Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites: An Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipe

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

Red velvet cheesecake bites are creamy, sweet, and ready in a fraction of the time you would expect from a layered cake. The filling comes together in minutes, and the whole batch is designed to be made ahead.

I keep a container of these in the fridge for the nights when dessert needs to be simple and still taste like a treat. If you have been looking for an easy, fun dessert that beginners can pull off, this is the one.

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The cheesecake part needs no baking at all, and the red velvet crumb comes from a boxed cake mix baked according to the package directions.

Cheesecake Balls

Think of these as a dressed up version of plain cheesecake balls. The red velvet twist adds fluffiness and texture, so each bite balances tangy cheesecake against a pillowy soft cake crumb.

The filling itself is silky and completely no bake, and then it gets rolled through a fluffy red velvet cake crumb coating.

Preparation takes only a few minutes, and the ingredient list is plain and easy to shop for, which makes the recipe friendly for beginner bakers. They are also built for making ahead.

I have packed them for birthday parties, tucked them into picnic baskets, and slid them into lunchboxes. They also sit nicely next to a Mini Carrot Cake if you are putting together a dessert spread and want a mix of sizes and flavors.

History of Red Velvet

Red velvet cake is a classic American dessert that has been enjoyed since Victorian times in the 1800s, and it is famous for its deep red color. Its exact origin is unknown, though historians believe it comes from Maryland in the 19th century.

Two theories explain the color. One says vinegar added to cocoa powder turns the batter deep red through a chemical reaction. The other says beet juice used in chocolate cakes during WWII food rationing could have produced that deep red velvet color.

I love that a dessert with such a fancy look may have started with something as practical as wartime rationing.

Today red velvet cake is a bakery staple and is typically made with layers of cream cheese frosting or buttercream. These cheesecake bites borrow that familiar tang and color, then shrink it all down to a single bite.

The crumb coating is what carries the red velvet character, so it does most of the storytelling while the filling keeps things cool and creamy.

Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

• They are easy to follow. There is minimal baking involved, and the process is pretty much failproof, even if you have never made a cheesecake style dessert before.
• The ingredients are simple. Everything is a pantry or grocery store item, and the recipe stays budget friendly with no special ingredients to hunt down.
• The flavor works. They taste like no bake cheesecake combined with red velvet cake, so you get sweet, tangy, and fluffy in the same bite.
• You can customize them. Extra toppings, fillings, and crunchy textures are all fair game.
• They travel well. Their size makes them easy to carry to parties, picnics, road trips, or lunchboxes.
• They are make ahead friendly. Store them in the refrigerator, or freeze them for longer term storage.

I am a sucker for a dessert that looks impressive but asks almost nothing of me, and these deliver that every single time.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites Ingredients

Nothing here is hard to find. Most of it may already be in your kitchen, and the rest is a quick grocery run.

For the red velvet crumb

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• The ingredients listed on the cake mix packaging

Any other cake mix works too, including spiced, vanilla, chocolate, or carrot cake. Because the liquid amounts on the package can differ, follow the package instructions rather than a fixed measurement.

The milk can be any type, or you can use water or buttermilk, and plant based options such as almond, soy, or oat milk are fine.

You will also need a flavorless, odorless vegetable oil such as sunflower or canola, plus one large egg at room temperature.

For the cream cheese filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups graham crackers, crushed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Full fat cream cheese is the one I reach for, because low fat varieties contain more water and can make the mixture too runny to roll.

Plain or salted butter both work, but let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour so it becomes pliable. Powdered sugar gives the smoothest texture, and you can add more to adjust the sweetness.

The graham crackers are crushed into a thin powder, which thickens the no bake filling and keeps it from turning runny. If the cream still feels loose, add more crushed crackers.

Vanilla extract is optional but recommended for flavor and aroma, and vanilla bean paste is a nice swap if you want a more natural, intense flavor.

One batch makes 16 servings. Plan on about 15 minutes of prep and 1 hour of chilling, which adds up to roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from start to finish.

Each serving comes in around 151 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, 204 milligrams of sodium, and 18 milligrams of cholesterol.

