Mason Jar Peach Cheesecake
Ingredients
Ingredients (makes about 5 cups)
- 3 1½ cups peeled, finely chopped, or mashed peaches (about 6-7 medium peaches)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 packet 1.75 oz instant fruit pectin (freezer jam / no-cook type)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Ingredients (makes about 6 jars)
- Crust Layer:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, about 10-12 full sheets
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- Cheesecake Layer:
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 240 ml
- Optional: 1 packet unflavored gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
- Peach Compote Layer:
- 4 large peaches, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice 15 ml
- Optional: 1 tsp cornstarch in 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Peel peaches, finely chop or mash until you have 3 1½ cups, then stir in lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and pectin.
- Add peach mixture to sugar/pectin mixture and stir for 3 minutes until well combined and slightly thickened.
- Ladle into freezer-safe jars, leaving ½ inch headspace, and seal with lids.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.
- Prepare Crust: Mix graham crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press 2-3 tbsp into the bottom of jars.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream (and gelatin if using)
- Assemble: Layer crust, cheesecake filling, and peach compote in jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight before serving.
- Add fresh whipped cream or crumbs after thawing for garnish.
OTHER VARIATIONS
Peach Basil Freezer Jam
- Add 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves at the end of mixing, right before spooning into jars. For a milder flavor, infuse basil in lemon juice and strain before adding.
Spiced Peach Freezer Jam
- Add 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the peach mixture along with the lemon juice, before mixing with sugar/pectin. Optional: add a pinch (tsp) of nutmeg or ginger.
Peach Cinnamon Vanilla Freezer Jam (Peaches & Cream Style)
For one batch (5 cups of jam):
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or 1½ vanilla bean scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla paste)
- Stir cinnamon into the peaches with lemon juice. Add vanilla at the very end of mixing, just before spooning jam into jars.
- Make Peach Compote: Cook peaches, sugar, and lemon juice 5-7 minutes. Add cornstarch slurry if desired. Cool completely.
makes about 6 jars
