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.
- 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, 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
- How to Prevent Cracks in Cheesecake
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- Snickers Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Pie
- Lemon Cheesecake
I have an entire cheesecake recipes category, too!
PrintNo-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.
Hi Sally
I was wondering if there was a way to use this Cheesecake recipe and turn it in to different flavors like peanut butter or Nutella etc? I thought I read that as note on this recipe a while back but I can’t seem to find that anywhere. Please let me know, thanks!
Hi Memo, 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 or Nutella. The cheesecake *should* still set up just fine. Let us know how it turns out!
I am considering making this for a bridal shower, and having a variety of toppings for guests to add. Would a bar pan work for this recipe, without pressing crust up the sides (bottom only), cutting into rounds with a biscuit cutter, then lifted onto serving plates? I read that it would be very thick in a 9×13 pan, but wasn’t sure if a bar pan would be too shallow…or maybe would work if I used 1 1/2 recipes for a bar pan?
Hi Cheryl, The bars will be very thick in a 9×13 pan, so make sure they are sufficiently chilled, even up to 24 hours! Or try these mini no bake cheesecakes. These no-bake cheesecake jars with a variety of toppings would also be fun for your shower. Let us know what you try!
This is seriously the creamiest cheesecake I’ve ever made or tasted. The only change I made was to add a bit of dissolved gelatin to the heavy cream before I whipped it, just to stabilize it a bit more as it will be eaten over a few days. I love making lemon posset, and I’d like to try to make parfaits alternating this cheesecake filling with posset for a light-but rich dessert.
I did not make a cheesecake as directed, but made the filling as directed and made a few different flavors in dessert cups for a party. One batch I made half with a regular graham crust and topped with diced strawberries, and half with shortbread cookies and topped with lemon pie filling and blueberries. I made another batch without lemon juice and made half with a biscoff cookie crust, ganache, and salted caramel on top and half with Oreos and ganache. I didn’t get to try them all, but it was a huge hit. I think with both batches it made about 30 5-6 oz desserts in total. I’m going to try it again with cake layers instead of cookie crumbs.
Hi I love This recipe its so easy and delicious i made this for my sisters birthday and eveyone likes it.Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, I am looking forward to see more such type of recipe, its perfect to a person like who love’s baking but don’t have oven as of the moment.
Hey! Thanks for the recipe, looks wonderful! Would some chocolate topping (filling?) also fit the cake?
Hi Elisabeth, we haven’t tested adding a chocolate filling to this cheesecake. You could easily add mini chocolate chips, but let us know if you try anything else!
Can I use this as a filling for cakes?
Hi Shaunessy, while we don’t recommend a full cheesecake as a layer, you could create a dam with buttercream around the edges of the cake, then lightly filling the inside with this cheesecake filling, so that it doesn’t come out the edges. Let us know if you try it!
Hello Sally ! Sour cream isn’t marketed in the country I live in. Should I replace it by another ingredient or just not use it at all ? Thank you
Hi Shami, plain yogurt works in place of sour cream in a pinch — do not omit completely, or the cheesecakes will not set. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious, just as everyone says. Seriously! I do have a question though: it’s not *quite* setting up. Almost, but I can’t cut it neatly. I’m definitely following directions (I’m good at doing what I’m told ;), but even after making it four times, each cheesecake has come out a bit too soft — kinda “melting” looking. I keep cold until served and always chill overnight in the fridge. Any ideas? Could I add MORE of something to get it to firm up more (e.g. more cream cheese) or maybe add something like a little butter to get it firm)? I’d like to avoid using gelatin as some people prefer not to eat it.
Thank you!
This was amazing! I will absolutely make it again. I’m not generally a fan of no-bake cheesecake, but decided to make this one for a large group due to convenience. Everyone who had it thought it was delicious! Thank you!
Fantastic cheesecake recipe. The result is one of the best I’ve ever tasted!
