Individual no-bake mini lemon cheesecakes with a buttery base, creamy cheesecake filling with swirls of blueberry jam, homemade lemon curd, served in a real lemon! They’re easy to make, and perfect for Spring / Summer. Vegan, No-Bake, No-Egg, No-Dairy, easily made gluten-free.
This dessert has been made in collaboration with St Dalfour. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
No-Bake Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
These mini no-bake lemon cheesecakes are bright, creamy, and bursting with citrus flavours! Each silky cheesecake is nestled inside a fresh lemon half, creating the perfect edible cup (so cute). Swirls of sweet blueberry jam ripple through the tangy cheesecake filling, while a glossy spoonful of homemade vegan lemon curd on top adds an extra pop of refreshing sunshine flavour. They’re light, vibrant, and completely no-bake, as well as being vegan and absolutely delicious! They are perfect for spring & summer! Anyone you make these for will be very impressed (and they wont know that you’re super easy!).
Looking for more lemon desserts? Check out my:
- Vegan Lemon Meringue Cake
- Easy Vegan Lemon Crumble Bars
- No-Bake Lemon Truffles
- Mini No-Bake Easter Lemon Cheesecakes
- Viral Vegan Lemon Sandwich Cookies
- Baked Vegan Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
- Vegan Lemon Fondant Fancies
Why you’ll love these cheesecakes
- Served in real lemons – Real fresh lemon halves create beautiful edible cups that make these mini cheesecakes look extra special plus add extra lemon flavour.
- 100% vegan – Super creamy, rich, and indulgent, without any dairy or eggs!
- No oven needed – These cheesecakes are completely no-bake, making them perfect for Summer or simply when you want an easy dessert.
- Blueberry jam swirls – Ribbons of sweet and juicy blueberry jam add colour and a delicious fruity contrast to the tangy lemon curd.
- Topped with lemon curd – A bright, summery citrus layer of homemade vegan lemon curd on top adds the perfect tangy flavour.
- Lemon curd without eggs – The lemon curd is homemade and entirely vegan, made without eggs!!
- Easy to make – Made with simple ingredients and minimal effort, but looks INCREDIBLE!
- Perfect for sharing – Individual mini cheesecakes are ideal for parties, brunches, and summer gatherings.
- Fresh and vibrant flavour – The combination of creamy cheesecake, tangy lemon, and sweet blueberry is light and refreshing.
- Beautiful presentation – These cheesecakes look stunning served in lemon halves and make a fun, unique and eye-catching dessert!
Layers to these cheesecakes
These cheesecakes may look like regular lemons, but inside hides a delicious fresh no-bake cheesecake. Below is an overview of the layers you’ll find inside. Find the full written recipe and method in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Base
The base of the cheesecakes is a simple 2 ingredient buttery biscuit base (or cookie as known to my US readers). The biscuits / cookies are ground, mixed with melted dairy-free butter and pressed into the lemon cups. It’s the perfect base to these cheesecakes!
- Cheesecake filling
This no-bake cheesecake filling is truly scrumptious! Made using soaked cashew nuts and dairy-free cream cheese as the main ingredient which makes it SUPER creamy!
- Blueberry swirls
Inside the cheesecake is swirl of St Dalfour Blueberry Fruit Spread (jam). This fruit spread is made with hand picked fruit slow-cooked with fruit juices for peak flavour, with no artificial additives or cane sugars! The result is a super fruity jam. It’s tart, fruity and pairs perfectly with the zingy lemon.
- Lemon curd
To top the cheesecakes, and to give them a bright, refreshing and summery look, i made some of my homemade vegan lemon curd. This lemon curd is sweet, tart, zingy and delicious. It’s filled with real fresh lemons and tops the cheesecakes perfectly.
Mini Lemon Cheesecake FAQ
- Can I make these ahead of time? Yes! These mini cheesecakes are perfect for making in advance. Prepare them up to 1-2 days in advance and store them covered in the fridge until ready to serve to keep them fresh.
- How is this recipe vegan? I use alternative ingredients such as dairy-free cream cheese (Violife Original) for the cheesecake, dairy-free butter (Flora Plant Block). For the lemon curd, I don’t use eggs, I use vegan condensed Milk (Natures Charm Condensed Oat Milk). Find all ingredients in the recipe card below!
