My childhood tasted like summer: homemade pizza, tacos, lumpia, big green salads, sourdough pretzels, Jell-O Pudding Pops (swirl was my favorite), sun tea, grilled hamburgers, Necco wafers and cookies. Growing up on the grounds of the summer camp and retreat center my father managed, those long, warm months were a blur of colors and voices. Hundreds of new children arrived and left each week, and between the chaos there were quiet moments lying in the tall meadow grass watching cotton-ball clouds drift across a blue sky above the lake.
Summer also meant secret missions into the camp’s walk-in freezer, sanctioned or not, to raid cases of frozen treats, cans of juice concentrate, tubs of whipped topping and bins of pepperoni. Life felt especially sweet when I was twelve, sitting on the end of a long aluminum dock with my feet dangling over the water eating frozen pepperoni slices and spooning just-thawing orange juice concentrate straight from the can.
I moved through childhood with a soundtrack of ice-cold treats—first those freezer raids, then my first summer job at Worley’s Whippy Dip. Of all the flavors that define summer, one stands out above the rest: the bright orange and smooth vanilla of Creamsicles, push-pops, or a bowl with a scoop of orange sherbet and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
That memory is exactly what comes to mind when I make these small, no-bake mini cheesecakes straight from the freezer. They smell like summer and they taste like summer. Serve them frozen for an ice-cream-style dessert or let them soften a bit for a light, mousse-like cheesecake. Either way, they deliver a burst of creamsicle nostalgia—and if we eat enough of them now, maybe summer will come a little sooner.
*You can freeze these for an ice-cream-like treat or thaw them completely for a creamy, mousse-y no-bake cheesecake. Both are delicious.
Orange Vanilla Creamsicle No Bake Cheesecakes
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 cream-filled vanilla wafer cookies Think Golden Oreos or Newman’s Own
- 4 ounces butter, melted About 1 stick
- 2 packages Neufchatel cream cheese 8 oz each, commonly labeled 1/3 less fat; softened to room temperature
- Zest and juice of one orange
- 1 cup heavy cream whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Optional: paper-thin orange slices for garnish
Instructions
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Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they form fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened. If you don’t have a food processor, place cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or heavy pan, then combine with melted butter in a bowl.
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Arrange nine removable-bottom tart pans or mini springform pans on a platter or baking sheet with an edge and spray them with nonstick spray. Add about 2 packed tablespoons of the cookie crumb mixture to each pan and press the crumbs firmly and evenly across the bottom. If you prefer to make one large pie, spread and press the crumbs to cover the bottom. Chill the crusts in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
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Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on high until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, add the orange juice and zest, and beat again until fully combined and silky.
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Add the heavy cream and blend on high until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.
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Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides, then add the sugar, vanilla and orange extracts. Beat on high until the filling is thick and holds shape.
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Divide the filling evenly among the prepared crusts, mounding slightly in each pan.
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Freeze the cheesecakes for at least 2 hours before serving.
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Serve them straight from the freezer for an ice-cream-like texture, or allow them to chill in the refrigerator and serve slightly softened.
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Garnish with thin orange slices if desired.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use and a nutrition calculator if desired.
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