Easy to make with simple ingredients, this No Bake Cheesecake is perfect any time of year. Top with cherry pie filling or fresh berries for more delicious sweetness or enjoy it on its own.
Love no bake desserts? Our family is obsessed with these indoor s’mores bars! So easy too. Or give this No bake chocolate cookie recipe a try. Childhood favorite!
The Best No Bake Cheesecake
Don’t you love it when the best desserts are also easy to make? No Bake Cheesecake is one of those.
Delicious, buttery sweet graham cracker crust (homemade, of course) topped with a dreamy no bake cheesecake filling!
While I adore baked cheesecake, this creamy oven free version is a family favorite.
- You can make it ahead of time without needing to fire up the oven and comes out perfectly every time. I love to make it the night before so dessert is ready to eat after dinner.
- We like to add some canned cherry pie filling to the top for an extra sweet treat! You’ll also love it with fresh fruit or served plain. This cheesecake is rich, decadent and oh-so-creamy!
If you love today’s recipe, try our mini no bake cheesecakes too! Or give this cheesecake a makeover and try our no bake strawberry cheesecake next!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to make the best no bake cheesecake:
- Cream Cheese
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Cool Whip
- Lemon Juice
- Optional: pie filling or fresh fruit for topping – We love canned cherry pie filling, strawberry syrup, or slices of fresh berries!
For the homemade graham cracker crust you’ll need:
- Graham Crackers– stock up on these so you can make my chocolate eclair cake recipe next!
- Sugar
- Melted Butter
How to make a No Bake Cheesecake
Start by making your graham cracker crust.
You can choose to use a prepared crust, but I personally think homemade tastes better. It’s so easy too!
To make your crust, add your full size graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add in the sugar and melted butter and pulse until blended.
Divide in half and press crumbs into the bottom of TWO 8 or 9 inch pie plates. Use the bottom of a cup or the heel of your hand to press firmly, making sure the crumbs go up the sides of the pie plate.
To make the cheesecake filling:
Beat room temperature cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice for about 4 minutes using an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Fold in Cool Whip and pour evenly into your pie plates. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the tops of the pie.
Refrigerate the cheesecakes for at least 3 hours (or overnight) until chilled and set.
Add your favorite pie filling flavor to the top if you choose! We love cherry but blueberry, peach or strawberry would be delicious on your cheesecake, too.
Fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream are other good choices for adding sweetness to this dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, a store bought graham cracker crust works well in this recipe if you prefer!
This cheesecake stays good for up to 3 days in the fridge. I love to make it the day before and let it set up over night in the refrigerator.
Absolutely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 60 days. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
Tips and Tricks
- No food processor? You can find ready made graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle of many supermarkets.
- Use full fat cream cheese. For best results and richest taste, use regular full fat cream cheese, cool whip and butter!
- Press the graham cracker crust up the sides of the plate. Use your hands to make sure to the crust reaches as far up the sides of the pie plates as you can.
- Topping ideas: blueberries, strawberries, bananas, fresh pineapple or raspberries are other easy ways to change up the flavor of the no-bake cheesecake.
- Holiday: make our favorite Easter Egg Cheesecake using this recipe as a base. Or try our festive funfetti no bake cheesecake with colorful sprinkles for any holiday.
- Make it for a crowd. Make our no bake cheesecake bars to serve a crowd! Same easy recipe in a 13×9.
More No Bake Desserts
- No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe
- No Bake Chocolate PB S’mores Bars
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- Baileys Cheesecake
- Nutella Cheesecake
- No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
More Favorite Cheesecakes: Sopapilla Cheesecake | Cheesecake Dip
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No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup melted butter
For the cheesecake:
- 3 packages cream cheese, softened 8 ounce each
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 12 ounce Cool Whip thawed
- 1 can cherry pie filling 20 ounce, optional
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse graham crackers (about 18 full size crackers) to make 2 1/2 cup crumbs.
- Add sugar and melted butter and pulse until blended. Divide in half, and press crumbs into the bottoms of two 8-inch pie plates. Use the bottom of a cup or the heel of your hand to press firmly (make sure to go up the sides of the plate).
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with sweetened milk and lemon juice for 3-4 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Fold in Cool Whip with a spoon. Pour into pie plates even over crust. Smooth tops and refrigerate pies for about 3 hours (or overnight), until ready to use.
- Slice and enjoy, or add some cherry pie filling on top.
Notes
- No food processor? You can find ready made graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle of many supermarkets.
- Use full fat cream cheese. For best results and richest taste, use regular full fat cream cheese, cool whip and butter!
- Press the graham cracker crust up the sides of the plate. Use your hands to make sure to the crust reaches as far up the sides of the pie plates as you can.
- Topping ideas: blueberries, strawberries, bananas, fresh pineapple or raspberries are other easy ways to change up the flavor of the cheesecake.
Nutrition
Easy to make, this No Bake Cheesecake is perfect any time of year. For a little more sweetness, top it with some Cherry Pie filling!
The recipe sounds amazing and I am going to try it but I was wondering if you have a cheesecake recipe that is sugarfree?
I do not. There are some great websites who devote their time and energy into testing sugar free desserts, I just wouldn’t do it justice here 🙂
Can i use heavy cream instead of cool whip?
This has become our go-to dessert on New Year’s Day! LOVE LOVE your recipe. It’s so easy and absolutely delicious. LOVE the subtle tang that lemon juice gives.
So happy to hear this 🙂
This was such a quick and easy dessert that does not disappoint! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth!
Aimee, would it be possible to flavor this cheesecake with blood orange?
This cheesecake was great. I also added a bit more powdered sugar and it set up perfectly. I will never bake another cheesecake as long as I live.
No bake cheesecake is so awesome! I love how simple this recipe is. Thanks for sharing!
Hi.
We don’t have Cool Whip in Australia. What else can we use or do you have a recipe for it?
Homemade whipped cream with a little extra powdered sugar to make it thicker would work!
Yum – no bake cheese cake is my favorite! Great recipe very easy to make and so delicious!
Can regular whipped cream be used in place of cool whip? I don’t care for cool whip.
What is cool whip? Never heard of it in Australia.
Will leaving the lemon juice out affect anything? We don’t like lemon lol thank you
The lemon juice brings out a freshness (but doesn’t make it taste lemony). You can leave it out if you prefer 🙂
Great tasting thanks for the easy cheesecake recipe
Splendid recipe! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
I’m a snoop, too, Aimee. I stand behind my behavior, too. It’s the thrill of the hunt! Besides, then I can know how to arrange my face when the gift-giving comes. If my reaction is real, then that’s often not a good thing. 😉
Love cheesecake, unqualified, unconditionally. So there you go. This looks great.
Oh, and there’s some spammer dude getting weird in your comments field. Hate those guys.
BAD GIRL!! Peaking at your presents! I,honestly never did that.Couldn’t cuz our presents were always “hidden”at my Grams. My hubs also hates the stuff you mentioned. Me LOVES Cheesecake. So we is going to have your cheesecake! Thanks pretty lady!!
This cheesecake looks so good! Thanks for sharing. Love your posts!
Haha, I totally LOVE surprises! As long as they’re presents. If it’s a surprise about something I need to plan for than no way! Lol. I’m way too OCD for that. No bake cheesecake was always one of my favorite desserts growing up, and my mom would always top it with cherry pie filling. It’s the best way!
You’re like my mom – she’d open presents and re-seal them! All i have to do is touch one, so I stay far away, ha!
I’m not crazy about surprises either :). The filling looks so creamy and smooth!