No-Bake Cheesecake
A silky cream-cheese filling set in a buttery graham crust — no oven, no water bath, no cracks. Just four hours in the fridge.
A baked cheesecake asks a lot: a water bath, careful temperatures, and nerves of steel while it cools. This no-bake version asks for a hand mixer and some patience while it chills. The filling gets its structure from properly whipped cream folded into full-fat cream cheese, so it slices cleanly without any gelatin.
The one non-negotiable is the cream cheese itself — use full-fat blocks, softened properly. Our cream cheese guide covers which type to buy and how to soften it quickly without melting it.
Recipe
No-Bake Cheesecake
A silky, gelatin-free no-bake cheesecake in a graham cracker crust. Four hours in the fridge and it slices cleanly.
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- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- —
- Chilling
- 4 hrs
- Total
- 4 hrs 25 min
- Servings
- 10
- Yield
- one 9-inch cheesecake
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
Filling
- 24 oz full-fat cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
Instructions
Stir the crumbs, sugar and melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a springform pan. Freeze while you make the filling.
Beat the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping the bowl twice. Beat in the powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold cream to stiff peaks.
Tip: Chill the bowl and beaters for 10 minutes first — cold cream whips faster and stiffer.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture in two additions, keeping as much air as possible.
Spread into the crust, smooth the top, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Run a thin knife around the edge before releasing the ring. Top with fresh fruit and slice with a hot, dry knife.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
Freezing
Freeze whole or in slices, well wrapped, up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating
Serve cold — no reheating needed.
Substitutions
- Graham crackers: Digestive biscuits or crushed vanilla wafers, same weight.
- Lemon juice: White vinegar in a pinch — you need the acidity for balance.
Common mistakes
- Using spreadable tub cream cheese — Tubs contain more water and the filling stays loose. Use full-fat blocks.
- Folding warm cream cheese into cold cream — Beat the cream cheese first until completely smooth, then fold in the whipped cream in two additions.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Fat (g) | 34 |
|---|---|
| Sugar (g) | 24 |
| Sodium (mg) | 300 |
| Protein (g) | 6 |
| Calories | 460 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 20 |
| Carbs (g) | 34 |
Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from the listed ingredients.
From our test kitchen
We tried versions with gelatin and condensed milk; whipped cream alone gave the cleanest slice and the best dairy flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Why didn't my no-bake cheesecake set?
Almost always under-whipped cream or low-fat cream cheese. Whip the cream to stiff peaks before folding, use full-fat block cream cheese, and give it the full 4 hours in the fridge.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes — it's actually better the next day. Make it up to 2 days ahead and add fruit toppings just before serving.
Serena started Serenity Sweets from her home kitchen, where she has baked and photographed every kind of dessert for over a decade. She develops most of the recipes on the site and tests each one at least twice before it's published.
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