Easy no bake cheesecake recipe with heavy whipping cream

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Best No-Bake Cheesecake — Look no further than this EASY recipe for PERFECT no-bake cheesecake with a tangy, cream cheese-forward flavor, and a homemade graham cracker crust! Impress your family and friends by serving them the BEST no-bake cheesecake after a special family dinner, as a holiday dessert, or anytime you’re craving perfect cheesecake! 

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe

The best part about this easy cheesecake recipe is not just that the silky smooth, tangy cream cheese filling, or the homemade buttery graham cracker crust, it’s the no-bake aspect!

For anyone who’s been a regular here you know that I am not a pie baker, piped frosting on cupcakes gives me sweaty palms, and I don’t relish making cheesecakes, or any type of “fussy” dessert.

However, this is the best cheesecake because it’s so easy, turns out perfectly every time, the filling tastes like a light cheesecake mousse, and there’s no baking!

No water baths, nothing to crack or break – just perfect cheesecake, every time.

My perfect no-bake cheesecake recipe is like a blank canvas. The cream cheese flavor really shines through and it’s ripe for customizing and flavoring. Read below for some of my flavor twists and variations from fruity to chocolate or salted caramel cheesecake.

While the filling is soft, it definitely holds it shape thanks to heavy cream beaten into the cream cheese.

Serve a thick slice of this no-bake cheesecake with buttery graham cracker crust well-chilled after a fancy dinner, casual get-together, for a holiday dessert, or just because you love cheesecake. 

Ingredients in No-Bake Cheesecake

For this perfect easy no-bake cheesecake, you’ll only need a few ingredients all of which are fridge and pantry staples including the following items:

Graham Cracker Crust

• Unsalted butter, melted
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Granulated sugar

Cheesecake Filling

• Cream cheese
• Granulated sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Heavy whipping cream, cold

Garnishes (optional)

• Freshly whipped cream or whipped topping
• Fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peach or nectarine slices, etc.

How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake From Scratch

To make the best no-bake cheesecake with a homemade graham cracker crust, follow these easy and straightforward steps.

Make the Graham Cracker Crust

• Pour in the melted butter and stir it together with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
• Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a  9-inch springform pan. Place it in the freezer.

Make the No-Bake Cheesecake Filling 

• Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and whip it until smooth.
• Add the sugar and beat until combined.
• Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and beat until smooth and combined.
• In a separate bowl, beat cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture by hand.

Chill the Cheesecake Overnight

• Turn the filling out into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate overnight to set.
• Remove the springform pan outer ring, optionally garnish with whipped cream, fruit, or as desired, and serve! 

Do I Need to Use a Springform Pan?

Trust me, I am not a big fan of springform pans because they can be a pain to collapse and expand, and they can leak, all of which is so incredibly frustrating.

Thankfully though, this no-bake cheesecake recipe doesn’t rely on any sort of baking or water bath so the chances of leakage or water seepage into your cheesecake is totally eliminated. Whew!

However, yes I strongly recommend a 9-inch springform pan.

I personally use this 9-inch Calphalon Springform Pan that I bought in 2015 and it has been going strong ever since! 

Springform pans are:

1. Taller than a normal 9-inch round cake pan and this adds more depth, or volume, so you can pack in the homemade graham cracker crust all the way to the top of the pan, or nearly.
2. Able to accommodate the total amount of cheesecake filling which would be too much for a regular 9-inch cake pan.
3. Great for releasing the no-bake cheesecake. We all have watched someone struggle (I am that someone!) with getting out the first piece of cake or pie baked in a normal pan but this is where the releasing action of a springform pan is priceless!

Bottom line, if you want to bake it in a cake pan or other type of pan, you will have to experiment with reducing the recipe so that everything “fits” since I don’t know the answer to this.

Can I Use a Store-Bought Graham Cracker Crust?

Yes and no to using a store-bought crust.

The reason being is that store bought graham cracker or Oreo crusts are sold in very shallow (skimpy) pie tins. You will have far too much cheesecake filling to fit into the store bought crust.

However, if you halved the cheesecake filling portion of the recipe, I’m guessing it would be about correct, although I haven’t tested it so I can’t personally speak to it.

Can You Taste the Lemon Juice in No-Bake Cheesecake?

No, you cannot taste the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in no-bake cheesecake.

The acidity of the lemon juice helps this easy no-bake cheesecake to keep its texture and not turn runny.

If you want to taste the lemon, add the zest of one or two lemons depending on how lemony you want it and add the zest to the batter.

Tip: Make sure to just use the outermost yellow layer of the lemon peel and not father down into the pith, or white area, which is bitter.

Favorite Cheesecake Toppings

Toppings are the obvious way to change the flavor profile of no-bake cheesecake. For example add or use the following:

• Whipped cream or whipped topping is must for me!
• Fresh fruit such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or even slices of ripe peaches or nectarines.
• Caramel or salted caramel sauce for anyone who likes a sweet-and-salty dessert combo like us.
• Chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, or anything you’d drizzle over ice cream works well over cheesecake. 
• Jellies, jams, or preserves either store bought or homemade if you’re lucky enough to have them. 

