My easy, No-Bake Cheesecake is made no gelatin or condensed milk and tastes JUST like the classic version you’re used to! This recipe needs only a few hours to chill before slicing and serving. Includes a how-to video!
No-Bake Cheesecake (Without Gelatin)
As a self-proclaimed cheesecake snob, I know how disappointing it can be to make a no-bake cheesecake recipe and have it not even closely resemble real-deal, classic cheesecake. With most recipes, you encounter one of two problems: either the texture is lacking (soft, pudding-like) or the flavor is just completely off. So, when I set out to make my no-bake cheesecake, I knew exactly what I needed to avoid just as much as I knew what I was looking for!
My no-bake cheesecake recipe creates a classic, fresh-tasting, firm cheesecake without ever turning on the oven. While many no-bake cheesecakes use gelatin or condensed milk for stabilization, I use homemade whipped cream for the best flavor and texture (and don’t even think about substituting Cool Whip!).
This cheesecake sets up very nicely in the fridge after a few hours (preferably overnight) and has that same, firm cheesecake texture and taste that you’re familiar with–NO oven needed! You’re going to love it!
Why my recipe works:
- Whipped cream creates a sturdy base without the need for gelatin.
- Uses the same ingredients as classic cheesecake (minus the eggs) for that classic flavor.
- Much easier and less fussy than a baked cheesecake–great for beginners!
- Can handle toppings like fresh fruit, pie filling, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
What You Need
For an authentic-tasting cheesecake, we want to stay as true as possible to classic ingredients. That means using:
- Cream cheese. Make sure you use brick-style, full-fat cream cheese. This should be softened to room temperature.
- Sour cream. Sour cream is CRITICAL for a rich, classic,ย real cheesecake flavor. Maybe this is just my cheesecake snobbery showing here, but a cheesecake made without sour cream is not a cheesecake! Sour cream packs a ton of flavor and adds depth and authenticity to this no-bake cheesecake recipe. If you don’t have or can’t find sour cream, full-fat, plain greek yogurt will also work in a pinch.
- Lemon juice. Just a splash enhances the cheesecake flavor and adds a slight tang. Bottled or fresh lemon juice will work here. This can be left out if needed.
- Sugar. I love using brown sugar in my graham cracker crust for an extra note of flavor. Powdered sugar in the filling blends beautifully while also encouraging a firm, fully-set texture.
- Heavy cream. While not typical for traditional cheesecake (though critical for my basque cheesecake), heavy cream is essential for this no-bake cheesecake. We’ll be whipping this to stiff peaks and folding it into our cheesecake mixture. This creates stability without the need for gelatin or condensed milk!
SAM’S TIP: This recipe will make too much filling for a store-bought graham cracker crust. If you want to use one, you can just pour the extra filling that doesn’t fit in a bowl, chill, and enjoy crustless!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake
For the Crust
- Start with your homemade graham cracker crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well-combined and mixture resembles damp sand.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan, then place in the refrigerator to chill (no baking needed for the crust, either!).
For the Filling
- Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks (thickened, fluffy, voluminous, resembling Cool Whip only tastier).
- In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and sour cream until smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until completely combined and batter is smooth.
- Evenly spread the cheesecake filling into your prepared graham cracker crust and chill for several hours before slicing and serving.
SAM’S TIP: Since we’re not baking this cheesecake, it won’t be smoothing itself out in the oven. You can smooth the top of your cheesecake with an offset spatula before chilling for a pretty appearance if you’d like!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can absolutely freeze no-bake cheesecake! I recommend chilling as instructed (in the recipe below) first and then covering the cheesecake well with plastic wrap before freezing. I don’t recommend adding any decorative whipped cream topping (or any topping) until you are ready to serve, as it will make storing more difficult (and messier!).
You can eat the frozen cheesecake straight from frozen or return it to the refrigerator to allow it to thaw before enjoying.
Personally, we can never get this cheesecake to last longer than 48 hours in our house! If you have more self-control, your cheesecake will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to either store it in an airtight container or tightly wrap the springform pan in plastic wrap when storing.
If you used the wrong kind of cream cheese or didn’t whip your cream long enough, your cheesecake may not set. Make sure to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese and not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub. If you need a visual of what cream whipped to stiff peaks looks like, check out the video below.
No-bake cheesecake would also be delicious on my Oreo crust!
Enjoy!
Letโs bake together! Iโll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
The Best No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 9″ or 10″ graham cracker crust prepared in springform pan (please click link for graham cracker crust recipe)
- 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature (use brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs)
- 1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- โ cup (75 g) sour cream
- 1 ยฝ cup (355 ml) heavy cream
- Additional whipped cream for topping, optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Place cream cheese in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy.16 oz (450 g) cream cheese
- Add powdered sugar and stir until combined.1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar
- Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice, pausing to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Add sour cream and stir well.โ cup (75 g) sour cream
- Pour heavy cream into a separate, medium-sized bowl (preferably a chilled metal bowl). Whisk on high speed (preferably using an electric mixer) until stiff peaks are achieved.1 ยฝ cup (355 ml) heavy cream
- Fold your whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until smooth and well-combined.
