Cheesecake Jars with Strawberry Topping

We have a new favorite dessert and its these cheesecake jars with strawberry topping. Let me preface this by saying that G is really the only cheesecake lover in our house... the rest of us enjoy a bite or two but it wouldn't be our dessert of choice.  Enter these jars ;) The cheesecake filling part is light and fluffy and not nearly as thick and rich as standard cheesecake.  Everyone in my family LOVED these and has requested we make them again ASAP.  

What You'll Need for the Cheesecake part

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheets of crackers)

- 1 cup heavy cream, cold

- 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature

- 1 teaspoon lemon juice

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Six 8-oz jars or eight 6-oz jars

What You'll Need for the Strawberry Topping

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch

- 3 tablespoons warm water

- 1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced in half

- zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

What You'll Do

1) In a medium-size bowl melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the graham cracker crumbs.  Spoon into each of your jars and press down a bit.  If there's extra left save it to sprinkle on top. 

2) Using a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.  You want to make sure there are no cream cheese lumps!  Remove to a different bowl and set aside.

3) Clean your mixer bowl and then use your whisk attachment to whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed.  This took me about 3 minutes.  

4) Using a spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese filling until combined.  Make sure you combine slowly so that the whipped cream doesn't deflate.

5) Layer a couple of spoonfuls of the cheesecake filling on top of the crust in the jars.  I tapped the jars on the counter a few times after filling to encourage the cheesecake to go to the bottom.  Divide it evenly among the jars. Refrigerate your jars of crust and cheesecake for at least a couple of hours. 

6) Combine your warm water with the cornstarch, mixing until combined.  Put the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch slurry, a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of zest into a small pot.  Bring to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the strawberries as it cooks.  Let it cool (it will thicken as it cools)

7) When you're ready to serve your cheesecake jars, spoon the cooled strawberry topping on top.

NOTE: If strawberry isn't your thing you could top this with any homemade sauce OR fresh fruit, chocolate sauce, etc.  That said, this strawberry sauce is my new BFF so I'm not sure why you'd want to serve the jars any other way ;) 

If you're having a party this weekend these would be great to prep ahead of time (don't top them until a couple hours ahead of when you're ready to serve).  Just pop the lids on and keep them refrigerated.

HAPPY Wednesday, friends!!!