Cherry Cheesecake Jars – Best Cheesecake in a Jar Recipe for Valentine’s Day and More!

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With a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy, no-bake cheesecake filling, and tart cherry pie filling in the shape of a heart, these Cherry Cheesecake Jars are a delicious dessert or Valentine’s Day gift!

If you’re looking for a unique homemade Valentine’s Day treat that doesn’t require turning on the oven, this one checks all the boxes. These individual cherry cheesecakes in a jar are topped with a cute cherry heart that feels special without being complicated. They’re the kind of dessert that gets an audible “aww” before anyone even takes a bite.

Sweet treats always make for a great gift idea — and even more so when they are homemade. With this made-from-scratch no-bake recipe for cherry cheesecake jars, you can put together a homemade dessert that feels thoughtful and intentional without adding stress to your day. No oven, no water bath, no fuss.

Why These Cherry Cheesecake Jars Are Perfect for Valentine’s Day

While this dessert works for just about any occasion, it really shines on Valentine’s Day. Each jar is its own little gift, which makes them perfect for sharing with friends, family, neighbors, or even as a sweet surprise for someone special.

The cherry heart on top adds just the right festive touch, and because everything is layered in a jar, these cheesecakes travel well and store beautifully. They’re great for gifting, parties, or even a cozy night in.

And even better? They’re easier than they look.

What Makes This Dessert a Favorite

• No baking required
• Individual portions already done for you
• Easy to make ahead of time
• Cute enough for gifting, simple enough for everyday
• Customizable for other holidays and flavors

If you’ve never made cheesecake in a jar before, this is a great place to start.

Easy dessert-in-a-jar recipes are SO much fun! Try these other recipes: Easy Raspberry Shortcake in a Jar and No-Bake Lemon Meringue Pie.

Too busy to make this tasty treat right away? Pin it for later! Pin this easy dessert recipe to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be waiting there when you’re ready.

Helpful Tips Before You Start (New Value Add)

• Room-temperature cream cheese matters. It blends more smoothly and prevents lumps.
• Fold the whipped topping gently. This keeps the filling light and fluffy.
• Leave space at the top. You’ll need room for the cherry heart and the lid.
• Chill before serving. The texture improves after at least an hour in the fridge.

These small steps make a big difference in how polished the final jars look.

HOW TO MAKE CHERRY CHEESECAKE IN A JAR 

This no-bake cherry cheesecake jars recipe comes together in under 30 minutes of hands-on time. The hardest part is waiting for them to chill.

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links for products or services I think you’ll like. This means if you make a purchase from one of these links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. By the way, I only recommend products that I use and love.

KITCHEN TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

• half-pint mini mason jars
• toothpick
• small heart cookie cutter
• piping bag
• rubber spatula

CHERRY CHEESECAKE JARS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you’ll need to make this no-bake cherry cheesecake-in-a-jar recipe:

• cream cheese
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• whipped topping
• graham cracker crumbs – you can use premade crumbs for easier prep work, or add some graham crackers to a bag and gently crush them using the bottom of a jar or a rolling pin.
• cherry pie filling

CHERRY CHEESECAKE IN A JAR INSTRUCTIONS

Making these fun individual desserts couldn’t be easier or quicker. In less than 30 minutes you can have them ready to chill. The longest part of the entire recipe is waiting for the cherry cheesecake jars to chill!

STEP ONE: COMBINE CREAM CHEESE, VANILLA, AND SUGAR

• Using either a spoon, an electric mixer, or a stand mixer, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until the mixture has a smooth and creamy texture.

STEP TWO: ADD WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

• Next, use the spatula to fold in the whipped topping and mix well, again until the cheesecake mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pro Tip – to avoid the whipped topping from separating, it is best to fold it in instead of using a mixer.

• Once mixed together, spoon the cream cheese mixture into the piping bag.

