoid using peanut butter as it will be too overpowering and you may not taste the lemon as much. Almond butter and cashew butter are more subtle and work well with the lemon flavour.
- Lemon Juice: Using fresh lemon juice makes a difference with this recipe I find. It tastes fresher and more zestier. I would definitely use fresh lemon juice over bottled lemon juice if you can.
A food processor will make quick work of the base ingredients, and I used a 12 hole silicone mini muffin tray to press the bases into.
The filling is made from cream cheese, nut butter, lemon and sweetener and is easy to mix together in a small bowl if the cream cheese is at room temperature.
I really enjoy making Philadelphia mini cheesecakes because they are small and bite sized and I find there is less risk of over eating them. Others I’ve made are mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes, Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes and Mini Mocha Cheesecakes with coffee and chocolate.
How To Make
Base
- Add almonds to a food processor and blitz to a crumb.
- Add room temperature pitted dates , almond butter and coconut and blitz until combined and a moist crumb is formed.
- Spoon out base into a 16 hole silicone muffin tray.
- Press mixture firmly into hole so it comes halfway up the sides.
Filling
- If cream cheese is soft enough you may not need a food processor as you’ll be able to mix the filling by hand. However if in double, use a clean food processor to make the filling.
- Add all ingredients for the filling either into a food processor or into a large mixing bowl and mix together until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Spoon filling into casings, levelling off the top with the back of a butter knife
- Cover with plastic wrap and let cheesecakes set in the fridge for 6 hours.
- To remove, use a butter knife to go around the edge of the mould to loosen and pop out from the bottom.
- Decorate with fresh whipped canned cream and lemon zest. (Don’t put whipped cream on until ready to serve otherwise it may sink and turn into a cream puddle on top of the cheesecake!)
Recipe Tips
- Swapping Lemon for Lime: If swapping out the lemon and you want to use lime, use the same quantity as you would lemon juice. Make sure to taste the filling for sweetness before spooning it into the moulds. Alternatively you could add a mix of lemon and lime together.
- Storage: Store cheesecakes in ana air tight container in the fridge for 7 days
- Softening Dates: Add dates to a bowl of boiling water and let sit for 1 minute, Remove dates from water and squeeze out all the excess moisture. Make sure seeds are removed before softening. Softening dates will be gentler on your food processor, especially if its winter and the dates are particularly firm.
- Whipped Cream: If serving with canned whipped cream, I’d suggest only putting it on at the last minute as it can have a tendency to melt and flatten, especially in warmer climates. I would opt for a regular canned whipped cream as opposed to a lite or low fat one as it will hold shape better.
Serving Alternative
Instead of making 12 mini cheesecakes using a silicone mould, you could use the same recipe and make Lemon Cheesecake Shooters. Here’s how:
- Grab 6 shot glasses
- Distribute the base evenly into each of the 6 glasses
- Distribute the filling evenly across each of the 6 glasses
- Add a little extra lemon zest to each
- Add a blueberry to each
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve
I’ve also make a regular sized Sugar Free Lemon and Lime Cheesecake that was a real hit at Christmas Time. It’s super easy to make and is baked in the oven so it practically cooks itself.
Making mini lemon cheesecake bites is easy to do and especially if you love a little dessert after dinner, but you’d like it to be on the healthier side, without added sugars and portion controlled. This is the dessert you need to make. Full of summer tang, these cheesecake cupcakes will become your new best friend.
Mini Lemon Cheesecake Bites
Ingredients
Base
- 6 Medjool Dates - Pitted (Room Temperature)
- ½ cup Almonds
- 1 tablespoon Almond Butter
- 1 tablespoon Desicated Coconut
Filling
- ½ cup Cream cheese - softened
- 2 tablespoons Almond Butter
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Powdered Sweetener
Instructions
Base
- Add almonds to a food processor and blitz to a crumb. Add room temperature pitted dates , almond butter and coconut and blitz until combined and a moist crumb is formed.
- Spoon out base into a 16 hole silicone muffin tray. Press mixture firmly into hole so it comes halfway up the sides.
Filling
- If cream cheese is soft enough you may not need a food processor as you’ll be able to mix the filling by hand. However if in double, use a clean food processor to make the filling.
- Add all ingredients for the filling either into a food processor or into a large mixing bowl and mix together until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Spoon filling into casings, levelling off the top with the back of a butter knife
- Cover with plastic wrap and let cheesecakes set in the fridge for 6 hours.
- To remove, use a butter knife to go around the edge of the mold to loosen and pop out from the bottom.
- Decorate with fresh whipped canned cream and lemon zest. (Don’t put whipped cream on until ready to serve otherwise it may sink and turn into a cream puddle on top of the cheesecake!)
Notes
- Almonds: I used toasted almonds, however you could also use almond meal which is already ground almonds.
- Cream Cheese: Full Fat or Low Fat works perfectly fine. I usually use full fat cream cheese in my cheesecakes, but for these mini versions, low fat cream cheese works really well to keep the calories lower.
- Powdered Sweetener: I use lakanto powdered sweetener which is superfine and perfect for no bake sweets as it disappears and there is no trace of gritiness.
- Almond Butter: Cashew butter can be substituted for almond butter. I would avoid using peanut butter as it will be too overpowering and you may not taste the lemon as much. Almond butter and cashew butter are more subtle and work well with the lemon flavour.
- Lemon Juice: Using fresh lemon juice makes a difference with this recipe I find. It tastes fresher and more zestier. I would definitely use fresh lemon juice over bottled lemon juice if you can.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
Sharon Harrington
Hi Kim, I have made your jam drops using strawberry jam and these are my favourites. Also your mini lemon cheesecakes yummy.