No-Bake Cheesecake

The only downside to a cheesecake is how long it takes to bake and how fussy it can be (water bath? no thank you!). A no-bake cheesecake takes all the stress away. Plus, it takes about half the time to make. 

Do I have to bake the crust?

Nope! There is truly NO baking. In fact, the only heat required is used to melt butter for the crust. Our very easy graham cracker crust hardens as the cheesecake sets, which also means you don't need to freeze the crust while making the cheesecake filling. 

What makes it a no-bake?

Our classic cheesecake requires flour and eggs which helps set the cheesecake as it bakes. Both are left out here so it's totally safe to eat. Whipped cream is folded into the cream cheese to provide the volume and creaminess and cheesecake needs. And a little sour cream and lemon juice add the necessary tanginess. It's all around the perfect texture. 

Do I need to refrigerate it?

Yes, this cheesecake does need to be refrigerated. If you skip the chill time, slicing it will be difficult. I also recommend serving the cheesecake cold straight from the refrigerator. It needs at least 4 hours of chill time, but the longer the better so go ahead and make it the night before so you have one less thing to worry about! 

Can I freeze it?

Yes! You can make your cheesecake ahead of time and store it in the freezer for up to a week. Defrost your cheesecake in the refrigerator or serve it straight from the freezer! 

Best no-bake toppings.

The topping options are endless! A cherry pie filling is classic, roasted strawberries are perfect, and no one ever complained with a drizzle of homemade caramel. You could also go with fresh fruit, nutella, fudge, or simply serve it as is! 

Can I make mini no-bake cheesecake?

Absolutely! That's the great thing about a no-bake dessert. You can put it in any kind of dish you want without worrying about bake times or it overflow. Fill some small jars with a layer of your graham cracker crust and then pipe or spoon the filling in. You can line some muffin tins with liners and make mini versions that way or fill individual tart pans. Whatever you have will work! 

No-bake cheesecake variations.

A classic is always great, but if you want to switch up we have lots of fun no-bake cheesecakes to try! For the summer we have a favorite Banana Pudding Cheesecake or Creamsicle Cheesecake. For the fall we of course have a Pumpkin No-Bake! 

Variations on a crust.

Mix up your cheesecake crust even more by trying out crushed pretzels, ginger snaps, Biscoff cookies, amaretti cookies, or chocolate wafer cookies in this no-bake recipe. For a vegan crust, swap the butter for coconut oil and bake at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling.

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!