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Quick and easy no-bake cheesecake is topped with fresh strawberry sauce for an ideal summer dessert!
No Bake For the Win!
We absolutely love cheesecake AND strawberries. Who doesn’t?
The only problem is that when the weather heats up and strawberries are in season, the last thing we want to do is turn on the oven for an hour to bake a dessert. That’s why we perfected this no bake cheesecake!
It’s creamy, it’s delicious, it’s EASY – and it’s always a hit at every function.
Why we love it:
- The crust! It has an amazing Graham Cracker Crust (which might be my favorite part).
- No oven necessary! Get the same great taste of a cheesecake without heating the house! This is a perfect summer dessert.
- Endless toppings. From Chocolate Syrup to Strawberry Sauce, top this no bake recipe with your favorites!
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
CHILL TIME: 6 hours
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs – Use store-bought crumbs or crush your own in a food processor.
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter – melted
Cheesecake Layer
- 1 packet gelatin – about 2 ¼ teaspoons, gelatin powder is unflavored and unsweetened. Do not use flavored Jell-O powder.
- ¼ cup boiling water – it needs to be hot so that it dissolves the gelatin powder
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice- freshly squeezed is the best flavor, but bottles can also work.
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt – or sour cream
- 1½ cups frozen whipped topping – store-bought or homemade Whipped Cream thaw before using
Strawberry Topping
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries – or use thawed frozen strawberries.
- ⅓ cup sugar
- whipped cream for serving, optional
Making No Bake Cheesecake
The Crust
- PREP. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- MIX. In a medium bowl stir 1½ cups graham crumbs, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 6 tablespoons melted butter.
- PRESS. Press into the bottom of the springform pan, making a slight lip up the sides of the pan. Place in the freezer while you make the cream cheese layer.
- Avoid hard crust. Do not add too much butter to the recipe, which hardens when refrigerated. Also, when pressing the crust into the pan, press hard enough to get a good shape and keep the crumbs in place, but not too hard.
The Filling
- GELATIN. In a small bowl, dissolve 1 packet of gelatin in ¼ cup boiling water and let sit while you make the filling.
- MIX. In a large bowl use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) to whip 24 ounces cream cheese until very soft.
- Scrape the side of the bowl down, then mix in 1¾ cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, ½ cup sour cream, and gelatin mixture.
- Turn off the mixer and gently fold in 1½ cups whipped topping.
- FILL. Take the springform pan out of the freezer and spoon the cream cheese mixture over the top, smoothing the top with a flat-edge knife or rubber spatula.
- CHILL. Set in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Speed up this process by placing the cheesecake in the freezer.
Sugared Strawberry Topping
Make the strawberry sauce a few hours before serving the cheesecake to bring out the juices in the strawberries.
- CUT. Hull 16 ounces strawberries then cut them into quarters or eighths.
- SWEETEN. Toss the strawberries with ⅓ cup sugar and place them in a container in the fridge.
- SERVE. To serve the cheesecake, take it out of the fridge and trace the edges of the springform pan with a thin sharp knife. Then unclamp the pan and cut it into pieces.
- TOPPINGS. Top with Whipped Cream and sugared berries.
More Like This
- More cheesecake: No Bake Cheesecake Bars, Jello Cheesecake, Lemon Cheesecake
- More no bake recipes: No Bake Oreo Cheesecake, No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake, No Bake Snickers Cheesecake
More collections: Cheesecake Recipes, Summer Desserts, 4th of July Desserts
No Bake Cheesecake
This quick and easy no-bake cheesecake is ideal for summer and can be topped with fresh strawberries or your favorite toppings!
Ingredients
Cheesecake Layer
- 1 packet gelatin, about 2 ¼ tsp
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 1½ cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
Strawberry Topping
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries
- ⅓ cup sugar
- whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.
- Press into the bottom of the springform pan, making a slight lip up the sides of the pan.
- Place in the freezer while you make the cream cheese layer.
For the Cheesecake Layer
- In a small bowl, dissolve 1 packet of gelatin in ¼ cup boiling water and let sit while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) to whip cream cheese until very soft.
- Scrape the side of the bowl down, then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, sour cream, and gelatin mixture.
