tasty tuesday : no bake berry cheesecake

*cue trumpet fanfare*....welcome to Clara's FIRST tasty tuesday!!!

 I will admit that while I do enjoy baking, cooking is definitely my first love... but I absolutely LOVE that you can get really creative with baking and I always have so much fun trying to make my creations look as beautiful as they can be before they're devoured! (I also had a lot to live up to since Jordyn & Kelsey have made so many wonderful and delectable looking creations in this section of our blog!)

I found this wonderful recipe while surfing on pinterest the other day and thought it would make a perfect summer treat. So with just a few tweaks & additions from the original recipe, here's what I ended up with...

No Bake Berry Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup of softened butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups of cool whip, thawed

1 can of frozen berry juice (12 oz) ....really, you can use any flavour of juice you'd like! 

1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 stick of cream cheese

raspberries / strawberries / blackberries

*** mason jars

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Press the crumbs into the bottoms of mason jars (approximately 8) or into an 8x8 pan... (Note: KEEP THE LEFTOVERS! They're a wonderful little touch to add to the topping!) 

2. In a large bowl combine cool whip, frozen juice, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until smooth. Spoon onto graham cracker crust.

3. Freeze for 3-5 hours. Let thaw 10 minutes before serving. 

4. For the topping, add dollop of cool whip, sprinkle with the leftover crumb mixture, and add fruit! 

I love that a) you don't have to bake these and b) that you can store these up in the freezer and save them for another day! They also make the perfect gift for friends & family. Not that I need another excuse to buy mason jars...but really! they're so fantastically cute and useful, how could I not love them?

& because I absolutely adore my dessert plates (from Anthropologie), which were part of my Christmas gift from my wonderful husband, I just had to take a couple creative shots... =)

Anyways, enjoy this summer treat and make it yours by using your favourite fruit to make it!
I've already gifted a couple and have served them for a dessert night with friends and they were a big hit. I totally recommend you make it at least once this sumer! ;) 

ps: clara ♥