No Bake Mango Cheesecake Cups

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

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These delicious No Bake Mango Cheesecake Cups are like mango icecream meet cheesecake! They are creamy, light and let the mango flavor shine. They also look incredible without much effort, making them a great dessert for hosting and large gatherings.

Close up image from the side of a no bake mango cheesecake cup. It has a layer of crust, mango cheesecake filling and mango pulp, and is deocorated with whipped cream and chopped mangoes. More cups seen in background
Overhead picture of a no bake mango cheesecake dessert cup, decorated with a swirl of whipped cream and chopped mangoes

Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.

COMPONENTS OF NO BAKE MANGO CHEESECAKE

These No Bake Mango Cheesecake Cups have 4 main components:

  1. The crust. This is made with Nilla wafers and melted butter. You can also used Graham crackers, and skip the butter altogether for more of a crumb than a crust
  2. The mango cheesecake filling. This is a soft set filling made with cream cheese, a small amount of sugar, vanilla, mango pulp, whipped cream and gelatin. You can make your own mango pulp if you have access to good fresh mangos by blending and straining them (no added water). Otherwise, you can use canned Kesar mango pulp which tastes great!
  3. Mango pulp. More mango pulp is layered on top of the cheesecake cups after they have set to add a stronger mango flavor and a decorative element
  4. Decoration. I like to decorate with some plain whipped cream and fresh chopped mangoes, but you can decorate however you like!
4 no bake mango cheesecake cups. Each cup has a layer of crust, mango cheesecake filling and mango pulp, and is deocrated with whipped cream and chopped mangoes. Mangoes seen in background

I know I am going to get this question, so getting ahead of it! Unfortunately, the exact dessert cups I have were purchased from Target 2 years ago and are no longer available. However, I found very similar ones on Amazon here!

NOTE ABOUT THE TEXTURE OF THIS CHEESECAKE

As someone who has made many cheesecakes, both baked and no-bake, I have to admit: no bake mango cheesecakes are very tough. They stubbornly refuse to set, mainly because the mango pulp adds viscosity and makes the cheesecake filling too runny. I have also read that mango has an enzyme which makes gelatin less effective. Recipes online try to fix this issue in a few different ways:

  • They add very little mango pulp to try to maintain the thickness of the filling. But this means the mango flavor is not too pronounced
  • They add melted white chocolate to help set the cheesecake, but that adds a strong flavor and sweetness that I am not a fan of
  • They add a lot of gelatin, which is totally fine, but does make the texture a bit more jelly like instead of creamy

As you can see, none of these solutions is ideal. So what’s my solution? Instead of making a full sized cheesecake, I have turned it into cheesecake cups instead, which allow us to get away with the cheesecake not fully setting. The texture of this cheesecake is not fully firm. It is a hybrid between creamy and set, which I actually really like!

Because of this, you cannot use this recipe to make a full sized cheesecake! It will not hold shape.

spoon pulling out a bite from a no bake mango cheesecake dessert cup, more seen in the background
spoon held above a no bake mango cheesecake dessert cup with a generous bite

HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THIS RECIPE

This is an easy, versatile and customizable recipe, but I do want to share a few important notes and tips with you:

  • You can change the crust into a crumb. A crust is fully set, while a crumb is more crumbly. This crust is somewhere in between, which is my preference for cheesecake cups. However, you can also skip the butter altogether, and add layers of crushed Nilla wafers in the dessert cups for a crumb, which also tastes amazing!
  • You can omit the gelatin, but I don’t recommend it. Without the gelatin, the cheesecake will not set even partially, and be very creamy instead. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but just know what you’re going for
  • Feel free to add more fresh mango! I add fresh cubed mango on top as decoration, but you can also add it as a layer in the cheesecake, or mix it into the cheesecake filling directly
  • You can adjust the quantities of the filling, but know that the texture will be affected. For a stronger mango flavor, add more pulp, but know it will make the filling more runny. For a firmer texture, add more gelatin and / or reduce the mango pulp. You can also omit the heavy cream and just do cream cheese and mango pulp as the 2 main ingredients
  • You can customize the size of the dessert cups to your liking. Make the dessert cups as big or small as you like, and go for the ratio of crust to filling that you like. For more crust and less filling, go for shallow cups so the cheesecake layer is not too deep, or use deeper cups but add multiple layers of crushed wafers as crumb!
  • You can easily scale up or down this recipe! This recipe makes 6-8 fairly big dessert cups (10oz each). You can double all quantities to make 12 big or 24 small cups, and so on

PROCESS WITH PHOTOS

The detailed recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let’s quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize the process.

First, crush the Nilla wafers into a fine crumb, and mix with melted butter:

melted butter added on top of crushed nilla wafers in a glass bowl
butter and crumbs mixed together to make crust

Divide evenly between the dessert cups, and gently press down (not too tightly):

crumb added to 4 dessert cups to make the crust
4 dessert cups with a cheesecake crust packed tightly on the bottom

Bloom gelatin by sprinkling it over cold water and refrigerating. In the meanwhile, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy:

cream cheese and sugar in a glass bowl
cream cheese and sugar whisked until creamy in a glass bowl

Whisk in the mango pulp:

mango pulp added on top of whisked cream cheese in a glass bowl
mango pulp whisked into cream cheese in a glass bowl

Heat the gelatin to dissolve it, then slowly mix into the cheesecake filling:

gelatin dissolved in water added to mango cheesecake filling in a glass bowl
gelatin dissolved in water mixed in mango cheesecake filling in a glass bowl

In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks. Add it to the cheesecake filling, and gently fold until combined:

whipped cream added to cheesecake filling in a glass bowl
light and fluffy mango cheesecake filling

Divide the filling between the cups and spread it out evenly. Then let them set overnight:

mango cheesecake filling added to 4 dessert cups
mango cheesecake filling added to 4 dessert cups and spread out evenly

To decorate, spoon over some pulp, and pipe on plain whipped cream:

mango pulp added on top of mango dessert cups
whipped cream piped in swirls on top of mango cheesecake cups

Garnish with freshly chopped mango, and enjoy!!

4 no bake mango cheesecake dessert cups seen from above, decorated with a swirl of whipped cream and chopped mangoes
overhead picture of a spoon pulling out a bite from a no bake mango cheesecake dessert cup

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I skip the gelatin?

You can, but the cheesecake filling will be very creamy. Please read the sections above about the texture of this cheesecake and customizing this recipe.

Can I make my own mango pulp?

Yes! If you have tasty fresh mangoes, you can blend their flesh and pass it through a sieve to make your own pulp. Otherwise, use canned pulp like me.

Can I add more fresh mango?

Yes, you can add chopped mango inside the cheesecake filling too. Read my notes on customizing this recipe above.

Can I prepare these no bake mango cheesecake cups in advance?

Yes. You can prepare the crust and filling, assemble the cups, and leave them in the fridge for 1-2 days, making sure to cover the cups with cling wrap. Leave the mango pulp and decoration for whenever you are ready to serve.

How to store no bake mango cheesecake cups?

You can store these cups in the fridge for 2-3 days. Don’t leave any exposed mango on top of the cups if storing in the fridge, as it can get dried out.

Here are a few more no bake recipes you might enjoy!

Close up image from an angle of a no bake mango cheesecake cup. It has a layer of crust, mango cheesecake filling and mango pulp, and is deocorated with whipped cream and chopped mangoes. More cups seen in background
Print
4 no bake mango cheesecake cups. Each cup has a layer of crust, mango cheesecake filling and mango pulp, and is deocrated with whipped cream and chopped mangoes. Mangoes seen in background

NO BAKE MANGO CHEESECAKE CUPS RECIPE

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.70 stars from 10 reviews

Mango Ice Cream meets cheesecake in these creamy, delicious and very easy to make No Bake Mango Cheesecake Cups!

Yield:6-8 dessert cups

Prep Time:
30 mins
Chilling Time:
6 hrs
Total Time:
6 hrs, 30 mins

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 150g Nilla wafers (about 40 wafers)
  • 40g unsalted butter, melted (3 tbsp) *see notes

Mango cheesecake filling:

  • 2 tbsp cold water + 2 tsp gelatin powder *see notes
  • 2 blocks room temperature cream cheese (16 oz or 450g)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2–4 tbsp sugar (to taste, depending on sweetness of mangoes)
  • 3/4 cup mango pulp, strained (170g) *see notes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled (120g)

Decoration:

  • 3/4 cup mango pulp (170g)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
  • 1–2 mangoes, chopped into small cubes

Instructions

Crust:

  1. Blitz the Nilla wafers in your food processor until they form a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and gently mix
  2. Divide the crumbs evenly between the dessert cups. Lightly press them down using the bottom of a thinner glass. You don’t want the crust to be packed too tightly, as that can make it hard to break it with a spoon when eating out of a dessert cup
  3. Place the cups in the fridge while you work on the filling

Mango cheesecake filling:

  1. Add 2 tbsp cold water to a small bowl or a glass, and sprinkle over 2 tsp of gelatin powder. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes while you work on the filling
  2. Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is creamy, making sure to scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through
  3. Strain in the mango pulp and whisk again until just combined. Do not overmix
  4. Remove the gelatin from the fridge and stir. It should be clumpy / firm. Microwave it for ~10-15 seconds until it warms up and the gelatin dissolves in the water
  5. Add the dissolved gelatin to the cheesecake filling and whisk on low speed until just combined
  6. In a separate bowl, add the chilled heavy cream. Whisk on high speed until the cream reaches stiff peaks
  7. Add the whipped cream to the cheesecake filling, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in until just combined. At this point, you should have a light and fluffy cheesecake batter
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the cups with the crust inside, and tap them so the filling spreads out evenly
  9. Place in the fridge overnight to set (at least 6 hours recommended)

Decoration:

  1. When you are ready to serve, add 1-2 tbsp of mango pulp on top of each cheesecake cup, and tilt the cups to spread it out
  2. Whip cold heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag with any piping tip you like, and pipe onto the cheesecake cups
  3. Cut a mango into small cubes and place them on top of the cups
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Butter: You can omit the butter in the crust and turn it into a crumb instead. If using a crumb, I recommend doubling the amount of Nilla wafers, and adding 2 layers of the crushed biscuits and 2 layers of the cheesecake filling in each dessert cup. This will make more of a mango cheesecake parfait, which is also very delicious!
  • Gelatin: 2 tsp of gelatin bloomed in 2 tbsp water result in a soft set texture instead of a firm set texture in these cheesecake cups. You can skip the gelatin but the result will be a creamy filling. If you want a fully set filling, try doubling the amount of gelatin and water (although I don’t recommend this)
  • If you have good fresh mangoes, you can make your own mango pulp by blending the flesh and straining. Otherwise, canned Kesar mango pulp works great
  • Read the blog post above for notes on the texture of this cheesecake, customizing the recipe, and frequently asked questions

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Comments

  1. Sheeba

    Delicious recipe!! everyone loved it

    1. Zoha

      Really really happy to hear that!

  2. Amena

    Assalam alai kum! New to your blog and already excited about trying out a bunch of recipes. Definitely considering this one for Eid. Instead of gelatin, would using Agar Agar powder give the same results?
    Thank you!

    1. Anvitha

      did you try this? if you did, can you tell me if it worked out?

    2. Zoha

      Hi Amena! Welcome. I have never used agar agar personally so unfortunately I cannot say for sure

  3. Khadeeja

    This looks wonderful! I needed a dessert to make for Eid. Any suggested variations to make this into a tray version vs cups? I was just going to double the recipe and hope it works out.

    1. Hiba Imtiyaz

      Hello!! Can i use cooking cream instead of heavy cream? Is it the same?

    2. Zoha

      so sorry I did not see this in time! You can just do that, but know that the cheesecake does not set fully firm, so you won’t be able to slice it up

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