When the weather starts warming up and rhubarb makes its highly anticipated appearance at the farmers’ market, it is officially time to switch gears to bright, refreshing, and fruity desserts. While pies and crumbles are beloved classics, sometimes you want an elegant dessert that requires absolutely no time slaving over a hot oven. Enter your new seasonal favorite: Rhubarb Cheesecake Creams.
These individual dessert cups are visually stunning and incredibly delicious. They feature three distinct layers: a crunchy, buttery graham cracker base, an impossibly light and fluffy no bake vanilla cheesecake filling, and a sweet and tart rhubarb compote that ties everything together. Served in glass jars or ramekins, they look like they came straight from a high end bakery!
If you are a fan of rich, creamy, no bake fruit treats like this Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad or the visually impressive Red, White & Blue Mixed Berry No Bake Dessert, you are going to fall head over heels for these creamy rhubarb cups.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
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Completely No Bake: You can make an incredible, show stopping dessert without ever turning on your oven. Perfect for hot spring and summer days!
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Make Ahead Perfection: Because they are served chilled in individual glasses, they are the ultimate make ahead dessert for dinner parties or holiday brunches.
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Texture and Flavor Balance: The tartness of the rhubarb is beautifully balanced by the sweet, airy cheesecake, while the graham crackers provide a much needed crunch.
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Portion Controlled: Individual cups mean no messy slicing or serving at your party. Just hand everyone a spoon!
The Essential Ingredients
To build these layered masterpeices, you will need to prepare three simple components.
For the Rhubarb Compote:
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Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb (3 cups): Chopped into ½ inch pieces. If you’ve been stashing rhubarb in your freezer for recipes like this Classic Rhubarb Crisp with Frozen Rhubarb, this is the perfect time to use it!
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Granulated Sugar (½ cup) & Water (¼ cup): To cook the rhubarb down into a sweet, jammy syrup.
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Lemon Juice (1 tsp) & Vanilla Extract (½ tsp): For a bright, aromatic finish.
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
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Graham Cracker Crumbs (1 cup): About 7 to 8 full sheets, crushed finely.
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Unsalted Butter (3 tbsp): Melted, to bind the crumbs together.
For the No Bake Cheesecake Cream:
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Cream Cheese (8 oz): Must be softened to room temperature for a lump free filling! If you love creative cheesecake desserts, you’ll also adore these Rhubarb Cheesecake Bombs.
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Powdered Sugar (½ cup): Sweetens the cream cheese without leaving a gritty texture.
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Vanilla Extract (1 tsp): Provides that classic cheesecake flavor.
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Heavy Whipping Cream (1 cup): Whipped to stiff peaks and folded into the cream cheese to make it airy and mousse like.
Hosting a warm-weather gathering? Start your meal with a refreshing Cucumber Strawberry Salad and a crowd-pleasing 4th of July Pasta Salad!
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Rhubarb Compote In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped rhubarb, granulated sugar, and water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the rhubarb breaks down into a thick, chunky sauce. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and transfer to a bowl. Place it in the fridge to cool completely.
2. Prepare the Crumb Base In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Divide the crumb mixture evenly among 4 to 6 small serving glasses or jars (depending on their size). Gently press the crumbs down into an even layer at the bottom of each glass.
3. Whip the Cream In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over whip it into butter! Set the whipped cream aside.
4. Make the Cheesecake Filling In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until completely smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula until fully combined into a light, fluffy mousse.
If you prefer your rhubarb treats warm and baked, try making a batch of soft, spiced Baked Rhubarb Fritters for breakfast tomorrow!
5. Assemble the Creams To keep the layers neat, transfer your cheesecake filling into a piping bag (or a large ziplock bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe a generous layer of cheesecake over the graham cracker base in each glass. Next, spoon a layer of the cooled rhubarb compote over the cheesecake. You can stop here, or repeat the layers (cheesecake, then more compote) depending on the height of your glasses!
6. Chill and Serve Place the assembled dessert cups in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving so the cheesecake layer can firm up.
Rhubarb Cheesecake Creams
Ingredients
- 3 cups rhubarb, chopped fresh or frozen
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract for compote
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract for cheesecake filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract, and cool completely.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Divide evenly into 6 serving glasses and press lightly to form a crust layer.
- In a mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until light and fluffy.
- Pipe or spoon a layer of cheesecake filling over the crust, then add a layer of cooled rhubarb compote. Repeat layers if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set. Serve chilled.
Notes
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storage: These Rhubarb Cheesecake Creams are perfect for making ahead! Store the fully assembled cups in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap to prevent them from absorbing any fridge odors. They will keep beautifully for up to 3 days.
Freezing: This dessert does not freeze well, as the cream cheese and whipped cream mixture can change texture and become grainy once thawed. However, if you have leftover rhubarb compote, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months!
(No reheating is necessary for this recipe, as it is strictly a chilled, no bake dessert!)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use frozen rhubarb instead of fresh? Yes, absolutely! You do not even need to thaw it first. Just add the frozen rhubarb directly to the saucepan with the sugar and water. It may take an extra 2-3 minutes to cook down into a compote.
How do I get perfectly clean layers in my glasses? The secret to clean layers is using a piping bag for the cheesecake filling! Trying to spoon the thick cream cheese mixture into a narrow glass usually results in smeared edges.
Can I use a different fruit? Definitely! If rhubarb is out of season, this recipe works beautifully with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. You can also experiment with other layered, fruity no bake desserts like this popular Summer Berry Jello Lasagna.
Is there a substitute for heavy whipping cream? If you are short on time or ingredients, you can fold in 2 cups of thawed store bought whipped topping (like Cool Whip) in place of the heavy whipping cream!