Rich, single-serving-sized Cake Batter Cheesecake Dessert Shooters are adorable little no-bake desserts packed with cake-batter flavor and then decorated with sprinkles and cherries.
In a perfect world, all desserts would be miniature. They would all also have sprinkles. And no calories (of course).
It’s not a perfect world, as the headlines of any major news outlet will quite emphatically remind you, and these cheesecake dessert shooters probably do have calories (if I don’t calculate them, though, we’ll never know for sure), but they come just as close as they possibly can to dessert perfection.
Sweet and single-serving-sized (so you can have multiple “single”-servings), these dessert shooters have all of the richness of cheesecake, packed with the fun flavor of birthday cake.
Appropriately, we happened to be celebrating Zach’s brother’s birthday last weekend over at my in-law’s house. The celebration included a table piled high with heavy, steamed Maryland Crabs, and for dessert I brought along a Tupperware container crammed full of these little cake batter dessert shooters in lieu of cake.
By the time we left they were nearly all gone — Zach’s brother ate about 6 of them on his own (so I think it’s safe to say they were a success).
I think just about everyone picked the cherries off the tops, though… they’re optional, but they looked so perfect on top of the dessert shooters I have to recommend them!
One of the reasons that I love making cheesecake desserts so much is that the cream cheese does a great job of keeping a dessert from being too sweet.
Cream cheese makes for rich desserts with a lot of flavor, and here, infused with cake batter and vanilla extract, it’s a fairly rich treat. However, made single-serving-sized and lightened up with plenty of whipped cream, they’re hardly cloying or sickeningly sweet.
Enjoy, and let me know if you’re able to make a batch and not eat six of them yourself! (If so, I admire your willpower and you definitely deserve another batch of these cheesecake shooters as a reward).
PS. You won’t see a post from me on Friday because I’ll be in Cleveland watching the Orioles play the Indians, but I’ll be back with something (probably chocolaty, I haven’t decided for sure yet) on Monday!
Cake Batter Cheesecake Dessert Shooters
Ingredients
- oz I use these 2 plastic shotglasses from Amazon.
Crust
- 10 Golden Oreo Cookies (I used the "Birthday Cake Golden Oreos", but just regular Golden Oreos would be fine, too)
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp white cake mix
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 12 oz thawed Cool Whip
- Sprinkles and cherries for topping optional
Instructions
- In a food processor blend your Oreos to fine crumbs.10 Golden Oreo Cookies
- Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the melted butter and use a fork to combine.2 Tbsp butter
- Set out 22 2-oz plastic shot glasses and use a small spoon or teaspoon to press about 1 ½ - 2 tsp of cookie crumbs into the bottom of each shot glass.oz I use these 2 plastic shotglasses from Amazon.
- Prepare your filling.
Filling
- In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer stir together cream cheese and vanilla extract. Gradually add cake mix and powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl periodically to ensure ingredients are well-combined.16 oz cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup + 2 Tbsp white cake mix, ½ cup powdered sugar
- With mixer on low-speed, add cool whip and stir to combine. You will need to pause frequently and use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure it is well-combined. You want the filling to be creamy and smooth -- not lumpy.12 oz thawed Cool Whip
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large tip (I used an Ateco 846 closed-star tip--if you do not have this tip you can simply transfer the filling to a large Ziploc bag, snip a corner off, and pipe the frosting in that way).
- Top with sprinkles and cherries, if using, and serve.Sprinkles and cherries for topping
- Keep any uneaten dessert shooters refrigerated in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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Jennifer Smoker
Okay – I’m swapping for the chocolate oreo bottom and I’m topping with a raspberry each (because cherries aren’t in season). Am making 40 for college ball players coming to town on my catcher’s birthday so I’ll use larger cups and hand each one a treat as they return to the bus to head home. Wish me well!!
Sam
That sounds awesome! I hope everyone loves them! 🙂
Ana
Can you use a different cake batter? My sister loves funfetti so was thinking of using funfetti batter for her birthday! Thanks 🙂
Sam
Hi Ana! The funfetti cake mix should work here. 🙂
Maria
This recipe sounds amazingly delicious! Question-does the cake mix need to be heat treated?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Maria! If you are concerned about E. coli in the cake mix, you can definitely heat treat it to be safe 😊
Kim
Instead of cool whip, would you ever use heavy cream beat with hand mixer adding vanilla and a tad bit of sugar?
Sam
Absolutely! 🙂
Monica
Can you have these outside when it is 86+? Will they melt?
Sam
Hi Monica! I wouldn’t recommend leaving them out of refrigeration in that kind of heat very long. 🙁
Nayy
Hi Sam, I plan on making these for my party that’s coming up in June I noticed you haven’t made a video on these little shooters, I was wondering if you plan on uploading a short video on how to make these on YouTube? Hopefully before June 5th 🤞🏻.
Sam
Unfortunately I don’t have one filmed for these at this point. 🙁
Hannah K
Hi sam,
I want to ask, what are Shooters they look fun to make! I feel odd asking a silly queston like this but, I have never heard of them lol 🙂
-Hannah
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Hannah! Shooters are like miniature desserts made in shot glasses. I have a variety of shooters that you can try. 🙂
Hannah K
ok. Thanks! I have to get some shot glasses!
I have been bakeing soooo much these days. LOL
🙂 😀
Sugar Spun Run
Perfect! Enjoy!
Eloisa Contreras Jimenez
I love the batter it’s so nice smooth but it’s too sugary for me next time I will not add the powdered sugar and add a bit more cream cheese, other than that I love this recipe!!! P.s everyone at the baby shower loved it !!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much, Eloisa! I am so happy that cheesecake dessert shooters were such a hit at the shower. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Marissa
Can I make these 3 days beforehand? Would they still be fine if I covered them well?
Sam
Hi Marissa! They would be fine in the refrigerator if covered tightly. 🙂
Anu
Do you freeze night before?
Sam
I just keep them refrigerated.
ELIZABETH
Do I use the dry cake mix or prepare as a batter first?
Sam
Use the dry cake mix. I hope you love them!
Jenn
What white cake mix did you use? 🙂
Sam
I’ve used Pillsbury and Dunkin Hines
Kathy
Hi Sam, Thank you for this super-delicious recipe! I’m a big cake and cheesecake fan, so this was a win-win, and so easy! I just put in in dessert bowls, but love the ‘shooters’ idea for a get-together. Thanks again!
Sam
Thank you for coming back and letting me know how they turned out for you, Kathy! They are always a hit at our house, too!
Abra luce
Is this something you can make the night before or does it have to be the day of
Sam
You can definitely make them the night before!
Amanda
I would never pick the cherry off the top. That totally makes them even more beautiful! I would be downing quite a few single servings of this. ? And I like that you link to the shot glasses. I never know where people get cute single serving cups.
Sam
I’m glad you agree with me about the cherry, Amanda! 🙂
I definitely had quite a few servings myself 😉 and yeah, Amazon always seems to have the best prices for them, too!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
These dessert shooters are so cute and look perfect for a party 🙂
Sam
Thanks, Medha! 🙂