Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

A no-bake cheesecake on a white plate topped with a red strawberry.

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

This no-bake cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake recipe you'll ever come across! We use just 4 ingredients and this dessert tastes phenomenal! One of my favorite aspects to this recipe is that it uses my graham cracker pie crust, meaning we don't have to finagle with the complicated springform pan. This recipe is fast, easy, and delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, greek

Prep Time 5

Chill Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings servings

Calories 365kcal

Author Whitney Wright

Cost $3.50

Equipment

Ingredients

1 graham cracker pie crust
8 oz cream cheese softened, see notes
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons lemon juice see notes

Instructions

Make the graham cracker crust in a 9" circle pie plate. You don't need to bake the crust, just place in the fridge to chill while you make the cheesecake filling.
In a large bowl add the softened cream cheese and mix with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until smooth and creamy and no lumps remain.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and lemon juice to the cream cheese and mix with the hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Spoon the cheesecake filling into the prepared pie crust, cover, and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours or overnight. The cheesecake never truly hardens, but will set and be slightly firm but still have a softish consistency to it.
Remove from fridge, slice, and serve cold.

Notes

Cream Cheese

Highly suggest you use a full-fat cream cheese to give the cheesecake the full creamy texture.
Using a full-fat cream cheese will help the cheesecake set up properly.
Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature. It should be very soft so that when you beat it with the hand mixer there will be no lumps. If you need to, microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds to ensure it's soft enough.

Lemon Juice

Can use fresh lemon juice or the lemon juice you buy in the green bottles from the grocery store.
This is actually my mothers recipe, the one she would make for me on my birthday when I was younger. When she made it she would use 1/3 cup ( 5.33 tablespoons) of lemon juice rather than 3 tablespoons. If you want a bit more lemon-y flavor with a smidge more tang, feel free to add 1/3 cup of lemon juice. The cheesecake may not set up as firm, but you can always place it in the freezer to help firm it up.

No-Bake Cheesecake Topping Ideas

Raspberry sauce
Caramel sauce or salted caramel
Fresh fruit
Fruit pie filling

Storing: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Freezing: Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Will keep in the freezer for 1-2 months. When ready to serve remove from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator then slice and serve.

Nutrition