Flavor Variations to Try

Speaking of flavoring no-bake cheesecake, there are many ways to take this blank canvas base recipe for no-bake cheesecake and turn it into something more!

Flavor the cheesecake batter with add-ins including the following ingredients:

• Extracts such as vanilla, almond, lemon, orange, or even strawberry are fun twists. I suggest 1 teaspoon unless you really love the flavor and know what you’re getting into.
• Mini chocolate chips are great for the chocolate lovers
• Toffee bits add a bit of crunch to the otherwise smooth cheesecake batter.
• Peanut butter chips or chopped up mini peanut butter cups will make any peanut butter aficionado happy!
• Other favorite chopped up candy bars such as Snickers, Milky Way, Rolo candies, KitKat bars, or your favorites are lovely.
• Finally, if you have extra chocolate chip cookies laying around (from that big tub you bought at Costco or Trader Joe’s) chop them up and toss them in the batter!

Tip: When it comes to flavoring the batter with add-ins, I suggest about 1/2 to 1 cup but it depends on what you’re using. One cup of mini chocolate chips is a whole lot more than 1 cup of chopped Snickers. Eyeball and use your judgment.

Refrigerating vs. Freezing and Storing No-Bake Cheesecake

In order to allow no-bake cheesecake with graham cracker crust to fully set up, it needs to be refrigerated overnight.

Do not try to shortcut this by freezing it during the setting up-phase. The texture will change in an undesirable way and it’s not good.

After the this easy no-bake cheesecake has fully set up overnight, I recommend that you store it in the fridge unless you slicing and serving it. Don’t leave it a room temperature because it will soften too much.

It will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.

However, after it has set up, it actually is great stored in the freezer and served as a frozen treat. If you let it thaw for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing it from frozen, it has the texture of ice cream or frozen yogurt and it’s great especially in warm weather months!

Tip: If you plan to freeze it, I recommend storing it in individual sandwich-sized baggies or in individual freezer-safe plastic containers. Single servings are much easier to deal with both to find room in your freezer as well as for an easy snack so you aren’t unnecessarily waiting to thaw the whole cheesecake.

Tips for the Best No-Bake Cheesecake

When it comes to making this easy, best, no-bake cheesecake, I have some tips to make sure it becomes a favorite cheesecake dessert recipe!

I use store-bought graham cracker crumbsfor the graham cracker crust. It is possible to pulverize actual graham crackers in your food processor to create 1 1/2 cups crumbs – likely about 11 or 12 whole, large, rectangular graham crackers. For me it’s just easier to use store bought crumbs.

You need to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything labeled as lite, fat-free, reduced in any way. Do not use ‘spreadable’ cream cheese. All of these products contain much more water in place of what should be fat, which is a stabilizer, and necessary so that you cheesecake sets up.

You would end up with a watery cheesecake that doesn’t want to set up if you use lite, fat-free, or spreadable cream cheese products so don’t!

The cream cheese should be a room temp to easily beat. Not too hard which makes it almost impossible, and not too soft which will add to the runny factor. Set it about about 30 minutes before you plan to beat it.

I’ve only ever used real, freshly squeezed lemon juice. As I mentioned, the acidity helps the cheesecake set up properly rather than actually impart lemon flavor. For that reason, I advise grabbing a real lemon rather than anything processed and in a bottle.

Heavy whipping cream is necessary. Do not substitute with milk, half-and-half, or any other products other than heavy whipping cream. It’s the only choice that will whip into stiff peaks, thereby giving stability to this no-bake cheesecake.

Make sure to whip the heavy cream with your stand mixer or hand mixer to actual stiff peaks. That means that when you lift the mixer beaters out of the cream, the peaks will stand firmly up on their own and not deflate or fall, although the tips may be slightly soft. Also the whipped cream will have expanded in volume. This may take 7 to 8 minutes depending on the strength of your mixer.

The whipping cream should be cold for best results. While cream cheese beats better softened to room temp, heavy whipping cream does not, so keep it cold.

Finally, when folding the whipped cream into the beaten cream cheese and sugar mixture, easy does it! Do not stir, beat, mix aggressively, or anything other than just a gentle folding. If you don’t know what folding means, watch a video online so that you don’t deflate all the air and volume you just created.

When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake after it’s set up overnight, take a butter knife and run it along the edge of the cheesecake in the pan. Take off the outer ring and then get ready to slice, garnish, and serve.

Running a butter knife around the edge helps prevent the graham cracker crumbs from being “ripped off” the edge of the cheesecake as you take off the outer ring of the springform pan. The crumbs stay with the cheesecake instead of being lost to the pan. 

