You guys, I’m obsessed with this no bake cheesecake I figured out last summer when my oven broke during a heat wave and I was supposed to bring dessert to a cookout.
My AC was already struggling and the thought of turning on the oven made me want to cry. so I was scrolling TikToks at like midnight trying to find something cold and easy. saw a few no bake cheesecake videos and thought yeah I can wing that.
First attempt was a disaster because I didn’t let the cream cheese soften enough and it was lumpy as hell lol. had these weird chunks throughout that my sister wouldn’t let me forget about for months. The second time I used cool whip instead of whipping my own cream and it tasted artificial and sad. third try I actually followed basic logic and it came out perfect.
now I make this constantly because it’s easier than actual baking and tastes just as good. my brother requests it for every birthday instead of cake which honestly hurts my feelings a little but whatever it’s less work for me.
Contents
Why this is genius
no oven needed so your kitchen doesn’t turn into a sauna
sets up in the fridge while you do literally anything else
hard to mess up unless you’re really not paying attention
tastes expensive but costs like twelve dollars to make
you can top it with whatever fruit or sauce you have around
what you need
here’s the stuff:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Graham crackers | 1 box | or like 2 cups crushed |
| Butter | half a stick | melted |
| Cream cheese | 2 blocks | the 8 oz ones softened |
| Powdered sugar | maybe a cup | or more if you like it sweet |
| Vanilla | splash | couple teaspoons |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup | has to be heavy not light |
| Lemon juice | tiny bit | optional but good |
| Fruit for topping | whatever | strawberries or cherries |
making No Bake Cheesecake
Crush the graham crackers into crumbs. I put them in a ziploc and smash with a rolling pin because it’s therapeutic. food processor works too if you’re fancy.
Mix the crumbs with melted butter. should look like wet sand. I use my hands because it’s easier.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a pie pan or springform pan. really pack it down hard or it’ll fall apart when you cut it.
Stick the crust in the fridge while you make the filling. helps it firm up.
Beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer til it’s smooth and fluffy. takes like 2 minutes. make sure it’s actually soft or you’ll get lumps.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese. beat until combined. taste it and add more sugar if you want.
Whip the heavy cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. this takes a few minutes and your arm will get tired if you’re doing it by hand.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently. don’t stir it hard or you’ll deflate all the air you just whipped in.
Add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice if you want that tangy cheesecake flavor. like a teaspoon maybe. I forget this half the time.
Pour the filling into your crust and smooth the top. I use a spatula but a spoon works.
Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. overnight is better but I’m always too impatient and cut into it after 4 hours.
Top with whatever fruit or sauce right before serving. I usually do strawberries because they’re easy.
tips
- Use a springform pan if you have one so you can just pop the sides off. way easier than trying to serve from a pie plate.
- Add some lemon zest to the filling for extra flavor. did this once by accident and it was really good.
- Make it chocolate by mixing in melted chocolate or cocoa powder. haven’t tried this yet but my friend does it.
- Top with cherry pie filling straight from the can for that classic cheesecake vibe. tastes exactly like diner cheesecake.
Storage stuff
keeps in the fridge for like 5 days covered. I use plastic wrap directly on the surface so it doesn’t dry out.
you can freeze it for a couple months but the texture gets a little weird when you thaw it. still tastes fine though.
doesn’t last long at my house because people keep cutting slivers thinking nobody will notice. then the whole thing is gone in 2 days.
had a mystery dessert in my fridge last week that I thought was this but turned out to be some kind of pudding thing my mom brought over. didn’t label it obviously. ate it anyway. need to start using labels but I know I won’t.
Nutrition per slice
for 8 slices:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | around 380 |
| Protein | 5g |
| Carbs | 32g |
| Fat | 26g |
| Fiber | 0g basically |
| Sugar | 24g |
these are guesses from some calculator online. depends how much sugar you actually use and if you pile on the fruit. not exactly diet food but it’s a dessert so.
questions
does it taste like real cheesecake
pretty close yeah. not quite as dense as baked cheesecake but the flavor is right. most people can’t tell the difference honestly
can I use low fat cream cheese
I mean you can but it won’t be as good. low fat stuff has more water and doesn’t set up as firm. just use the real thing it’s worth it
mine didn’t set what happened
either you didn’t whip the cream enough or you didn’t let it chill long enough. needs at least 4 hours in the fridge. also make sure your cream cheese was actually soft when you started
what if I don’t have heavy cream
you could use cool whip but it tastes more artificial. or whip regular whipping cream but it might not be as stable. heavy cream is really the best option here
