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This easy No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake is the perfect summertime dessert! Made with a graham cracker crust and filled with a creamy strawberry cheesecake that’s made with real strawberries. And the best part is that you don’t even have to turn on your oven to make it!
Be sure and also try my No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake. A chocolate cheesecake topped with cherries + chocolate shavings.
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
There is nothing quite like a summertime dessert loaded with fresh strawberry flavor. A Perfect Cheesecake is always a loved dessert, but sometimes you just want a less labor-intensive recipe, like this no bake cheesecake with a fresh and homemade strawberry sauce in it.
My family loves this no bake strawberry cheesecake because it’s so thick and creamy – the thick cream cheese combined with the airy whipped cream gives the cheesecake a creamy, but still thick, lightness to every bite.
It’s also a no bake dessert which means you don’t need to turn on the hot oven and slave away in the kitchen for hours making sure it’s perfect. Simply prepare it the night before (it needs fridge time) and it will be ready to serve whenever you need it the following day.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make It
Here is a list of ingredients that you will need to make this summertime favorite dessert – no bake strawberry cheesecake. Be sure and read to the bottom of the page to the recipe card for all the detailed measurements and instructions.
- Graham Cracker Crust
- Whole Graham Crackers
- Light Brown Sugar
- Melted Butter
- Strawberry Sauce
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice – Fresh is best but bottled lemon juice can be used if needed.
- Fresh Strawberries – You will need 2 pounds of strawberries that have been rinsed, hulled, and chopped.
- Granulated Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Cheesecake Filling
- Cream Cheese – I only recommend using full-fat cream cheese when making a no bake cheesecake. It’s thicker and sets up nicer, which is important when there is no baking involved.
- Granulated Sugar
- Plain Yogurt – Sour cream can also be used. Plain Greek yogurt works too.
- Cool Whip
How To Make No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake (Step-by-Step Instructions)
- Prep : Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter or shortening. Set aside.
- Make The Crust : Place the graham cracker sheets and brown sugar into a food processor, and blend on high speed until the graham crackers become fine crumbs. Gradually pour in the melted butter while blending on low speed. Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly & evenly into the base. Set in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Make Strawberry Sauce : Place the lemon juice and chopped strawberries into a blender, and blend together until completely pureed, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan. Discard the pulp and seeds from the strainer. Add the sugar and cornstarch to the puree and whisk together.
- Cook Strawberry Sauce : Place the saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and let it rest at room temperature until it’s cooled.
- Cheesecake Filling : In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until it’s smooth and no lumps remain. Add the yogurt and continue beating until well combined. Mix in the cooled strawberry puree. Fold in the thawed Cool Whip and mix thoroughly.
- Strawberry Cheesecake : Pour the cheesecake mixture into the springform pan on top of the crust. Smooth out the top and cover the pan with plastic wrap.
- Fridge : Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, or overnight is even better (like 12+ hours).
Can I Make This With Different Berries?
Yes! This no bake cheesecake can be made with blackberries or raspberries. Simply follow the same steps as you do for the strawberry version below in the recipe card.
How Many Cups of Crumbs Do 9 Graham Crackers Yield?
This recipe calls for 9 whole graham cracker sheets, which will yield approximately 1.5 cups of crumbs. Feel free to use graham cracker crumbs from a box and just measure out the amount needed.
You can also use Teddy grahams, Nilla Wafers, or even Oreo cookies. Crush them into crumbs and measure out 1.5 cups for the crust.
Serving Suggestions
For a pretty presentation try topping the cheesecake with whipped cream and some halved strawberries. You can do this to the entire cheesecake or to each individual slice before serving. I prefer homemade whipped cream but you can also use a spray can of whipped cream as well.
This no bake cheesecake is best served chilled straight from the fridge. The cheesecake will begin to soften the longer it sits out at room temperature.
Storage Instructions For No Bake Cheesecake
- Store this cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Store the cheesecake in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap the entire springform pan in plastic wrap and then again in foil to prevent any freezer burn. Let the cheesecake thaw in the fridge overnight.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Lemon Juice : Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always best, but bottled lemon juice can be used as well.
- Plain Yogurt : This adds a creamy and slight tang to the cheesecake, which balances the sweetness nicely, but other options include plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. For a flavor boost you could also try using a strawberry yogurt or cheesecake flavored yogurt.
- Fridge Time : Plan ahead and don’t try to rush this. Because this is no bake, it needs at least 6-8 hours (I think 8 is better) in the fridge so it can properly set and thicken in time for serving. Make it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight and into the next day until you’re ready to serve it.
- Crust : You can also use Nilla Wafers or Teddy Grahams. The 9 whole graham cracker sheets comes out to about 1.5 cups of crushed crumbs. Or use graham crackers crumbs in a box, that have already been crushed, from the store and measure out 1.5 cups of them.
- No Food Processor? : No problem. Simply add the graham cracker sheets to a Ziploc bag and use a meat pounder, or something else that’s heavy, to crush into crumbs. You can also use a small food chopper as well. Or just buy a box of graham cracker crumbs (from the baking aisle) and measure out the proper amount.
More Strawberry Desserts
More No Bake Dessert Recipes
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 9 whole graham crackers (or 1½ cups crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Strawberry Sauce
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries (rinsed, hulled, and halved)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 bars (8 oz each) full-fat cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
Instructions
- Prep : Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with shortening or butter. Set aside. Prep Strawberries : Rinse the strawberries under cold water, remove the leafy stem part, and then cut in half. Set aside for later.
Make The Graham Cracker Crust
- Place the graham crackers and brown sugar into a food processor, and blend on high speed until the graham crackers become fine crumbs.*See notes below if not using a food processor or if using already crushed graham cracker crumbs.9 whole graham crackers, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Slowly pour the melted butter into the food processor while blending on low speed. * The crumb mixture is ready when it starts to pull away from the sides of the processor bowl.6 tablespoons butter
- Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan and firmly press them into the base. Set in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Make The Strawberry Sauce
- Add the halved strawberries and lemon juice into a blender. Blend together until completely pureed.2 pounds fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pour the strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer or sieve, making sure to place a saucepan below it, to catch the puree. Discard the seeds and pulp that are in the strainer.
- Add the sugar and cornstarch into the saucepan with the strawberry puree. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the strawberry puree to cool to room temperate. To speed this up, pour the strawberry sauce into a small bowl and place the bowl on some ice. Stir the strawberry sauce several times during the cooling process.
Make The Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, with an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together until it's smooth and has no lumps in it.3 bars (8 oz each) full-fat cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add the yogurt and beat until combined.2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- Add in the cooled strawberry sauce and mix on low speed until combined.
- Stir in the thawed Cool Whip until mixed thoroughly.8 ounces Cool Whip
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan over the graham cracker crust, smoothing out the top with a spoon or spatula. Cover the springform pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 8 hours, or overnight is even better (12-24 hours).
- Serve chilled from the fridge and top the cheesecake with additional whipped cream and halved strawberries (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
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