Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Parfaits: Layers of sweet and tart lemon blueberry compote, creamy whipped cheesecake filling, and crunchy graham cracker crust come together to create the perfect no-bake summer treat.
Whether you’re throwing a last-minute party, need individual snacks for a summer potluck, or just need to satisfy your next snack attack, this simple recipe will be your new go-to treat.
Why You’ll Love these Blueberry Cheesecake Parfaits
- The fruity combination is light, creamy, and full of flavor.
- You can customize the recipe with different berries or a mix of your favorites!
- No-bake dessert that comes together in no time.
- Decadent enough to serve as an impressive party dessert, but simple enough to make as a mid-day snack or an after dinner treat.
What You’ll Need:
Ingredients:
- Graham crackers
- Granulated sugar, divided
- Melted butter
- Cream cheese, softened
- Vanilla flavored greek yogurt
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Heavy cream
- Fresh blueberries
- Water
- Cornstarch
Equipment:
- food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- citrus juicer
- medium saucepan
- cooking spoon
- mixer
- parfait glasses
Step-by-Step Directions:
To make things even easier for you, I created a simple photo guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Make the Lemon Blueberry Compote
Combine blueberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-6 minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat. Prepare the other layers while allowing the compote to cool completely.
Prepare the Graham Cracker Mixture
While the compote cools, add graham cracker sheets to a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds until crushed into a coarse powder.
Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs. Mix until well combined and set aside.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth.
Add ½ cup vanilla flavored greek yogurt, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix until well combined.
Layer the Parfaits
To make individual parfaits, layer 2-3 tablespoons of each of your fillings in this order:
- Graham cracker mixture
- Cheesecake filling
- Blueberry compote
Repeat these layers if making 4 tall parfaits as shown.
Garnish with lemon slices, lemon peel curls, whipped cream, lemon zest, or a sprinkle of fresh berries. Serve and enjoy!
Essential Tips:
Don’t skip these tips – read them before starting to avoid any potential mistakes.
- You can also substitute 2/3 cup store bought graham cracker crumbs for the sheets listed here.
- Don’t feel like pulling out the food processor? You can also crush graham crackers in a ziplock bag. Simply place them in the bag and pound them with a rolling pin or the flat side of a mallet.
- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe, though frozen blueberries may break down a bit more for a smoother sauce. If you choose to use frozen blueberries, you don’t need to defrost them first, but it may increase the cooking time slightly.
- While you can substitute bottled lemon juice in this recipe, fresh lemon juice is much better. In our experience the bottled juice tends to be slightly bitter, which can affect the final flavor.
- The Lemon Blueberry compote will cool on the countertop in about 30-45 minutes. Speed up the cooling process by moving the sauce to a refrigerator and stirring every 5-10 minutes. This process takes about 20-30 minutes.
- We love to use these lidded disposable parfait cups or mini canning jars for our parties. They’re a great size for individual desserts and even stack nicely on a dessert buffet.
When to Enjoy Cheesecake Parfaits
Lemon blueberry cheesecake parfaits are perfectly delicious for all sorts of occasions. Here are some ideas:
- Mother’s Day Brunch
- Easter dessert
- Baby showers
- Bridal showers
- Graduations
- Birthday parties
- Summer picnics and BBQs (especially Memorial Day or July 4th)
- or even as a simple family dessert
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many parfaits does this make?
The number of parfaits you’ll get will depend on the size of your parfait glasses. You can expect to get 8 three layer parfaits with 4 ounce jars and 4 six layer parfaits with 8 or 9 ounce glasses.
Can you make these parfaits ahead of time?
I don’t recommend layering the parfaits in advance. However, you can easily make the different layers a day or two in advance and then build the parfaits when you’re ready.
To make the layers in advance, store each filling layer in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can I use store bought filling instead of homemade?
Yes! You can use store bought blueberry pie filling instead of homemade. However, you’ll be missing out on that added lemon flavor and in our experience the store-bought tends to be a little sweeter. You may need to adjust the sugar accordingly.
How long will the extra lemon blueberry compote last?
Store leftover lemon blueberry compote in a closed container (we use a wide mouth canning jar) in the refrigerator for up a week.
You can even freeze the leftover sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the compote in the refrigerator overnight, then gently warm in a saucepan on low heat until warmed through. Note: The sauce may be less chunky after freezing, but it will still taste fantastic.
Add some cheery decor to go with your blueberry lemon cheesecake parfaits
With this gorgeous set of lemon themed art prints, you can enjoy the bright, happy fun of lemons long after your bars are gone.
Storing This Lemon Parfait Recipe
These parfaits look their best on the day they’re assembled.
Any leftover assembled parfaits can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. The blueberry compote may bleed a bit into the other layers, but they’ll still be delicious.
To reduce party day prep time: Prepare the filling layers up to 2 days in advance and store each filling in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator. Then, layer the parfaits a few hours before the party starts and refrigerate until ready to table.
Want to avoid spending hours on end preparing food for your party? Click here to download 10 Fast and Easy Party Recipes that don’t take more than 20 minutes of your time to prepare.
If you liked my lemon blueberry cheesecake parfaits, you’re going to love my blueberry lemonade mimosas.
Blueberry lemonade mimosas are a perfect way to use up extra blueberry sauce (simply thin it out a bit before adding it to your mimosas) and toast your guests for a special occasion.
Or you can check out my other desserts recipes here.
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Perfectly portioned layers of blueberry, cheesecake, and crunchy graham crackers come together to create a delicious no bake summer treat you can enjoy anytime.
Ingredients
Graham cracker layer:
- 9 graham cracker sheets
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Blueberry Compote:
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup vanilla flavored greek yogurt
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the Lemon Blueberry Compote: Combine blueberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-6 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat. Prepare the other layers while allowing the compote to cool completely.
- Prepare the Graham Cracker Mixture: Add graham cracker sheets to a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds until crushed into a coarse powder.
- Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth.
- Add ½ cup vanilla flavored greek yogurt, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
- Mix until well combined.
- Make the Parfaits: To make individual parfaits, layer 2-3 tablespoons of each of your fillings: Graham cracker mixture first, then cheescake filling, then blueberry compote. Repeat the layers if making 4 tall parfaits as shown.
- Optional Garnish: Top with lemon slices, lemon peel curls, whipped cream, lemon zest, or a sprinkle of fresh berries. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Remember, the step-by-step photos and FAQ in the recipe post are there to help you if you feel stuck at any point.
- You can also substitute 2/3 cup store bought graham cracker crumbs for the sheets listed here.
- Don't feel like pulling out the food processor? You can also crush graham crackers in a ziplock bag. Simply place them in the bag and pound them with a rolling pin or the flat side of a mallet.
- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe, though frozen blueberries may break down a bit more for a smoother sauce. If you choose to use frozen blueberries, you don't need to defrost them first, but it may increase the cooking time slightly.
- While you can substitute bottled lemon juice in this recipe, fresh lemon juice is much better. In our experience the bottled juice tends to be slightly bitter, which can affect the final flavor.
- The Lemon Blueberry compote will cool on the countertop in about 30-45 minutes. Speed up the cooling process by moving the sauce to a refrigerator and stirring every 5-10 minutes. This process takes about 20 minutes.
- We love to use these lidded disposable parfait cups or mini canning jars for our parties. They're a great size for individual desserts and even stack nicely on a dessert buffet.
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Esmé Slabbert says
Cheesecake and Berries – then I am there. Pinned this as its totally something I have to try out.
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