This delicious no-bake mini egg cheesecake is the perfect Easter dessert. It is so easy to make and such a crowd pleaser. Imagine a buttery biscuit base topped with sweet vanilla cheesecake hiding plenty of mini eggs. All topped off with whipped cream, more mini eggs and dark chocolate curls. So good.
I adore cheesecakes. They are the ultimate special occasion dessert. Baked or unbaked, fruity or chocolatey - they are all delicious. I also love combining classic flavours to create show-stopping hybrid cheesecakes. Think rich brownie tiramisu cheesecake, sweet crème brûlée cheesecake and zesty lemon meringue cheesecake. However, sometimes you want to keep it super simple, but still make something that looks (and tastes) impressive. That is where this mini egg cheesecake comes in…
This mini egg cheesecake really couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is blitz some digestive biscuits until you have fine crumbs, mix in melted butter and pat into a tin. That goes into the fridge while you whip up a super simple vanilla cheesecake filling made of cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract and double cream. Then you just swirl through some crushed mini eggs and spread on top of the buttery biscuit base. Finally, cover and pop back in the fridge until set. That’s all there is to it. I would go as far as saying it is pretty much a foolproof cheesecake recipe. Even if you don’t consider yourself a baker, you’ll be able to make this.
Like all no-bake cheesecakes, this mini egg cheesecake does need a good few hours in the fridge to set. However, this makes it the perfect make ahead dessert and avoids any last minute stresses. You can serve it as is, but I like to whip up some extra cream to spread on top. I then grate over curls of rich dark chocolate (you can drizzle with melted chocolate if you prefer) and sprinkle with more mini eggs for a final flourish. Delicious.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe:
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here’s how to make this perfect Mini Egg Cheesecake:
- STEP 1: Make the Biscuit Base
- STEP 2: Make the Cheesecake Filling
- STEP 3: Assemble the Mini Egg Cheesecake
- Cooking Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other recipes you might like
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Mini Egg Cheesecake
Why you'll love this recipe:
- It looks impressive but is actually a super simple no-bake Easter dessert.
- It can be made ahead. Perfect for easy entertaining.
- It is ideal for beginners.
- It is full of flavour and texture. Think buttery biscuit base, creamy, sweet cheesecake and crunchy, chocolatey mini eggs. All topped off with rich dark chocolate curls.
- It is a guaranteed crowd pleaser and sure to become a family favourite.
Ingredients
See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements
Digestive biscuits - these are ideal for making a crunchy butter biscuit base.
Butter - opt for unsalted so you can control the salt level in this mini egg cheesecake.
Cream cheese - a key ingredient in this mini egg cheesecake. Always opt for a full-fat version and drain off any excess liquid before using. Low-fat varieties won’t set properly. I like to use Philadelphia.
Icing sugar - this adds sweetness to the cheesecake layer. Make sure you sift it first to avoid any lumps.
Vanilla extract - this adds a subtly sweet vanilla flavour to the cheesecake.
Double cream - also known as ‘heavy’ cream. You want it to be cold from the fridge as this will help it whip up properly. Don’t be tempted to swap for single cream as it won’t whip up or set properly.
Mini eggs - delicious mini milk chocolate eggs covered in a delicate sweet shell. They are an iconic Easter treat.
Dark chocolate - opt for the best quality you can find, ideally 70%, for the most delicious results.
Substitutions and Variations:
Biscuits: digestive biscuits are a classic all-rounder for a buttery biscuit base. However, you can swap for all sorts of biscuits to switch up the flavour. Sometimes I use chocolate digestives for extra chocolate flavour (especially at Easter). Ginger nuts are wonderfully warming (which I use in this white chocolate and passionfruit cheesecake). Meanwhile, Lotus biscoff biscuits are ideal for a hint of caramelised biscuit flavour. Hobnobs are great too, they give extra ‘oatiness’. Bear in mind you may need to adjust the quantity of butter to get the correct consistency (some biscuits are drier than others). You can just add go slowly and add melted butter slowly until you get the 'wet sand' consistency.
Mascarpone: you can swap some of the cream cheese for mascarpone if you like. It has a slightly sweeter, richer flavour than cream cheese. By all means, swap the full amount, but bear in mind the cheesecake will taste very indulgent.
Vanilla: you can use vanilla bean paste or scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod. Just avoid vanilla essence as this is artificial and will give this mini egg cheesecake a synthetic taste.
Vanilla icing sugar: you can swap the regular icing sugar for vanilla icing sugar if you can find it. It will give this mini egg cheesecake an even stronger vanilla flavour which is so delicious.
