This is truly the most perfect and easy no-bake cheesecake. By following this no-bake cheesecake recipe, you’ll be gifted with a smooth and creamy dessert that sets up beautifully in the refrigerator. Unlike regular cheesecake, no-bake cheesecake isn’t overly heavy. It’s lightly sweet and perfectly refreshing!
I never tasted no-bake cheesecake until last year because I had my doubts.
- What’s the point of cheesecake if you aren’t baking it?
- Doesn’t it just taste like cream cheese?
- How is it firm enough?
- And, most importantly, does it taste like goo?
These are very serious questions you might consider before making it, especially the goo one. But after making real no-bake cheesecake and tasting the final results, I’m here to declare that no-bake cheesecake should be everyone’s dessert obsession. My husband, who “doesn’t like cheesecake,” went back for seconds. This stuff is GOOD.
The Kitchn ranked this recipe first place in its no-bake cheesecake recipe showdown, with a score of 10/10! They said: “The thing that sets this recipe apart is its rich, full-on cheesecake flavor. It’s not too sweet and full of cream cheese goodness. … Slices of this cheesecake are tall, gorgeous, and very impressive, and the flavor lives up to the appearance. It’s a dessert you’d be proud to serve your friends and family.”
Let’s Rewind. What Is No-Bake Cheesecake?
No-bake cheesecake is exactly what the name suggests. The graham cracker crust and cheesecake filling never see the inside of the oven, so it’s a fantastic dessert when the weather’s warm or when your oven is crowded. Or when you don’t feel like baking. 😉
No-bake cheesecake is a lot easier than baked cheesecake. Without eggs and baking, there is virtually ZERO room for error. Traditional cheesecake runs the risk of over-beating the eggs, over-baking, under-baking, and cheesecake cracking. And if you’re using a cheesecake water bath, which I always recommend, your springform pan could leak. With no-bake cheesecake, we’re essentially cutting every single complicated step!
What it lacks in oven time, it makes up for in taste and texture:
- Thick, buttery, and crunchy graham cracker crust
- Smooth, creamy, and velvet-rich cheesecake filling
It’s totally worth mentioning that the filling tastes like cheesecake mousse!
4 Minute Video Tutorial:
Thick & Sturdy Graham Cracker Crust
This is a no-bake graham cracker crust. It’s thick, crunchy, and sets up beautifully… even without baking! There are only 3 ingredients required: graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar. I usually use granulated sugar in graham cracker crust, but prefer brown sugar in this recipe. The moisture in brown sugar helps solidify the crust. Pack it into a 9-inch springform pan, then place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
How to Make Perfect No-Bake Cheesecake
Like I mention above, this no-bake cheesecake recipe is very easy. The process is similar to how we make strawberry cream cheese pie. Beat the filling ingredients together, then spread into your graham cracker crust and refrigerate until set. That’s it! The cheesecake filling is made in 2 bowls. In the 1st bowl, beat heavy cream into stiff peaks. In the 2nd bowl, beat the remaining ingredients. Fold everything together. Here are the cheesecake filling ingredients. Each has a job to perform!
- Heavy Cream: Beating heavy cream into stiff peaks most important step in this entire recipe and *the secret* to a thick no-bake cheesecake filling. We use a similar approach in our fresh fruit tart.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure you use bricks of real cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. I tested with varying amounts and 24 ounces (three 8 ounce bricks) produced a thick, yet creamy cheesecake filling. Make sure it’s room temperature.
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar breaks down the cream cheese. It’s easy to go overboard on sugar, but keep it light. Less sugar helps the tangy cream cheese and vanilla flavors stand out.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: A smidge of confectioners’ sugar thickens the filling, while also keeping it light. I tested with flour and cornstarch and both left a chalky aftertaste. I recommend sticking with confectioners’ sugar.
- Sour Cream: Add a little sour cream for that trademark tangy cheesecake flavor.
- Vanilla Extract & Lemon Juice: A splash of both flavors add a little something special.
