This easy No-bake Cheesecake is so creamy and comes out just sweet enough! Top with any fresh fruit, or enjoy it plain! It’s naturally gluten-free and pairs perfectly with my no bake graham cracker crust!
My husband is a HUGE fan of cheesecake, but to be honest – I’m not very good at making them.
They always seem to crack in the oven, and no amount of whipped cream can cover it up!
That’s why I switched to this easy no bake cheesecake recipe. It’s SO delicious, incredibly easy to make, and practically failproof!
No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Anytime my family asks me to make this recipe, I always say yes. It’s very little work on my part and let’s face it – it’s SO good!
- Creamy
- Just sweet enough
- Naturally gluten-free
- Perfect with my no bake graham cracker crust
- Works with any fresh fruit topping, or just plain!
Plus, since it requires chill time, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert recipe!
Healthier No Bake Cheesecake Ingredients
You need just a few simple ingredients:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cream cheese (Philadelphia or store-brand)
- Granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar)
- Confectioner’s sugar (homemade, or store-bought)
- Sour cream
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
Notice what you DON’T need to make this cheesecake:
- NO cool whip (that’s just sweetened processed oils!)
- NO sweetened condensed milk (letting you control the level of sweetness and quality of ingredients)
Want to make no bake Oreo cheesecake?
Use Oreos to make the crust and sprinkle crumbled Oreos on top!
Want to make no bake strawberry cheesecake?
Slice fresh strawberries on top! You could also top with my freezer strawberry jam too, which would be EXTRA delicious!
Want to make no bake cheesecake bites?
Follow the recipe below, but instead of using a 8” springform pan, use a muffin tin!
How to Make No Bake Cheesecake
You’ll want to make the crust first, and those instructions are included below. Once that’s done, you make the filling:
- Whip the heavy whipping cream into stiff peaks and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cream the cream cheese and sugar and remaining ingredients.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese, pour into the crust, and let it chill until set!
Why is my no bake cheesecake not firm?
First, make sure you beat the whipping cream into stiff peaks first – just like you would when you make homemade whipped cream (or homemade chocolate whipped cream!).
If you skip this step, you’re adding liquid to your cheesecake and that will ultimately prevent your cheesecake from getting nice and firm.
Also, be sure to let it chill for at least 8 hours. The longer the chill, the nicer the cheesecake will set up. Personally, I let it chill for 12 hours overnight.
What to serve with easy healthy no bake cheesecake?
Other Easy Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Crock Pot Poached Pears
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Hummus
- Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
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This easy No-bake Cheesecake is so creamy and comes out just sweet enough! Top with any fresh fruit, or enjoy it plain! It’s naturally gluten-free and pairs perfectly with my no bake graham cracker crust!
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 6–8 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooling
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 sheets of graham crackers)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (OR any granulated sugar with ½ tsp molasses)
- ½ cup butter, melted (8 Tbsp)
Cheesecake:
- 1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 24 oz full fat cream cheese
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp confectioners sugar (how to make your own powdered sugar)
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the crust: Break the graham crackers into a food processor (or blender) and process until they resembled fine crumbs.
- Add the brown sugar (or granulated sugar + molasses) and melted butter and process until the crumbs are thoroughly mixed and coated with butter, about 2-4 minutes.
- Pour the crumbs into your favorite pie dish (I like using my 8” springform pan) and press FIRMLY into the bottom and sides of the dish. Set aside in the fridge.
- 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 rubber 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.
- Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
- Remove crust from the fridge 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 8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, 12 hours is best. I chill mine overnight.
- 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. Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Is a springform pan absolutely necessary? I was hoping to double or triple the recipe and use a 9×13 pan so that I could take to a potluck.
Hello Barbara,
You can use a 9×13 but you won’t be able to remove the cake from the pan before serving like you would a springform pan. Hope this helps!