- Spread cheesecake mixture evenly over prepared graham cracker crust.1 9″ or 10″ graham cracker crust
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with additional whipped cream before cutting and serving, if desired.Additional whipped cream
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally posted 06/05/2017, recipe remains the same but post has been updated to be more helpful September 2022
Emily
Hi, I’m 10 years old and made this recipe with my mom. We had a blast!! It is super easy to make and SUPER delicious!! (this is my firts time trying and making cheesecake) โค
Sam
That is so awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! ๐
Carolyn
How much cool whip would equal to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream?
Thanks so much for the recipe ! I can’t wait to try.
Sam
Hi Carolyn! The heavy whipping cream will whip up to be about 3 cups worth. I would strongly recommend using the heavy cream if you have it. It has such a better flavor. ๐
Phoebe
Hey, I’ve tried the recipe 3 times already, it tastes very good, but for some reason the cheesecake always doesn’t firm up completely, should I add more cornstarch or what could I add to firm up the cheesecake?
Sam
Hi Phoebe! It sounds like maybe the cream hasn’t been whipped quite enough. The video could be helpful to show you what the consistency should be. ๐
Siti vandermeij
Absolutely fab! So easy to make! I was contemplating either to bake the usual New York cheesecake or trying a new recipe. Decided to give this a go and oh my! Thank you! The cake didnโt last 24 hours ๐คฃ it was sooo good!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! ๐
Stefanie
What can I substitute (if anything) for the heavy cream?
Sam
Hi Stefanie! You could use heavy cream, double cream, or whipping cream but if you don’t have any of those I think the best substitution would be store bought cool whip. ๐
Claire
Hi! I’d like to make this for my mother on her birthday but I have no idea how to change these measurements for a 5×7 inch pan.
Sam
Hi Claire! You would probably need to double the recipe to fill that 5 x 7 pan if my calculations are correct. ๐
Elaine Salazar
This is soooo good i made it with your blueberry compote. Iโm not going back to canned blueberries anymore! Never realized what i was missing. I chilled the cheesecake for 4 hrs which is not a good idea. Argg patience!!! It was runny and wasnโt stable after just few minutes. So back to the fridge after slice after slice ๐ so hopefully it settles better.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Elaine!! ๐
Dee Dee
The texture and taste is different from traditional New York Cheesecake.However, this rectors a keeper for sure. A light and creamy alternative which I enjoyed immensely! The crust is delicious and the filling is perfect alone or topped with fresh fruit. Thank you for sharing. This ones going in the recipe index for sure!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Dee Dee! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how it turned out, I really appreciate it! ๐
Ann Marie
Is this recipe friendly for adding flavors to it? Maybe chocolate powder or peanut butter?
Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Ann Marie! Others have used this recipe as a base and experimented with other flavors. I hope that you enjoy it. ๐
Manisha
This was so easy to make. Loved the taste and texture. The crust was also amazing.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Manisha! ๐
John Brown
Excellent recipe and easy to follow.
Thanks for sharing it. I am filing this one away to use again
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, John! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. ๐
Lee
Hello! This cake looks so delicious and I’m really looking forward to making it!
It’s difficult to buy heavy cream where I’m at. Is it possible to use whipping cream with 35% fat instead? Would the cake set? Thanks! ๐
Sam
Hi Lee! That should work fine. Your cake may be just a tad bit softer. ๐
Eddie
Wife made this and it was heavenly !
Thanks for sharing !
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Eddie! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. ๐
Lesly
Hello Sam, I donโt normally comment on recipes. BUT….. this No-Bake Cheesecake recipe is delicious! Thank you!!!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Lesly! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for commenting. ๐
Rebecca
This cheesecake is absolutely delicious. I have always loved baked cheescake but now this is the only cheesecake i make.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rebecca! ๐
Marcia
Would this recipe work for piping the cheesecake into waffle cones? Would I need to pipe the mixture prior to chilling? I’m worried that make the cones not-so-fresh.
Sam
Hi Marcia! I think if you pipe it into waffle cones the waffle cones would get pretty soggy. I think you could brush the insides of the waffle cone with melted chocolate before piping the batter into the cones, but even then I would worry that the cones wouldn’t be very good after sitting in the fridge. ๐
Danny
I must be blind because I don’t see the amount of each ingredient to use either. and I don’t see if it’s powdered sugar or granulated sugar it just says sugar..
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Danny! I think you are just looking at the ingredient overview in the post. If you scroll down to the recipe card you will see all of the ingredients, measurements, and instructions. I hope that helps!