No Bake Boozy Cherry Cheesecake Jars

Get ready to impress your guests with these quick and easy No Bake Boozy Cherry Cheesecake Jars. Imagine biting into layers of creamy decadent cheesecake, crispy graham cracker crumble with a bourbon cherry compote all served up in a mini dessert cup.

Oh yeah! These adult indulgences are that good. We have even included dairy free, gluten free and kid friendly options so everyone can enjoy them.

Be sure to savor the sun-kissed sweet cherries while they are in season. They are pretty hard to resist especially when they are eaten fresh in a cherry salsa or our cherry plum crumble.

During the off season, you can make these no bake cheesecake in a jar using frozen pitted cherries or even canned dark sweet cherries. This drunken cherry recipe can be enjoyed all year around for an unforgettable treat.

Jump to:

• Cheesecake Jar Ingredients
• How to make Boozy Cherry Filling
• Quick and Easy Graham Cracker Crumble
• No Bake Whipped Cheesecake Mousse
• How to Assemble Cheesecake Jars
• How to Pit Cherries Without a Cherry Pitter?
• Recipe Tips
• Variations and Substitutions
• Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
• More Dessert Cup Recipe Ideas
• No Bake Boozy Cherry Cheesecake Jars

Cheesecake Jar Ingredients

There are 3 main components to this cherry cheesecake recipe.

1. Boozy Cherry Compote
2. No bake cheesecake mousse
3. Graham Cracker Crumble

Boozy Cherry Compote Ingredients

One bite of this drunken cherry compote and you will be hooked. These alcohol-soaked cherries are rich, delicately sweet and are so easy to make. You are going to want to make extra because these boozy cherries are delicious on top of mocha nice cream, in cocktails, or even on top of microwave chocolate pudding.

Here is what you will need to make it.

• Black (Dark) Sweet Cherries – fresh or frozen and pitted. Do not use tart or sour cherries.
• Water
• Fresh lemon juice
• Maple syrup or sugar substitute of choice. You are going to love the flavor profile of maple and bourbon together and it is vegan too.
• Bourbon whiskey or other alcohol like Cherry Herring, Amaretto, Chambord, or vanilla vodka. To keep the recipe kid friendly, you can substitute a little almond extract for the alcohol.
• Cornstarch is an optional ingredient. If you use frozen pitted cherries, you may need to add a little cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. However, if you use maple syrup or honey to sweeten the cherry sauce, it usually thickens up as it cools down. We use the Argo brand of cornstarch because it is gluten-free.

No Bake Cheesecake Mousse Ingredients

• Whipping cream or Coconut cream or dairy free whipping cream for a vegan option. This makes the dessert light, rich and creamy.
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon zest adds a pop of freshness.
• Maple syrup or sugar alternative of choice. You can use powdered sugar or a sweetener of choice.
• Light Cream cheese or plant based vegan cream cheese.

Graham Cracker Crumble Ingredients

• Graham crackers or gluten free graham crackers or biscuits of choice. Just as an FYI, OREO gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies are nice in these individual cheesecake cups. If you retain the sweet frosting from the cookies, you will not even need to add any butter to the recipe.
• Butter or dairy free butter alternative

How to make Boozy Cherry Filling

1. Pit fresh cherries. To save time, you can also use frozen pitted cherries or even canned pitted cherries to make this bourbon cherry recipe.
2. Add cherries, water, lemon juice, maple syrup or sweetener of choice to a pot and cook over medium high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the cherries have broken down and release their juice.
3. Optional Step: Mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water to make a cornstarch slurry. Add one half of the cornstarch slurry to the cherry compote to the bubbly cherries and mix well. The sauce should coat the back of the spoon. Reassess to see if you need to add the rest of the cornstarch slurry.  The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.
4. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, add your alcohol of choice. If you want to make this alcohol free, remove the cherry compote from the heat and add a little almond extract instead.
5. Remove the boozy cherries from heat and cool.

Quick and Easy Graham Cracker Crumble

1. Place graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.  Alternatively, place the graham crackers in the food processor to pulse into fine crumbs. Place the crumbs into a bowl.
2. Pour the butter or dairy free alternative into the graham cracker crumbs and mix well. Set it aside.

No Bake Whipped Cheesecake Mousse

1. Whip the heavy whipping cream, dairy free whipping cream or coconut whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Place in a medium bowl.  
2. Add cream cheese or vegan cream cheese into the mixing bowl along with vanilla, lemon zest, maple syrup or sweetener of choice. Mix until creamy smooth.
3. Fold the whipped heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture.