I’m from the UK and used Digestive biscuits for the crust, fresh double cream, Tesco cream cheese in a tub (same as Philadelphia) and icing sugar for the filling. Worked really well and will definitely make this again – often!
This is absolutely the very best cheesecake I have ever tasted. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will be making it again this weekend. God bless you!
Do you think I could bake this cheesecake without the crust. I have someone who is gluten-intolerant.
Hi Maxine! This no bake cheesecake won’t be sturdy enough without a crust. Some bakers have noted using gluten free graham crackers in this crust recipe with success – let us know what you try.
I have made this three times now, always substituting gluten free graham crackers (crushed). We like the Kinnikinnick brand but you may not have that one where you are?
I make this recipe all the time for my husband who is also gluten intolerant. I found gluten free graham crackers on Amazon and in my local grocery store that I use for the crust or I will substitute pecans sometimes. It makes a beautiful crust that sets up exactly like the regular graham cracker crust!
This is the second time I made this cheesecake. Its so good and everyone likes it. Thank you for making it so easy. I was curious how ever what calorie breakdown on this desert?
Hi Pamela! So glad you loved this recipe. We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Love this recipe! It’s my go to!
What are your thoughts on turning this into a lemon cheesecake? Would adding more juice make the cheesecake too runny?
Hi Marsha! We haven’t tested a lemon version of this no bake cheesecake. Lemon zest would be great in the cheesecake itself and a topping of lemon curd would be delicious as well! Let us know what you try
Hi Sally! Going to try this recipe this week for a friends birthday cake! I want to pipe the whipped cream exactly as you do in the pictures here. Any tips? (I.e. chilling the whip cream before, etc) thank you SO much!
Hi Eyliena, check out this post for how we make our whipped cream. We used Ateco 849 piping tip for the whipped cream in the pictured cheesecake.
This cheesecake was amazing!!! Doubled the recipe and made it in a slightly bigger pan, topped with glazed strawberries and served with strawberry purée and was a huge it. Will definitely make again!
Best easiest cheesecake I’ve ever made. I’ve made it many times and it’s always a huge hit!!!
Love this! Have made this a dozen times using splenda and use it crustless to top fruit as a lower calories dessert. Its a big hit every time.
Hi Sally, thank you for this amazing recipe. I made it last year for my partner’s birthday and he LOVED it. Planning to do the same this year but my freezer is full right now. So for the crust, can I also bake it to solidify it? Thank you!
Hi Shirl, We are so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Yes you can certainly bake this crust first (follow the same baking directions as our blueberries and cream pie) but then make sure that it is 100% cool before adding the filling! You can even chill it in the refrigerator before adding the filling just to be sure.
I wish I could give this more stars. It’s so unbelievably delicious. Silky texture and wonderful flavour. I might eat the whole pie myself. Sharing is overrated. 😉
really want to make this tomorrow for a dinner on friday! can I use a glass pie plate instead of springform?
Hi Tracy, We don’t recommend it for this recipe. Without a springform pan it will be difficult to release the cake and cut nice slices. We haven’t tested it but you could try making this recipe into cheesecake bars. The bars will be very thick in a 9×13 pan, so make sure they are sufficiently chilled, even up to 24 hours! Or try these mini no bake cheesecakes.
Have you ever tried softer cream cheese? We have Philadelphia cream cheese in my country but it is not block form. Block cream cheese is very hard to find here… im from the Netherlands. Anyone have any advice?
Hi Irma, From what we 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. We have no experience with it, but this is what we’ve heard from other non-US readers. Let us know if you give it a try!
Loved it!
The best no bake cheesecake!
I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe, it is delicious!
The cheesecake is delicious. However, the bottom crust sticks to the pan. You didn’t mention parchment paper or greasing the pan. Would this be ok next time I make this receipe?
Thank you
Hi Deb, There should be enough butter in the crust to prevent it from sticking, but you can absolutely line the bottom of your pan with a parchment round if needed. This also makes it easier if you wish to carefully slide it off the bottom piece of your pan when it finishes baking.
