Celebrate your upcoming patriotic holiday by making these patriotic, red, white, and blue, no-bake cheesecakes topped with raspberry gelée and fresh berries! This beautiful dessert is so tasty and is sure not to disappoint your party guests!
If you are a regular reader here, I'm sure you've noticed the large arsenal of kitchen gadgets and supplies I use to create my themed cuisine. I hate to admit it, but you've only seen a fraction of my collection.
Today I decided to share a recipe that you can easily make using a single large springform pan, but I just love serving beautiful individual-sized desserts, so I chose to make these no-bake cheesecakes using my set of 3" round cake rings.
You can find round, square, triangular, oval, and hexagonal-shaped metal cake rings in a large variety of sizes. Someday I hope to add more to my collection.
Cake rings can go into the oven, but this recipe requires no baking, so I lined each ring with a clear acetate cake band which makes removing the desserts super easy.
You can see in the picture above how pretty each dessert looks on the plate. I think it is a much nicer presentation than a slice of cake, don't you?
With the Fourth of July coming up, I couldn't resist coloring these sweet little cakes red, white, and blue. Of course, I don't know of any blue cookies out there, so I had to get creative and color some myself.
It was simple; I just ground up vanilla wafer cookies and added some blue food coloring. Instead of just adding white granulated sugar to make the crust, I grabbed some blue sanding sugar which helped to really intensify the color. These desserts don't have to be red, white, and blue.
You could leave the crust plain or turn it green and serve it at Christmas or for an Italian-themed event. Don't want red on top, swap out another fruit in place of the raspberries. Each cake is a rainbow of possibilities.
This fancy-looking dessert is simpler than you might think; it's a no-bake cheesecake topped with raspberry gelée (homemade gelatin using frozen raspberries.)
Let's make some red, white, and blue cheesecakes.
Ingredients:
crust-
30 vanilla wafer cookies
3 tablespoons blue sanding sugar or white granulated sugar
blue food coloring
3 tablespoons melted butter
no-bake cheesecake filling-
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream (or use 2 cups Cool Whip)
raspberry gelée-
1 tablespoon clear gelatin powder
⅓ cup water
2 ½ cups frozen raspberries (12 oz. bag)
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
optional garnish-
whipped cream
fresh raspberries
Supplies:
8 - 3" x 2" metal cake rings or an 8" springform pan
if using metal cake rings, you'll need:
clear acetate cake bands or cut strips of acetate to fit rings
baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper
food processor or large zip-top bag and rolling pin or pan
mixing bowls
electric mixer and/or a whisk
saucepan
fine mesh sieve
optional: disposable pastry bag (16" will work best, but 12" will work too)
tart shaper/tamper
Instructions:
Prep your cake rings...
- If using metal cake rings, cut your cake bands or clear acetate sheets to fit inside making sure you have about an inch overlapping. Line the metal rings with acetate.
- Set rings on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
- Otherwise, turn the bottom of your springform pan upside down and clamp it in (this makes for easier cutting of the cake.)
Make blue cookie crust.
- Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.
- Add blue sanding sugar or granulated sugar and some drops of blue food coloring.
- Pulse to combine.
- Add more blue coloring, if desired.
- Add the butter and pulse to combine.
If you don't have a food processor, you can...
- put cookies in a large zip-top bag and use a rolling pin or the bottom of a pan to smash your cookies.
- add sugar and color and shake the bag. Stir in butter.
Press the crust into the cake rings.
- Divide crumbs evenly and press into the bottom of your cake rings or springform pan.
- I used a handy little tart shaper/tamper to make nice even crusts. Refrigerate crusts until needed.
No-bake Cheesecake Filling
- Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and beat to combine. In another mixing bowl beat or whisk heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks.
- Combine the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
- Pour on top of blue crusts, evenly dividing among cake rings.
- I found it easiest to fill a pastry bag with the filling and pipe it on top of the crusts.
- Spread filling out in an even layer, smoothing out the surface.