How to Thicken No-Bake Cheesecake
These 2 important steps guarantee a thick no-bake cheesecake filling. Without 1 or 2, you’ll be eating cheesecake soup. (It’s not pretty.)
- As mentioned, the most important step is to beat cold heavy cream into peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling gently so you don’t deflate the air. The air creates a delicious mousse-like consistency and solidifies the filling in the refrigerator.
- 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! Do not freeze the cheesecake to set it. The filling won’t slice and you’ll lose the velvet texture!
Speaking of beautiful slices, make sure you smooth the filling into the crust. I like using a large or small offset spatula to make the job easier. After refrigerating, decorate with whipped cream, lemon curd, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, fresh berries, and/or salted caramel. But if you’re a cheesecake purist, all you need is a fork. 🙂
Can I Make Mini No-Bake Cheesecakes?
Yes! See my mini no bake cheesecakes, which are made in a standard muffin pan.
Let’s Talk About Freezing No-Bake Cheesecake
I don’t recommend freezing no-bake cheesecake to set it—you really need to use the refrigerator for that step. And trust me, it’s worth the wait.
However, you can freeze the cheesecake to enjoy at a later time. After it sets in the refrigerator, wrap the whole pan (you can remove the sides if desired) in 1 layer of plastic wrap, then 1 layer of aluminum foil. No-bake cheesecake freezes wonderfully for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, then slice and serve.
With the make-ahead components of this recipe (whether waiting for it to set or freezing ahead of time), it’s great choice for your menu of Easter dessert recipes or any time you have company. Take care of all the hard work ahead of time, then sit back, relax, and enjoy a slice (or two) of cheesecake with your family and friends!
When it’s time to serve, I’m always shocked that the crust and filling don’t fall apart. Follow this recipe for success. Would LOVE to know if you try it!
More Cheesecake Desserts
- Classic Cheesecake
- Mini Cheesecakes
- Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- Snickers Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Pie
- Lemon Cheesecake
I have an entire cheesecake recipes category, too!
Print
No-Bake Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Whipping
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is truly the most perfect and easy no-bake cheesecake. By following this no-bake cheesecake recipe, you’ll be gifted with a smooth, light, and creamy dessert that sets up beautifully in the refrigerator. The most important steps are whipping the heavy cream into stiff peaks before folding into the filling, and refrigerating the cheesecake overnight.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups (240g) graham cracker crumbs (about 16 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 24 ounces (678g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the crust: Stir the graham cracker crust ingredients together. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan or 10-inch springform pan and pack in very tightly. The tighter it’s packed, the less likely it will fall apart when cutting the cheesecake. I recommend using the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it into the bottom and up the sides. You can watch me do this in the video above. Freeze for 10–20 minutes as you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4–5 minutes. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2–3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
- Using your mixer on low speed or a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your silicone spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
- Remove crust from the freezer and spread filling into crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth down the top.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6–8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, 12 hours is best. I chill mine overnight. The longer refrigerated, the nicer the no-bake cheesecake will set up.
- Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice.
- Serve cheesecake with desired toppings (see Note). Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This cheesecake can be made 1–2 days in advance. It can be refrigerated in step 6 for up to 2 days before serving. You can also make the crust 1–2 days ahead of time. Freeze for up to 1 hour in step 1, then cover tightly and refrigerate for 1–2 days before adding the filling. Another way to make this cheesecake ahead of time is to freeze it. Cheesecake can be frozen up to 3 months. See instructions in blog post above.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | 9-inch Springform Pan or 10-inch Springform Pan | Silicone Spatula | Offset Spatula
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice brightens up the flavor. This cheesecake does not taste like lemon. For lemon-flavored no-bake cheesecake, remove the sour cream from the recipe and add 2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon lemon zest.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring the cream cheese and sour cream to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients guarantee a smooth cheesecake filling. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake filling. (The heavy cream, however, MUST be cold in order to whip into stiff peaks.)
- Toppings: Before serving, decorate with whipped cream, lemon curd, strawberry sauce, fresh berries, salted caramel, or your favorite cheesecake toppings. I used Ateco 849 piping tip for the whipped cream in the pictured cheesecake.
