This No-Bake Cheesecake is an elegant, crowd-pleasing summer dessert. From the crust to the velvety whipped cheesecake center, this is 100% a NO-BAKE dessert. The Strawberry Sauce takes this dessert to the next level so don’t skip it.
If you love no-bake desserts like Chocolate Lasagna or our Berry Trifle, you’ll love this No-Bake Cheesecake.
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No-Bake Cheesecake Video
Watch Natasha make this Easy No-Cook Cheesecake Recipe. We love the decadence and texture of a Classic Cheesecake, but this no-bake cheesecake is equally dreamy and truly easy.
Mascarpone cheese elevates the flavor and texture of this easy no-bake cheesecake and it doesn’t get any easier. The double strawberry topping is lip-smacking good and you will want the strawberry sauce on all of your desserts.
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The Best No-Bake Cheesecake
On a trip to Maui, we visited a fancy restaurant named Monkey Pod. The food was awesome but the best thing was the slice of strawberry cream pie we shared at the end of our meal. It was tall, gorgeous, silky as can be, and $10 a slice! I asked the waitress about it (of course I did) and she said they mixed mascarpone with whipped cream so I set out to experiment.
Their original cheesecake pie had a baked pie crust which I tested, but I couldn’t resist using this no-bake crust. It was crazy easy, just as good, and it makes this a true no-bake dessert. Most graham cracker crusts are pre-baked but the amount of butter here holds the crust together so baking is not necessary at all.
Ingredients
We tested these proportions over and over until we got the perfect no-bake cheesecake consistency. It is easy to slice, whipped, airy, rich, and decadent.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – You can buy these pre-crushed or crush your own crackers
- Butter – moistens the crumbs and keeps them set in the pan
- Cream Cheese – provides a classic cheesecake flavor
- Sugar – we use granulated sugar to add just the right amount of sweetness
- Heavy whipping cream – be sure to use HEAVY cream for the correct fat content or the cheesecake won’t set properly.
- Mascarpone – This is a key ingredient. It stabilizes the whipped cream and makes this cheesecake taste like a $10 slice at a fancy restaurant.
- Lemon Juice – Make sure to use FRESH lemon juice. It cuts the sweetness and balances the cake.
Pro Tip: Be sure to have your ingredients at the proper temperatures. Keep heavy cream and mascarpone chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. You’ll want to soften the cream cheese for 1 1/2 hours at room temperature so you don’t get lumps in your creamy cheesecake.
Tools you will need
- A 9″ springform pan with 3-inch walls works best for this recipe
- Parchment paper – we found that adding a round of parchment paper to the bottom of the springform makes it easier to slide and transfer the cake out of the springform mold once it’s set.
The Best Cookies for a Crumb Crust
A variety of sweet crunchy cookies can be used for a crumb crust and each will give a different flavor profile. We used graham crackers because we usually have them on hand, but these will all work:
- Graham Crackers
- Biscoff Cookies
- Vanilla Wafers
- Chocolate Oreo Cookies (cream removed)
Pro Tip: To crush the crackers, put them into a zip bag, remove excess air, and crush with a rolling pin. You can also pulse them in a food processor until fine crumbs form then follow the instructions in the print-friendly recipe below.
How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake
We love no-bake cheesecakes especially in summer when we don’t have to heat up the oven, but they are great year-round. The best part is, it can make them ahead and even frozen (see instructions below).
- Combine Crushed Crackers with sugar and melted butter then press into a 9″ springform pan then chill.
- Beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat heavy whipping cream in a separate bowl then fold in the mascarpone.
- Fold cream cheese mixture into mascarpone mixture then fold in lemon juice 1 Tbsp at a time.
- Spread the cheesecake filling over the crust. Cover and refrigerate until set.
Make-Ahead Tip: This no-bake cheesecake (the crust, filling, and syrup) can be made for up to 3 days, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. It’s perfect for easy entertaining.
Can I substitute mascarpone?
Just like with a tiramisu, the mascarpone helps the cream set up properly into a thick and sliceable cheesecake. It not only adds flavor but acts as a stabilizer so I don’t recommend substituting it.
Can you Freeze a No-Bake Cheesecake?
This is a make-ahead dessert and freezes well. Just be sure to let it set in the refrigerator before freezing. I prefer to keep it in the springform pan for freezing.
- To Freeze: Wrap with several layers of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To Thaw: set in the refrigerator overnight and it will taste just as good as fresh no-bake cheesecake. We also love it partially frozen because it tastes like an ice cream cake.
Cheesecake Toppings
A great topping is a great way to finish off a cheesecake and keep things exciting with new flavors. These are our go-to cheesecake toppings:
- Fresh Cherry Sauce – tastes like cherry pie filling
- Strawberry Sauce – great over pancakes too
- Caramel Sauce – so easy to make with pantry staples
- Fresh Berries – we love adding seasonal berries
- Stone Fruit – slice up nectarines, plums, or apricots
- Blueberry Sauce – try our No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
Have you ever tried making a no-bake cheesecake? It’s so easy and good, it might just spoil you forever. Also, I’d love to hear about your favorite summer dessert in the comments below.