- Turn off the mixer and gently fold in 1½ cups whipped topping.
- Then take the springform pan out of the freezer and spoon the cheesecake layer overtop, smoothing the top with a flat-edge knife or spatula.
- Set in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. You can also speed up this process by placing the cheesecake in the freezer.
For the Sugared Strawberries
- A few hours before serving, make the sugared strawberries. This brings out the juices in the strawberries.
- Hull 16 ounces strawberries then cut them into quarters or eighths. Toss the strawberries with ⅓ cup sugar and place them in a container in the fridge.
- To serve the cheesecake, take it out of the fridge and trace the edges of the springform pan with a thin sharp knife. Then unclamp the pan and cut it into pieces.
- Top with whipped cream and sugared berries.
Notes
Serving. Do not leave out for longer than 2 hours.
STORE. This homemade no bake cheesecake must be chilled. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge for 5-7 days.
FREEZE. Once chilled, remove the cake from the baking pan, slice it if desired, and wrap it with plastic wrap (do not add toppings). Store in an airtight container or wrap again with foil. Freeze for 3-4 months for the best quality, but it can safely be stored for 6-8 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add toppings!
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 428kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 313mg, Potassium: 175mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 950IU, Vitamin C: 22.5mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 0.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Do I have to use a springform pan?
- Line a regular cake pan with parchment paper. Once the cake has chilled completely use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan.
- Bake the easy no bake cheesecake in a disposable aluminum pan. Once the cake has chilled completely cut away the sides of the pan.
- Serve directly from a regular pie dish. The slices will look different but will taste the same.
How do I get the right texture?
- To ensure a firm texture use regular cream cheese and not low-fat variety for your cheesecake filling, do not skip adding gelatin as this will also help with firmness, and refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours to get the best results.
make mini cheesecakes?
- Use a silicone cupcake tray or silicone liners in a metal cupcake pan. Divide the graham cracker crust evenly and freeze. Add the cheesecake filling and refrigerate to set.
What toppings go well on no bake cheesecake?
- Drizzle Caramel Sauce or Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe
- Other fresh berries and fruits: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi
- Top with warm pie filling, a thicker Strawberry Sauce, Blueberry Sauce, or Lemon Curd
- Add chocolate shavings or shredded coconut
- Whipped Cream
- Sprinkle on crushed candy or cookies: Oreos, Thin Mints, Reese’s, or Snickers
How do I store no bake cheesecake?
- Homemade no bake cheesecake recipe can be left at room temperature for 2 hours, otherwise, it must be chilled. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, foil, or an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Can I freeze no bake cheesecake?
- Once chilled, remove the cake from the baking pan, slice it if desired, and wrap it with plastic wrap (do not add toppings). Store in an airtight container or wrap again with foil. Freeze for 3-4 months for the best quality, but it can safely be stored for 6-8 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, add toppings!
i love these cakes. these are full of taste!
So happy you think so! Thanks so much!
This is my favorite cheesecake! It’s simple, creamy, & perfect with any topping!
You will love the taste and simplicity of this cheesecake. Perfect summer dessert!
Easiest & creamiest cheesecake ever!! I love this as a base & any topping is perfect over it!
i wish i have on my biryhday . thabks for sharing
I hope you get it & like it!
i love these cakes. these are full of taste
SO happy you think so 🙂 Thank you!
Things are warming up around here which as me in the mood for BBQ’s. This will be the perfect dessert to make for my hubby this coming weekend. He loves cheesecake.
Kristyn, THANK YOU!
Absolutely delicious! Best no bake cheesecake ive ever Made! I Used fresh whipping cream instead of cool whip – worked beaUtifully. The consistency was firm as i had hoped. Making it again tomorrow!!
Yay!! I love hearing that! Using fresh whipping cream is perfect!! Thank you so much!
This is so good! So much better than the boxed cheesecake mix. Got a question for you – I have a carton of heavy whipping cream to use up. Do you think I could use that in place of the cool whip? Thanks, Anne
Of course you can!!! I hope you like these and I agree with you..homemade is the best!
Wow, it looks so delicious. My younger brother like strawberry flavor. Maybe I will make this cake on his birthday. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
If, he does, then he should love this! He’d think you are the best!