- Clean any filling that has stuck to the sides of your cake rings.
- Refrigerate until your gelée is ready.
Raspberry Gelée Recipe
- Sprinkle gelatin over ⅓ cup water and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Place frozen raspberries and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- Press down on the raspberries allowing the juice to drain into the bowl. Discard seeds.
- Add the bloomed gelatin to the bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Stir in lemon juice. Allow it to cool until it is slightly thickened but still pourable.
- To speed up this process, fill the sink or large bowl with ice water.
- Set the bowl of raspberry gelatin into water, not allowing any water to get into the bowl of gelatin. Stir frequently until thickened.
- Pour raspberry gelée on top of your cheesecakes.
- Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
- To serve, lift the metal ring off each of the cakes and peel away the acetate strip.
Serve cakes as is or top with fresh whipped cream and a raspberry. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.
Printable Recipe
This recipe was originally published on June 18, 2012.
Blue cookie crust topped with white no-bake cheesecake filling and a layer of red raspberry gelee make an elegant dessert for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or even Presidents Day celebrations.
- 30 vanilla wafer cookies
- 3 tablespoons blue sanding sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or use 2 cups Cool Whip)
- 1 tablespoon clear gelatin powder
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 ½ cups frozen raspberries (approximately one 12 oz. bag)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- whipped cream
- fresh raspberries
-
Line rings with acetate.
-
Set rings on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Otherwise, turn the bottom of your springform pan upside down and clamp it in (this makes for easier cutting of the cake.)
-
Pulse vanilla wafers in food processor until you have fine crumbs.
-
Add blue sanding sugar (OR granulated sugar and some drops of blue food coloring).
-
Pulse to combine.
-
Add more blue coloring, if desired.
-
Add the butter and pulse to combine.
-
Divide crumbs evenly and press into the bottom of your cake rings or springform pan.
-
Refrigerate crusts until needed.
-
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
-
Add vanilla and beat to combine.
-
In another mixing bowl beat or whisk heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks.
-
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. If using frozen whipped topping, like Cool Whip, you can beat it in using an electric mixer.
-
Pour on top of blue crusts, evenly dividing among cake rings.
-
Spread filling out in an even layer, smoothing out the surface.
-
Clean any filling that has stuck to the sides of your cake rings.
-
Refrigerate until your gelée is ready.
-
Sprinkle gelatin over ⅓ cup water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
-
Place frozen raspberries and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
-
Remove from heat and pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
-
Press down on the raspberries allowing the juice to drain into the bowl.
-
Discard seeds.
-
Add the bloomed gelatin to the bowl, stirring to dissolve.
-
Stir in lemon juice.
-
Allow it to cool until it is slightly thickened but still pourable.
-
Pour raspberry gelée on top of your cheesecakes.
-
Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
To serve, lift the metal ring off each of the cakes and peel away the acetate strip.
Serve cakes as is or top with fresh whipped cream and a raspberry.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.
If you love cheesecake, be sure to check out my Classic Cheesecake Recipe. I share tips for making the creamiest cheesecake ever!
More 4th of July Recipes
If you're looking for other 4th of July Recipes, click the link and explore all my other Independence Day-inspired food.
If you are looking for something savory to make for the 4th of July, give this Red, White, and Blue Hot Chicken Dip recipe. It's my family's favorite appetizer!
You can really wow your family and friends this 4th of July by serving Rice Krispie Treat stars in a Red, White, and Blue Rice Krispie Treat Bowl.
Or you can surprise them with this 4th of July cake. When you cut into the cake you'll reveal swirls of red, white, and blue. This tie-dye cake is fun to make and tastes great.
Did you make this recipe or do you have any questions about it? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. If you love the recipe, please give it a 5-star rating.