Mini eggs: obviously this is a mini egg cheesecake which is great for Easter celebrations. However, you can make it all year round with different chocolates. Maltesers and Galaxy Minstrels work really well. So do M&M's and Smarties. You can even use chopped up chocolate for a chocolate chip cheesecake. If you want to stick with the Easter theme, Lindor milk chocolate mini eggs are delicious.
Dark chocolate: you can swap for milk or white chocolate if you prefer. Or drizzle with melted chocolate in a zigzag pattern. It should set pretty quickly as the cheesecake will be cold.
Here’s how to make this perfect Mini Egg Cheesecake:
This is a simple step-by-step guide to help you make this easy cheesecake. As usual, the full recipe is below in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
STEP 1: Make the Biscuit Base
ONE: Tip the digestive biscuits into a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and whizz again until you have the desired crumbly consistency. It should resemble damp sand.
TWO: Tip into a 20cm (8-inch) deep springform tin and use a glass (or the back of a spoon) to pat into a smooth and compact layer on the base. Cover and chill in the fridge whilst you make the filling.
STEP 2: Make the Cheesecake Filling
ONE: Put the cream cheese into a large bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract
TWO: Whisk using an electric whisk until smooth. You can also do this using a stand mixer.
THREE: Cover the mini eggs with a tea towel, folding them into a little parcel. Use a rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan to bash the mini eggs.
FOUR: They should be nicely crushed up nicely into chunks once you unfold the tea towel.
SIX: Pour in the double cream and continue to whisk until you have a lovely and thick cheesecake mix.
SEVEN: Fold through the chopped mini eggs until evenly distributed throughout the cheesecake mix. You can be as generous as you like!
STEP 3: Assemble the Mini Egg Cheesecake
ONE: Spoon onto the chilled biscuit base and use the back of a spoon, spatula or palette knife to spread in a smooth, even layer.
TWO: Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) or until set.
Cooking Tips
Full-fat ingredients: I have said it in the ingredients and I will say it again. This mini egg cheesecake is not the time to use low-fat ingredients! It will completely alter the taste and texture.
Chill out: don’t rush the chilling time, it is key to allow the mini egg cheesecake enough time to set up. Overnight is ideal and will give you beautifully clean slices.
Whipped cream: whip your cream straight from the fridge for best results. However, take care to whip the cream just to medium peaks for the decoration - if you over whip, it will split and go all spongy. If you keep whipping past that, you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Piping: if you prefer, you can pipe the whipped cream on top of the mini egg cheesecake. I would recommend using a star or rosette nozzle.
Dark chocolate curls: to make cheat’s dark chocolate curls, take a vegetable peeler and grate down the side of a chocolate bar. This will give you big curls of dark chocolate. You can also grate using a microplane grater for smaller, tighter curls.
How to make a buttery biscuit base without a food processor
If you don’t have a food processor (or don’t want the washing up), you can still make this delicious mini egg cheesecake. Simply, place the biscuits into a sandwich bag and bash with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs. Next, tip into a large mixing bowl and mix in the melted butter until you have the desired crumbly consistency.
How to remove a no-bake cheesecake from the tin
I know this step makes people a bit anxious. Please don’t worry - as long as you use a springform tin and follow the steps below, all will be well. First, get all your equipment ready. You will need a flat plate or cake stand to put the mini egg cheesecake onto, as well as a butter knife, a mug, and cake lifter (or a few large palette knives).
Gently unclip the tin slightly and run the butter knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it. Do this slowly and carefully. If you find the knife dragging through the cheesecake mix, pause and wipe it clean with kitchen roll.
Next, place the cheesecake on top of the mug. Completely unclip the tin and let the sides (the ring) drop down onto the work surface. You should then have the cheesecake on top of the mug and the sides of the tin on the work surface. Remove the mini egg cheesecake, with the base still attached, from the top of the mug an move onto your work surface. Carefully and confidently run your palette knife underneath the biscuit base to loosen it from the springform tin base.
Make sure the cheesecake is near your plate. Then, using a cake lifter, two large fish slices or two large palette knives, lift the cheesecake from the base of the tin and place gently onto the plate (or cake stand). If you prefer, you can slide it from the base to the plate but keep it flat so it doesn’t break in the middle. If you are really nervous about this and only serving to yourself or family, just keep the cheesecake on the cake tin base! It will still look nice and neat, and you will only know once it's cut into. Finally, use a small palette knife or butter knife to tidy up the sides so they are nice and smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
It could be that you didn’t whip the cream cheese and double cream properly. It needs to be very thick - which is why I recommend using an electric whisk if you have one. However, be mindful not to overwhip or you will have a dense mini egg cheesecake. It could also be you haven’t given it enough time to set. Try to let it chill overnight if you can.
