No Bake Cheesecake

This easy no bake cheesecake is perfect for any special occasion! This vanilla no bake cheesecake recipe is made with a homemade graham cracker crust, and is velvety smooth. No need for turning the oven on or preparing a hot water bath for this no bake cheesecake.

When it comes to Christmas, I have a few desserts and cookie recipes that are always on the menu. Like these No Chill Drop Sugar Cookies decorated in fun red and green sprinkles, or my Grandma’s Russian Tea Cakes. I can’t not celebrate Christmas without a platter of those! Of course can’t forget a slice of my Old Fashioned Apple Pie.

But this year, my oven broke days before Thanksgiving. Yup. That happened. So instead of straight panicking (ok there was a few minutes of that) I decided to embrace it and whip up some delicious no bake cookies and desserts. Like some easy chocolate fudge, and peanut butter fudge. Or maybe insanely delicious Oreo balls, or homemade peppermint bark.

And besides all the no bake Christmas cookie treats, I knew I would need a showstopper of a Christmas dessert to bring to gatherings and have with my Christmas dinner. And I would have loved making this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake but alas that needs to be baked But then it dawned on me…an easy no bake cheesecake!

A no bake cheesecake is always a winner and so much easier than a traditional cheesecake. With a buttery graham cracker crust, and a silky smooth vanilla cheesecake filling made with a little sour cream so it’s not too sweet it’s the perfect holiday dessert (even if your oven is working!).

Why This Recipe Works

• Great make-ahead dessert for the holidays or a special occasion!
• Easy no bake dessert! No need to turn the oven on.
• A simple filling made with just a few ingredients.
• Can top with fresh berries and whipped cream for an effortless dessert.

What You Need

• Graham crackers – You can use regular graham crackers, gluten free graham crackers or substitute with digestive biscuits or vanilla wafer cookies.
• Butter – I used unsalted butter but salted butter also works. 
• Granulated sugar – Or you can use brown sugar but it makes for a softer crust.
• Heavy whipping cream – You want COLD heavy cream so it is whipped up into peaks easily and can be folded into the cheesecake mixture.
• Cream cheese – I recommend full fat cream cheese for the best texture in this cheesecake. Low-fat may work, but I would not use fat-free. And do not use the whipped tub type. Make sure it’s softened before you start. Read more on how to soften cream cheese.
• Lemon juice – I recommend fresh lemon juice over bottled.
• Powdered Sugar – Make your own homemade powdered sugar in your food processor if you run out!
• Vanilla extract
• Sour Cream – This adds richness, but also cuts through the sweetness of the filling. I recommend full-fat sour cream, but low-fat should be fine. But I do not recommend fat-free.

Ingredient Notes

How To Make This No Bake Cheesecake

Make the crust 

 In a food processor, add your graham crackers. Pulse until they become fine crumbs. You can also do this by placing them in a large plastic bag, seal it shut, and then use a rolling pin (or meat cleaver) to smash them into crumbs!

Place the crumbs into a mixing bowl, and add the melted butter and sugar. Use a spatula to stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a 9-inch (or 10-inch) springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down and up the sides. You want to pack them in tightly so the crust holds together.

Freeze the crust for 20 minutes (or refrigerate for 30-40 minutes) while you make the cheesecake filling.

Make the cheesecake filling

In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. I do this in my stand mixer with the whisk attachment, on high speed, for about 2-3 minutes. Or you can do this with a hand mixer, or with a whisk by hand (but this will take longer). The peaks should stand up on their own when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. I transfer to this another bowl (so I can re-use my mixer bowl). And then refrigerate until ready to use.

Wipe out the mixing bowl and using your paddle attachment (if using a stand mixer) beat the cream cheese first to soften.

Then add powdered sugar and mix on low speed first to combine, then increase to medium-high speed and beat together until light and fluffy for about 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add in the lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream, and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Fold in the whipped cream from step 1, until no streaks remain. It can be difficult to fold in the whipped cream, you can always mix on low speed until combined.  

Chill and serve

Remove the crust from the freezer and spoon the cheesecake mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust. Smooth the top. Cover the springform pan with plastic wrap or tin-foil (being careful it doesn’t touch the top of the cheesecake) and refrigerate until firm, about 6-8 hours (I like doing this the day before, so it sits overnight and its ready the next day.) 

When ready to serve, I use a knife or metal spatula around the sides to loosen the edges of the crust from the springform pan and then remove the springform pan. Cut into slices and serve. I like to serve mine with homemade whipped cream that I’ll make the day before!

