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
I made this for my family this was perfectly made And was so tasty
Thank you!
Made this for my family and it was extremely tasty. Would totally recommend leaving it in the fridge overnight for better results. Thank you!
Hello! Can I use whipping cream with 35% fat instead of heavy whipping cream? Thanks!
Can I use this in between cake layers? Is it strong enough?
Hi Marcy, Unfortunately I don’t recommend this no bake cheesecake as a sturdy layer between cakes (unless it’s a very light sponge cake). We haven’t tested it, but I suspect it simply isn’t stable enough to support cake layers.
If I want to make this with white chocolate & freeze dried raspberries do I leave out the sour cream & lemon juice
Hi! We haven’t tested this recipe with either addition, so we can’t say for sure. Melted and cooled pure white chocolate may work in place of the sour cream. For a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake treat, you may enjoy these baked white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. Let us know if you test anything for the no bake version.
I want to make this in a 13×9 pan, what alterations to the amount of ingredients do i need to use?
Hi Samantha, The cheesecake, as written, will be enough and should still set up nicely. The bars will be very thick in a lined 9×13 pan, so make sure they are sufficiently chilled, even up to 24 hours! Let me know how they turn out.
Absolutely delicious. I’ll never bake a cheesecake again! I took this to a get together. Made this recipe into mini size. My friend referred to them as “shots”! I made the salted caramel (yum!) , had strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate mousse ( chocolate pudding didn’t set so I added whipped cream=mousse ) Cheesecake bar! Big hit!
Hi
Is this mixture ok to add chopped strawberries into it and add them around the edge of the tin for decoration before adding and spreading the cream cheese into the tin or will the strawberries stop the mixture from setting?
Thank you
Hi Christina, I don’t recommend adding berries to the filling as their extra liquid could really throw off the texture and it won’t set up properly. You can certainly add strawberries to the top!
Made just the filling and piped it onto Nilla Wafers and Chocolate Nilla Wafers with a star tip and garnished with strawberry slices, blueberries and blackberries for a 4th of July party. BIG HIT!
Dear Sally. It is perfect. Absolutely perfect. I am no cake maker but managed to not ruin it – that’s how easy it is! And so so delicious.
This was delicious! The best graham cracker crust I have ever had! My husband requests this dessert now 🙂
Will be a great birthday cake
I recently made this recipe and it was wonderful!!! Super easy to make. The crust was not crumbly at all. I served it for guests one weekend, and froze slices for guests for the following weekend. The frozen cheesecake was a delicious as when I made it fresh; couldn’t tell it had be frozen at all! Thank you Sally for another great recipe!!!
Taste was ok .. I would try another no bake recipe with mascarpone cheese in it.
If I could rate this recipe 10/5 I would have done that. I cant appreciate this enough. Tried it 2 days ago for my husbands birthday and it turned out perfect. Initially I was skeptical becoz where I live I dont find heavy whipping cream and I had to us the regular one with 35%fat content. However it worked perfectly for me. My family has labelled it as the worlds best Cheesecake. Kudos to you.
Could you replace some(or all) of the powdered sugar with ground up dehydrated strawberries?
Hi Karen! I haven’t tested it, but you can certainly try it– or add them in addition to the confectioners’ sugar.
5/5! This no bake cheesecake takes the cake – it’s excellent, dense and resembles an actual cheesecake more than the traditional no bake cheese cakes I’ve tasted in the past. Not at all liquidy it’s perfect on its own or with cherry pie filling
I used two bricks of 8oz cream cheese, mixed my cream and then added it slowly as the recipe said. I chilled it for 24 hours, and it’s honestly perfect. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll definitely be checking out your other ones
5/5 taste
5/5 texture
5/5 look
My guests loved it
Fabulous no-bake cheesecake! I’ve made this recipe twice now, both times to rave reviews. I cut the recipe in half to fit perfectly in a 6.5” cake pan lined with plastic wrap. I have a lovely petite cake stand, so I was looking for a no-bake cheesecake recipe to use this small pan. The cheesecake unmolds from the cake pan beautifully and looks gorgeous topped simply with fresh raspberries. This is becoming my go-to dessert recipe and I have plans to try little tweaks (perhaps ground pecans or macadamia nuts rather than the graham cracker crust?). Many thanks for such a foolproof recipe!
Can I use less fat cream cheese for this recipe? If not, what type of problem would it cause?
