No-Bake Cheesecake

With no-bake cheesecake, you can put an impressive dessert on the table without heating the oven—and without much fuss at all. This light-as-a-cloud confection is as crowd-pleasing as it is easy.

It’s versatile too: Neither too sweet nor overpowering, no-bake cheesecake creates an ideal base that serves as an open canvas to be creative with toppings, compotes, and sauces to layer on the sweetness and flavor profile just as you like it.

What Is No-Bake Cheesecake?

No-bake cheesecake comes together with—you guessed it—no need for the oven. Instead, the filling sets in the refrigerator for a minimum of six or up to 12 hours, and then the cheesecake is ready to top and serve.

What Is No-Bake Cheesecake Filling Made Of?

The filling in this no-bake cheesecake recipe uses cream cheese, powdered sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, salt, and heavy whipping cream. 

No-Bake Cheesecake Ingredients

In addition to the filling ingredients, you’ll need just a few more readily available ingredients for the crust: graham cracker crumbs, salted butter, and powdered sugar, as well as cooking spray.

For serving, you’ll need fresh strawberries and raspberries (or any berries you like).

How To Make the Perfect No-Bake Cheesecake

The full recipe for this no-bake cheesecake is below, but here's a brief recap:

Prepare the pan: Start by coating a springform pan with cooking spray to make the crust. Line the pan with parchment before securing the outer ring.

Make the crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and powdered sugar. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan before freezing uncovered. 

Make the filling: While the crust is freezing, prepare the filling. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Then beat in the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt.

Beat the heavy cream until medium peaks form. Fold about half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture; then fold in the rest to combine.

Add filling to crust, and chill: Now remove the crust from the freezer. Pour cream cheese mixture over the crust, and spread evenly. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least six hours.

Slice and serve: Remove the outer ring of the pan and transfer the cheesecake to a stand or platter; gently remove and discard the parchment. Garnish cheesecake with berries to serve.

Tips for Making the Perfect No-Bake Cheesecake

• Make a sturdy crust: Since you are not baking this cheesecake, it’s especially important to pack down the crust well (use the back of a measuring cup to help). And don’t skip the step of freezing the crust before filling, as this helps set it before you add filling.
• Get ingredients just right: When preparing the filling, use room-temperature cream cheese to ensure there are no chunks. Add the whipped cream in batches to lighten the cream cheese mixture to retain the air you just whipped into the cream.
• Make it your own: Customize the flavor of this cake by swapping out any extract or liquor in place of the vanilla to give your preferred flavor. Add more tang by increasing the lemon juice and decreasing the amount of whipped cream to get more zing from the cream cheese.
• Cut smoothly: Use a sharp knife to cut into this cake, and wipe it completely clean between each slice. 

More No-Bake Dessert Recipes

Avoiding the oven? That doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of your favorite desserts. Consider these other no-bake sweets:

• Homemade Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream
• No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie
• Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Recipe
• No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie Recipe
• Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge
• Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.