- Can I Make Mini No-Bake Cheesecakes? Yes, see my mini no bake cheesecakes, which are made in a standard muffin pan.
- Non-US Readers: Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 270g ground digestive biscuits instead (about 18 biscuits), the same amount of butter, and add a bit more brown sugar (about 1/2 cup, or 100g). And from what I understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK to make cheesecake. I have no experience with it, but this is what I’ve heard from other non-US readers.
Adapted from All Recipes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This Recipe making it right now.
Thank you
Greetings from Greece.
Hi! I loooove this recipe (it’s become my husbands new birthday request!) I want to take it for a potluck – wondering if you’ve ever tried making it in a 9×13 pan? Would a single recipe be enough or would I need to make two batches for 9×13? Thanks for any insight!
Hi Cary, you can make these in an 9×13. The cheesecake, as written, will be enough and should still set up nicely. The bars will be very thick in a 9×13 pan, so make sure they are sufficiently chilled, even up to 24 hours! Let us know how they turn out.
I prefer a thicker crust on cheesecake, so would I be able to double the crust part of the recipe to make it thicker? Does that affect any other ingredients?
Hi Milania, we haven’t tried doubling the crust, but it should be fine with no other changes!
Hi! Can you explain why this recipe includes confectioners’ sugar and the mini no-bake cheesecakes do not? Also, can Greek yogurt be subbed for sour cream in this recipe, as it is listed on the mini version? Thank you!
Hi Sydney, a smidge of confectioners’ sugar here thickens the filling, while also keeping it light (the texture is lighter than a baked cheesecake). Yes, you can use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. Enjoy!
So good, my family all loved it. Will be saving this recipe, such a good texture compared to baked cheesecake.
Super no egg dessert! Easy to assemble, but I did take some extra time to get the crust picture perfect. Used Nilla wafers as that was what I had… very good!
Can i make this without sour cream?
Hi Kat, plain yogurt or Greek yogurt would work in place of sour cream in a pinch — do not omit completely, or the cheesecake will not set. Enjoy!
Would this no bake cheesecake filling stay firm as a filling between cake layers?
Hi Teresa, we wouldn’t recommend layering a cake on top of this; it might be ok, but you’ll be risking it! It doesn’t set nearly as well as a baked cheesecake. If you try it, be sure to pipe a “dam” of frosting/buttercream around the edges to keep the filling in.
The crust fell apart, and was a bit hard. Although using three blocks of cream cheese, the taste was more heavy cream! Topped it with cherry pie filling and it was a hit!
I don’t usually write comments but this one is worth of saying THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE!
I have been tasked with making a vanilla cake with a cheesecake layer in the middle. I love all of your recipes I have tried so far! Will this set up firm enough to hold a cake layer on top of it? (Will have another cake layer under and buttercream icing)
Hi Lisa, I wouldn’t layer a cake on top of this; it might be ok, but you’ll be risking it! It doesn’t set nearly as well as a baked cheesecake. If you try it, be sure to pipe a “dam” of frosting/buttercream around the edges to keep the filling in.
Followed the recipe exactly, have baked for 50 yrs, found the flavor good, but the resulting filling was too soft and really didn’t set up well – texture is more like a dip you’d serve with gongersnaps and apple slices. Anyway, I had to store it in the freezer and serve it icy cold. Spooned over a lovely blueberry compote from Ellie Krieger, which is on the Food Network site and I highly recommend it. But I’ll continue the search for a no-bake cheesecake that sets up better.
This cake recipe is delicious. The filling was a perfect consistency. I let it set for almost 24hours in the fridge. My only issue was with the crust… it was rock hard and was stuck to the bottom of my 9-inch springform pan. I had to scrape the crust off.. and even then.. I still could not scrape it off completely…. I must have done something wrong! 4.5/5.
Hi Nickie! So glad you loved it. Make sure not to pack the crust in too tightly. And if it seems to be sticking to the pan, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften the butter in the crust a bit before slicing/removing slices.