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Fathima says
thank you i greatly appreciate your advice, will it be nice and high with one quantity if i exclude the raspberry glee? and is this mixture firm once set? i have made mini cheescakes before but was never successful 🙁
beth says
Yes, the gelee is firm. It has the texture of jell-o so it holds it's shape nicely on the dessert. It wont run or make a mess. Enjoy and have a great 4th of July.
Fathima says
Hi Beth, this recipe sounds divine and looks stunning I need to make this tomorrow for visitors could you kindly advise how much will i need to make for a 12 mini cheesecake pan?
size dimensions 2 inches x 17 inches x 11 inches thanks so much
beth says
If the diameter of each cavity is only 2 inches, then one recipe should be enough to make 12.
Fathima says
hi, this recipes sounds awesome and it looks stunning, please advise if i need to make 12 mini cheesecake will one quantity be enough or do i need to double it? thank you
beth says
Hi Fathima,
I made my cheesecakes in 3 inch round rings. If you are making mini cheesecakes that are about 2 inches round, you should have enough by making one recipe. If your pans are 3 inches or more in diameter, then you'll need to double the recipe.
Diana says
Hi there - wondered if this could possibly work for a larger cake portion: like in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan?? Looks so yummy and not at all too scary to attempt, and then there's that I dont have the mini cake pans.
beth says
This can absolutely be done in a bigger pan. I'd suggest using a spring form pan so you can easily remove the dessert and everyone can see just how pretty it is. If you use an 8 inch round pan, it will be nice but kind of thin. You could easily double the amount of cheesecake filling to make it a thicker dessert. Let me know how it turns out.
Diana says
I sure will let you know: with pics and everything - I'm kinda eager to get started already. Cant wait to try it.Thanks for answering.
Paula Jones says
Thanks for joining us at Saturday Dishes, Pinned to Saturday Dishes board ~ Paula
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks for pinning!
Anonymous says
please email me this
Alina Bergsma says
The 4th of July isn't a special day in the Netherlands, but we have Queensday to celecrate the birthday of our queen. This year our queen abdicated and now her son is king. So next year no Queensday but Kingsday 🙂 I'll save your recipe/tutorial so I can make this next year for Kingsday and/or the 5th of May (celebrating the end of WO II) The colours of the Dutch flag are red, white end blue so it would be perfect!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I love this recipe and am happy that you can find a fun use for it in the Netherlands. Our exchange student talked recently of visiting her relatives in the Netherlands during Queensday. She was amazed at all the people celebrating on the streets. I guess next time she is there, she'll be witnessing a Kingday celebration instead. I hope you enjoy making and eating the cakes.
Jessica Pastor says
I am making these tonight for our family Memorial Day party!!! So excited! I am going to try and use strawberries and make one larger cheesecake in my springform pan. I was curious, do you have to strain out all of the strawberry chunks or does it not wind up chunky? I'm guessing I'll see why you strain it when I'm at that step, but just curious!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I'm so happy to hear you are making this dessert. I loved it! I did strain out the raspberry seeds, as I just don't like eating seed and I prefer the gelee to be smooth. I suppose you could leave the chunks in, but I'm not sure it would set quite as well. Let me know how it turns out for you.
long island catering halls says
I tired it out and it was amazing, thank you very much for sharing this recipe.
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. It is one of my favorites!
Lynn says
Great idea, Beth! They are beautiful and I'll bet they would be a hit at any party. :>)
Michelle Paige says
You are so talented and patient!! I'm sharing some of your treats tomorrow on my blog. Thanks so much for linking up to my Red, White, Blue & You Link Party! I always love everything you make!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks Michelle=)
Ginger says
Featuring YOU today!
Ginger @ gingersnapcrafts.com
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/06/take-look-at-you-red-white-blue-edition.html
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks for including this recipe in your July 4th roundup=)
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Just beautiful Beth! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Printabelle says
Hi! I wanted to let you know that you were featured on my Best 4th of July ideas post at:http://printabelle.com/?p=5299
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thank you for the feature=)
Taryn @ Design, Dining + Diapers says
Love these! They almost look too pretty to eat!