Creamy No-Bake Mini Egg Cheesecake
This no-bake Mini Egg cheesecake is the easiest way to turn a bag of those colourful eggs into a show-stopping dessert. The filling is pure cheesecake magic, smooth and tangy with crunchy chocolate in every bite.
A buttery biscuit base supports a vanilla-speckled cream cheese layer studded with chopped Mini Eggs. More eggs on top make it look properly festive, and the best part is the oven stays off the whole time.
What Makes This Cheesecake So Good
The hands-on work is about 20 minutes and the fridge does the rest. That makes it a genuinely low-stress Easter dessert when you want something homemade without baking.
The creamy filling gets its tang from full-fat cream cheese and a spoonful of sour cream, balanced by sweet vanilla. The Mini Eggs bring a crisp sugar shell and a snap of milk chocolate that wakes up the mellow cheesecake bite.
It also looks like the first day of spring on a plate. Even a small slice feels like a proper treat.
Ingredients
- 200 g digestive biscuits: graham crackers or hobnobs also work well
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted: plus a little extra for greasing
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar: demerara adds a bit of crunch if you like
- 500 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature: block cream cheese, not the spreadable tubs
- 100 g icing sugar: sifted to avoid lumps
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice: brightens the filling, not essential
- 200 ml double cream: heavy cream works the same
- 180 g Mini Eggs, roughly chopped: a few left whole for the top
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap the biscuits: use shortbread for a richer base or ginger nuts for a spiced edge.
- Different chocolate eggs: any candy-coated milk chocolate eggs, like M&M’s Speckled Eggs or Smarties Mini Eggs, will give the same crunch.
- Make it dairy-free: use a vegan block cream cheese, whipped coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate eggs. Chill a little longer to help it set.
- Add some zest: a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest in the filling pairs nicely with the chocolate.
- Go nutty: swap a third of the biscuits for toasted chopped hazelnuts in the base.
If you want a baked Easter dessert, take a look at my Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding.
How to Make No-Bake Mini Egg Cheesecake
Step 1: Press the Base
Grease a 20 cm springform tin and line the base with baking paper. Crush the 200 g digestive biscuits into fine crumbs, either in a food processor or by popping them in a bag and rolling with a pin. Stir the crumbs with the 100 g melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar until everything looks damp and sandy. Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon. You want an even, compact layer so the cheesecake slices cleanly.
The base should look like wet sand and feel solid when you press it. Pop the tin in the fridge for 30 minutes to set while you make the filling.
Step 2: Fold the Filling
Pour the 200 ml double cream into a clean bowl and whip it to soft peaks. You want it thick enough to hold its shape but still soft, about 2 minutes with an electric whisk. In a separate large bowl, beat the 500 g cream cheese with the 100 g icing sugar until smooth. Add the 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tbsp lemon juice and beat again briefly to combine.
Now take the whipped cream and fold it gently into the cream cheese mixture. Once it is mostly combined, tip in roughly three-quarters of the 180 g chopped Mini Eggs and fold once more until the eggs are scattered evenly. Be gentle so you keep the air in the cream.
Step 3: Assemble and Chill
Spoon the filling onto the chilled biscuit base and spread it out with a spatula until the top is level. Work fairly quickly, then give the tin a gentle shake to settle the surface. Smooth any little peaks and press the remaining chopped Mini Eggs lightly into the filling here and there if you like extra crunch.
Cover the tin loosely with cling film and chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can. The cheesecake will firm up as it cools and slices best when it is properly cold.
Step 4: Decorate and Slice
Run a thin knife around the inside of the tin to release the cheesecake, then unclip the ring and lift it off. Arrange the whole Mini Eggs you saved across the top. Cutting a few in half shows their bright centres and makes the whole thing look even more inviting.
Slice with a warm, dry knife, wiping between cuts, and serve straight from the fridge. The cheesecake should be cold and creamy, with little jewels of colour in every slice.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- Use block cream cheese at room temperature. Cold cream cheese can leave tiny lumps and tub cream cheese is too soft to hold its shape.
- Chop the Mini Eggs with a large knife on a board rather than a food processor. You want chunks, not powder, and a few irregular sizes look better scattered through the white filling.
- If your double cream whips faster than expected, stop as soon as it holds soft peaks. Stiff peaks will make the filling harder to fold without knocking the air out.
- To cut neat slices, dip your knife into hot water and dry it between each cut. The heat melts through the chocolate egg bits cleanly.
Scale the cheesecake to your tin size:
| Tin diameter | Biscuits | Butter | Cream cheese | Double cream | Mini Eggs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 cm (6 inch) | 150 g | 75 g | 375 g | 150 ml | 140 g |
| 20 cm (8 inch) | 200 g | 100 g | 500 g | 200 ml | 180 g |
| 23 cm (9 inch) | 250 g | 125 g | 600 g | 250 ml | 220 g |
Keeping It Fresh
- Refrigerate: cover the cheesecake and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. It holds its shape well but the biscuit base will soften slightly after the first day.
- Freeze: wrap individual slices or the whole cheesecake tightly and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use spreadable cream cheese from a tub?
No, it will not set firmly. You need the block cream cheese that comes in a foil packet.
My cheesecake didn’t set, what went wrong?
Usually the cream was under-whipped or the cream cheese was too soft. Make sure your double cream holds soft peaks and your cream cheese is full-fat and not overwarmed.
Do I have to use lemon juice?
Not if you prefer a purely sweet cheesecake. The teaspoon of lemon brightens the flavour without tasting lemony.
Can I make this a couple of days ahead?
Yes, it is even better the next day. Make it up to 2 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge.
Are there other chocolate eggs that work?
Any milk chocolate eggs with a crisp candy shell will do, like M&M’s Speckled Eggs or supermarket own-brand sugar-shell eggs.
Mini Egg Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Grease and line a 20 cm springform tin. Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs, stir in the melted butter and granulated sugar, then press firmly into the base. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Whip the double cream to soft peaks. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until smooth. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture, then fold in three-quarters of the chopped Mini Eggs.
- Spoon the filling onto the base, level the top and scatter the remaining chopped Mini Eggs lightly over the surface. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Run a knife around the inside of the tin, remove the ring and decorate the top with the reserved whole Mini Eggs. Slice with a warm dry knife.
