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Home Dessert No-Bake

No Bake Cheesecake

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By: Diana Last updated on June 4, 2025

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

a slice of no bake cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries on a dessert plate with a silver fork

This is the best recipe for No Bake Cheesecake ever! It’s smooth and creamy with a thick and buttery graham cracker crust, plus it’s easy to make and super impressive topped with fresh berries.

a whole, round, no-bake cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries in a flower pattern


No Bake Cheesecake is a well-loved dessert, made popular by Jell-O years ago. Don’t worry, there’s no jello in this recipe. No bake cheesecake is super easy to make without any help from a boxed mix.

This no-bake cheesecake recipe is made completely from scratch with a handful of common ingredients, and it only takes a few minutes to make.

The hardest part is waiting for it to set up in the fridge, but I promise that the wait is well worth it! You’ll fall in love with this creamy, sweet cheesecake right away.

If you’re a cheesecake lover, make sure you try my No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake, No Bake Funfetti Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake Bars and my Oreo Cheesecake. My classic NY Style Cheesecake is a winner too!

a slice of no bake cheesecake topped with strawberries. A bite has been taken from the front of the slice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. Perfect Graham Cracker Crust– It’s extra buttery and perfectly sweet, just like it should be. Keep this recipe in your back pocket, because this no-bake crust can be used for many other types of pies too! I’ll share options in the recipe card in case you can’t get ahold of graham crackers. It’s easily made with other types of cookies or crackers too.
  2. Classic Flavor – A bit of lemon juice and vanilla extract gives this cheesecake the flavors you’d expect. It’s mild and slightly tangy with a creamy, rich texture.
  3. Great Make Ahead Dessert– You need to let the no-bake cheesecake set up in the fridge for at least 8 hours, making it a perfect make-ahead recipe. Do the work today and then you can relax and enjoy a slice of cheesecake after dinner tomorrow.
a slice of no bake cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries on a dessert plate with a silver fork

Ingredients In No Bake Cheesecake

Here’s what you need to make this delicious cheesecake – it’s super simple!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

For the Crust

  • Graham Crackers: Use 10 sheets of graham crackers (or 14 digestive biscuits if you’re in the UK). Any kind of plain cookie will work here. Crush the graham crackers yourself in a food processor, or put them in a ziplock bag and smash them with your rolling pin.
  • Granulated Sugar and Butter: Mix these two ingredients with the graham crackers to make the most amazing no-bake cheesecake crust.

For the Filling

  • Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, and let it soften really well at room temperature.
  • Sugar: This cheesecake isn’t super sweet, but it’s just sweet enough with the addition of granulated sugar.
  • Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice only please! This is added to cheesecake to lighten the flavor of the cream cheese.
  • Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality, pure vanilla for this recipe.
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: We will whip heavy cream into the filling to keep it airy and soft.

If you want the full experience, you’ll need 8 ounces of fresh strawberries, sliced thinly. You can also omit the fruit topping, or use your favorite fresh fruit instead of strawberries.

Just look at how gorgeous this cheesecake is! Sliced strawberries placed in concentric circles look like a beautiful red lotus flower.

a white cake pedestal holding a no bake cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries that look like a lotus flower

How To Make No Bake Cheesecake

Photo collage of four images showing how to make a graham cracker crust from scratch
  1. Make Crumbs: My favorite way to make graham cracker crumbs is in my food processor! Pulse until they are crushed finely.
  2. Make the Crust: Add the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar to a small bowl. Stir to let the butter moisten the crumbs. Then press the mixture into the bottom of your springform pan, using a glass to help press it down evenly. Freeze the crust while you prepare the filling.
four photos showing how to make a no bake cheesecake
  1. Prepare the Filling: Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined and creamy. Add the heavy cream, and beat again for 1 minute.
  2. Assemble: Remove the crust from the freezer, and pour the filling into the pan. Smooth the top as best as you can using an offset spatula. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
  3. Serve: Use a knife to loosen the sides of the cheesecake, then remove the outer ring of the pan. Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Tip!

Make your strawberries glisten by brushing on homemade strawberry sauce just before serving.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a Springform Pan. In order to create a no bake cheesecake that you can easily remove from the pan, a springform pan is your best tool!
  • Get Clean Slices. Use a large knife to cut slices of no bake cheesecake, and wipe it down with paper towels after each cut. Being patient will give you the best results.
  • Chill. Let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. The longer the better. If you find that your no bake cheesecake is not quite set after 8 hours, let it chill a bit more, or pop it in the freezer for a half hour to finish the job.
Cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries in a flower pattern, viewed from above

Storing Tips

Store no-bake cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days. If you’re serving it topped with fresh berries, save that part until right before you’re ready to eat.