Can I use another flavor instead of lemon juice, highly allergic?
Hi Lois, you can leave out the lemon juice if necessary.
Made this for my mom for her birthday, best no bake cheesecake ever! I don’t know if you’ve ever tried Dennys cheesecake but my mom loves it and buys a whole one togo everytime we eat there (and it’s frozen) but never the less she said it was better than that! The mouth feel is smooth and Creamy and tastes amazing! I added a little extra confectioners sugar to the filling because I like it sweet, but that’s a personal preference. This recipe will be part of my cook book for years to come.
I thought my experience might be useful to anyone outside the US whose cheesecake doesn’t set. I made this recipe for valentine’s day. I used foil wrapped blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese and the only type of cream available here (I live outside the US). I whipped the cream into heavy peaks. The cheesecake didn’t set up overnight. So I did some research and discovered that cream here has less fat than US cream. It still whips to stiff peaks but won’t set without gelatin. So if you’re struggling with this recipe have a good look at the cream your using.
Thank you for the gelatin tip – mine did not set either – tasted amazing but he to get eaten in a bowl with a spoon – want to try now with gelatin (we are in Canada) – have you added gelatin and if so what are your directions? Thanks so much, Kate
Also in Canada.
I have made this several times. I always use 35% cream. The cream whips up very well and the cheesecake sets beautifully.
I’m also in Canada. Just had a look and while at first glance it may SEEM that American Philly has more fat than Canadian Philly, it’s because the serving sizes are different. The Canadian serving size is 1/2 the American serving size and therefore the nutritional information is also half as much. (1 ounce vs 15 grams, equals 28 grams vs 15 grams). That means that the American and Canadian products have the same fat content, they are just reported differently.
Where are you Grace? I’m in Canada and about to make this, but in individual serving cups. It might not matter as much but I’d still like them to set properly.
This is by far 100% the PERFECT NO BAKE CHEESECAKE! I have made it twice in the last two weeks. It’s so creamy, rich, stable and absolutely delicious! I’ve had a lot of no bakes in my day! This is THE BEST I’ve had. I think I actually like this more than a traditional baked cheesecake.
Good afternoon from Nigeria Sally. I am a huge fan and I have tried some of your recipes. Perfect I must say. So i want to make a variety of cake layers, chocolate and red velvet cake. Can I place the no bake cheesecake in the middle as part of the layers or do I have to bake the cheesecake
Hi Mercy! We don’t recommend this no bake cheesecake as a sturdy layer between or under cakes (unless it’s a very light sponge cake). We haven’t tested it, but we suspect it simply isn’t stable enough to support cake layers. What you could try is creating a dam with buttercream around the edges of the cake, then lightly filling the inside with this cheesecake filling, so that it doesn’t come out the edges. Let us know what you try!
My family and I LOVE this recipe . BUT the last one I made the crust stuck to sides! It was a disaster!
What do you think could have wrong? I just pressed the crumbs back on to the sides. It did
not distract from the taste just the presentation and my ego.
I spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray, then I line the sides and bottom, of the pan with parchment paper. Worked wonderfully
Hi Sally, I made this cheesecake with a raspberry sauce for Easter dinner, it was divine. I was wondering if I could add lemon zest to it ,and how much? Love your recipes! Thanks
Hi Brenda, We haven’t tested a lemon version of this no bake cheesecake. Lemon zest would be great in the cheesecake itself (perhaps start with a 2 teaspoons, and then adjust to your liking for future batches) and a topping of lemon curd would be delicious as well! Let us know what you try.
Doh!! Now ya tell me!! Just made two if these for mother’s Day, and DID NOT grease or parchment paper at all!! I hope they come out!! Uh-oh…I didn’t use the spring form pan as called for either (don’t have one) so just used Pyrex Glass baking/dessert pans….now I’m scared! Lol