Absolutely. In fact, this mini egg cheesecake is better if it is left to chill overnight. You will get much cleaner slices that way. That is why it is one of my favourite Easter desserts. I can prep ahead the day before and then just decorate before serving. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Absolutely! Although this is a mini egg cheesecake, which is great for Easter celebrations, you can make it all year round with different chocolates. Maltesers and Galaxy Minstrels work really well. So do M&M's and Smarties. You can even use chopped up chocolate for a chocolate chip cheesecake. If you want to stick with the Easter theme, Lindor milk chocolate mini eggs are delicious. Sometimes I make it after Christmas and use chopped up Celebrations.
Although you can buy them in little jars in the cake decorating aisle (like these ones from Waitrose), they are super simple and more affordable to make yourself. For cheat’s dark chocolate curls, take a vegetable peeler and grate down the side of a chocolate bar. This will give you big curls of chocolate. You can also grate using a microplane grater for smaller, tighter curls. Although I use dark chocolate in this recipe, it will work with any flavour.
Yes, wrap well in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months (without the whipped cream decoration). Defrost in the fridge before decorating.
It will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, when it comes to the ‘cheese’ part, the important bit is the fat content. Hence why you need to use full-fat cream cheese. Mascarpone has a higher fat content than cream cheese so will give a richer cheesecake with an even creamier texture. It also has a sweeter, less tangy, flavour. I would recommend trying half cream cheese, half mascarpone first. By all means use all mascarpone, but bear in mind it will taste very indulgent.
Other recipes you might like
If you like the sound of this mini egg cheesecake, why not try my individual no-bake biscoff cheesecakes? Also don’t miss my lemon meringue cheesecake or white chocolate and passion fruit cheesecake.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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PrintMini Egg Cheesecake
This delicious no-bake mini egg cheesecake is the perfect Easter dessert. Imagine a buttery biscuit base topped with sweet vanilla cheesecake hiding plenty of mini eggs. All topped off with whipped cream, more mini eggs and dark chocolate curls. So good.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Setting Time: 4 hours, ideally overnight
- Total Time: 20 minutes + 4 hours setting
- Yield: Serves 10-12 1x
- Category: Pudding
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: English
Ingredients
For the biscuit base:
- 300 g digestives
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 600 g full-fat soft cream cheese
- 100 g icing sugar
- About 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 ml double cream
- 300 g mini eggs, crushed
Decoration
- 100g double cream, whipped to soft peaks (optional, but recommended)
- 100-200 g mini eggs
- Good-quality dark chocolate, grated into curls
Instructions
- For the biscuit base: tip the digestive biscuits into a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and whizz again until you have the desired crumbly consistency. It should resemble damp sand.
- Tip into a 20cm (8-inch) deep springform tin and use a glass (or the back of a spoon) to pat into a smooth and compact layer on the base. Cover and chill in the fridge whilst you make the filling.
- For the cheesecake filling: put the cream cheese into a large bowl and sift in the icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and whisk using an electric whisk until smooth. You can also do this using a stand mixer.
- Pour in the double cream and continue to whisk until you have a lovely and thick cheesecake mix. Alternatively, you can whisk the cream to medium peaks separately, then gently fold through (I find the same bowl method saves on the washing up!). Taste and add a little more vanilla extract, if desired.
- Fold through the chopped mini eggs until evenly distributed throughout the cheesecake mix. You can be as generous as you like!
- Spoon onto the chilled biscuit base and use the back of a spoon, spatula or palette knife to spread in a smooth, even layer. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) or until set.
- Once the cheesecake has set, remove from the tin and set onto a flat plate. Gently spoon and swirl the whipped cream on top and scatter with the remaining mini eggs. Sprinkle with dark chocolate curls, if desired. Cut into slices and serve!
Notes
Mini eggs: obviously this is a mini egg cheesecake which is great for Easter celebrations. However, you can make it all year round with different chocolates. Maltesers and Galaxy Minstrels work really well. So do M&M's and Smarties. You can even use chopped up chocolate for a chocolate chip cheesecake. If you want to stick with the Easter theme, LINDOR milk chocolate mini eggs are delicious.
Whipped cream: take care to whip the cream just to medium peaks for the decoration - if you over whip, it will split and you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Make ahead: this mini egg cheesecake is the perfect make ahead dessert. It actually benefits from having an overnight set as the slices will cut more cleanly. Then just decorate before serving. Once made, it will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
To store: Once made, it will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
To freeze: you can pop this undecorated mini egg cheesecake in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure it is well wrapped in cling film. Defrost in the fridge.
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