No-Bake Cheesecake

2 days ago 10

A classic cheesecake with a golden crust topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mint leaves—an easy dessert and perfect no-bake cheesecake recipe on a white plate surrounded by more berries.

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Make this no-bake cheesecake with clear chilling steps, make-ahead tips, and simple instructions for clean slices.

Know Before You Scroll

Servings: 10

Prep: 25 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes

Graham cracker crumbs, butter, heavy cream, full-fat brick cream cheese, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, nonfat dry milk powder, lemon, vanilla, and salt.

Classic cheesecake flavor with a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth cream cheese filling, and tangy sour cream topping.

Easy, but the chill time matters. The mixing is simple; the waiting is what helps the cheesecake set properly.

9-inch springform pan, mixing bowls, electric mixer, rubber spatula, measuring cups, and measuring spoons.

Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese, whip the cream to stiff peaks, and chill the cheesecake fully before adding the topping or slicing.

Make it the day before so the cheesecake has plenty of time to set and is ready when you need it.

Use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers, or finish the cheesecake with berries, cherry topping, lemon curd, or a simple fruit sauce.

A slice of no-bake cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, topped with raspberry, blueberry, strawberry slice, and mint leaf, sits on a white plate with a fork. The rest of this easy dessert and mixed berries are in the background.

In The Test Kitchen

This no-bake cheesecake started with my classic New York Cheesecake in mind: rich, tangy, and sliceable, but without turning on the oven. The trick is getting the filling firm enough to hold its shape without making it heavy. Full-fat brick cream cheese gives it body, whipped cream keeps it light, and a little nonfat dry milk powder helps it set without gelatin. Add the sour cream topping, give it a proper chill, and you get a creamy, clean-slicing cheesecake that still feels like the real deal.

A creamy cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, topped with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and mint leaves. This easy dessert has a slice served on a pie server, with a bowl of berries in the background.

Ingredient Notes

A variety of baking ingredients on a white surface, perfect for an easy dessert like a No-Bake Cheesecake—featuring fresh berries, butter, lemon, vanilla extract, milk, sugars, salt, flour, grated cheese, and whipped cream in glass bowls.

Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese. It gives the filling the structure it needs to set and slice cleanly.

Avoid whipped or tub-style cream cheese, which can make the filling too soft.

Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks before folding it into the filling. This keeps the cheesecake light but still sliceable.

This helps the no-bake filling set without gelatin. You won’t taste it — it just gives the cheesecake a little more body.

Look for it in the baking aisle or near shelf-stable milk.

Sour cream gives the cheesecake its classic tangy finish, while fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the filling without making it taste like lemon cheesecake.

You can find the full, printable recipe at the top of this post, but you can read the detailed instructions with photos for each step below.

Step By Step Instructions

Make the Crust

Start with the crust so it has a little time to firm up while you make the filling. Stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together until the crumbs look like damp sand. If you squeeze a bit between your fingers, it should hold together.

Press it firmly into the bottom of your springform pan and a little up the sides. I like using the bottom of a measuring cup here because it gives you a nice even crust without much fuss. Pop it in the fridge while you move on to the filling.

mixing crumbs, sugar, and butter; stirring; pressing into a pie pan with a glass; and ending with an even crumb crust, perfect for any no-bake cheesecake.

Whip the Cream

Whip the heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks. Basically, when you lift the beaters, the cream should stand up instead of flopping back into the bowl.

This is one of those little steps that makes a big difference. The whipped cream keeps the cheesecake light and creamy, but it also helps the filling hold its shape once everything chills.

Close-up of an electric hand mixer whipping cream in a glass bowl on the left, and a beater covered in thick, fluffy whipped cream on the right—perfect for any easy dessert or no-bake cheesecake recipe.

Make the Filling

Beat the softened cream cheese with the sugars and nonfat dry milk powder until it’s smooth and creamy. Give it a minute here this is the best time to smooth out any little cream cheese lumps before the rest of the ingredients go in.

