An easy recipe for no-bake cherry cheesecake with a lovely graham cracker base, creamy filling, and classic cherry top. Tips for adding a bit more panache to the classic recipe are included. This dessert is always a family favorite!
Do you love No-Bake recipes? You MUST try my Banana Cream Pie…srsly, the best you’ll ever have!
I grew up on this stuff. The no-bake cherry cheesecake was a dessert I remember having fairly often as a child. My mom wasn’t a great cook and did very little baking. But this no-bake dessert was one she would do occasionally–especially in the summer. Now that I’m older, I sure can appreciate a good summer dessert that doesn’t use the oven and heat up the whole house!
This no-bake cheesecake recipe uses a traditional graham cracker crust. But let me tell you…using pretzels or Oreos makes for an amazing twist! Or Gingersnaps! I use gingersnaps for pumpkin pies and it is an awesome and easy tweak to bring more flavor to the classic.
How to make the graham cracker crust:
The crust is so simple–just crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar. You can simply dump it all into your 9×13 pan, mix it around, and press it along the bottom.
You can buy crushed graham crackers, but I like to just put my crackers into a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin. It’s great if you’re feeling a little grumpy. Not that I’m ever grumpy… :) You can also run them through your food processor.
What happens if you put too much butter in graham cracker crust?
Because butter hardens when it cools, adding too much to your crust will result in a crust that is harder than you would like. Too little butter and your crust won’t stick together and form properly.
How to make the no-bake cheesecake filling:
I’m not usually a big Cool Whip fan. My personal preference is to whip heavy cream for most things. But for this recipe, Cool Whip is the best! Whipping cream will also work, and even Greek yogurt. If you haven’t ever given those a try…do it, you might be surprised!
If you decide to go the route of whipping cream, make sure you use heavy whipping cream and that it is cold when you start beating it with a hand mixer. You will want to be sure to beat it until stiff peaks form. If you don’t get those stiff peaks, your cheesecake filling will be too soft or even runny.
Whip the cream cheese and powdered sugar together. This is easiest to do with a stand or hand mixer. Then, gently fold in the Cool-Whip by hand. Don’t overmix or it will get too soft or even runny. That’s it! You’re done with the filling. It couldn’t be any faster!
*A quick note on cream cheese. I really recommend full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat cream cheese has a higher moisture content, and that just doesn’t bode well for the texture of this no-bake cheesecake. It will be too soft. So, stick with the full-fat. It will be worth it. Cross my heart.
How to make the no-bake cheesecake topping:
So, this part is so simple that I’m not sure you can even call it “making” topping. You simply top the cream cheese filling with a can of cherry pie filling. Then just pop that into the fridge for about 4 hours to do its “baking,” and YOU are a super hero. SO GOOD!
Can I use other toppings for my no-bake cheesecake?
YES. Not a cherry fan? Try blueberry pie filling instead. Just as easy, just as tasty. Are you fancy and like to make your own pie filling? Great! Use that. Do you prefer fresh fruit? Fresh berries on top is also a delicious option. I’ve also seen people use fresh strawberries to make a strawberry sauce that’s almost like a jam and use that as the topping.
Not a fruit person? No shame. Try sprinkling some cookie pieces on top or drizzling it with some caramel sauce. (Ahem…the caramel sauce is especially good if you use an Oreo or pretzel crust…)
How to make Patriotic No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake: Around the 4th of July, this recipe is perfect for creating a flag design with some blueberries and a can of whipped cream. When you put the cherries on, leave a square in upper left corner empty. Then, use the can of whipped cream to create your white stripes and some blueberries for the stars. So cute!
How to make a Holiday No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake: A simple addition of a sprig of rosemary to the top gives you a lovely red and green dessert. Or for added fun, dye the cheesecake green with green food coloring for that classic red and green color combo.
No-bake cheesecake variations:
If, like me, you’ve grown up on no-bake cherry cheesecake and are a bit ho-hum about it, I have some awesome ways to switch up the recipe to bang out new flavors with the same amount of ease. Give these a try!
Jazz up the crust!
As I already mentioned, it is so easy to use crushed pretzels instead of graham cracker crumbs. You can also use 2 cups crushed Oreos (leave out the sugar) to make a no-bake Oreo cheesecake. If you’re gluten-free, you can get yourself some GF Oreos for a gluten-free no-bake cheesecake!
Change up the taste a bit by adding a 1/4 cup crushed almonds and 1 teaspoon of almond extract to the crust. Yummm… Or swap the white sugar in the crust for some brown sugar for a more subtle difference.
Looking for a fancier presentation? Use a springform pan instead of a 9×13 cake pan. Press the crust up the sides of the pan, not just along the bottom.
Mini cheesecakes! Use a muffin pan to make mini cheesecakes. These are great for serving at a party or other gathering where you don’t want to have someone standing there to slice your cheesecake.
Change up the filling!
If you need less sugar in your life, try using Greek yogurt instead of Cool Whip and cut the powdered sugar by half.
Skip the sugar and Cool Whip entirely. Instead, beat a can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/3 cup of lemon juice into the cream cheese.
Use the leftover heavy whipping cream you have in the fridge instead of buying Cool Whip. You need 1/2 cup and be sure to beat it to stiff peaks!
Storing your no-bake cheesecake:
It’s probably obvious that this should be stored in the fridge. You can keep it in the fridge in an air-tight container for about 3-5 days. If you want to keep it for longer, you can wrap it tight in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to three months.
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 20 Graham Crackers finely crushed
- 11 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 6 Tablespoons white sugar
- 16 ounce cream cheese 2 pkgs
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 ounce Cool Whip
- 12 oz cherry pie filling
Instructions
- If your cool whip has been in the freezer, set out and let it thaw to nearly room temperature.
- In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Mix well.
- Press crumb mixture into a 9×13 dish and set aside.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, mix both packages of cream cheese together until smooth. It should have a spreadable texture. Add powdered sugar and mix well until it’s very creamy and smooth.
- Add the container of cool whip. Fold it in being careful not to over mix.
- Spread your mixture over your graham cracker crust.
- Pour and gently spread your can of cherry pie filling.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving
