cheesecakes in jars

 

I pinned this a couple weeks ago and have already made them twice…

It’s cheesecake in jars!  I strayed from the recipe by making extra graham crumbs and used more sugar and some powdered sugar.  I thought using real whipped cream would be a good idea, but I a) haven’t gotten around to trying it, and b) wonder if it would hold up as well over a few days if you don’t eat them all right away.  I had lelftovers both times and ate them slowly over a week, but whipped cream might get watery and make the whole thing soggy?

 

So here’s my recipe, revised from the one on the Thistlewood Farm blog…

 

Cherry Cheesecake in a Jar

Ingredients:

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 cup sugar (less to taste)

1 can cherry pie filling (or any canned fruit pie filling)

1 tub of Cool Whip

8-10 small jars with lids (mine I saved from Bonne Maman jelly)

Instructions:

Mix crumbs and butter. I like mine nice and moist, but feel free to leave out some butter if you prefer.  Press a generous spoonful or two into the bottom of each jar.  Save some crumbs for topping.

Use a mixer to beat cream cheese, sugar and powdered sugar until smooth.  I added powdered sugar to this recipe because I don’t like my cheesecake to taste like straight cream cheese.  If you don’t mind the strong cream cheese flavor, you can leave out some sugar.  Taste as you go!  Add a layer of cream cheese mixture to each jar.

Add a layer of canned cherry pie filling to each jar.  I used blueberry pie filling the second time around, which was well liked, though I prefer the cherry.  I would say the most important part of this otherwise easy recipe is choosing a yummy pie filling that you really enjoy.  If you have a friend who makes homemade canned cherry pie filling like a boss, but she moved away and left you destitute, you are on your own and at the mercy of the grocery store, just like poor me. 

Now, add a layer of cool whip, and top with some crumbs, a cherry and a lid and you’re ready for a great grab-and-go party dessert!

Now I’m stuck in an ethical debate – to eat the last one left in the fridge, or let all the kids share it… I guess I have to be selfless, since I told them they could have it already.  I better post this and stop staring at it, or else my self control may fail me! 

Godbless!