Raspberry Cheesecake in a Jar (Canada Day Dessert)

This single serving raspberry cheesecake in a jar is a simple and fun Canada Day dessert. Buttery graham cracker crust, a sweet and fluffy cream cheese mixture and fresh raspberries are layered into small jars or dessert cups.

❤️ Why You Will Love Them

• This is an easy, make-ahead Canada Day dessert option if you’re worried about being pressed for time on the day-of. It can be prepared up to a few days in advance or on the morning of. This can take a load of stress off and allow you to be prepared for the big day.
• Another nice thing about this dessert is there is no baking required! The cake just needs a quick chill in the refrigerator. It firms up nicely if you leave it in the fridge overnight. The longer they sit in the fridge, the more firm they will be, so keep that in mind.
• Cheesecake is always a crowd favorite treat.
• They are easy to transport, just like my strawberry cheesecake cake pops.

🍰 Ingredients

• graham cracker crumbs - For the cheesecake crust. If desired, you can substitute with Oreo baking crumbs or chocolate crumbs; they taste great too!
• butter - You can use salted or unsalted. I personally always have salted on hand and that is what I use. A little bit of salt enhances the flavor of desserts.
• cream cheese - Make sure it is softened before using in this recipe.
• granulated sugar - Regular white sugar for sweetening the cheesecake filling. I haven't tried this yet, but maple syrup might be a good substitute for the sugar and it's a classic Canadian ingredient.
• vanilla extract - Artificial vanilla extract is okay to use here.
• lemon zest - Freshly grated for a hint of zesty flavor.
• heavy cream - Heavy cream has a milkfat content between 36-40% which makes a nice and rich whipped cream.
• fresh raspberries - You can top the cheesecake with whatever fresh, red berries you like, but I prefer raspberries for something a little different - plus they grow all summer long in my backyard, so why not?

*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.

Chef's Note: You can get creative with what to serve the cheesecakes in. I like to use small mason jars (4 ounce jam jars). If you hold off on the toppings when refrigerating, this dessert fits perfectly into a jam jar and can be sealed with the lid.

But there are so many options for mini dessert cups out there or you can even go beyond that and think outside the box. Shot glasses can also be used for a cheesecake shooter. Just note that the servings and nutrition information will change depending on the size.

🫐 Topping Tweaks

Customize this Canada Day dessert with popular berries by province and territory! Naturally sweet berries can be added raw. For berries that aren't as sweet or out of season, they can be sweetened and made into pie fillings or canned before adding them to the cheesecake in a jar.

Find them at local markets and u-pick farms. You can pick one berry or do a mix!

🥣 How to Make Cheesecake in a Jar

Step 1. To make the crust, add the melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs and mix together until moistened.

Step 2. To make the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest together with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe Tips

• Hold off on toppings until serving. This dessert can be made 1 to 2 days in advance but hold off on the toppings until serving time.
• Don't whip the cream for too long. Avoid over-whipping the heavy cream. You want to stop just when stiff peaks form or it will become grainy.
• Chill the heavy cream but not the cream cheese. Make sure the heavy cream is chilled before whipping but the cream cheese needs to be at room temperature for proper combining.
• Get rid of lumps. When beating the cream cheese mixture, make sure there are no lumps. If there are, continue beating until soft and smooth.
• Fold gently. Combine the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture slowly so that you don't deflate the whipped cream.
• Use a muddler. I find that a cocktail muddler works great for pressing the crumbs into the dessert jars. You can also use the bottom of a cup.
• Use red and white utensils. I used red and white, small wooden spoons. You can even paint them with little maple leaves to be more Canadian-themed.

❓ Cheesecake in a Jar FAQs

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