This tasty cheesecake parfait has sweet raspberries and a buttery walnut crumble. It’s gluten free with a dairy-free option that’s just as delicious!

Springtime where I live in Arizona is just beautiful. With endless sunshine, warm weather, and beautiful blooming cacti, we usually don’t like to stray far from home. In fact, we often get springtime visitors coming our way and we love hosting them!

We’ve been blessed by many visitors since we moved from Oregon to Arizona and this year will be no exception. In anticipation of upcoming guests, I’m reflecting on how I love to be in the kitchen and serve my guests, but at times I’ve found myself in the kitchen too much, missing out on precious quality time with friends and family.

So, with warmer weather upon us and a desire for quality time with springtime visitors, I wanted to make a quick and easy tasty treat. This little parfait fit the bill for a quick snack or fun little dessert.

As mentioned, it’s gluten free with a dairy-free option. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always do great with dairy (thank you Lactaid for making dairy somewhat possible). I’ve made this little parfait dairy free and it’s just as delightful. So, if dairy isn’t your thing for one reason or another, you will LOVE the dairy-free version of this parfait.

Now let me tell you a little more about it. It’s layered with a brown sugary walnut crumble, juicy red raspberries and creamy filling with a hint of orange. Come with me and I’ll show you why it’s awesome and how to make it.

Why You’ll Love this Raspberry Cheesecake Parfait

• It has a nut crumble layer and garnish that adds a perfect little crunch to the top of the parfait.
• The delicate flavor of the raspberries paired with the creamy cheesecake filling is simply divine.
• It makes for a great little dessert, midday snack or even a special little breakfast indulgence.
• You don’t have to turn the oven on for this easy no-bake treat, which is awesome as the weather warms.
• It can be served right away or chilled in the fridge to enjoy on a warm day.

What’s in the Parfait?

• Raspberries – The fruity and pretty layers of the parfait.
  • Change it up: If you feel like mixing it up, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a combination of your favorite berries is also an option.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll want to make sure it’s softened. I pull it out about 30 minutes ahead of time.
  • Change it up: For dairy free, use a non-dairy “cream cheese” spread.
• Frozen Whipped Topping – This fluffs up the filling a little bit.
  • Change it up: For dairy free, use a non-dairy frozen whipped topping. My favorite is Cocowhip and I actually prefer this over any other, non-dairy or not.
• Powdered Sugar – Adds a nice lightweight sweetness to the filling.
• Orange Juice – This gives the filling a little sweetness, tang and flavor. I use fresh squeezed, but any 100% orange juice will do.
  • Change it up: Lemon juice can be used in place of orange if that’s what you have on hand.
• Walnuts – These are for the crumble layer of the parfait. You’ll want to chop these up finely.
  • Change it up: Pecans are another tasty option.
• Brown Sugar – Adds a little sweetness to the crumble.
• Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour – This is for the crumble.
• Butter – Melted.
  • Change it up: For dairy free, use a non-dairy buttery spread.

How to make this Tasty Treat

Make the Crumble

1. For the crumble, add the chopped walnuts, gluten free 1 to 1 flour and brown sugar to a medium bowl and mix together by hand until well combined.
2. Add the butter to the mixture, stirring the ingredients together until the sugar and flour are absorbed.

Make the Cheesecake Parfait Filling

1. Mix the softened cream cheese, frozen whipped topping, powdered sugar and orange juice together using a stand or hand mixer on medium speed.

Make the Parfait

1. Set out 4 6-8oz parfait glasses/cups of your choice.
2. Add a thin layer of the crumble to the bottom of each cup, pressing down and spreading out evenly. ***Make sure to leave just enough crumble to sprinkle a small amount on top of the four parfaits when they are finished.
3. Divide half of the filling between the four cups, spreading it out to the edges.
4. For the next layer, add 4-5 raspberries to the top of the filling.
5. Split the remainder of the filling between the 4 cups, layering on top of the raspberries.
6. Top parfaits with the remaining raspberries.
7. Sprinkle the remainder of the crumble on top of the raspberries on each parfait.
8. Serve and enjoy!

What Can I Serve the Parfaits In?

You can serve these parfaits in a variety of glasses or cups. I recommend using something clear so you can see the pretty layers.

This time I used a squared tapered plastic cup, but I’ve also used a variety of clear plastic glasses and cups like small round, tall and skinny glasses and even champagne glasses and martini glasses. You can even make this recipe in tall shot glasses if you’d like a smaller treat or appetizer for a party.

Making Ahead and Storing Leftovers

Can I Make Parfaits Ahead of Time?

These tasty treats do very well when made ahead of time. Store them in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight.

How to Store Leftover Cheesecake Parfaits

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for two days (possibly three if berries are extra fresh when making the parfaits). Freezing the parfaits is not recommended.

Thank you for trying out this tasty little Cheesecake Parfait! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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