40 Desserts That Start with a Package of Cream Cheese

Italian Cream Cheese Cake

Need cream cheese desserts? The cream cheese makes every bite of this awesome Italian dessert recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this cake year-round. —Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri

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Lime Cheesecake Pie

This key lime cheesecake pie combines our favorite dessert flavors. It’s the perfect treat on a hot day, and all the more inviting because you don’t have to heat up the kitchen to prepare it. Don’t you just love no-bake pies? —Vivian Eagleson, Cumming, Georgia

Strawberry Cheesecake

The queen of all cream cheese desserts is cheesecake, of course! The creamy texture and lovely look of this strawberry cheesecake always get compliments. —L.C. Herschap, Luling, Texas

Carrot Cupcakes

The carrots add wonderful moistness to these cupcakes, which have a rich cream cheese frosting. Now we can have our cake and eat our vegetables, too! —Doreen Kelly, Rosyln, Pennsylvania

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

This cheesecake ice cream is hands-down the best homemade ice cream I've ever eaten.—Johnnie McLeod, Bastrop, Louisiana

Double Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Every slice of this creamy cheesecake is a standout. The classic pairing of chocolate and coffee is sure to please partygoers. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina

Lemon Tiramisu

I created this lemon tiramisu to please everyone in my family. It’s a cross between cheesecake and tiramisu with a refreshing lemony flavor. Garnish with fresh berries if you have them on hand. —Monica Marolt, Willowick, Ohio

Apple Kolaches

A fellow home cook shared this recipe for a sweet, fruit-filled pastry. My son, who isn’t a dessert fan, was disappointed when he came home to find his dad had polished off the last kolache in the batch. —Ann Johnson, Evansville, Indiana

Cheesecake Berry Parfaits

Looking for easy cream cheese desserts? This parfait fits the bill. This is an easy way to enjoy berries with cheesecake, which is a refreshing change from traditional pudding and fruit parfaits. —Patricia Schroedl, Jefferson, Wisconsin

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

As a dairy farmer’s wife, I have experience making cheesecake. In fact, most anything containing milk products is tasty in my book. If I’m out of cream cheese, it’s time to go to the grocery store and pick up a few packages of good cream cheese! —Wendy Barkman, Breezewood, Pennsylvania

Bananas & Cream Pound Cake

This banana pound cake got me a date with my future husband. At a church event, he loved it so much, he asked for another piece. The rest is history! —Courtney Farnon, Cartersville, Georgia

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

My mother’s cousin shared this strawberry cream cheese pound cake recipe more than 50 years ago. Our family has enjoyed it ever since, especially on a hot New Mexico day! It can be made the day before. —Vickie Britton, Hobbs, New Mexico

Miniature Pumpkin Cake Towers

I make these pumpkin and cream cheese desserts every autumn and they are gone in minutes. The spice combination is perfect for fall, and it is all wrapped up in a pretty little cake.—Deb Lyon, Bangor, Pennsylvania

Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Squares

Satisfy your cheesecake craving with these bite-sized delights! The party favorites are perfect for the holidays. —Esther Neustaeter, La Crete, Alberta

Berry-Cream Cookie Snaps

My mom and I made up this recipe by combining two others. These cute cookies are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy inside. You could also bake the cookies flat and serve the filling as a cookie dip if you like. —Crystal Briddick, Colfax, Illinois

Layered Peanut Butter Brownies

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter makes these brownies a real crowd pleaser. They're so good that they won a ribbon at the fair. —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee

Sweet Potato & Marshmallow Swirl Cheesecake

I make a sweet potato souffle that I’ve always thought tastes like a dessert. I finally decided to use that idea for an actual dessert, and the result was a smooth, rich cheesecake.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

My 3-year-old son loves these vanilla bean cupcakes! Vanilla bean flecks give the moist, tender cupcakes special-occasion status. —Alysha Braun, St. Catharines, Ontario

Strawberry Tart

This creamy strawberry tart boasts a crunchy chocolate layer tucked next to the crust. Try making individual tartlets instead of one big dessert. —Dawn Tringali, Hamilton Square, New Jersey

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

I make these banana bars with cream cheese frosting whenever I have ripe bananas on hand, then store them in the freezer to share later. With creamy frosting and big banana flavor, this treat is a real crowd-pleaser. —Debbie Knight, Marion, Iowa

