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Saint Patrick’s Day Multicolored Layered No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe Post Preview: Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day (or change the colors for any holiday or occasion) in style with these fancy layered cheesecakes that are sure to impress your family and friends. The greens of this cheesecake can also make it a wonderful recipe to celebrate the start of spring.
The last Saint Patrick’s Day-inspired recipe that I shared was for homemade shamrock pretzel pops. This Saint Patrick’s Day-inspired multicolored layered no-bake cheesecake definitely kicks the celebration up a notch or two.
Of course, you could also make this with the same green coloring and have it be a dessert for the first day of Spring or use blue and green for Earth Day. As a matter of fact, just picking different colors makes it perfect for lots of different occasions!
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Related Reading:
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bar Recipe
- Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip Recipe
- Shamrock Cinnamon Rolls for Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day Layered No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
While working with a layered dessert adds a level of difficulty, this is actually not a difficult recipe to make. However, if you’re still intimidated by the thought of it, I would recommend making this as a single larger no-bake cheesecake and creating it in a springform pan. That will definitely make this easier!
Kids in the Kitchen Notes for This Recipe
If you have kids that are very handy in the kitchen, they may be able to make this recipe with little or no assistance. I would, however, recommend that you consider making it as a single larger no-bake cheesecake in a springform pan.
Some steps that I especially recommend for kids of many ages for this recipe:
- Crushing graham crackers (in a baggie or with a blender or food processor)
- Pressing graham crackers into the molds
- Mixing cheesecake mixtures
- Gently helping to swirl the food coloring
- Smoothing cheesecake layers
- Adding sprinkles or other decorations
You may also find other ways to have your kids help, depending on their ages and abilities.
Layered No-Bake Cheesecake Ingredients and Tools Needed
Crust Ingredients
- 1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed
- 1/2 stick of butter – melted
- 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar
Cheesecake Ingredients
- 32 ounces of cream cheese, softened
- 1 Tablespoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 3 ounce package of cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 cup of Half and Half plus 2 tablespoons (used at slightly different times)
- Gel food coloring in two different shades of green (you can use blue and yellow in varying amounts to make different greens as well)
- Homemade buttercream frosting or a can of buttercream frosting, optional (to use as a topping, which you may omit if you prefer)
- Green sprinkles, optional for decorating
Tools Needed for Saint Patrick’s Day Layered No-Bake Cheesecake
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Parchment paper
- Bowls
- Spoons
- Whisk
- Spatulas
- Cookie sheet
- Frosting tip for piping
- Pastry bag to pipe frosting
- Pastry Rings, Mini Springform Pans, or material to make rings for individual layered no-bake cheesecakes: cake collar acetate roll, heavy duty aluminum foil, copper grilling mats (to cut into rings), or other heavy material
Instructions for Saint Patrick’s Day Layered No-Bake Cheesecake
1. If you don’t own pastry rings or mini springform pans, you will need to make your own homemade molds for the layered no-bake cheesecakes. You can use cake collar acetate roll, heavy duty aluminum foil, copper mat (to cut into rings), or other heavy material.
You will want to cut your material into rings (circles) that are approximately 3-inches high and approximately 3-inches in diameter (across).
For the rest of the recipe, I will just refer to these as pastry rings. Just know that this is going to refer to your pastry rings whether they are store-bought or homemade.
2. Place your pastry rings on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or on another surface that can fit into your freezer.
3. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together in a bowl until well combined.
4. Place an equal amount of the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of each pastry ring. Tap the crumbs down with the end of a spoon, until they’re even and compactly packed in the bottom of the pastry ring. Place all of this in the freezer to solidify.
5. Mix the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer or in a standard mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Be sure to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the bowl and then mix it again.
6. Add the vanilla and lemon juice to the mixture and combine.
7. In a separate bowl, add the 3 ounce package of instant cheesecake-flavored pudding and a cup of half and half. Mix with a whisk until the pudding is smooth and no longer grainy. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of half and half as needed in order to make the pudding smooth.
8. Once the pudding is smooth and thick, add it to the mixing bowl and blend until it is completely smooth with the cream cheese.
9. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, blending well after each addition.
10. Divide the batter for the layered no-bake cheesecake evenly between three small bowls.
11. In one bowl, add a drop of the darker of your two green food coloring gels and stir. In the next bowl, add a drop of the lighter of your two green food coloring gels and stir. You may need to add an additional drop or two of your food coloring gel to get your desired colors.
12. Add a drop of the darker green food coloring gel into the bowl with the lighter green mixture. With a knife, gently swirl the darker green through the lighter green. DO NOT STIR, just swirl. If you don’t want the same swirling effect as pictured, you can just opt to have two solid colored layers instead.
