Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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No-Bake Cheesecake has never been so easy or delicious! A silky smooth cream cheese filling surrounded by a buttery graham cracker crust. Enjoy plain or with any desired toppings with no oven required. The perfect summer dessert. Or if you’re looking for my classic cheesecake recipe <– see here!

Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

What is No Bake Cheesecake?

Just as the name suggests, a no bake cheesecake doesn’t require any baking whatsoever. It’s the perfect dessert for hot weather, if you need a quick treat for a crowd or if you don’t want to take the time to make a traditional New York Style Cheesecake.

The graham cracker crust nor the filling requires any baking which means there are no eggs in this recipe and there is no extended baking or cooling times required. A no bake cheesecake is truly the fail-proof way to make cheesecake. No cracking, no baking, no water bath, no worries!

Which Cream Cheese is Best for Cheesecake?

Just like my Classic Cheesecake recipe, you’ll only need a few basic ingredients for this. Nothing new and very obvious items. For the cream cheese, I prefer Philadelphia brand because I think its a little more tangy that the other no-name brands out there. Be sure this is at room temperature to avoid lumps.

Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2)

How to Make Cheesecake (No Bake)

There are only a few steps and a little fridge time standing in between you and this no-bake cheesecake recipe! As easy as can be!

Make the Crust

Stir melted butter together with graham cracker crumbs and a touch of sugar. Be sure every crumb is coated in butter to have a crust that sticks together. Press into a pie pan and refrigerate.

Do I Have to Bake the Graham Cracker Crust?

While a traditional cheesecake does call for pre-baking the crust, I find it isn’t necessary for a no-bake cheesecake because the melted butter works as glue to hold the graham cracker crumbs together for neat and tidy slices. The melted butter hardens in the refrigerator and works perfectly. I wouldn’t bother baking the crust. It’s an extra step that I think is unnecessary.

How to Make Easy No Bake Cheesecake Filling

  1. In a stand mixer, stir room temperature cream cheese together with granulated sugar and a touch of vanilla.
  2. Slowly incorporate the cold heavy cream into the cream cheese filling being sure to scrape the sides after each addition.
  3. Once all the whipped cream has been added, whip the filling for 30-60 seconds or until very thick and it holds its shape easily. Be sure to not over beat! If you beat it too long, it will go from thick back to thin and won’t set.

Pour Filling into Crust + Chill

Spread that thick and creamy filling into the chilled crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours (or up to a few days).

Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (3)
Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (4)

Easy Cheesecake Recipe No Bake Tips

What to do if your Easy No Bake Cheesecake Doesn’t Set

If you are familiar with no bake cheesecake, you may know that getting a thick and luscious filling can seem harder than all us online folks make it look. It’s not hard, you just need to know how to make your filling properly.

Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese and blend with sugar and vanilla to get a smooth base to mix the whipped cream into. Next, using COLD heavy whipped cream, slowly incorporate it by thirds into the cream cheese mixture, letting it mix in completely and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Once all the whipped cream has been incorporated, you want to whip it until its thick enough to hold its shape, completely smooth and creamy. You’re essentially whipping the cream within the cream cheese mixture.

Like I mentioned above, over mixing can turn your thick filling into soup. So once it’s thick, turn the mixer off and spoon it into your crust.

Also, using cold heavy whipping cream is important and helps thicken the filling. (Heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content than just whipping cream, so be sure to find the containers that say “heavy whipping cream” for ultimate success.)

No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe Toppings

Of course this cheesecake is delicious as in with no toppings whatsoever, though I am a little partial to a little lemon curd.

Serve with any desired toppings. From canned cherry or blueberry filling to fresh fruit or chocolate sauce, the sky is the limit!

Since this is a very basic, beautiful and delicious cheesecake recipe, try to find delicious toppings that will help enhance the flavor. Here are a few classic ideas:

  • cherry pie filling (what most no-bake cheesecakes call for)
  • fresh strawberries or raspberries
  • strawberry or raspberry sauce
  • chocolate shavings
  • chocolate sauce
  • melted nutella
  • whipped cream
  • lemon curd
  • chocolate ganache
  • salted caramel sauce
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Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe Storage

Leftover cheesecake should be covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.

To Freeze: Cheesecake can be frozen as a whole or cut into individual pieces. Be sure to wrap in plastic wrap and then wrap in foil before placing it in the freezer. Cheesecake will stay fresh for up to 1 month.

To Thaw: Place Cheesecake in the fridge overnight. The foil can be removed, but leave the plastic wrap on it until ready to serve. You can also microwave individual pieces for about 30 seconds at a time and then check it. I wouldn’t microwave an entire cake though.

More like this No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe

  • Gluten-Free No-Bake Cheesecake
  • No-Bake Brownie Batter Cheesecake
  • No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake {Gluten + Sugar-Free}
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • Nutella Cheesecake
  • Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
  • Strawberry Cheesecake
  • No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
  • Cheesecake Factory Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

This recipe is certainly one of my favorites and I know you are sure to love this easy no bake cheesecake too 🙂 With the holidays quickly approaching, be sure to bookmark, pin, save or print this recipe so you don’t lose it. It’s another great one to add to your repertoire! Enjoy, friends.

