No-Bake S’mores Cheesecake Cups
Don’t even think about turning the oven on for these No-Bake S’mores Cheesecake Cups. That’s a huge plus when contemplating what dessert I want to serve. The second “plus” is that I can make these ahead of time. The third is that they are so quick and easy to make. And the fourth “YES!” is that these adorable individual portions are crazy good! Need I say more?
We all want to make life simple, especially when the heat turns up high. So, having a dessert recipe that doesn’t involve the oven or cooktop is very desirable. This dessert also has all of the nostalgic flavors and textures from childhood S’mores treats…graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate. But, it’s so much easier to eat…spoonful after spoonful vs. bites of crumbling graham crackers and not-quite-melted chocolate. You know what I mean, right?
Start this dessert with the crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press the crust into your serving cups. I prefer glass cups so that I can see all the layers. The presentation is that much more spectacular! Be sure to pop the cups into the refrigerator so that the crust firms up while you are prepping the next layer.
Melt the marshmallows in a microwave oven.
The only appliance you need is an electric mixer. You can use a hand mixer, but I prefer the power of a stand mixer. Whip the cream cheese to a smooth consistency and then add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Then add the melted marshmallows and fold them into the cream cheese mixture. I like to put this into a piping bag and pipe it decoratively into the cups, but you can also just spoon it over the crust. Place the cups back into the fridge to await the chocolate ganache topping.
The ganache is a combination of semisweet chocolate and heavy cream that gets melted in the microwave oven. Spoon it over the cheesecake layer and back in the fridge it goes until you are ready to serve. You can make these 3 days ahead and still have them taste delish!
Just before you serve the cups, add two toasted marshmallows. You can use the same store-bought marshmallows or you could elevate this by making Homemade Marshmallows and torching them. You will be thrilled with how amazing they taste!
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No-Bake S’mores Cheesecake Cups
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tbsps butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 25 regular marshmallows
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 ounce container of frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip or TruWhip), thawed
For the Ganache:
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 ounces heavy cream
For the Topping:
- 12 regular marshmallows, toasted or Homemade Marshmallows (See Chef’s Note)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between 6 individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer. Place serving dishes into the refrigerator while you prepare the cheesecake.
Place 25 marshmallows in a large, deep microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 45-60 seconds. Marshmallows will puff up and begin to melt. Use a buttered spatula to stir the marshmallows until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Add in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and beat for an additional minute. Use a buttered spatula to scoop the melted marshmallows into the cream cheese mixture and beat for an additional minute. Use a rubber spatula to fold in whipped topping.
Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling directly onto the graham cracker crusts and place them back into the refrigerator while you prepare the ganache.
Add chocolate to a heat-safe bowl. Bring cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour heated cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes and then whisk to combine. Spoon chocolate ganache onto the cheesecake layer and place back into the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Just before serving, top each cheesecake with 2 toasted marshmallows. Enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
You can either toast the marshmallows over a fire or gas flame and place on the top of the cups, or you can use a kitchen torch (as I did) and toast them once the marshmallows are placed on top of the ganache.
No Bake S’mores Cheesecakes will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction
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