13. In the third bowl, don’t add any food coloring. The top layer of the layered no-bake cheesecake is white cheesecake.
14. Remove the pastry rings with graham cracker crumbs from the freezer. Add an equal amount of the darker green cheesecake on top of the graham cracker crumbs. Smooth the layer as much as possible, going all the way to the edge of the circle, so that you will have smooth layers when you remove your pastry ring.
15. Place back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
16. Remove the layered no-bake cheesecakes out of the freezer and add an equal amount of lighter green swirled cheesecake on top of the darker layer. Again, make sure to smooth the layer as much as possible.
17. Place the layered cheesecakes back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
18. Remove the layered cheesecakes from the freezer and add an equal amount of the white cheesecake as the top layer. Smooth the tops and place them back in the freezer until it is time to serve.
Serving Note: If you are planning to leave the cheesecakes in the freezer for several hours, you may need to leave time to allow the layered cheesecakes to thaw some and soften before serving.
19. When you are ready to serve your layered no-bake cheesecakes, remove the pastry circle from the cheesecakes, leaving the cheesecakes on the parchment-lined cookie sheet (or whatever base you were using).
Note: If you want to remove the pastry circles and decorate the cheesecakes ahead of time, simply place them back in the freezer until time to serve (but read the serving note above about thawing time).
20. If desired, pipe a swirl of buttercream frosting on top of the cheesecakes and add festive green sprinkles.
Serve and Enjoy!
Makes approximately six 3-inch mini layered no-bake cheesecakes
Printable Recipe for Mini Layered No-Bake Cheesecakes
Layered No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
- 1 sleeve of graham crackers crushed
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar
Cheesecake Ingredients
- 32 ounces of cream cheese softened
- 1 Tablespoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 3 ounce package of cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 cup of Half and Half plus 2 tablespoons used at slightly different times
- Gel food coloring in two different shades of green
- Buttercream frosting homemade or purchased, optional topping
- Green sprinkles optional topping
Instructions
- Get your pastry rings, mini springform pans, or homemade pastry rings (approximately 3 inches high and 3 inches in diameter). See post for other notes about this and material suggestions.
- Place your pastry rings on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or on another surface that can fit into your freezer.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together in a bowl until well combined.
- Place an equal amount of the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of each pastry ring. Tap the crumbs down with the end of a spoon, until they're even and compactly packed in the bottom of the pastry ring. Place all of this in the freezer to solidify.
- Mix the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the vanilla and lemon juice to the mixture and combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the 3-ounce package of instant cheesecake-flavored pudding and a cup of half and half. Mix with a whisk until the pudding is smooth and no longer grainy. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of half and half as needed in order to make the pudding smooth.
- Once the pudding mixture is smooth and thick, add it to the mixing bowl and blend until it is completely smooth with the cream cheese.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, blending well after each addition.
- Divide the batter for the layered no-bake cheesecake evenly between three small bowls.
- In one bowl, add a drop of the darker of your two green food coloring gels and stir. In the next bowl, add a drop of the lighter of your two green food coloring gels and stir. You may need to add an additional drop or two of your food coloring gel to get your desired colors.
- Add a drop of the darker green food coloring gel into the bowl with the lighter green mixture. With a knife, gently swirl the darker green through the lighter green. DO NOT STIR, just swirl. If you don't want the same swirling effect as pictured, you can just opt to have two solid colored layers instead. You will not add food coloring to the third bowl.
- Remove the pastry rings with graham cracker crumbs from the freezer. Add an equal amount of the darker green cheesecake on top of the Graham cracker crumbs. Smooth the layer as much as possible, going all the way to the edge of the circle, so that you will have smooth layers when you remove your pastry ring. Place back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the layered no-bake cheesecakes out of the freezer and add an equal amount of lighter green swirled cheesecake on top of the darker layer. Again, make sure to smooth the layer as much as possible. Place the cheesecakes back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecakes from the freezer and add an equal amount of the white cheesecake as the top layer. Smooth the tops and place them back in the freezer until it is time to serve.
- When you are ready to serve your layered no-bake cheesecakes, remove the pastry circle from the cheesecakes, leaving the cheesecakes on the parchment-lined base.
- If desired, pipe a swirl of buttercream frosting on top of the cheesecakes and add festive green sprinkles.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Serving Note: If you are planning to leave the cheesecakes in the freezer for several hours, you may need to leave time to allow the layered cheesecakes to thaw some and soften before serving.
Additional Serving Note: If you want to remove the pastry circles and decorate the cheesecakes ahead of time, simply place them back in the freezer until time to serve.
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