I have been baking a copycat recipe from “Cheesecake Factory” for a long time and my family loves it and requests it frequently. However, I am completely won over by this “No-Bake Cheesecake”. The texture is so creamy and silky. It is a taste of heaven. I cheated and used a store-bought (larger size) graham cracker crust. I tried it both plain and with a fruit topping and a dollop of whipped cream. Awesome either way. I saved out a small amount to test the chilling time. At 4 hours it was ok but at 12 hours it was perfect. Although I feel a little disloyal to my old baked cheesecake, this is the one I will be making from now on.
I have modified the recipee to keto.
I used steevia instead of sugar.
For the base i did almond flour and melted butter and baked in the oven.
Its was so easy and very delicious .
Thank you ❤
Hi Sally! I live in London and unfortunately it’s difficult to come by block cream cheese. Would Philadelphia spread cheese hold up just as well? If not, what would you recommend to ensure it sets? I love all your recipes and I’m eager to try this one!
Hi Nicole, Unfortunately, spreadable cream cheese that is sold in the U.S. is too thin and the cheesecake won’t set up properly. I haven’t tested any other thickening agents, but you could try cornstarch or gelatin? However when I read through the comments from other readers from outside of the U.S., several have commented that they tried Philadelphia spread with success, so it might be worth trying it!
I think a tablespoon of melted coconut oil would help it set, as it will harden and solidify in the refrigerator. Just be sure to try a refined coconut oil, as it is unflavored.
Thanks so much, Richard! That was really useful. I’ll give it a try!
The filling is so good! I cheated and used a pre-made crust and lemon juice from concentrate and it was still very good! Nice a fluffy!
Thank you!
This was great!! Fluffy dreamy creamy….however…..my crust just crumbled. I followed everything you said. What went wrong? Please help!! Thank you.
Hi Margaret! I’m so glad that you loved this cheesecake recipe. Did you change anything in the crust recipe by chance– ingredients or swap out the graham crackers by chance? The crust may have crumbled with any slight ingredient variation. What may have caused it, though, is not pressing the crust mixture into the pan tight enough. Really pack it down in there and make sure it’s extra tight. Freeze it as you prepare the cheesecake batter. I hope all of this helps for next time!
HI Sally
I want to use this recipe to make a no bake chocolate cheesecake. Can you tell me how much chocolate to include and if any other ingredient needs to be added or modified.
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Can I mix a Philadelphia Cream Cheese to my store bought Instant Jello Cream Cheese Dessert.Will it make it thicker and can I omit the whipping cream? Thank-You,Mary Ann
Hey Sally! I need to find a crustless recipe for an upcoming wedding cake because SOMEBODY thinks I can make cheesecake look like buttercream. Anyway. Have you tried this without the crust? Also think maybe an addition of gelatin would help with stability. Any suggestions?
Hi Rachel! That would require additional testing. I really fear the whole cake would fall apart without the crust, but some gelatin could help. Let me know if you test anything.
Sally,
I made my cheesecake by memory and forgot to use the heavy cream. The cake set overnight in the fridge and did not firm up :(. Is there anything I can do to help it? The flavor is delicious though.
Hi Sharon, the cheesecake sets up from the whipped cream cream. I’m unsure how to use your mixture, but maybe just as I do in my no bake cheesecake jars? If doing so, you could fold in the whipped cream before layering into the jars.
Can you add any flavours to the cheesecake layer apart from topping?
Hi Anna, I haven’t tested many besides adding some flavored extracts such as lemon, lime, orange, coconut, and so on. You can also add citrus zest or even leave out the sour cream and add 1/2 cup (not 1/4 cup) of creamy peanut butter.
Is there anything that I can use in place of the confectioners’ sugar? I do not have any at home.
Confectioner sugar has corn starch as well. But sugar powdered does not.
Hi Sally, I’m thinking of replacing the Graham crackers with digestive biscuits and leaving it the brown sugar do you think this would be an issue?
Also does the sides of the can need the crust or can I just put it on the base?
Thanks!
Hi Angela, I find the sugar is necessary to hold the crumb together since this is a no-bake crust. You can use digestive biscuits. You need the springform pan’s sides/rim to hold up the cheesecake as it sets.
the flavor is fantastic! however, i cheated and bought a premade graham cracker crust, and because it’s smaller than a spring foam pan, the filling is domed, so can’t cover it tightly. i have it in the fridge now and when/if it sets up enough i will attempt to cover it. looking forward to having it tomorrow night, hope it turns out (firmness & crust holds!). thanks for the recipe!