How to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

Once you see the steps, you will understand why this is such an easy dessert. Check out the flow below and you will be rolling bites in no time.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line or grease two 8 inch cake pans.
2. Prepare the cake as indicated on the packaging. Bake, then let it cool down completely.
3. Once cool, crumble the cake with your hands until it looks like coarse sand. If the cake is too moist, break it into small chunks, place them on a lined baking sheet, and dry them out in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Separately, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Cream with an electric mixer until fluffy and aerated.
5. Place the graham crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them into a fine powder with a rolling pin. Add the crushed graham crackers and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and mix well until fully combined.
6. Use a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop to scoop out cream cheese balls. Roll them with your hands until fully round, then place them on a lined baking sheet or a large plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour to harden.
7. Once chilled, roll the cream cheese balls through the red velvet cake crumbs. Make sure all sides are fully coated. Use your hands to round the bites again if needed.
8. Enjoy right away, or refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

The chilling step is the one I never skip. Cold filling holds its shape, so the crumb coating sticks instead of sliding off, and the finished bites look neat enough for a party tray.

Variations

The recipe works beautifully as written, but it is also very forgiving, so feel free to play.

• Change the coating. Nuts, chocolate shavings, or sprinkles all work. Red velvet Oreo cookies can replace the red velvet cake crumb for a different texture and a deeper chocolate note.
• Flavor the filling. Orange or lemon zest, fresh fruit, or chocolate chips can shift the flavor in a fun direction.
• Add a drizzle. Melted chocolate or candy melts drizzled over the finished bites make them look like they came from a bakery case.
• Hide a surprise center. Place a piece of fresh or dried fruit, chocolate, or nuts in the middle of the no bake cheesecake balls for extra texture and flavor.

Okay, I might be exaggerating, but the surprise center version is my favorite. A little chocolate in the middle turns a simple bite into something people ask about, and it takes seconds to add while you are rolling.

Storing & Freezing

Because these bites contain dairy, storage matters. Here is how to keep them tasting fresh.

How To Store Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

Do not leave them at room temperature. They can spoil, and the filling can become too runny and lose its shape. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.

For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 months, or wrap them individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil first. Thaw frozen bites in the fridge overnight.

Can You Freeze Cheesecake Bites?

Yes. Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 months, and wrap them individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil if you want to grab just one or two at a time. Move them to the fridge overnight to thaw, and they come back creamy and ready to serve.

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Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

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Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites Red velvet cheesecake bites are creamy, sweet, and ready in a fraction of the time you would expect from a layered cake. The filling comes together in minutes, and the whole batch is designed to be made ahead.

• Total Time: 75 min
• Yield: 16 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the red velvet crumb
1 box red velvet cake mix
1 ingredients on cake mix packaging

For the cream cheese filling
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 350°F and line: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line or grease 2 8-inch cake pans.
2-Prepare the cake as indicated on packaging: Prepare the cake as indicated on packaging. Bake, then let cool down completely.
3-Once cool, crumble the cake with your: Once cool, crumble the cake with your hands until it looks like coarse sand. If the cake is too moist, break it into small chunks, then place on a lined baking sheet. Dry it out in the oven at 350°F for 5-6 minutes.
4-Separately, in a large mixing bowl combine: Separately, in a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, butter and sugar. Cream with an electric mixer until fluffy and aerated.
5-Place the graham crackers in a ziplock: Place the graham crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them into a fine powder using a rolling pin. Add the crushed graham crackers and vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture and mix well until fully combined.
6-Use a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop to: Use a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop to scoop out cream cheese balls. Roll them with your hands until fully round, then place them on a lined baking sheet or large plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour to harden.
7-Once chilled, roll the cream cheese balls: Once chilled, roll the cream cheese balls through the red velvet cake crumbs. Ensure all sides are fully coated in the cake crumb. Use your hands to make the bites more round if needed.
8-Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to: Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to consume.

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• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook

Nutrition

• Calories: 151 kcal
• Sugar: 9 g
• Sodium: 204 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Carbohydrates: 17 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 18 mg