Add the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla, then beat again until the filling looks silky. The lemon isn’t here to turn it into lemon cheesecake. It just wakes up the cream cheese and keeps the filling from tasting too sweet or flat.

first with powder and cream, second blended, third whipped with lemon zest and extract, fourth with a fully whipped, creamy no-bake cheesecake mixture.

Fold it together

Now fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Go gently here. You’re not stirring soup you’re keeping all that nice air you just whipped into the cream.

Sweep your spatula down through the middle, around the side of the bowl, and fold the mixture over itself until you don’t see streaks of whipped cream anymore. The filling should look thick, smooth, and airy.

Two glass bowls seen from above, both containing a creamy white mixture for a No-Bake Cheesecake being stirred with a spatula. The left bowl has some powdered sugar on top; the right one shows this easy dessert fully mixed.

Fill and chill

Spread the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect because the sour cream topping will give it that clean finish later.

Cover it and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can. This is the part where the fridge does the work. I know waiting is annoying, but this is what gives you those clean, sturdy slices instead of a soft scoop situation. Once the cheesecake is fully chilled, whisk the sour cream, sugar, and lemon juice together until smooth. Spread it gently over the top in an even layer.

Adding the topping after the cheesecake has set keeps everything neat and gives you that smooth, tangy New York-style finish without disturbing the filling underneath.

Two small bowls at the top show ingredients being mixed and whipped, while the large bowl at the bottom displays a smooth, creamy No-Bake Cheesecake topping.

Add the berries and serve

Chill it for another 30 minutes after adding the sour cream topping, then remove the springform ring. If the edge is sticking, run a thin knife around the inside of the pan first.

Spoon the fresh berries into the center of the cheesecake, if using. Add them after the cheesecake and topping are set so the berries stay fresh and the slices stay neat.

For clean slices, dip a sharp knife in warm water, wipe it dry, and cut straight down. Wipe the knife between cuts if you want those pretty bakery-style slices.

A delicious no-bake cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mint leaves. One image shows the whole easy cheesecake; the other highlights a sliced piece’s creamy texture and graham cracker crust.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Chill Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes

Serves 10

Crust

▢ 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)

Filling

▢ 1¼ cups heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream)
▢ 24 oz full-fat brick cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
▢ 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
▢ ⅓ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
▢ 3 tablespoons skimmed milk powder
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (finely grated)
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
▢ ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
▢ 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Topping

▢ 1 cup sour cream
▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
▢ Berries for decoration (optional)

In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly moistened. The mixture should look like wet sand.
Press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and slightly up the sides. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Refrigerate while you make the cream cheese mixture.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, and nonfat dry milk powder until creamy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla. Beat until silky and well blended.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth and airy.
Spread the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until firm and set in the center.
For the topping, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. Spread evenly over the fully chilled cheesecake.
Chill for another 30 minutes to set the topping.
Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Top with fresh berries, if desired, then slice and serve cold.

Erren’s Top Tips

Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature, so the filling blends smooth and sets properly.

Whip the cream to stiff peaks before folding it in. Soft peaks won’t give the cheesecake as much structure.

Don’t rush the chill time. The cheesecake needs at least 6 hours, but overnight gives the cleanest slices.

Add the sour cream topping only after the cheesecake has fully chilled so the top stays smooth and neat.

For clean slices, dip a sharp knife in warm water, wipe it dry, and cut straight down.

Variations & Add-Ins

Top with fresh berries, cherry topping, lemon curd, or a simple fruit sauce.

Use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers for the crust.

Add a little extra lemon zest for a brighter filling.

Swap the graham crust for vanilla wafer crumbs for a sweeter base.

Storage & Freezing

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because this is a dairy-based no-bake cheesecake, keep it chilled until serving and return leftovers to the fridge promptly.

For the best texture, freeze the cheesecake without the sour cream topping. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving, then add the topping after thawing if you’re making it ahead for the freezer.