More Summer Desserts
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Tres Leches Cake
- Classic Tiramisu
- Strawberries Romanoff
No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, (from 12 whole crackers)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 stick
Ingredients for No Bake Cheesecake:
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 12 oz mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Strawberry Topping:
- 8 oz Strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1 Strawberry Sauce Recipe, strained and chilled
Instructions
Prep:
- Make the Strawberry Sauce Recipe and strain through a sieve, pushing on the solids with a spatula to get as much syrup as possible. Set aside to cool to room temperature or cover and refrigerate if making ahead of time. The strained strawberry sauce will keep 3-4 days.
How to Make No Bake Cheesecake:
- In the bowl of a food processor, coarsely break up graham crackers then pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a bowl, add 1 Tbsp sugar and 8 Tbsp melted butter. Stir to evenly moisten crumbs. Line a 9-inch round springform pan with a round of parchment paper and press crumbs into the bottom of the pan going 1/2" up the sides. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate 30 minutes for crumbs to set.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, add 8 oz cream cheese and 2/3 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium/high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, using a clean electric hand mixer, beat 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form (3-5 minutes on high speed). Reduce speed to medium/low and beat in 12 oz mascarpone until well combined and smooth.
- Use a spatula to fold cream cheese into whipped mascarpone mixture until well blended. Fold in 2 Tbsp lemon juice, adding 1 Tbsp at a time and folding until well incorporated.
- Transfer cheesecake filling over the chilled crust and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until completely chilled. Just before serving, arrange sliced strawberries in rings over the top and brush with the strained strawberry sauce. Serve extra strawberry sauce over each slice.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Made this for Valentine’s Day. So easy and so good. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the good feedback.
Can this be made in a 9×13 or 8×8 pan instead if springfor
Hi Marjorie! I haven’t tested this cake in those sizes, but I imagine with a couple of adjustments that may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, I followed this recipe to a tea and I left it in the fridge overnight, problem I had was that the Graham cracker crumbs were sticking to the bottom of the spring form pan. Did I do something wrong? Should I of maybe oiled the bottom before putting the crumbs in?
Hi Stephen, Make sure to use the same proportion of butter to crumbs and if your pan is not non-stick you can place a ring of buttered parchment paper on the bottom which will help with removal.
Thank you for the suggestion, I will give that a try next time for sure.
I hope it works well, Stephen!
It is definitely a keeper! Eveyone loves the cake! The texture is really smooth and so fast and easy to make. I have tried digestive biscuits, Graham and biscoff, and Graham is definitely the winner as Natasha suggested in the recipe.
Thank you so much Natasha for so many wonderful recipes as many of them are what I used many times to please my guests.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Mabel! I’m so glad it was a hit!
hey natasha, is it possible to use the creamy filling for a cake filling?
Hi Lidia, I haven’t tested that myself. If you experiment, please let me know how you like that. 🙂
For some reasons, cheesecake turned out soft and doesn’t hold its form. I used exact measures so I am not sure what went wrong. The crust also stuck to the pan so I had to chisel it. But the taste is great though! I wish I knew what went wrong so I can give it another try.
Hi, make sure you are using COLD, HEAVY whipping cream (not light cream or regular whipping cream) and beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Also, be sure to let it set in the refrigerator until completely set or it will be too soft to slice. Lastly, make sure you don’t oversoften the cream cheese and use the correct temperatures of ingredients. I hope that helps for next time.
Thanks Natasha for replying. Yes I used Great Value heavy whipping cream bought at Walmart. I guess it would be the technique and/or temperature that caused my failure (I set my fridge mid level coldness).
Do you think adding gelatin would be a fool-proof way for this recipe? I love the taste and just need to make sure the form/edge hold.
Hi KK, with out testing that my self it’s hard to say! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi KK,
Some experience to share. The first few times I made, it was perfect! And the last two times, were total disaster due to the texture being too soft and collapsed. At first, I thought it was the cream cheese I used (cos I changed to another brand, philadelphia to gud), expecting mascarpone cheese would not be the change factor (I used a different brand too). Turned out the same!!! So I suspected even the mascarpone cheese makes the difference. Galbani Italian mascarpone was the first few times I used, emborg was the failure. Hope it helps.
I’m having my second failure in the freezer now, hope it sets till I serve and not being too hard 😅
I made this (my first cheesecake ever-62 years) last week. Our now 11 year old grandson requested one for his birthday. 2020 was a tough year for him. We see very few smiles on his sweet little face. His dad was killed in an accident last February. So when he ask me to make a cheesecake, I was all over it. As I served this beautiful creation I had made, he took one bite, then another and the entire slice was gone. He looked at me and with a smile on his face said, “Gigi, may I have another piece. This is the best cheesecake I have ever had. You could sell slices of this for a lot of money.”
I feel confident it was that good because if there is one thing he knows and that is his way around a cheesecake (he and Betty White would have been great cheesecake pals). The rest of our family also said it was the best they had ever had, but all I really needed was to see the smile on my grandson’s face.
Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. I intended to make your other cheesecakes for him throughout 2022.
So sorry to hear about his father. He deserves that cake and I’m glad he loved it! Thank you for sharing that with us, Jan. It helps inspire me to create more recipes and videos.
