This easy Cheesecake Recipe is totally no bake and made with just SIX ingredients! Make ahead friendly no bake cheesecake for summer.
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I know this is no surprise.
With all the cheesecake recipes on The Recipe Rebel, I hadn’t yet shared the perfect easy no bake cheesecake recipe — the recipe that serves as the basis for so many of my no bake cheesecake recipes!
As fun as White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake and Key Lime Cheesecake are, sometimes you just want good old vanilla.
Simply sweetened, with just a handful of ingredients.
The perfect cheesecake for serving up with a variety of sauces and toppings: caramel, chocolate, fresh berries, citrus curds — the options are really endless!
Like many of my cheesecakes around here, this one uses minimal bowls, with minimum prep time and head ache.
Even though we have big love for the The Best Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe, this one has a lot of the same great qualities but almost none of the work.
Baked cheesecake requires a few more ingredients, a few more steps, and a lot more waiting around impatiently.
There’s the baking, the cooling, the chilling, and finally you can eat it!
With this easy cheesecake recipe, you’re going to have to wait a good long time for it to chill (that’s one step we just couldn’t take out), you’re still ready to dig in hours before you’d be slicing into a baked cheesecake.
And even though it looks like you spent a lot of time on it, you don’t need to share the truth with anyone.
But you might have to share the recipe 😉
What are the ingredients in no bake cheesecake?
This easy cheesecake recipe is made with the simplest of ingredients! No specialty products here 😉
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Butter (unsalted)
- Cream Cheese (full fat, room temperature)
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Heavy whipping cream (cold!)
How to make this easy cheesecake recipe:
A quick recipe overview with extra tips! See the detailed recipe in the box below.
- Start with your crust — I use graham crumbs most often, but you could also use chocolate baking crumbs for a new twist! The melted butter is essential for helping it stick together when you remove it from the pan.
- Beat your cream cheese — room temperature is essential for no lumps! Keep in mind that full fat cream cheese is best. If you compare the packages, you can see that light cream cheese has significantly more moisture and there’s less of a chance it will set. (That being said, I use light cream cheese often and have no issues, but it’s a chance you take).
- Add your powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Whip your cream and add it in: I have always been that person who beats the cream right in with the cream cheese. If you know me at all, I’m not going to tell you you need an extra step unless you absolutely do. In this instance, I’ve tested both ways and haven’t found much of a difference at all, but whipping it separately is a little more foolproof because you can see when you’ve got stuff peaks. I have updated the recipe to reflect this change.
- Chill, chill, chill. And don’t even think about removing it from the pan until it’s set! We don’t want no cheesecake soup here, so plan ahead and be patient.
What are some great cheesecake toppings?
This cheesecake is perfect for a party! Just set up a cheesecake topping bar and let everyone come up with their own creations.
- Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
- Lemon curd
- Strawberry Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate chips or toffee bits
- Crushed Oreos or other cookies
- Reese’s pieces, Smarties and M&M’s
- Whipped cream (mix up the flavors if you liked)
Tools you’ll need for this cheesecake:
- I make this cheesecake in a 9″ Springform pan, but you could also make it in an 8″ Springform pan or a 9″ square baking dish.
- With no bake cheesecakes it’s very important that you use an electric mixer, but it doesn’t need to be fancy! I use the KitchenAid handheld mixer for most of my recipes.
- An offset spatula is essential for getting the top super smooth, but this is totally optional and won’t affect the way it tastes 😉
BEST Easy Cheesecake Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 250 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Filling
- 3 packages cream cheese (8oz each for a total of 24 oz or 750g)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (165 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 30-35% fat ONLY
Instructions
- Line a 9″ Springform pan with parchment paper for easy removal if desired (totally optional!).
- Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom of the pan and about 1″ up the sides.
- In a large bowl, beat room temperature cream cheese with an electric or stand mixer until it is smooth.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cream cheese with a spatula or an electric mixer on low. Taste and adjust sweetness to taste.
- Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crust, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Serve with sweetened whipped cream and toppings as desired. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Brittney says
Hi there! I want to make this recipe for Valentines Day. Would using a 9 inch pre-made graham cracker Crust do well with this? Thanks!
Patty says
Hi…this is an easy and delicious recipe…it’s my family favorite…how long do you think it would stay if stored in the refrigerator?
The Recipe Rebel says
About up to 1 week. Thanks!