No Bake Cheesecake

This No-Bake Cheesecake is a dream for anyone who wants a professional, bakery-quality dessert without the stress of water baths or cracked tops. By folding home-whipped heavy cream into a tangy, lemon-kissed cream cheese base, you achieve a texture that is incredibly light and mousse-like, yet sturdy enough to slice beautifully. It’s the perfect “make-ahead” centerpiece that only gets better as it sets in the fridge.

No-Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients:

How To Make No-Bake Cheesecake:

Step 1: Prep the Crust Prepare your graham cracker crust in a 9-inch springform pan. You can keep this at room temperature or in the fridge while you work on the star of the show—the filling.

Step 2: Cream the Base In a large bowl, beat the 16 oz of softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is completely smooth and creamy. Add the 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined.

Step 3: Add the Tang and Flavor Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so every bit is flavored. Fold in the 1/3 cup of sour cream and mix well.

Step 4: The Fluff Factor In a separate (preferably chilled metal) bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape when the whisk is lifted.

Step 5: Fold and Fill Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Pro Tip: Don’t stir vigorously, or you’ll deflate the air you just whipped in! Fold until the mixture is uniform and smooth.

Step 6: Chill and Set Spread the filling into your crust, ensuring you press it against the edges to prevent gaps. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is best for a perfect slice.

Step 7: The Final Flourish Before serving, prepare the topping by beating the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe beautiful swirls over the top of the cake.