Would baking paper or cardboard cake bottom work in the spring form pan? I am making this to take to a gathering and do not want to take my springform pan bottom.
Hi Jan, I haven’t tested that to advise, but you try placing a ring of buttered parchment paper on the bottom which will help with removal.
Jan, you sound like such a special Grandma! Thank you for sharing with us. God bless you and your grandson ♥️
One of the best cheesecake recipe. Thank you so much for this easy yet mouthwatering recipe. I made this recipe more than 2 times. Just a quick question.
Can I add mango purée or chopped mangos in the cream cheese and mascarpone mixture before letting it set? Will there be any problem with setting the mixture? And top it with fresh mangoes on the top after it is set.
Hi Nimmi, without testing it, I can’t say for sure if it would hinder the cheesecake from setting up properly without adding more gelatin.
Can I incorporate the cream from Oreo cookies into the cheesecake or would that not mix well?
Hi Stacy, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
My crust keeps getting stuck to the pan. I have made this a dozen times. I spray the bottom good but still sticks😩
Hi! I’m curious if the type of pan used is causing that? I havne’t had that experience myself, to be honest.
Awesome and super easy! We loved it! Thank you Natasha! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Olesia! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Hello Natasha: Thank you for this recipe. I made it yesterday exactly as written. Ran into probs big time with the graham wafer crust when serving it this evening. I had to practically chisel it off. My pan was not a non-stick pan so I did what you suggested, buttered a cutout piece of parchment paper. I used honey graham pre-made crumbs (1 1/2 cups) and a stick of real melted butter as stated. The prep instructions for a graham crust on the pkg of graham crumbs that I used, stated one should mix 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of honey graham crumbs with 1/4 cup (50 ml) butter (melted) for a 9″ (23 cm) pan bottom. The recipe you wrote states 8 tbsp (113 g) or 1 stick of butter which did not work out at all for me. I think it is far too much butter that hardened the crust. The filling and the sauce were tasty and perfect. I will be making the crust with 1/4 cup (or 4 tbsps butter) next time and not the 8 tbsps of butter in the recipe instructions.
Hi Paula, I haven’t had that issue with this crust, especially since it’s not pre-baked so the butter should never harden so much that you would have to chisel at it, unless maybe it was served frozen? I’m glad you enjoyed the filling though.
I used parchment paper on the bottom and it solved the sticking issue.
This recipe is such a winner, the cake is super delicious! I’ve made it about 3 times now and it has made everyone happy.
Instead of making a strawberry sauce, I just used strawberry jam as it was quick and easy when there’s little time. Worked like a charm!
I’m so glad this was a hit, Alika! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I think I accidentally gave 3 stars instead of 5, however this recipe definitely deserves more than 5! 🙂
Looked so silly so I just wanted you to know!
It’s like a pillowy cloud from heaven! You would think it would have lemon taste but no. I couldn’t believe how little sugar was In it!
Hi Natasha,
I made this twice already and my husband and I absolutely love it. We add the strawberries and I also make the sauce. Thank you so much for this recipe. I love to watch you cook and you always make it as easy as possible. Kudos Natasha!
Yum! That’s so great, Vicky! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I made this yesterday and my kids couldn’t wait to try it. They were not disappointed. It is light, creamy and absolutely delicious. I have tried so many of your recipes Natasha and every single one is perfect! When I need a recipe, I just go straight to your site! Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes. ❤️
You are so welcome, Linda. It is my pleasure! Thank you for sharing your experience making this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this no bake cheesecake and it is absolutely the best cheesecake I have ever had! I sliced and wrapped individual slices and keep in freezer. Freezes great. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Susan!!
Hi natasha what if I don’t have mascarpone can I substitute it with sour cream? Thank you
Hi Naida, I would swap it out proportionally with cream cheese, but you will still get the best results with mascarpone because it helps set the whipped cream.
Looks delicious, I was wondering, my son in law has an allergy to lemons. Could I substitute something else? Maybe vanilla?
Thank you
Val
Hi Val, the acidity in the lemon cuts the sweetness and balances the cake. If you try it without the lemon, I would love to know how you like that, but I haven’t tried that myself to advise. Vanilla may work also.
Amazing cheesecake. I made it for my bday today. Everyone loved it.
That’s so great, Joanna! I’m so happy to hear that!
I made this recipe for my dads birthday and he absolutely loved it. He gave some to his coworkers and they loved it also. Thank you for sharing this recipe
You’re welcome, Cilla! I’m so happy you enjoyed this cheesecake!
Can you use all cream cheese in place of marscapone?
Hi Diana, I would swap it out proportionally, but you will still get the best results with mascarpone because it helps to set the whipped cream.
Can I just ask is it 2 to 3 cups of granulated sugar or 2 thirds of a cup please
Hi Christine, it is two thirds cup of sugar.
so you use heavy cream that is higher than 35% Fat? i cant find that anywhere. I live in Toronto Ontario Canada
Hi Lesley, heavy whipping cream should contain at least 36% fat – it whips easier with a higher fat content. You could probably make it work with 35% since its so close.