I have been on a major dessert kick lately.
Usually this time of year, I am allll about the savory recipes like soups and stews and tailgating food with a touch of baking here and there. This year, it’s the opposite.
I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t been able to get enough of developing and creating sweet recipes these days. We’ve already discussed this insane peanut butter skillet cookie and these epic apple pie scones. My brain is just on that wavelength right now. So much fall goodness.
Spoiler alert: I still have so many sweet treats in the pipeline right now. Buckle up, guys. It’s going to be a sweet season.
I am SUCH a salty-over-sweet gal. I would much prefer to eat my weight in things like popcorn, pretzels, and cheesy goodness. Sweets are great – don’t get me wrong – but I don’t crave them like I do salty foods. So, this recent theme is a real departure for me!
Anywho. Let’s get onto today’s sweet treat. It is INCREDIBLE.
I am not a huge cheesecake person. I know. Very polarizing. I enjoy it but would never ever in a million years pick cheesecake over other desserts. And I’ve only made it a handful of times.
Sticking with the departure from my norm, I have to say, I really, really, really love these mini no-bake cheesecakes.
They feature a Biscoff cookie crust, a fig and orange cheesecake base, and get topped off with caramelized fresh figs.
Oh. Em. Gee.
As far as cheesecake goes, these are my jam. They are easy and no-bake (no fussing with water baths in the oven or worrying about cracking cheesecakes), are delightfully rich and light at the same time (lighter than traditional cheesecake), and feature some of the best seasonal flavor (spiced cookies, fresh orange, and FRESH FIGS!).
They are so, so good.
I think one of the main reasons I like these so much is because they are so much lighter and fluffier than traditional cheesecake. They still have the classic cheesecake flavor, but the texture is not as dense or intense. Love it!
The crust starts with one of my favorite things ever: Biscoff cookies. Now, you can definitely use graham crackers here, or even a store-bought ginger snap would be delish. But if you can use Biscoff cookies, I HIGHLY recommend it. They have such rich, buttery flavor and the most amazing spiced cookie taste. I am obsessed with them.
The cookies get blitzed in a food processor until fine crumbs form and then they get tossed with a little melted butter. That’s it! That’s all there is to the crust.
Spoon the cookie crumbs into the bottoms of small glasses or jars.
Then comes the filling. Again, it’s pretty easy – MUCH easier than traditional cheesecake. We whip some cream. We mix together cream cheese, sugar, fresh orange juice and zest, vanilla, and fig jam. Whisk it all up until smooth and then fold in the whipped cream to get a fluffy, cloud-like cheesecake base.
I dare you not to eat it with a spoon, straight from the bowl.
Spoon the filling over the cookie crust and then pop the glasses into the fridge so things can firm up.
While the cheesecakes are chilling, we make the caramelized fig topping. You guys. This stuff is…magic. I think fresh figs are one of nature’s most special treats, and they are only available for such a short period of time each year. This is the perfect use!
The caramel is simple. It starts with butter and brown sugar, a little orange juice, some more fig jam, and the actual fresh figs. They simmer in the caramel until tender and just sort of poached.
Once everything is well chilled, spoon the figs and their caramel over top of the cheesecakes. Are you swooning yet?
I recommend serving right away for that gooey, caramely effect, but you can also top these and pop them back in the fridge for later. The caramel will harden up slightly, but the flavor is still incredible.
These are a great make-ahead dessert, or great for having in the fridge when you need a little sweet bite here and there. They are the PERFECT fall dessert!
Apparently, I might be a cheesecake person after all.
Who am I?!
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No-Bake Cheesecake Cups with Caramelized Figs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These No-Bake Cheesecake Cups with Caramelized Figs are a taste of fall! They feature a Biscoff cookie crust, a fluffy and light orange-fig filling, and are topped off with the most insane caramelized fresh figs. They are super easy to make (MUCH easier than traditional cheesecake) and are a super fun way to use up this season’s fresh figs!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1/2 cup Biscoff cookie crumbs (or ginger snaps or graham crackers)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened (1 1/2 blocks)
- 1 tablespoon fig jam
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Caramelized Fig Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fig jam
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 6–8 fresh figs, quartered
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Spoon the crust into the bottom of 4 small jars or glasses, packing it down so it’s firm.
- Set aside.
For the Filling:
- Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the cold cream until stiff peaks form, about 1 minutes.
- In another bowl, using a mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese, fig jam, orange zest and juice, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix until smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, stirring and folding gently so as not to deflate the air in the whipped cream. Mix until well combined and the filling is creamy and fluffy.
- Spoon or pipe the filling into the jars/glasses on top of the cookie crust.
- Smooth out the tops of the cheesecakes and then place them in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
For the Caramelized Fig Topping:
- While the cheesecakes are chilling, make the topping by combining the butter, fig jam, brown sugar, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir it frequently until it is caramely, thickened, and reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh figs, being gentle so as not to break them up too much, and allow them to simmer in the caramel for another couple minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
To Serve:
- Top each cheesecake with the cooled caramel fig topping.
- Serve immediately or return them to the fridge to serve at a later time.
Notes
- To make the cookie crumbs, pulse whole cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
- These are a great make-ahead dessert. If you want to make them from start to finish ahead of time, I recommend making the cheesecakes and chilling them, making the fig topping, topping the cheesecakes with the figs, and then storing them in the fridge until you are ready to serve. They will keep in the fridge for a few days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dessert
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
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