What To Serve With No Bake Cheesecake

This cheesecake is the perfect dessert and will go well with any meal. It’s a great option for a potluck or a casual get-together, but it works just as well for a holiday meal or a fancy dinner party.

If you’re looking for a dinner idea for the weekend, try my Creamy Garlic Chicken or these easy Baked Pork Chops.

More No Bake Desserts to Make

If the weather is getting warmer, you’re going to want to have this list of easy no-bake desserts ready to go!

  • No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
  • No Bake Strawberry Pie
  • Chocolate Lasagna
  • No Bake Mint Chocolate Cheesecake
  • Banana Pudding
  • Million Dollar Pie
  • No Bake Oreo Pie
  • Heaven on Earth Cake

More Easy Dessert Recipes

Rainbow Cupcakes

Fruit Pizza

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

All Desserts →

FAQs

What can I use instead of graham crackers?

If you don’t like graham crackers, or want to give this cheesecake some extra flair, you can substitute with just about any cookie crumbs. Try gingersnaps, shortbread cookies, Biscoff cookies, or even Golden Oreos. 

Can I add other toppings to no-bake cheesecake?

Of course! Try any other fresh fruit or prepared pie filling or dessert topping. A drizzle of hot fudge sauce is always welcome, and a bit of whipped cream would be delicious too.

Is no bake cheesecake better than baked cheesecake?

I think that they are both delicious in their own ways! No bake cheesecake is creamier than a traditional cheesecake, and a bit easier to make successfully.

Can I freeze this recipe?

No-bake cheesecake doesn’t freeze very well, as the texture of cream cheese tends to change when frozen. You can use the freezer to finish setting the filling, but I don’t recommend leaving it in there for more than 30 minutes.

Pin this recipe for later! Everyone will love it when you make this recipe for no-bake cheesecake, no matter what the occasion.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
a whole, round, no-bake cheesecake topped with sliced strawberries in a flower pattern
5 from 4 votes
(Click stars to rate!)

No Bake Cheesecake

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Chilling/Setting Time: 8 hours hrs
Total Time: 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe
This perfect no bake cheesecake recipe is smooth and creamy with a thick and buttery graham cracker crust and topped with fresh strawberries.
8 slices
This perfect no bake cheesecake recipe is smooth and creamy with a thick and buttery graham cracker crust and topped with fresh strawberries.

Equipment

  • 9 or 10 inch springform pan
  • Hand mixer
  • Offset spatula

Ingredients 

For the Crust

  • 10 sheets graham crackers 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs total, see note 1
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (84 g) melted butter

For the Cheesecake

  • 24 ounces (680 g) full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) heavy whipping cream at room temperature
  • 8 ounces (225 g) fresh strawberries sliced thinly
  • Homemade strawberry sauce optional

Instructions 

  • Grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with butter then make the graham cracker crust. Crush the graham crackers in a food processor, then in a bowl combine with melted butter and sugar. Stir and let the butter moisten the crumbs.
  • Press the mixture onto the bottom of the pan, and make it flat. I like to use a measuring cup or a glass to help flatten and press the crust.
  • Place the crust in the freezer to set up while you prepare the filling.
  • To make the filling, using a stand or a hand mixer beat together the cream cheese with sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined and creamy.
  • Add the heavy cream, and beat again for 1 minute.
  • Remove the crust from the freezer, and pour the filling into the crust. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight. The longer the better.
  • Loosen the sides of the cheesecake with a knife, then remove from the pan. Decorate with fresh strawberries, and brush with strawberry sauce if desired.

Notes:

  1. For the crust, you can use 1 ½ cups (200g) of crumbs from graham crackers, Arnott’s Marie crackers (in Australia), or any plain cookie or biscuit. In the UK, I suggest using 14 crushed digestive biscuits but omit the sugar from the crust since they are already so sweet.
  2. To make the flower pattern that you see in the photos, cut the strawberries into thin slices and arrange them in a circular pattern, starting from the outside of the cheesecake.
  3. If your cheesecake hasn’t fully set after 8 hours in the fridge, allow it to chill for more time. You can also place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to help it along, but don’t freeze it longer than that. 
  4. To store: Keep cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered for up to 4 days. Do not freeze. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 648kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 54g, Saturated Fat: 32g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 152mg, Sodium: 464mg, Potassium: 228mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 1970IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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  1. rubi rogers says

    Posted on 6/2/24 at 21:42

    Hi, I want to make this but do not have a spring form pan. Can I make it in a glass pie plate?

    Thanks much!

    Reply
    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      Posted on 6/3/24 at 18:26

      Hi Rubi, Yes you can. It will be delicious, but you may find that it’s difficult to cut clean slices. Enjoy!

      Reply

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