How to Assemble Cheesecake Jars

Have fun and layer these cute mini cheesecake cups in any pattern you desire. Here is what we did…

• First, add a layer of graham cracker crumbles. Gently pat it down.
• Next, add a layer of the cheesecake mixture on top of the graham cracker crumble.

• Drizzle a spoonful or two of those luscious boozy cherries on top of the cream cheesecake layer.

• Repeat this layering process one more time and add a fresh cherry to garnish.

How to Pit Cherries Without a Cherry Pitter?

The great news is this recipe only needs about 2 cups of pitted cherries to make cherry cheesecake jars. The cherry pitting process does not take too long unless only 1 cherry gets in the bowl for every 3 to 4 that go in your mouth. The struggle is real! (smiling)

If you are one of those lucky individuals with a cherry pitter utensil, that is the easiest option. However, there are several alternative methods you can also use to pit a cherry. Use the method that you feel most comfortable with.

Knife Method

Use a paring knife and cut the cherry in half and then loosen the pit to remove. The benefit of using a knife to remove the pit is that it keeps the cherries symmetrical, and they are not crushed.

Chopstick and Bottle Method

This method has never really worked well for us as it can make a holy mess. First, you need to find a jar (like an old fashion pop bottle) with a small opening. Next, place the fresh cherry stem side down on the top of the bottle.

Using a chopstick, metal straw or skewer, push the pit down and out and into the glass. Not only is cherry pitting method messy, but you must be careful to not tip over the glass while you exert pressure.

Pastry Tip Method

Find a pastry tip with a smaller than pit size opening. Place the pastry tip, narrow side up on a cutting board. Then place the cherry on top of the pastry tip with the stem side facing upwards. Gently, press the cherry through the pastry tip to remove the pit from the top of the cherry. Cherries will get crushed with the pastry tip method.

Paper Clip or Hair Pin Method

First you need to straighten out the paperclip or hair pin, so it has a hook on one end and straight on the other. Place the cherry on a cutting board with the stem side up.

While firmly holding the cherry with your non-dominate hand, insert the hook, and gently scoop and twist to remove the cherry pit. This is our least favorite method.

Recipe Tips

These no bake cherry cheesecake jars are quick and easy to make. Try these easy tips for the best results.

• Wear kitchen or disposable gloves if you are pitting cherries and don’t want to stain your fingers. In addition, you might want to don an apron as cherry pitting can be a juicy messy procedure.
• Try using frozen pitted cherries for a quick time saving hack and enjoy this mini dessert all year around.
• Use a plant based cream cheese that has no water added or cashews to make delicious vegan cheesecake cups.
• Bring the cream cheese to room temperature to make it easier to mix.
• For the best results, freeze your bowl and beaters before whipping the COLD cream.
• To keep it tidy, we used a piping bag to layer up the cheesecake in the jars. You can also use a small spoon.
• This recipe will make 5 mini cheesecake jars. Our jars have a 4-ounce capacity.
• Making these little mini cheesecakes in a mason jar is super convenient. You can make the desserts in advance and store them in the refrigerator with the lid on. However, you can also make individual cheese cakes in any type of glass so you can see the layers. We have used martini glasses or wine glasses to make this mini cheesecake recipe extra fancy.

Variations and Substitutions

1. Experiment with different spirits to make drunken cherries or exchange with almond extract.
2. Exchange the cherries with other seasonal fruit in season. In summer, try these no bake cheesecake jars with blackberries, currants, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, or even a little homemade apricot freezer jam. Fall and winter fruits like peeled apples and pears make a delicious compote.  Try adding a little cinnamon or warming spice. 
3. Dairy Sensitivities? We totally get it! To prevent tummy woes, exchange light cream cheese with vegan cream cheese. In addition, there are many dairy free whipping creams on the market or use coconut cream and whip until fluffy. 
4. To make a gluten free no bake cheesecake dessert, there are many different gluten free graham crackers and digestive biscuits on the market. Be sure to use gluten free cornstarch. Most distilled alcohol is gluten free but you will doublecheck. We used Knob Creek because it is a gluten-free bourbon.
5. Feeling lazy? Use prepared canned cherry pie filling instead of fresh cherries. Add in a little alcohol and lemon zest and call it a day.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

More Dessert Cup Recipe Ideas

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.