Mini PB&J Cheesecakes

Get your cheesecake fix in bite-sized form with these cream cheese desserts! I got hooked on these mini peanut butter and jelly cheesecakes when a friend made them. She let me steal her recipe, and now I’m sharing this tasty treat with you!—Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Whenever I make this chocolate raspberry cake, I get rave reviews. It’s impressive, and the raspberry filling is wonderful. —Marlene Sanders, Paradise, Texas

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Enjoy this holiday dessert without worrying about calories. Plus it is so luscious that no one will guess that it is light! —Jean Ecos, Hartland, Wisconsin

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

My mom is known for her scrumptious desserts. This cherry cream cheese pie is one she’s served often. It’s one of my favorite desserts anytime of year. I love the combination of cream cheese and cherry pie filling. —Cindy Kufeldt, Orlando, Florida

Pecan Roll-Ups

This recipe is so delicious and is sure to become a favorite of your family. The pecans make them so rich.—Lee B. Roberts, Racine, Wisconsin

Frosted Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

“Heavenly” is a good description for this luscious dessert, conveniently made a day ahead. When I don’t have a candy bar on hand, I melt ¾ cup of chocolate chips to use in the frosting. Whipped cream can be used in place of the whipped topping.—Arlene Butler, Ogden, Utah

Pineapple Pudding Cake

My mother used to love making this easy pineapple sunshine cake in the summertime. It’s so cool and refreshing that it never lasts very long! —Kathleen Worden, North Andover, Massachusetts

Red Velvet Jar Cake

I love to make these red velvet jar cakes for friends, family and teachers. Red velvet is my favorite during the holidays, but you can use any cake and frosting flavors you like. Then dress up the jars with homemade labels and ribbons for gifting. Don’t forget to tie a spoon to the jar; everyone likes to dig right in! —Lillie Collier, Mobile, Alabama

Gooey Butter Cake

A friend gave me a quick version of this gooey butter cake recipe using a cake mix, but I prefer baking from scratch, so I came up with my own. My family can’t get enough! The middle will sink a little; this is normal. This dessert is delicious served warm or cold. —Cheri Foster, Vail, Arizona

Sunny Citrus Cheesecake

This beautiful layered cheesecake takes a bit longer to make, but the end result is so worth it! Citrus seems to be the perfect ending for an Easter meal, and the bright flavors really shine in this dessert. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Berry Dream Cake

I use cherry gelatin to give a boxed cake mix an eye-appealing marbled effect. It's so festive-looking. Top it with whatever fruit you like! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a classic dessert that everyone enjoys. For a more fall flavor, try this version, which features a creamy pumpkin filling and sweet spices.—Holly Billings, Battlefield, Missouri

Apricot-Nut White Fudge

We look forward to this luscious apricot fudge recipe every Christmas. It's easy to make, and it melts in your mouth. I wrap up small squares of the candy with ribbon and silk holly.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Festive and oh, so good, this cheesecake will become a fixture on your Christmas dessert menu. The red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting and baked in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. —Karen Dively, Chapin, South Carolina

Dirt Dessert

My mom used to serve this yummy dessert, and I just loved it. It's so fun to eat and a snap to make. Add some gummy worms on top for the kids if you'd like. —Kristi Linton, Bay City, Michigan

Butterscotch Delight

This creamy layered cream cheese dessert is popular whenever I serve it. —Barbara Edgemon, Belleview, Florida

Lingonberry-Cardamom Cake

Our family is Scandinavian, and we love using almonds, cardamom and lingonberries in desserts, as in this cardamom cake. If lingonberry jam is difficult to obtain, you can use pureed cranberry sauce with a little lemon juice to get a similar sweet-tart flavor. Whipped cream is a perfect topping for this Scandinavian-inspired dessert. —Barbara Kvale, Cologne, Minnesota

Gooey Butter Cookies

As a native of St. Louis, I wanted to make a cookie version of the famous gooey butter cake. And although many gooey butter cake recipes use a cake mix, my cookies are made from scratch.—Julia Nouss, Richmond, Virginia

Cookie Butter Pie

I tasted Biscoff cookie spread at a grocery store one day, and it was so delicious that I decided to create a no-bake pie with it. You can make this pie your own by substituting peanut butter or another kind of spread for the Biscoff spread and then matching toppings. —Katrina Adams, Mount Olive, Alabama

Lemon Cheesecake Tarts

To make these cute tarts more quickly, add the filling to store-bought phyllo tart shells. —Sarah Gilbert, Beaverton, Oregon