No Bake Carrot Cake Cheesecakes with Walnuts (Less Sugar)
Mini carrot cake cheesecakes are perfect for spring, with warm-spiced, tangy filling, buttery graham cracker crust, and chopped walnuts. Serve on their own, or top with cinnamon-dusted whipped cream!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup graham crackers (crushed, about 8 sheets)
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
For the Cheesecake Filling
- ¾ cup carrots (peeled and finely grated)
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened*)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla Greek yogurt)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon (plus extra for topping, if desired)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup walnuts (chopped or crushed, for topping)
Instructions
- Set your cream cheese out on the counter about an hour before you start, so it softens/comes to room temperature.
Make the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Place graham crackers in a ziploc bag. Remove the air from the bag and seal it. Using a rolling pin, crush graham crackers. Roll along the bag, pushing down, to crush them more. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor for this step). The texture should be finely crushed, but not too powdery.
- In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 30 second intervals at 50% power, until just melted. Pour in graham cracker crumbs and mix until well-incorporated.
- Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture into each liner. Press down with a spoon or measuring cup, tightly compressing the mixture.
- Place the muffin tin in the freezer to chill the crust for 10 minutes while you make the cheesecake filling.
Make the Cheesecake Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots, cream cheese (softened to room temperature*), Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Stir with a fork, mashing the cream cheese as you go, until smooth. (You can use an electric mixer instead if you prefer).
- Remove the muffin tin from the freezer. Using a spoon or piping bag, fill each muffin liner with cheesecake filling (on top of the crust), almost all the way to the top of the liner.
- Use a spoon to smooth out the cheesecakes on top, then sprinkle on chopped walnuts.
Chill:
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to set the cheesecakes. (The longer you chill them, the better they'll hold their shape). You can also freeze them for longer storage.**
- To serve, carefully remove cupcake liners, add desired toppings, and enjoy immediately!
Notes
*How to soften cream cheese: Leave on the counter at room temperature for about an hour. To speed things up: remove the cream cheese from the package and cut it into smaller cubes. Place in a covered bowl. OR, while the cream cheese is still in the package, use your hands to massage it. This helps warm the cream cheese. (For measurements: an 8oz package is equal to 1 cup.)
**Freezing Tips & How to Thaw: Cover the muffin tin loosely with plastic wrap until the cheesecakes are fully frozen. Then, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container for longer-term storage. They should last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw: remove frozen cheesecakes from the muffin tin and place in an airtight container in the fridge. (You may need to use a butter knife to lightly pry them out). They should take 4-5 hours to thaw. (Remove the wrappers carefully!)
Alternatively, you can place them on the counter at room temperature for about an hour to thaw.
---
To make this recipe healthier: use melted coconut oil instead of butter.
To make this recipe sweeter: add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Topping Ideas: if you choose to add more toppings to your cheesecakes, they would be delicious topped with whipped cream (or coconut whip), an extra dash of cinnamon, a drizzle of almond butter or cashew butter, shredded coconut, crushed pineapple, raisins, and/or extra crushed graham crackers.