Ingredients

Crust:

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cheesecake Filling

• 24 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened (Do NOT use lite, reduced fat, fat-free, or spreadable cream cheese)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold

Instructions

1. Graham Cracker Crust - Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, about 1 minute on high power.
2. To a medium bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, drizzle or pour in the melted butter, and toss with a fork to combine.
3. To a 9-inch springform pan* (See Notes), transfer the buttery graham cracker crumb mixture, packing it firmly on the bottom of the pan and pressing it about halfway up the sides with your fingertips. Place the springform pan in the freezer while you make the cheesecake filling.
4. Cheesecake Filling - To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or handheld electric mixer, add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the granulated sugar and beat to combine, about 1 minute.
6. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and beat to incorporate, making sure to start on a low speed so the sugar doesn't fly everywhere. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl; set aside.
7. To a separate medium bowl, add the heavy whipping cream (make sure it is very cold for best results), and whip using the whisk attachment of your mixer until the whipped cream has expanded in volume and stiff peaks form, 7 to 8 minutes or as necessary depending on your mixer.**(See Notes)
8. Add the whipped cream to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture and gently fold the whipped cream in, by hand, taking care not to over-stir, over-mix, or deflate the air you created in the whipped cream. If you don't know how to fold, watch a video on the internet so you don't over-do it.
9. Remove the graham cracker crust from the freezer and carefully turn out the filling mixture into it, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula or offset knife.
10. Cover the springform pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and place it in the refrigerator overnight to chill and set up, at least 8 hours but longer is fine. Tip - Do not try to cheat and speed it up by doing this in the freezer because the texture will change for the worse so plan ahead and make sure the setting up process is in the fridge.
11. When ready to serve, run a butter knife around the perimeter of the springform pan and then gently pull the outer ring off and away. This helps to allow the graham cracker crust to stay on the cheesecake and to not get pulled off and stick to the springform pan.
12. Slice the cheesecake as desired and top with whatever optional garnishes you desire, including whipped cream, whipped topping, fresh fruit, salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce, etc.
13. Extra no-bake cheesecake will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. After it has already set up, leftover cheesecake can be kept frozen airtight for up to 3 months. Tip - If you plan to freeze it, I recommend storing it in individual sandwich-sized baggies or in individual freezer-safe plastic containers. Single servings are much easier to deal with both to find room in your freezer as well as for an easy snack so you aren’t unnecessarily waiting to thaw the whole cheesecake.

Notes

*I personally use this 9-inch Calphalon Springform Pan that I bought in 2015 and it has been going strong ever since! You need to use a springform pan for the cheesecake because springform pans are:

1. Taller than a normal 9-inch round cake pan and this adds more depth, or volume, so you can pack in the homemade graham cracker crust all the way to the top of the pan, or nearly.
2. Able to accommodate the total amount of cheesecake filling which would be too much for a regular 9-inch cake pan.
3. Great for releasing the no-bake cheesecake so there is no struggling or issue.

Bottom line, if you want to bake it in a cake pan or other type of pan, you will have to experiment with reducing the recipe so that everything “fits” since I don’t know the answer to this.

**Make sure to whip the heavy cream to actual stiff peaks. That means that when you lift the mixer beaters out of the cream, the peaks will stand firmly up on their own and not deflate or fall, although the tips may be slightly soft. Also the whipped cream will have expanded in volume. This may take 7 to 8 minutes depending on the strength of your mixer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

More Easy Cheesecake Dessert Recipes:

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars – EASY bars that taste like crème brûlée met a cheesecake on the way to the oven with a sugar cookie crust!! Rich, sinfully decadent, and a great make-ahead dessert for parties and events!!

Easiest Crustless Cheesecake — No crust to make and whiz the batter together in the blender!! Easy, foolproof, and so good!!

Death by Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake Bars — Only for serious chocoholics because they’re rich, creamy, decadent, and loaded with chocolate!! NO-BAKE and an easy MAKE-AHEAD dessert!! 

Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars — A super chewy crust made with butterscotch chips and graham cracker crumbs that also doubles as the topping!! The silky smooth tangy cheesecake layer is the PERFECT contrast! A simple recipe that FAR EXCEEDED expectations!!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars — These caramel apple cheesecake bars feature a buttery crust that’s topped with cheesecake and spiced apples. After they’re done baking, the bars are drizzled with salted caramel sauce!

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars — These bars are full of the flavors of fall! The soft yet dense apple cheesecake layer tops a crisp, brown sugar-graham cracker crust, while gooey, salted caramel drenches the top. Yum!! 

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars — These pumpkin cheesecake bars are a texture lover’s dream with a crisp brown sugar-graham cracker crust, a soft yet dense pumpkin cheesecake layer, and gooey soft salted caramel swirls the run like a river over the surface. 

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars — Soft, buttery bars topped with cheesecake and swirled with strawberry jam! The best of all worlds in these fast, easy, and AMAZING bars!!

No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes — These no-bake mini cheesecakes require just 5 ingredients and don’t require you to turn on your oven! Perfect for holiday parties, birthdays, and more! 

Mini Easter Cheesecake Bites — These cute little cheesecakes are perfect for Easter! Creamy cheesecake filling sits atop a shortbread crust and is topped with a cheesecake pudding whipped cream, coconut, and mini chocolate eggs!

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