Easy No Bake Cheesecake
This easy no bake cheesecake recipe is just what you need for your next party. It takes no time to put it together and is done in advance. It turns out beautiful, creamy and very refreshing.
This no bake cheesecake is such an easy version since you don’t have to bake it (except for the crust). The texture is a dream. So many no-bake cheesecakes remind me of Jello. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, and I do like them in their own way, but this one is very different. It’s velvety, luscious and perfectly creamy.
Who doesn’t like cheesecake? Whoever it is, I wouldn’t be too keen on their opinions about food:), because cheesecake happens to be one of my favorite desserts, right up there after Medovik or Smetannik.
I have made this cake so often for guests, especially when it’s hot, since it’s cold and refreshing. It’s also really easy to put together, so it’s great if you’re short on time. I also really appreciate when you can make dessert in advance, so it’s really nice for meal prepping too.
Ingredients:
Crust:
- graham crackers (I have also used vanilla wafers or amaretto cookies, which are both delicious as a crust)
- butter, melted
- granulated sugar
- salt
Cheese Filling:
- unflavored gelatin (plus water for blooming)
- cream cheese
- the cream cheese needs to be at room temperature
- granulated sugar
- ricotta cheese
- sour cream
- mascarpone cheese works terrifically in this recipe as well
- heavy cream
- whipped cream helps to lighten the cheesecake and make it more creamy, airy and tender
- vanilla extract
- canned peaches, to decorate
No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- First, make the cheesecake crust.
- Crush the graham crackers or pulse in the food processor until you have crumbs.
- Add the melted butter, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom and part way up the sides of a 9 inch round springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
- Meanwhile, make the cheesecake filling. Pour the water into a small bowl, then sprinkle the gelatin over it and set aside to bloom for 5-10 minutes. (The gelatin will absorb into the water and soften.)
- Cream the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- Add the ricotta cheese, sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing to combine.
- Melt the bloomed gelatin on the stovetop or microwave, but don’t boil it. Mix it into the cheesecake mixture.
- Whip the heavy cream separately, then gently fold in to the cheesecake mixture.
- Immediately pour the cheesecake filling over the crust, smoothing out the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Slice the peaches thinly and decorate the cake. Place the peaches on top of the cake starting on the edges, arranging the peaches so they are slightly overlapping. I usually decorate the cake right before serving.
Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
More Cheesecake Recipes
Easy No Bake Cheesecake
This easy no bake cheesecake recipe takes no time at all to prepare. It’s creamy, refreshing and beautiful. It’s perfect for your next party.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Chilling: 2-4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 min
- Yield: 1 (9 inch) cake 1x
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
Crust:
- 5 oz graham crackers (about 10 graham crackers)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons butter, melted (plus 1/2 Tablespoon to brush the springform pan)
Cheese Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 2 (8 0z) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 – 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want the cake to be)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 (29 oz) can peaches
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the bottom and sides of a springform pan with 1/2 Tablespoon of melted butter.
- Crush the graham crackers in a ziptop bag using a rolling pin or place them in a food processor until they are ground into crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt and mix to combine.
- Press the crumbs into a 9 inch round springform pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
Cheesecake
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stand until the gelatin blooms, 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the cheesecake filling using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add the ricotta cheese, sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing to combine.
- Whip the heavy cream separately, set aside.
- Melt the bloomed gelatin on the stovetop or microwave, but don’t boil it. Add it into the cheesecake mixture, mixing to combine right away.
- Then, gently fold in the whipped cream. Immediately pour the cheesecake filling over the crust, smoothing out the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours or overnight.
- I like to decorate the cake right before serving. Slice the peaches thinly and place them on top of the cake. Start arranging the peach slices around the edges of the cheesecake, slightly overlapping them and work your way to the middle.
- Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
15 Comments
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Milana
Haha I love this blog, and the cheesecake was so perfect for the end of the night. Thank you for making it for me 🙂
olgak7
Thanks Milana!
The best part is that you liked it:).
Dina
Wow, what a beautiful cake!
olgak7
Thanks, Dina.
Natasha
Hi Olga,
Where did you get the amartti cookies? I looked for them in price chopper supermarket and they don’t have them. I really want to make this cheesecake for father’s day for my husband. Thank you for the recipe.
olgak7
Hi Natasha,
I bought mine in a grocery store. Look around in another grocery store. Sometimes they don’t have them in one store and they have them in another. If you can’t find them, that’s ok, just use more graham crackers, about 5 more.
Ilona
Hi Olga,
this is such a beautiful dessert. I would like to try it.. I noticed that the bottom of the springform is removed. Didn’t the crust stick to the bottom or did you use parchment paper??
olgak7
Thank you Ilona! I’m glad this cheesecake caught your eye. My crust did not stick to the bottom of the pan. I did not line it with parchment paper. I would have mentioned it in the instructions if I had. The cake should slide right off the bottom of the pan with just a little encouragement.
Karen
Olga:
I recently made this cheesecake following your recipe. It was delish; however, I had the following problems:
1. I left the cheesecake in the fridge overnight, yet it still seemed not as solid as it should. In your recipe, did you use the Philadelphia cream cheese? Would you recommend adding more gelatin (3 teaspoons) next time? I heard that it is more efficient when one heats up the gelatin on the stove top instead of the microwave…any ideas?
2. The crust stuck to the bottom of the pan. Should I spray it with no-stick cooking spray next time? Would you please share how do you “encourage” the crust to slide off the bottom of the pan?
I’ll be making the cheesecake in the near future, would really like to perfect it. I would like to have it taller. Would the same recipe/ingredient amts. work for a cheesecake baked in an 8″ pan?
Thanks for your help!
olgak7
Hi Karen!
I’m sorry to here that you weren’t pleased with the results.
I personally don’t like for the cheesecake to be stiff, so it’s the perfect texture for me. Of course, you can add more gelatin to make it firmer. Actually, I added more gelatin than the original recipe called for in the first place, so it’s intended to be very tender and fluffy. Yes, it’s better to dissolve the gelatin on the stovetop, just be very careful not to boil it. I know my microwave very well, so it works for me.
My crust slid right out of the pan, and I didn’t have any issues with it sticking. You can probably grease it up first and then use a very thin spatula to take it out.
I haven’t made the cheesecake in an 8 inch pan, but I think it should work.
Lyuda
Olga, can I use canned peaches? Do I have to “cook” them with sugar if I were to use canned ones?
olgak7
You can definitely use canned peaches and you don’t have to cook them; the canned ones are already cooked.
Hima
Hi Olga!
I’m very excited to make this cheesecake and plan on it for the holidays, but I was wondering if instead of lemon juice, can I add a different flavoring? Possibly maple? With pears on top?
Thank you! 🙂
Heather
To die for — love the three cheeses and whip cream. Deeply richer than a one cheese cheesecake. You can prepare it to be “keto friendly” using xylitol (or other sugar substitute) and use real nuts crushed with butter for crust. You rock Olga! Been looking for a recipe like this for decades!
olgak7
Thank you for taking the time to write, Heather. So glad you enjoyed the cheesecake.