STEP THREE: ASSEMBLE THE CHEESECAKE JARS

• Next place a small amount of graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of each half-pint jar. I used a cup of graham cracker crumbs which meant each jar got ¼ cup apiece.

• Now add the cheesecake layer by piping the filling into each jar, but DO NOT fill the jars all the way to the top. Instead, be sure to leave about one inch of space at the top of each jar for the cute cherry heart and the lid.

STEP FOUR: ADD THE CHERRY HEART

• To create the cherry pie-filling heart, lightly place the heart-shaped cookie cutter in the center of the jar. Do not push it down into the cheescake mixture, just set it gently on top of it.

• Then pipe some more of the cream cheese mixture around the outside of the cookie cutter almost to the top of the jar – leaving just a tad bit of room for the lid so it doesn’t smush anything.

• Next, fill the inside of the cookie cutter with the cherry pie filling taking care not to let the filling go over the top of the cookie cutter.

• Once the heart is full, slowly and carefully lift the cookie cutter up to remove it. It’s okay if you need to wiggle it slightly to help loosen it from the cheesecake filling.

• If the edges of the heart are a bit rough, use the toothpick to carefully smooth them out.
• Repeat with the remaining jars until all of the no-bake cheesecake jars are finished.

STEP FIVE: CHILL

Lastly, place the lids on the jars and put the Cherry Cheesecake Jars in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before serving.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Gifting Tips

One of the best things about these cheesecake jars is how well they store. Cheesecake Jars can last up to 5 days depending on how you store them.

• Refrigerator: Up to 5 days when sealed and chilled
• Freezer: Up to 3 months when tightly covered

If you’re gifting them, add a ribbon, a handwritten tag, or a printable label for a finished look. They’re especially cute when wrapped individually and kept chilled until delivery.

Easy Variations You Can Try

These cherry cheesecake jars are delicious as written, but they’re also incredibly flexible.

• Swap graham crackers for Oreos, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps
• Use strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or peach pie filling
• Skip the heart and spoon fruit on top for everyday desserts
• Add a hint of citrus zest or fruit extract to the filling

This base recipe works year-round with simple seasonal swaps.

SUBSTITUTIONS, ADDITIONS, AND VARIATIONS

Easy to make, mouth-wateringly delicious, self-contained, and already at the ideal serving size, cheesecakes in a jar come pretty close to being a perfect dessert.

And while these cherry cheesecakes are delicious as-is, there are lots of ways you can change these individual desserts up for other tastes, holidays, occasions, or just because.

Substitutions

Instead of graham crackers, try using other types of cookies to make amazing treats like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake in a Jar. Gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, butter cookies, and even Oreos, are all tasty options.

Additions

Try adding a little bit of flavoring to the cheesecake mix to make different flavors. Add some fruit extract such as orange, strawberry, or raspberry. Or add a few drops of fresh lemon juice or lime juice.

You could also add dollop of whipped cream on top and then garnish with fresh fruit or even a mint leaf or rosemary.

Variations

Here are a few ways you can change up these mason jar cheesecakes.

• If making a heart on top of each jar is too much work, or you want to use this Cherry Cheesecake Jars recipe for a different occassion, no worries! Omit the use of the cookie cutter and spoon the cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake layer until the jar is full.
• Use homemade pie filling with fresh fruit instead of canned cherry filling.
• Swap out the cherries for different fruit such as strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or even peach. YUM!

MORE DESSERTS IN A JAR

Looking for even more desserts in a jar? Here are some of my favorites:

• Peppermint Cocoa Cupcakes in a Jar
• Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes in a Jar
• Mint Chocolate Triffles

MORE DESSERTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

Here are some more sweet desserts for Valentine’s Day that I know you will love!

• Homemade Rainbow Hearts Candy
• Valentine’s Day Fudge Recipe No-Bake
• Heart-Shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies (with free printable card)

VALENTINE’S DAY CHERRY CHEESECAKES JAR RECIPE