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve mine with whipped cream or Cool Whip. I’ll make a batch the day before I plan to serve the cheesecake and keep it int the fridge to serve with it. Or you could pipe some on top on the cheesecake around the border.

You could also top with some fresh strawberries, chocolate ganache, or lemon curd as well! Or my personal favorite is to spoon on some homemade strawberry topping.

Recipe FAQ’s

More Recipes To Try

If you’re craving more no bake cheesecake in your life, then check out my easy no bake cheesecake recipe. It’s wonderful with my homemade strawberry topping or my blueberry topping for cheesecake. Or try this no bake tiramisu cheesecake which is so much easier than a homemade tiramisu but with all the same flavor!

And if you need another easy no bake dessert, try these peanut butter pretzel bars!

No Bake Cheesecake

This easy no bake cheesecake is perfect for any special occasion! This vanilla no bake cheesecake recipe is made with a homemade graham cracker crust, and is velvety smooth. No need for turning the oven on or preparing a hot water bath for this no bake cheesecake.

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 6 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the crust:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs, *about 12 full graham crackers
• ▢ 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar

For the filling:

• ▢ 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• ▢ 24 ounces (3 packages) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (170 g) confectioners sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ cup (57 g) sour cream

Instructions

For the crust:

• In a food processor, add your graham crackers and pulse until they become fine crumbs. You can also do this by placing them in a large plastic bag, seal it shut, and then use a rolling pin (or meat cleaver) to smash them into crumbs! Place the crumbs into a mixing bowl, and add the melted butter and sugar. Use a spatula to stir to combine. 1 ½ cups (180 g) graham cracker crumbs, 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
• Pour the mixture into a 9-inch (or 10-inch) springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down and up the sides. You want to pack them in tightly so the crust holds together. Freeze the crust for 20 minutes (or refrigerate for 30-40 minutes) while you make the cheesecake filling.

For the filling:

• Whip the heavy cream. Before whipping the heavy cream, I chill my bowl and beaters for 10 minutes in the freezer before starting. Then in a large mixing bowl (the one I chilled), whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. I do this in my stand mixer with the whisk attachment, on high speed, for about 3 minutes. Or you can do this with a hand mixer, or with a whisk by hand (but this will take longer). The peaks should stand up on their own when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. I transfer to this another bowl (so I can re-use my mixer bowl). And then refrigerate until ready to use. 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) heavy whipping cream,
• Beat cream cheese and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese first until soft. Then add in powdered sugar and mix on low speed to start until combined, then increase speed to medium-high speed and beat together until light and fluffy for about 2 to 3 minutes. 24 ounces (3 packages) full-fat cream cheese, 1 ½ cups (170 g) confectioners sugar
• Add remaining ingredients. Add in the lemon juice, vanilla and sour cream, and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down bowl to ensure that all of the cream cheese is incorporated. 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ cup (57 g) sour cream
• Add whipped cream. Fold in the whipped cream from step 1, until no streaks remain.
• Add filling to crust. Remove the crust from the freezer and spoon the cheesecake mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust. Smooth the top. Cover the springform pan with plastic wrap or tin-foil (being careful it doesn’t touch the top of the cheesecake) and refrigerate until firm, about 6-8 hours (I like doing this the day before, so it sits overnight and its ready the next day.)
• Serve the cheesecake. When ready to serve, I use a knife or metal spatula around the sides to loosen the edges of the crust from the springform pan and then remove the springform pan. Cut into slices and serve. I like to serve mine with homemade whipped cream that I’ll make the day before!

Video

Notes

• Make ahead: This no bake cheesecake can be made up to 2 days in advance.  Leftovers can be stored, wrapped, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: Once the cheesecake has set up in the fridge, then yes you can freeze it, or any leftovers, for up to 3 months. Make sure to wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap and then a final layer of tinfoil. 
• Mini cheesecakes: You can press the graham cracker crusts into a muffin pan lined with paper liners,  and then spoon the cheesecake filling into the crusts. The cheesecakes will need about 3-4 hours to set up in the fridge. This recipe should make about 24 mini cheesecakes.
• Cream cheese – I recommend full-fat cream cheese for the best texture in this cheesecake. Low-fat may work, but I would not use fat-free. Do not use the tub/whipped variety.
• Sour Cream – This adds richness, but also cuts through the sweetness of the filling. I recommend full-fat sour cream, but low-fat should be fine. But I do not recommend fat-free.
• Serving: I like to serve mine with whipped cream, and my homemade strawberry topping, but you could also top with some fresh strawberries, homemade caramel sauce. chocolate ganache, or lemon curd.

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1331IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

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