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Yes! To make this simple adjustment, swap out the biscuits / cookies in the base for a wheat-free, gluten-free alternative!
- How long do they need to set? As these cheesecakes are small, they’ll typically about 2-4 hours in the fridge to fully set. For the best texture and to ensure they have fully set, chill overnight.
- Do the lemon shells make the cheesecakes taste too sour? Not at all! The lemon shells add a subtle citrus aroma and mostly add to the presentation, while the creamy filling balances the tangy flavours.
- Can I make them without serving in lemon halves? Yes you can! Alternatively you can prepare them in small serving jars, ramekins, or a muffin tin with paper liners if you prefer. Check out my ‘regular sized’ lemon cheesecake here.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
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Vegan Lemon Cheesecakes
- Total Time: 4-6 hours
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make mini no-bake, vegan lemon cheesecakes with swirls of blueberry jam and homemade lemon curd, served in a lemon! Perfect no-bake treat for Summer!
TIP: Double up the base + cheesecake ingredients for larger desserts. The lemon curd is already a full batch, any left overs, store in a airtight container in the fridge.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 80g of plain biscuits (you can use gluten-free)
- 35g of dairy-free butter / margarine
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling
- 80g of cashew nuts (soaked and drained, see step 1)
- 160g of vegan cream cheese
- 40g of icing / powdered sugar
- 25g of coconut cream (thick white cream from a can of coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste / extract
- St Dalfour Blueberry Fruit Spread / Jam (see step 3)
Ingredients for the lemon curd (full batch)
- 3 tablespoons of corn flour + 2 tablespoons of water
- 100g of dairy-free butter/margarine
- 100g of caster sugar
- 170ml of lemon juice
- 3 small unwaxed lemons (zest)
- 100g of vegan condensed milk
- Pinch of turmeric (or drop of yellow food gel)
+
- Blueberries (decoration)
- Mint leaves (decoration)
- Fresh, medium / large lemons (for serving)
Instructions
Prepare the lemons
- This recipe fills around 6-8 medium lemons, but easily double up the recipe for more cheesecakes! Use fresh, unwaxed lemons. Use a sharp knife to cut them in half. Use a spoon to scrape / carve out the middle of the lemon (save the lemon juice as you’ll want this for the lemon curd). Use some kitchen paper to dry the inside of the lemon so you have a perfect lemon bowl for the filling to sit in.
Method (base)
- Add the dairy-free butter into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the cookies / biscuits into a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape. If it’s too wet, add in some more biscuit crumbs, if too dry, add in some more melted butter.
- Press approximately 1/2 tablespoon into each lemon cup, press down to compact.
- Place aside whilst you make the cheesecake filling.
Method (cheesecake filling)
- The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.
- Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream and vanilla. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.
- Equally spoon / pour the mixture into each lemon. TIP: Swirl some of the blueberry jam into the cheesecake filling. You want to fill the lemons all the way to the top, without spilling it over the edge.
- Place on a plate or board and chill in the fridge while you make the lemon curd. You want the cheesecake to be set before adding on the lemon curd.
Method (Lemon curd)
- In a small bowl, add in the corn flour and water. Stir together into thick paste.
- Add the cornflour paste, dairy-free butter, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, condensed milk and a pinch of turmeric into a medium sized saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on the hob and heat over low to medium, stirring constantly, preferably with a whisk. After around 5-8 minutes the lemon curd will thicken. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.
- Pour curd into a heat-proof jar or bowl, cover and place aside to cool down.
- You can either put it in the fridge or keep it at room temperature to cool. Before you use it, give it a good stir to loosen it.
- Transfer into a piping bag for ease, or you can use add it to the cheesecakes using a spoon.
- Spoon the lemon curd on top of each cheesecake and spread out to over the cheesecake filling (refer to video fro example).
- Decorate with some fresh blueberries and a mint leaf to make them look like realistic lemons.
- Serve with some spoons, and enjoy!
Notes
How should they be stored? As they contain cream cheese, store the cheesecakes in an airtight / sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cheesecakes
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