4.84 from 36 votes

Cheesecake (No Bake)

No-Bake Cheesecake has never been so easy or delicious! A silky smooth cream cheese filling surrounded by a buttery graham cracker crust. Enjoy plain or with any desired toppings with no oven required.

servings 8 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together to moisten. Press into an 8 or 9-inch glass pie plate and refrigerate.

  • In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and well combined. Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure there are no lumps. Stir in vanilla.

  • With the mixer on, add cream in four increments, letting it whip into the cream cheese after each addition. Whip 1 minute until thick and light. Scrape the sides to ensure even mixing and whip again if needed.

  • Pour into prepared pie shell and smooth the top. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight, covered in plastic wrap.

  • To serve, cut into pieces and top with two tablespoons of pie filling (or whipped cream) if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 355mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1460IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: no bake cheesecake recipe, No-Bake Cheesecake

Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my no-bake cheesecake set? ›

That means you need to ensure both the heavy cream and the cream cheese are fridge-cold. If your ingredients are too warm, you'll end up with a soupy mixture that will never set, no matter how long you leave it in the fridge.

How to thicken no-bake cheesecake batter? ›

To thicken a no-bake cheesecake, refrigerate it for an extended period or consider adding dissolved gelatin, more cream cheese, or Greek yogurt to the mixture before chilling.

Why is my no-bake cheesecake not firming up? ›

The primary reason a no-bake cheesecake is too runny or doesn't set up properly is generally the temperature of the ingredients. If your cream cheese is too warm, the mixture will be too soft and will never set up properly.

How do you keep a no-bake cheesecake firm? ›

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is better. For a sturdy no-bake cheesecake with beautifully neat slices, refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This makes for a great make-ahead dessert!

How do you fix a no-bake cheesecake mistake? ›

Try leaving the existing cheesecake out of the fridge until it softens up again, then mix in another creamy ingredient like the above. You could also try adding some sugar and even cocoa powder or fruit. The nice thing about a no-bake is there is no point of no return; you can keep messing with it until it tastes good.

Can you over whisk a no-bake cheesecake? ›

Runny Cheesecake mixtures

Sometimes, you can simply over whisk, or under whisk a mixture. I cannot explain the differences, as it can vary as to why! You need to make sure when whisking a no-bake cheesecake mixture that you keep an eye on the mixture constantly so you can see when it thickens up!

Should I cover no bake cheesecake in the fridge? ›

Cover with plastic and refrigerate until the filling is firm and cold, about 6 hours or to an internal temperature of 40°F (4°C).

What happens if you over mix no bake cheesecake? ›

2. Overmixing the Mixture When you overmix the batter, more air is incorporated into the cheesecake batter. This causes the cheesecake to rise and fall, leaving cracks on the surface of it. This can be prevented by having all your ingredients at room temperature so you can mix less to get the ingredients incorporated.

How to fix cheesecake that didn't set? ›

Allow The Cheesecake To Cool

After the cheesecake is done, switch off the oven and let it cool down in the oven for an hour or more. Doing this helps the cheesecake to cool down slowly and helps it to set properly.

Why is my no bake cheesecake base too hard? ›

If you find that the crumb base is still too hard, then you could slightly reduce the amount of butter used, though we would advise caution on this as the base could become too crumbly instead.

Can you leave no bake cheesecake out overnight? ›

Thus, cheesecake is perishable. Even if your recipe is traditional in that you bake your cheesecake (no-bake recipes don't contain eggs), once it has had a chance to cool outside the oven (about an hour), it must go back in the fridge.

How to tell if no bake cheesecake is set? ›

Try this: The cheesecake should be shiny and firm to the touch when set. You can move the cheesecake to the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing, but freezing any longer will make for a frozen cheesecake without the same delightfully creamy texture as the just-refrigerated version.

Why is my no bake cheesecake not setting on Reddit? ›

Because cream cheese is pretty firm when it's cold and not whipped, if that cheese is softer that's why it's not setting.

How do you save a no bake cheesecake that didn't set? ›

After the chill time, if your cheesecake still isn't firm enough, you can freeze it to help it set up. Be careful not to freeze it too long unwrapped though; it can cause the texture to become gritty.

Can you put a no bake cheesecake in the freezer to set? ›

The filling needs proper chilling, a minimum of four hours but preferably overnight, to set into sliceable sections. Freezing the cheesecake results in a too-hard-to-enjoy crust and filling.

Can a no bake cheesecake set in 3 hours? ›

If you rush it, you risk cutting into a cheesecake that is still liquid in the center. The recipe calls for two and a half to three hours for chilling, but longer is even better. Let it sit overnight in the refrigerator for easier slicing, or make it up to two days ahead if you're orchestrating a big party.

Why didn't my cheesecake get hard? ›

Don't Overbake

Because cheesecake is a custard, it won't be completely firm when done. The easiest way to make sure you don't overbake it is to give it a little jiggle.

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