Can you add peanut butter into the cheesecake mixture
Hi Maryanne, we haven’t tested this as peanut butter flavored, but our first guess would be to remove the sour cream and add around 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter. The cheesecake *should* still set up just fine. Let us know how it turns out!
Can you freeze cheesecake after setting in the fridge overnight please.
Hi Alison, you certainly can. After it is set you can freeze it, but don’t skip the time in the refrigerator!
What if I don’t have a springform pan, can I use something else?
Hi Tom, the recipe as written is a little too large for a regular 9 inch cake pan, but would set up nicely as bars in a 9×13 pan. You could also make these mini no bake cheesecakes or this smaller cheesecake pie (baked) instead. We’d love to know what you try!
This was my first cheesecake ever! It was delicious. I would have liked a tad more sugar, but it was creamy and cut beautifully! I could have done a better job with getting the crust more even – but it was delicious as well! Thank you for a great recipe!
I will never….ever, ever bake a cheesecake again after this recipe. It’s so creamy and delicious. The whole family raves whenever I make it and it’s so easy! Frees up the oven for other things. Thank you Sally!
I have made this numerous times and it’s always a big hit.
I’m working out of someone else’s kitchen and finding the right equipment is not an easy task.
My “hostess ” has requested cheesecake so of course I thought of this recipe. Problem is, no spring form pan.
I’ve got to pick up the stuff I need and was just going to use a ready made crust. Will it work and one or 2 crusts?
As always thanks in advance.
Hi Sheila, are you referring to one of those 9-inch ready-made graham cracker pie crusts? This recipe will make too much batter for one of those. You can try dividing the batter between two of those crusts, but then it may not be quite enough for two. What about making these mini no-bake cheesecakes in a muffin pan instead? We also have a recipe for a (baked) cheesecake pie. Good luck!
Thanks for the quick response. I did fail ro mention that I’m making 2. Would that make a difference?
I made this and everyone loved it, but they Said it was a bit soft. What would be the issue there ?
Hi Kelly, did you use full fat block style cream cheese? The kind that comes in a tub is too soft. And did your cream whip to stiff peaks? Was your cheesecake chilled and set when served? Glad it was still a hit!
Love your recipes!
Can you switch out the sugar for honey in this? And could you add pumpkin to make a pumpkin cheesecake?
Hi J! Here’s our no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe. The added moisture from honey would likely prevent this from setting up properly, but let us know if you try it.
Can you use something else instead of heavy cream.?
Hi Rose, you really need heavy cream here.
I made your Mini No-Bake Cheesecakes but used a red velvet cake as the “crust”. It was amazing. I want to make a layered cake using this as a filling. Do you think it would work?
I make this every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It always comes out amazing!
I just made this (with monk fruit sugar). It is AMAZING!!!
Can I double the recipe? Also, can I use Stevia instead of granulated sugar?
Hi Jamie, for best results, we recommend making 2 separate batches rather than doubling. We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes like Stevia. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. We hope whatever you try is a hit!
Hi – I want to make this a “lemon” cheescake. I know you said to add in lemon juice/zest, but what about a dash or two of lemon extract instead? Do i still need to remove sour cream?
Hi Alix! You could add lemon extract without any other changes, but we do prefer the flavor of adding fresh juice/zest.
Could I switch out the granulated sugar for brown sugar, and also add spices to give this a fall flavor? Would appreciate recommendations, thanks!
Hi Emmy, yes, you can! We use brown sugar in this pecan pie cheesecake, as well as cinnamon. Let us know what you try!
I absolutely Love This Recipe making it right now.
I would like to replace some of the graham cracker crumbs with finely chopped pecans. Would this work? If so, what ratio of graham crackers to pecans should I use?
Hi Cindy! You could use the crust ratios from our key lime pie, replacing the macadamia nuts with pecans. Or here’s our pecan crust as well.
Thank you so much for answering so quickly! Can’t wait to try the crust and the cheesecake!
How many cups of filling does this recipe contain? If I would use a 9 inch disposable pie pan for this would I have extra?
Hi Jessica, This recipe makes about 5 3/4 cups of batter.