Easy Christmas Cheesecake (No-Bake)

This easy no-bake mincemeat cheesecake is great for Christmas parties and winter get-togethers. It has all the rich seasonal flavours but is kept light by the yogurt in the mix. An excellent alternative to Christmas pudding.

A Lighter Christmas Pud

I like to reserve the traditional Christmas pudding for Christmas Day. (If there are leftovers, I fry it in some leftover brandy butter and serve it with cream later in the week).

In this age of plenty, we all eat so well so much of the time. By the time Christmas comes, I have often already eaten two or three Christmas dinners, too often mass-catered and of dubious quality. I don’t want the traditional Christmas Day spread at every party, as it’s too stodgy and I want to keep something back for the big day.

This no-bake mincemeat cheesecake is an excellent alternative for any get-together in the run up and over the holidays, or even on the day itself. It has all the flavours of a mince pie but feels fresher and makes a lovely change.

I’ve lightened my no-bake Christmas cheesecake by adding a hefty dollop of Greek yogurt – The yogurt adds another layer of taste and texture as well as cutting through both the double cream and cream cheese.

This cheesecake needs to be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge. The filling will seem very runny at first and you may doubt that it will set. Just have faith! 

Why You Will Love This Christmas Mincemeat Cheesecake 

• This mincemeat cheesecake is lighter than a traditional Christmas pudding, and doesn’t have to be made weeks in advance.
• It is easy and quick to make, as well as being cheaper than a traditional Christmas pudding.
• It is sensibly sized for 6 or 8 smaller portions, making it  nutritionally responsible (less than 300 Cal per slice) and suitable for the average family, or dinner party, with less temptation to over indulge, than a larger cheesecake would bring.  

What is Mincemeat? 

Mincemeat, and mince pies, are the quintessential British Christmas treat, traceable to medieval times so much older than turkey. Originally a mince pie was exactly that – a spiced pie with fruit and minced meat. Over time, however, the spices and dried fruits increased and the meat decreased until we have the mixture we know now – dried fruits, nuts, spices and suet.

It’s easy to make yourself, with plenty of recipes online, but if you don’t have time then a jar of ready made is perfect.

How to Make No-Bake Mincemeat Cheesecake

Step one – Grease and line the bottom of a 6″/15 cm loose-bottomed cake tin. We have circles of silicone paper cut to size to fit our tins which we just wash and reuse it as necessary. Much easier!

Step two – Crush the biscuits. You can do this in a bowl, using the end of a rolling pin, or place the biscuits in a plastic bag and give them a good bash. You can also pulse them in a food processor, but to my mind this means a lot of washing up for a small and simple job.

Step three – Melt the butter. Mix it into the biscuit crumbs so that the crumbs are well coated, and then press firmly with the back of a spoon into the bottom of your tin to make a base. 

Step four –Gently fold the yogurt, cream cheese and mincemeat together.

Step five – Whip the cream to stiff peaks. If you over-whip it, you can save it by whipping in a little milk. This is also a great tip for making cream go further.

Step six – Fold the cream gently into the mincemeat mixture. 

Step seven – Pour the filling mix over the biscuit base in the tin and smooth the top. Then cover with cling film and chill overnight.

Step seven – Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin. The easiest way to do this is by running a knife round the edge, and standing the base of the cheesecake on a tin can to remove the baking tin. 

Hints, Tips & Variations

• This recipe makes a fairly modest mincemeat cheesecake, to serve 6–8 people. However, you can easily scale it up for a larger gathering.
• For the base you could use crushed ginger biscuits, graham crackers or shortbread, in place of the digestives.
• Try caramelizing some apple or pear slices in calvados to make a topping for your no-bake Christmas cheesecake.
• The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for several days.   
• Freeze leftovers in an airtight box. They will keep for up to 3 months. 

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4.86 from 27 votes

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No-Bake Mincemeat Cheesecake

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

12 hrs

Total Time

12 hrs 20 mins

 

This easy no-bake mincemeat cheesecake is great for Christmas parties and winter get-togethers. It has all the rich seasonal flavours but is kept light by the yogurt in the mix. An excellent alternative to Christmas pudding.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas

Keyword: Christmas Cheesecake, no bake cheesecake, No Bake Mincemeat Cheesecake

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 282 kcal

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Ingredients

• 110g chocolate digestive biscuits Graham crackers
• 50g butter
• 130g yogurt
• 160g cream cheese full-fat
• 130g mincemeat (sweet)
• 100ml double cream heavy cream

Instructions

1. Grease and line the base of a 6" (15 cm) loose bottomed tin.

2. Crush the biscuits to make fine crumbs.

3. Melt the butter. Mix the butter and biscuit crumbs together and press into the base of the prepared tin.
   

4. Mix the yogurt, cream cheese and mincemeat together in a bowl.
   

5. Whip the cream until it holds a peak, and fold into the yogurt mixture.
   

6. Pour the cream and yogurt mix over the biscuit base in the tin and smooth the top.
   

7. Cover with cling film and chill overnight before carefully removing from the tin to decorate and serve.

Recipe Notes

• This recipe makes a fairly modest cheesecake, to serve 6–8 people but can be easily scaled up for a larger gathering.
• For an 8" tin you need about 1.8 times the mix, and for a 9" tin about double the amount.
• For the base you could use crushed ginger biscuits, graham crackers or shortbread, in place of the digestives.
• Try caramelizing some apple or pear slices in calvados to make a topping for your no-bake Christmas cheesecake.
• The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for several days.   
• Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight box for up to 3 months. 

Nutritional Information

• This recipe is 16 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

Nutrition Facts

No-Bake Mincemeat Cheesecake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 282 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 253mg11%

Potassium 91mg3%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 625IU13%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in November 2016, but was rewritten and republished with new photos, step by step instructions and hints & tips in December 2019. 

For more alternative seasonal desserts, try these ideas:

Christmas pudding ice cream bombe

Christmas pudding & spiced orange pavlova

Spiced pears and plums in port

Mincemeat to use up? Try my Banana and Mincemeat Loaf or mincemeat madeleines.