Previously I posted the easy no bake cheesecake recipe I whipped up in a blender and found my family loved so much it was gone with a request for a replay within a day. This recipe is so fast that I acquiesced, and yesterday they got a cherry cheesecake version. I also decided to do cheesecake bites and mini tarts instead of one large version.
Yesterday I made a low-sugar version by using a sugar substitute and low-sugar cherry pie filling. There was a bit of sugar in the graham crumbs but for each cheesecake bite's tiny bit of crust it amounts to less than 1 gram per cheesecake. If we were currently doing low carb or we had to avoid sugar for any dietary reason, I would have simply used a sugar free cookie to make the crumb crust and would have made my own filling using a sugar substitute.
Quick, Easy No Bake Cheesecake (made in a blender)
1 c dry powdered milk
3/4 c sugar or sugar substitute to equal (use less if you like a less sweet dessert)
1/3 c boiling water
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 c lemon juice
1 1/2 t vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese
1 ready made crust, crust lined springform pan or parchment lined pan if you choose no crust*
Toppings: fruit, pie filling, chopped candy bars, nuts, sprinkles, caramel, chocolate chips, etc.
In a blender, place the dry milk, sugar, boiling water and butter. Blend on pulse to mix and then on high for a few seconds until smooth. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and cream cheese. Blend again just until smooth. Pour over your prepared crust or pan of your choice. Refrigerate until set. Top with toppings of your choice. Chill again until ready to serve.
*In this version I mixed 2 cups graham crumbs with 2 T sugar substitute and 1/2 c melted butter. Stir, and place about 1 1/2 teaspoons into a mini cupcake liner in a mini cupcake pan. I used about 3 tablespoons of crust for the mini tarts. Press. Fill with cheesecake filling. Chill. Top with your favorite topping. (And if you have a mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms you don't need the cupcake liners and can make beautiful stand alone cheesecake bites! I don't have one yet.... yet.)
