Ah these Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups. Strawberries are in full seasonal swing right now and they are so gorgeous, sweet, and decadent. I love a cheesecake but I do not always love making one and spending time in the kitchen with the oven on when the weather is warm. This is where these little mini dessert cups come in super handy. They are easy to make, require little time in the kitchen, and can be enjoyed pretty quickly.
As a crumbling base, I am using my Crunchy Ginger Cookies for this recipe. Those provide a perfect balance to the flavors of strawberries, vanilla, and cream cheese. They also add a bit of zing to the dessert, which lightens it up nicely. You will see what I mean when you are tugging into these beauties. I served them at the end of a dinner the other day and they were almost the star of the show (ok, the other food was also pretty incredible but they could have been the star of the show).
I did find that it is best to assemble the dessert shortly prior to serving, else the crunch layer becomes too soggy. This decadent-looking (but not complicated making), gorgeous dessert will hopefully become as much a staple in your household as much as in ours. This will definitely become one of our go-to’s all summer. Oh – and P.S. I am also working on a lemon version.
Why are these Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups good for you?
Strawberries
Strawberries are super high in vitamin C and manganese. Whereas vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant in the body, strawberries are also rich in a variety of other antioxidants. They have an abundant amount of so-called polyphenols, which contain a variety of sub-categories, and different types of antioxidants. A lot of these types of antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory benefits. More recent research in relation to the antioxidants in strawberries also shows a strong connection to the ability to lower the risk of heart disease.
There is also some evidence that strawberries may improve blood sugar regulation. It was noted that especially after the consumption of a meal, insulin regulation and blood sugar levels were better regulated. As a side note, there is evidence that strawberries can take on a lot of pesticide residue, which is also the reason, why strawberries are number 1 on the Dirty Dozen. Where possible (and if accessible) strawberries should be bought organic.
Ginger
I absolutely adore ginger! It is such a great, healing spice. It can add warmth to your body, which can promote healthy sweating, which is especially helpful during cold and flu season. In herbal medicine, ginger was and is used mainly to calm the gastrointestinal tract. It is great at eliminating internal gases, as well as relaxing the digestive tract. Ginger is an antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory superpower. Most of the anti-inflammatory benefits stem from substances called “gingerol”. These substances may be responsible for a reduction in joint and knee pain in people who either display osteoporosis or arthritis symptoms. Participants in a study did not only report less pain but also noticed a significant reduction in swelling of their knee(s). Gingerol has also been studied in connection with ovarian cancer cells. In a lab setting, ginger caused programmed cell death in different lines of ovarian cancer.
How can I adjust these Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups to my dietary requirements?
These Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, nut-free, and vegetarian. You could make these little gems vegan by using plant-based creme cheese. Due to the grain content in the Crunchy Ginger Cookies, this recipe is unfortunately not for the paleo lifestyle.
And there you have it for this week. I hope you enjoy this summery dessert as much as we do! Please let me know how you like it, got on with it, and give it a rating in the comments below! It means the world to me to read and hear your feedback, and I so appreciate you stopping by! If you are in need of more strawberry inspiration, why not try my Strawberry Banana Muffins, or my Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Smoothie.
Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups
6
servings20
minutes5
minutesThese Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups are everything you want in a cheesecake without the needed work in the kitchen ;). Enjoy!
Ingredients
- For the crunch layer
3 – 4 Crunchy Ginger Cookies
- For the cream cheese layer
3 packs (ca. 600 gr.) cream cheese
6 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 tsp locust bean gum powder
- For the strawberry layer
500 gr. (ca. 4 cups) strawberries
1/4 cup (60 ml.) maple syrup
1 tsp locust bean gum powder
How to
- For the crunch layer
- Crumb the Crunchy Ginger Cookies finely, so that they create the base and middle layer. You could also use another gluten-free ginger cookie, but I found that these work incredibly well in this recipe
- For the cream cheese layer
- Add the cream cheese, along with the maple syrup, vanilla powder, and locust bean gum powder to a bowl and mix. Set aside in the fridge in order to firm up
- For the strawberry layer
- Wash and de-stem the strawberries. Keep a few aside in order to decorate the glasses. Add to a small blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a pot and add the maple syrup, as well as the locust bean gum powder.
- Heat the pot to medium heat whilst whisking for about 5 minutes. The strawberry layer should become thicker in texture and firm up a bit
- To assemble the Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Dessert Cups
- To assemble, simply layer the crunch layer, the cream cheese layer, and the strawberry layer twice in small mini dessert cups and decorate with the remaining strawberries. These dessert cups can be eaten straight away or refrigerate for up to a day. I do find them fresh (with most crunch the cookies) best though. ENJOY!
