No-Bake Cranberry Cheesecake Jars

These easy, no-bake cranberry cheesecake jars are the perfect way to get a simple and easy dessert on the table and use up leftover cranberry sauce! These individual desserts are perfect for the holidays and any special occasion.

This post includes affiliate links.

Made with a date and nut crust, whipped cream cheese and yogurt filling and a simple cranberry orange sauce, these no-bake cheesecake jars are an easy dessert you’ll want to make over and over again.

With a busy holiday season upon us, I’m guessing you could use an easy dessert for entertaining friends and family. This is it! And it’s also fun to serve this dessert in cute jars so everyone have their own.

Here’s everything you need to prepare this recipe in minutes.

Ingredients

Gather these ingredients to get on your way:

Homemade cranberry orange sauce*
Almonds
Dates
Cream cheese
Greek yogurt
Honey
Fresh orange
8 Ball^®️ 4-ounce smooth sided jars
Rasp or zester
Whisk

* Note: You can use plain prepared cranberry sauce heated with a splash of orange juice instead of homemade sauce.

Do I have to make my own cranberry sauce?

No. You can absolutely use a prepared or canned cranberry sauce. But I think homemade cranberry sauce tastes better so recommend going that route.

Make the date nut crust

You can go classic with a graham cracker + butter crust but I like the natural sweetness and crunch from combining almonds and dates. Plus, the almonds and cranberries are the perfect flavor pairing.

To make it, simply add pitted dates and almonds (or pecans) to a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are finely chopped and dates start to stick together. When it’s ready, the mixture will start to clump together and will hold its shape when you press it between two fingers.

Once the crust is ready, press it firmly into the bottom of the jars.

Tips for success

Check your dates for pits. It takes no time to pit dates but it’s easy to forget.

Use plump dates. If your dates are starting to dry out, the crust will not come together easily. If you are pulsing away for a while with no sign that the crust will come together, add a teaspoon of water at a time until the crust starts to clump as shown in the picture above.

Use room temperature cream cheese. No matter if you’re using regular or non-dairy, this recipe will not work with cold cream cheese. So you have to remember to take it out of the fridge at least an hour before starting this recipe. You can also let the yogurt sit for a bit at room temperature for easier whisking but I used chilled yogurt without an issue.

Substitutions

This recipe is quite forgiving so you can make it your own. But because it is so simple, it’s important to use high-quality ingredients whenever possible.

Cream cheese. The cream cheese is the star of this recipe. I used regular cream cheese but you could use vegan – almond or cashew based cream cheese. Keep in mind these may be a bit drier. Either way, you must leave it at room temperature to properly soften.

Greek yogurt. This is a dessert so I like full-fat Greek yogurt for the flavor and texture. I don’t recommend going with a lower fat yogurt but it could work.

Nuts. You can use pecans, walnuts, or pistachios in the same quantity for this recipe. The flavor will be slightly different but the crust will work.

Almonds offer the most neutral flavor and pair well with the cranberry sauce. Almonds are also very easy to find and shelf stable making it easy to pull together this dessert with ease.

Sugar. I know that many of you prefer to use unrefined sugar. That’s why I used a little, not a lot of honey. You can also use powdered sugar in its place – simply add it to the cream cheese and yogurt mixture before whisking.  

Make this recipe a day ahead of time. Cover and serve chilled.

It’s the perfect dessert to serve for a holiday brunch or dinner party. But you can also take these on the go for dessert with a friend. 

If you’re looking for another way to use up leftover cranberry sauce, make my cranberry overnight oats too!

Please let me know in the comments or on Instagram how you enjoyed these cheesecake jars.

*Disclosure: This was originally a sponsored post that was part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They provided jars, equipment, and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.