No-Bake Nutella Mini Cheesecakes

No-Bake Nutella Mini Cheesecakes are the ideal way to enjoy a delicious chocolate treat without heating up the stove. Each mini cheesecake has a crisp black cookie foundation and a chilled, mousse-like chocolate-hazelnut middle that looks fancy enough for a party platter but can be made in a regular muffin tin.

This dish yields twelve individual pieces and requires around 35 minutes of active preparation. The actual final touch comes from the refrigerator: chill the packed cups for at least 4 hours before topping with whipped cream, a thin chocolate-hazelnut drizzle, and chopped toasted hazelnuts. The extended cold is what causes the liners to pull away smoothly.

The nicest part about a muffin-tin dessert is that the amounts are already prepared. A firmly pressed cookie base gives every cheesecake a solid, chocolaty foundation, and paper liners make transporting them from refrigerator to dish a breeze. There is no springform pan to line or water bath to handle.

Softened block cream cheese offers tang and structure to the filling, while chocolate-hazelnut spread adds a unique cocoa taste. Whipped heavy cream lightens the mixture without adding any additional setting ingredients. The end result is a mini Nutella cheesecake recipe with a smooth, creamy texture rather than a solid fudge-like middle. These chocolate hazelnut mini cheesecakes are rich, yet the whipped filling makes each serving seem light.

No-Bake Nutella Mini Cheesecakes

Twelve individual no-bake cheesecakes with chocolate cookie crusts, a light chocolate-hazelnut filling, whipped cream, and toasted hazelnuts.

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Additional time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12 mini cheesecakes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 410

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cookie Crust

• 20 regular chocolate sandwich cookies finely crushed, filling included
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Nutella Filling

• 16 ounces full-fat block cream cheese softened
• 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread such as Nutella, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream

Topping

• 3/4 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread gently warmed until fluid, optional
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts finely chopped, optional

Equipment

• standard 12-cup muffin pan
• 12 paper liners
• food processor or rolling pin
• two mixing bowls
• electric mixer
• rubber spatula
• small scoop or piping bag

Method

 

1. Set 12 paper liners in a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Choose liners with a firm, fluted edge; they make the cold cheesecakes easy to lift and serve.
2. Stir the fine cookie crumbs and melted butter until every crumb looks damp. Divide the mixture among the liners, then press it into compact, level bases with a small glass or measuring spoon. Refrigerate the pan while you make the filling.
3. Beat the softened cream cheese alone until smooth, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add the chocolate-hazelnut spread, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat just until the color is even and the mixture is silky, with no pale cream-cheese streaks.
4. In a separate cold bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream to medium peaks. The beaters should leave defined trails and a lifted peak should curl gently at the tip. Stop before the cream looks dry or grainy.
5. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate-hazelnut base to lighten it. Fold in the remainder in two additions with a spatula, stopping as soon as no white streaks remain. Spoon or pipe the filling over the cold crusts and smooth the tops.
6. Cover the pan loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. For the topping, whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to soft-medium peaks. Add a small swirl, a thin drizzle of gently warmed spread, and chopped hazelnuts only once the cheesecakes are fully cold and firm.

Notes

• Refrigerate covered within two hours and enjoy within 4 days. Add the cream, drizzle, and hazelnuts close to serving time.
• Freeze the fully chilled, untopped cheesecakes in an airtight container for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before finishing.
• Do not reheat. Serve chilled.

• Chocolate sandwich cookies: Use the whole cookies, filling included, and crush them very fine. Even crumbs combine with butter into a compact base that holds together after chilling.
• Block cream cheese: Choose full-fat cream cheese sold in a brick or block and let it soften before mixing. Tub-style spreadable cream cheese has more moisture and can give the filling a looser set.
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread: A room-temperature spread blends into the cream cheese more easily than a cold, stiff jar. It gives these easy Nutella cheesecake bites their chocolate-hazelnut flavor, so use one you enjoy by the spoonful.
• Cold heavy cream: Use cream labeled for whipping and keep it cold until you are ready to beat it. The whipped cream makes the filling airy and helps the chilled portions feel light rather than heavy.
• Toasted hazelnuts: They are optional, but a small shower of finely chopped nuts adds a welcome roasted crunch. Leave them off for a smooth finish or when a nut garnish is not appropriate for your table.

A nice base makes all the difference. If the cream cheese is still cold, it will not integrate well with the spread, and it is much more difficult to remove lumps once the whipped cream has been folded in. Allow the block to sit at room temperature until it gives slightly when pressed, then beat it on its own without adding anything else.

For a party, make the cups ahead of time and save the topping until just before serving. Cold, plain cheesecakes carry and stack more neatly, and the cream swirl remains fresher when not refrigerated overnight. Peel away the liners cautiously only after the dessert has completely cold.

Save these No-Bake Nutella Mini Cheesecakes for your next birthday table, holiday tray, shower, or warm-weather dessert craving.