Best No-Bake Cheesecake

Name: BEST NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPE
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: PT-486165H27M49S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 200g Graham Crackers or Wheat Digestives (about 13-14 sheets full sheets of graham crackers); 90g unsalted butter, melted; Pinch of salt; 800g cream cheese (28 oz or 3.5 8 oz packs), room temperature; 150g granulated sugar (2/3 cup); 2 tsp vanilla bean paste; 1/2 tsp salt; 2-4 tbsp lemon juice, to taste; 120g sour cream (1/2 cup); 120g heavy cream (1/2 cup), chilled; 120g heavy cream (1/2 cup), chilled and whipped; Fresh berries

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This is the best no-bake cheesecake you will ever eat - rich, creamy, indulgent, and perfectly balanced in flavor. This cheesecake takes only 15 minutes of work and less than 10 ingredients to make, giving a classic New York cheesecake a run for its money!

no bake cheesecake on a marble serving board pictures from the side showing the crust and creamy texture. decorated with whipped cream and strawberries

Slice of no bake cheesecake on a small plate showing incredibly creamy texture, another slice seen in the background

My best New York cheesecake recipe is one of my top performing recipes ever, and for good reason. I maintain it is the best baked cheesecake I've ever eaten, and I've tried many cheesecakes around the world. Having said that, if I were asked to compare that cheesecake with this, significantly easier no-bake version... I would have a tremendously hard time picking! In fact, the no-bake version might actually take the edge simply because of how much simpler it is to make. So if you've tried and enjoyed my New York classic cheesecake, you simply MUST try this one, too!

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INGREDIENTS NEEDED
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
TIPS FOR THE PERFECT NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BEST NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPE
RELATED RECIPES

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

This recipe needs less than 10 ingredients:

Crust:

Graham Crackers or Wheat Digestives depending on where you live
Unsalted Butter
Salt

Cheesecake filling:

Full fat cream cheese, room temperature - I strongly recommend using Philadelphia block cream cheese (not tub cream cheese) for the best results
Granulated sugar
Vanilla
Salt
Lemon juice
Sour cream - if you don't have sour cream, you can use heavy cream instead, and add more lemon juice to get the flavor you want
Heavy cream, chilled - this is whipped and folded into the cheesecake filling to aerate it and help stabilize it without the use of gelatine

Decoration (optional):

Whipped cream
Berries

a no bake cheesecake on a marble serving board decorated with whipped cream and fresh strawberries

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Now, let's walk through the simple process. This takes just 10-15 minutes of work! Check out this short video:

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1. Make the crust

Use a food processor to blitz the Graham Crackers until they turn into a fine powder (you can also use this step by using a pestle or rolling pin if you don't want to use a food processor). Add the melted butter and salt and mix. The mixture will still be crumbly, which is what we want so the crust ends up crispy (adding too much butter will give you a soggy crust).

Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. I do this by placing a square of parchment paper on the bottom part of the pan, and then placing the rim of the pan on top and clasping it.

Transfer the crust ingredients to the pan, and tightly pack them down using the back of a large spoon or a measuring cup. The tighter you do this, the crispier the crust will be.

cheesecake crust mixture added to the bottom of a springform pan

hand using measuring cup to press down the cheesecake crust inside the springform pan

cheesecake crust packed down tightly in a springform pan

Note: This recipe makes for a very thick crust (which I like!), but if you don't want that, you can also push some of the crumbs up the edge of the cheesecake pan. This will still give you ample crust, but it won't be as thick on the bottom.

Place the pan in the fridge or freezer to set while you make the filling.

2. Prepare the cheesecake filling

Add the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla into the bowl of your stand mixer, and use the paddle attachment to whip until the sugar dissolves and you have a creamy mixture (about 2 minutes). You can also do this using a hand mixer.

cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt in a glass mixing bowl

cream cheese and sugar mixed until creamy and thick in a glass bowl

Then, add the lemon juice and sour cream, and whisk until combined.

sour cream and lemon juice added to cream cheese and sugar mixture in a glass bowl

sour cream and cream cheese combined into a creamy mixture

In a separate bowl, whip up the chilled heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling using a rubber spatula until combined. This will give your cheesecake a fluffy texture.

heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks in a glass bowl

thick and creamy and fluffy no bake cheesecake filling in a glass bowl

3. Assemble and chill the cheesecake

Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan with the crust, and spread it out evenly. I like to do this with an offset spatula, and first I push the filling down to ensure there aren't any air pockets in the cheesecake.

no bake cheesecake filling poured on top of crust inside springform pan

no bake cheesecake ready to go into fridge to set

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least for 4 hours, for the cheesecake to fully set.

4. Decorate & serve!

Once the cheesecake is set, carefully remove it from the pan. I do this by first running a butter knife around the edge, and then open the springform pan. The parchment paper makes it easy to lift the cheesecake and slide it onto the serving stand as the crust is solid once fully chilled. You can also use an offset spatula to smooth the edges of the cheesecake after removing it from the pan.

Optionally, decorate the cheesecake with more whipped cream and berries.

And that's it! Now you're ready to slice in and enjoy this absolutely divine dessert.

overhead image of no bake cheesecake with whipped cream florets and sliced strawberries

spatula pulling out a slice from a no bake cheesecake revealing creamy interior

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

While this is an "easy" recipe, some people still struggle with getting their no-bake cheesecake perfect. Here are my best tips for you:

Make sure to pack the crust tightly. Since the crust isn't baked, packing it tightly will help ensure it is crispy and sticks together instead of being soggy or crumbly.
Use high quality, full-fat cream cheese. You can never go wrong with Philadelphia, and if you can, please get the block cream cheese, not tub cream cheese. Block cream cheese has higher fat content and makes for the creamiest, richest cheesecake
Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature. Take it out of the fridge ~1 hour before using. This will help ensure the cream cheese mixes properly
Avoid overmixing cream cheese. Cream cheese is hygroscopic, meaning it can actually become more runny if it is whisked for too long. When making cheesecake, whisk the cream cheese and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks creamy, but not any more than that
Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl while you mix the cream cheese! This will ensure all the cream cheese fully mixes, and you don't end up with lumps of cream cheese in your batter
Do not overwhip the heavy cream. Stop whisking as soon as the heavy cream reaches stiff peaks (meaning it holds shape). Whisking longer will cause it to split and become grainy, ruining the texture of the cheesecake
Use high quality vanilla! I strongly recommend using vanilla bean paste, as it will significantly enhance the flavor of the cheesecake as opposed to vanilla essence or extract

a slice of no bake cheesecake on a small plate with a fork taking out a bite. cheesecake has a creamy and rich texture with a crispy crust and is decorated with strawberries

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a substitute for sour cream in cheesecake?

Sour cream adds incredible flavor and texture to cheesecake. However, if it is not available where you live, you can substitute it by adding more heavy cream (not whipped) instead of sour cream, and add 1-2 tablespoon more lemon juice.

How to store no-bake cheesecake?

Cover the cheesecake with a cloche or cling wrap (or place it in an airtight container) and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Can no-bake cheesecake be frozen?

Yes! Cover the cheesecake thoroughly with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight before enjoying.