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no bake cheesecake with chocolate and cherries
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5 from 9 votes

How to Make No Bake Cheesecake

This no bake cheesecake recipe is a perfect summer dessert. Simple and quick to make, there are endless ways to customize it. We love it with chocolate drizzle or fruit topping. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Additional Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 20 minutes
Course: Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 servings
Calories: 349kcal
Author: Mallory

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust

  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs finely crushed

For the no bake cheesecake filling

  • 3 8 ounce packages full fat cream cheese (I like the Philadephia brand) at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream optional (gives it a more baked cheesecake flavor)
  • 16 ounces Cool Whip *OR* heavy whipping cream 2 cups

Topping ideas for serving

Instructions

  • To make the no bake graham cracker crust, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly into a 9 x 13 inch pan and set aside.
  • Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and sour cream to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for a minute or two until smooth and combined, scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.
  • If you choose to use cool whip, gently fold in 16 ounces of cool whip into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula.
  • If you choose to use heavy whipping cream, add 2 cups of heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture and beat on high for 2-3 minutes until thickened and air is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Only try this if you have a stand mixer. If not, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form and then gently fold into the cheesecake mixture with a rubber spatula.
  • Gently spread the mixture over the graham cracker crust. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until set. Chilling overnight is best.
  • Serve with your favorite cheesecake toppings. This will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 177mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g