I have never made a no-bake cheesecake before. Boy, I was missing out.
You know what’s great about a cheesecake that doesn’t require actually baking it? Everything. You don’t need to turn on the oven (which is especially a good thing on hot days). You don’t have to wonder if you overcooked it or undercooked it. You don’t have to be annoyed about cracks on the top of the cheesecake. A no-bake cheesecake is not a lot of fuss and is just pretty awesome.
This no-bake cheesecake tastes like a traditional baked cheesecake. The graham cracker crust is basically the same, except you don’t bake it. It’s thick, perfect, and held together by magic. Just kidding. The butter really does the job, but make sure to really press it together to get it nice and packed together. Some crumbs may fall apart when you cut into it, but it’s nothing that bothered me. The difference with this cheesecake is that filling texture is light and airy, similar to a mousse.
I asked my husband if he liked this cheesecake while I was doing other things. There was silence. I gave him a few seconds to answer in case he was debating on his answer and then I looked over at him questioningly. It turns out the silence was a good thing because it was him taking another bite. In other words, he loved it. And so do I.
This cheesecake needs no fancy toppings, but I do like the idea of serving a slice with homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the start of the warm summer months.
No-bake Cheesecake Recipe
(Makes a 9 inch cheesecake)
Ingredients for the Graham Cracker Crust:
- about 16 full sheets of graham crackers (equivalent to 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs)
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (equivalent to 1 stick), melted
Ingredients for the Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions for the Graham Cracker Crust:
- In a food processor, add the graham crackers and blend until they are fine crumbs. Your goal is to get 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, so if your graham crackers are smaller than normal, adjust accordingly.
- Add in the brown sugar and drizzle in the melted butter. Blend until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan.
- Pour the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread it on the bottom and up the sides and press it firmly against the pan. I used a measuring cup to help pack the crumbs down firmly.
- Place the crust in the freezer for 10-20 minutes, while you are preparing the cheesecake filling.
Directions for the Cheesecake Filling:
- Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat the mixture again until it’s smooth.
- Add the whipped heavy cream and gently fold/mix it until everything is combined. You want to be gentle so to avoid losing the air in the whipped heavy cream.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust and spread it evenly.
- Place it in the refrigerator to set. I chilled mine overnight.
- Serve with more whipped cream, seasonal fruit, caramel, chocolate, or whatever you like.
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
