Aren’t these Cheesecake Jar Parfaits just the cutest desserts you have ever seen? I think so!
They are prefect for outdoor outings like picnics at the park or to your favorite winery. They are great for any kind of party like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, weddings, or anything celebration you can think of. I bet these would be a hit! You can probably even sell these at a bake sale.
The options are endless with this dessert too! So don’t be scared to try different cheesecake fillings, sauces, or toppings. See my Tips & Tricks below for more ideas. Just be creative!
How To Make Easy Cheesecake Jar Parfaits
First, gather all your ingredients.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
- 2 & 1/2 blocks (20 ounces) of cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4 ounce) confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
FOR THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE:
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water, warm
- 1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced in half (you can use frozen, but don’t thaw)
- Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBLE:
- 3 graham crackers, crumbled
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Set aside 7-8 ounce (half pint) glass jars.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
Add the confectioners sugar and blend until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.
Add the sour cream and whipping cream and beat until thick, about 3-4 minutes.
Divide batter evenly between jars and set in fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before adding the toppings (I feel like this prevents the toppings from seeping down into the cheesecake filling). Optional: I like using a pipping bag and Wilton 8B tip to neatly pipe the cheesecake batter in the jars.
In the meantime, make the strawberry compote.
FOR THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE:
Whisk the cornstarch and water together until all the cornstarch has dissolved.
Add it, along with the rest of the compote ingredients, to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir the mixture as it cooks. Break up some of the strawberries as you stir. Bring it to a simmer and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
Next, make the graham cracker crust.
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
Place the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. You can also place the graham crackers in a large ziplock bag and pound with a rolling pin.
Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium heat-proof bowl or use the stove.
Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. The mixture will resemble wet sand.
Lastly, make the graham cracker crumble.
FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBLE:
Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
In a bowl, mix together the graham crackers crumbles, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Add melted butter, vanilla and salt and stir to moisten.
Spread evenly on a baking pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until slightly browned. Allow to cool.
TO ASSEMBLE CHEESECAKE JARS:
Top each cheesecake with strawberry sauce, then the graham cracker crust, and finally garnish with graham cracker crumble on top.
NOTE: Instead of putting the graham cracker crust on top of the strawberry compote, you can put the graham cracker crust on the bottom, then the cheesecake filling, the sauce, and crumble on top.
Tips & Tricks
- Cover with a lid and store leftover cheesecake jars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- These cheesecake jars can be made and refrigerated 1 to 3 days in advance before adding the toppings. You can also freeze the cheesecake jars before adding the toppings for up up to 3 months. If freezing, you will need to thaw in the refrigerator before adding toppings and serving.
- You can use many different toppings: Strawberry Topping, Salted Caramel, Blueberry Sauce, Raspberry Sauce, Blackberry Sauce, Fruit Preserves, Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream, Cherry Pie Filling, and Lemon Curd.
- You can garnish with: Any kind of Cookie Crumble, Granola, Chopped Candies, Marshmellows, Fresh berries, Chopped Fruit, Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Lemon Slices, Lime Slices, Shredded Coconut, Sprinkles, and Mint.
- You can also add to the cheesecake filling: Peanut Butter, Nutella, Lemon, Lime, Raspberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Chocolate, or Coconut. So many options!
- For the crust you can try any crisp cookie. You can also go with speculoos or gingersnaps, vanilla wafers or animal crackers, or chocolate wafers or even Oreo cookies.
- This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.
- Since I bake quite often I like to buy stuff in bulk. I love buying my flour, sugars, pure vanilla extract, butter, oil, eggs, and spices at Costco.
- Costco, Target, & Amazon are my favorite stores to shop at!
Make sure you post your photos on Instagram and tag me in them so I can see your creations from my blog #eazypeazylemonsqueezee
Easy Cheesecake Jar Parfaits
Ingredients
Directions
