If we can spare a single bag of our beloved favorite Easter candy, we can make an incredible no bake dessert this spring. This mini egg cheesecake uses an entire bag of leftover mini eggs, whipped cream and cream cheese to make a no-bake cheesecake in a loaf pan. It makes 6 small slices of cheesecake, isn't that perfect?
I hesitate to even call a loaf pan cheesecake a 'small batch' of cheesecake, because it still makes 6 slices! I understand making cheesecake is a long process, and you might expect to end up with a giant 9-inch cheesecake that can be cut into 12 pieces. But how often do you have more than 6 people over? Isn't 6 small slices perfect for a party or average-sized family?
Apologies about the lack of leftovers, because no bake mini egg cheesecake with coffee is truly one of my favorite breakfast combinations, hah! But for most scenarios in life, I really believe cheesecake should be made in a loaf pan instead of a giant springform pan. Plus, I always have trouble getting the cake out of a springform pan.
If you're truly looking for cheesecake for two, I hope you know I have a recipe made in ramekins as a no-bake version, and another recipe baked in muffin cups for a more traditional New York cheesecake. I have my bases covered when it comes to cheesecake! Here is the no bake cheesecake for two that happens to be crustless, and here is the more traditional mini cheesecakes for two that have been baked.
How to Make Mini Egg Cheesecake
Back to leftover Easter candy, this mini egg cheesecake is so simple to make using the freezer! It's entirely no bake, and the hardest part is remembering to hide a bag of candy from yourself so that you have leftovers. Personally, I recommend smashing the bag of eggs as soon as you get home from the store so that you're not tempted to eat them! Once you fold the smashed mini eggs into this ethereal fluffy no-bake cheesecake batter, you'll know it was worth it!
This recipe uses the freezer to set it, so please be aware that this isn't a great recipe to make and take to someone's house. After pressing the crust into the pan, it goes into the freezer to set. Then, softened cream cheese is folded into whipped cream along with all other ingredients. It's spread on the crust and then frozen to fully set into a firm, slice-able mini egg cheesecake.
The Ingredients
- Graham Crackers. The crust of this mini egg cheesecake recipe requires 8 whole graham cracker sheets, or roughly 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs.
- Butter. Yes, 5 tablespoons of butter is slightly more than I normally call for in my loaf pan cheesecakes, but the butter flavor goes so well with the candy.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. Ensure that you're using double cream, or heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat.
- Powdered Sugar. I always use powdered sugar in no bake recipes because it dissolves so easily, and the small amount of cornstarch in it helps things set.
- Vanilla Extract. Since we're not baking this recipe, use a very fragrant, real vanilla extract.
- Cream Cheese. We need 12 ounces, or one and a half bricks of cream cheese that has been softened to room temperature. With the remaining cream cheese, you can make my whipped cream cream cheese frosting! You will have half a brick of cream cheese leftover.
- Mini Eggs. I use a 9-ounce bag of Cadbury mini eggs for this recipe, which is a crisp vanilla shell wrapped around a milk chocolate center. The milk chocolate center is firm and the outer shell is very crisp. However, if you live in Europe (like my recipe tester does), you can use the M&M brand mini eggs. They are slightly different colors, but just as delicious!
The Instructions
First, break the graham crackers in half, and place them in a food processor. Pulse until they become crumbs. If you're starting with crumbs from a box, skip this step, and pour the crumbs into a bowl instead!
Add the melted 5 tablespoons of butter, and pulse again until the mixture looks like very wet sand. It's important to scrape the bottom and pulse again, because the butter can pool around the bottom of the bowl! Again, if you're using crumbs, just stir the melted butter into the crumbs in a regular mixing bowl.
Scrape the crust into the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan that you have lined in one direction with parchment paper. Press it very flat with the back of a spatula or shot glass. Place it in the freezer to set while you make the filling.
In a clean, cold bowl, add the heavy cream and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. It's important not to over-beat at this point, because we're going to keep beating. Stop at very soft peaks (see photo for reference).
Next, add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and continue beating just until combined.
Break the very soft (room temperature) cream cheese into chunks, and add it to the bowl with the soft whipped cream. Use the electric mixer to beat it until it's homogenous.
Finally, stir in the crushed candy mini eggs! Scrape the mixture into the loaf pan, and place it back in the freezer for at least 4 hours to set. You can also make it one day ahead of time. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap in the freezer.
To serve, remove from the pan using the parchment paper, and let the mini egg cheesecake rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Then, slice and serve. It's colorful and cute to garnish it with more candy eggs and whipped cream swirls.
Recipe Variations for Mini egg Cheesecake
- Candy - Yes, you can use robin eggs here instead of chocolate eggs! If you like robin eggs, you should make my robin egg blondies.
- Gluten-Free - I tested this recipe with gluten-free graham crackers, and it worked great. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten-free, because mini eggs do not contain gluten.
Storage Tips
This mini egg cheesecake absolutely needs to be stored in the freezer to keep it firm. It's easiest to slice after it has sat out at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Please note that if you plan to keep the mini egg cheesecake in the freezer for more than 4 hours, you need to cover it with plastic wrap so that the surface doesn't dry out and crack.
Other Easter Recipes:
- Small Carrot Cake with caramel cream cheese frosting
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Strawberry Mousse
- No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
Mini Egg Cheesecake
Mini egg cheesecake (no bake) made with Cadbury mini eggs or robin eggs, your choice!
Ingredients
- 8 whole graham cracker sheets
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- ¾ cup heavy whipped cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces (1 ½ bricks) of full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 9-ounce bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs Milk Chocolate Candy, crushed
Instructions
- In a food processor bowl, add the graham cracker sheets. Pulse to break up. Then, add the melted butter and pulse again until the graham cracker crust forms.
- Scrape this mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan. Press flat firmly with a spatula or shot glass. Place in the freezer to set while you make the filling.
- In a separate clean bowl, add the heavy cream and beat with an electric mixer on high until very soft peaks form. We will continue beating, so it's important not to beat it too much in the beginning.
- Next, add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream mixture, and beat again just to combine.
- Then, add the softened cream cheese and beat just until combined. You want to bean until there’s no lumps, but you also don’t want to over-beat and over-whip the cream.
- Finally, stir in the crushed mini eggs by hand.
- Scrape the mini egg cheesecake mixture over the graham cracker crust, smooth the surface and freeze for at least 4 hours. Serve garnished with more mini eggs and whipped cream dollops, if desired.
Notes
Make-Ahead/ Storage: This mini egg cheesecake absolutely needs to be stored in the freezer to keep it firm. It's easiest to slice after it has sat out at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Please note that if you plan to keep the mini egg cheesecake in the freezer for more than 4 hours, you need to cover it with plastic wrap so that the surface doesn't dry out and crack.
Graham Crackers: 8 whole graham cracker sheets equals roughly 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, if you want to use the ones from the box.
Heavy Whipping Cream: Ensure you're using double cream, or heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat.
Candy: You can use robin eggs here instead of chocolate eggs.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 466Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 3gSugar: 37gProtein: 4g
Leave a Reply