Easy and delicious mini Easter cheesecakes with a vegan cream cheese and white chocolate filling, crunchy biscuit base, and a crispy chocolate nest on top.
If you want to make a fun and delicious dessert for Easter, but you’re not much of a baker, then these individual Easter nest cheesecakes are perfect for you! They require minimal effort to prepare, and your fridge and freezer will be doing most of the work while you sit back and relax. These cheesecakes are one of my favourite hassle-free dessert recipes. The combination of the creamy filling, crunchy biscuit base and crisp and chocolatey nest is simply irresistible!
Why You'll Love these Mini Easter Cheesecakes
Here are a few reasons why they’re the perfect Easter treat:
They’re fun to make, so they’re perfect excuse to get the whole family in the kitchen.
They’re no-bake and can be made days in advance.
They’re incredibly quick and easy to make.
The combination of the crunchy biscuit, creamy filling and crispy topping is absolutely divine!
What Easter chocolates to use?
After lots of searching, the only mini vegan Easter egg I could find were the ‘DOISY & DAM VEGAN CHOCOLATE GOOD EGGS’. I needed chocolate eggs that were small enough to fit inside the chocolate nests, and these were ideal. If you’re based in the UK, you can find these vegan chocolate eggs at Holland & Barrett and also at some of the larger supermarkets. If you’re unable to find vegan chocolate eggs, then you can use vegan jellybeans to decorate the nests.
What biscuits to use?
You can also use whatever biscuit you want for the base! I used vegan digestives because they were what I had at home, but any vegan biscuit will do. For a gluten-free version, simply switch the base to a gluten-free alternative and use rice crispies or cornflakes instead of shredded wheat when making the nests.
Cheesecake filling?
The filling is made up of plan-based cream cheese, coconut cream, white chocolate, sugar and vanilla. I used the Philadelphia Plant Based cream cheese, but any vegan cream cheese will do. The cheesecake filling is quite versatile so you can play around with the flavours you add to it. I used white chocolate, but if you’re not a fan of white chocolate you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate instead.
Ingredients for Easter Nest Cheesecakes
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these Easter Nest Cheesecakes:
For the biscuit base:
Biscuits: I used plain, vegan digestives, but you can use any vegan biscuit of your choice.
Vegan butter: I used the Flora vegan butter block, but any plant-based butter will do.
For the filling:
Vegan white chocolate: you’ll need a 100g of good quality vegan white chocolate.
Coconut cream: I'd recommend using a thick coconut cream, but if you're using coconut milk instead, make sure to put the can of coconut milk in the fringe at least one hour before using it; the solids will separate from the liquid, so drain away the liquid and use only the thick coconut milk for making the filling.
Cream cheese: I used the Philadelphia Plant Based plain cream cheese, but any vegan cream cheese will do.
Icing Sugar: The sugar will give the filling a subtle sweetness. I wouldn't recommend using brown sugars as they'll change the colour of the cheesecake filling.
Vanilla extract: the vanilla extract adds a lovely flavour, but it is optional.
For the chocolate nests:
Shredded wheat: you’ll need 2 ½ pieces of large 4 Shredded Wheat (70g)
Milk chocolate: you’ll need a 100g of good quality vegan milk or dark chocolate.
Maple syrup: the maple syrup will sweeten and nests and will help the shredded wheat to bind together. Alternatively, you can use agave syrup or golden syrup.
Butter: I used the Flora unsalted vegan butter block, but any plant-based butter will do.
For decoration:
I x 75g pack vegan mini Easter eggs ( I used Doisy & Dam Vegan Dark Chocolate Good Eggs).
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: For the Biscuit Layer
Place the vegan butter into a small saucepan and allow it to melt on a low heat. Crush the biscuits using a rolling pin or blitz them in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Add the digestive biscuit crumbs to the melted butter and mix until well combined, then divide it equally between the 6 silicone muffin tray holes (if you’re using a hard muffin tray, make sure to use cupcake liners so the cheesecakes come out easier). Push the crumbs down to make a firm base then set aside.
STEP 2: For the Filling
In a small saucepan, melt the vegan white chocolate and 2 tbsp of the coconut cream over a low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate to a large bowl and combine it with the remaining coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is completely smooth. Evenly pour this mixture over each biscuit base, and place in the freezer for around 2 hours to set.
STEP 3: For the chocolate nests
Place the vegan butter and milk chocolate into a small saucepan and allow it to melt on a low heat. Crush the shredded wheat into a bowl, then pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture over it. Add the maple syrup and mix until well combined, then divide it equally between the 6 silicone muffin tray holes (if you’re using a hard muffin tray, make sure to use cupcake liners so the chocolate nests come out easier). Push the chocolate covered shredded wheat down using the back of a spoon to create little nest shapes. Place in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
STEP 4: Assembling the cheesecakes
Check the freezer to see if the cheesecakes have set (the filling needs to be quite hard so that you can take the cheesecake out from the mould). Once the cheesecakes have hardened in the freezer, remove them from the mould and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, by which point, the cheesecake filling should have softened. Place a chocolate nest on top of each cheesecake and decorate by putting mini Easter eggs inside the nests.
How to Store Easter Nest Cheesecakes
Store the cheesecakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The biscuit base will lose its crunchy texture the longer these cheesecakes are left in the fridge, so I’d say they’re best served on the day they’re made or the following day.
Top Tips
Make sure to blend the filling until it is completely smooth. The key to achieving the perfect consistency for the filling is to make sure to whisk the filling enough so that the sugar has dissolved.
I'd recommend you use a silicone muffin tray as they make it much easier to take the cheesecakes out. If you’re using a hard muffin tray, make sure to use cupcake liners so the cheesecakes come out easier.
Make sure the cheesecake filling has hardened in the freezer before trying to take them out of the muffin tray.
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