This 3-ingredient no-bake cheesecake is the easiest dessert you will ever make! It features an ultra-creamy filling made without an oven, gelatin, or eggs.
By pairing this effortless filling with a store-bought crust, you get a show-stopping dessert with almost zero prep time.
For more delicious cheesecake recipes, check out my creamy vanilla cheesecake, pistachio cheesecake, cinnamon roll cheesecake, and Oreo cheesecake.
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Why this recipe works
- Only 3 Ingredients: The decadent filling requires just three simple staples: cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.
- Zero Oven Time: No water baths, no cracked tops, and no baking required. Just mix, pour, and chill.
- Perfect Stability: By whipping the cold heavy cream directly into the cream cheese, the filling naturally sets up thick and sturdy enough to slice beautifully without gelatin.
Ingredients
To keep this a true 3-ingredient dessert, use a pre-made store-bought graham cracker crust. If you prefer to make it entirely from scratch, the full measurements for a homemade crust are in the recipe card below.
The 3-Ingredient Filling:
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese: Use high-quality brick cream cheese (like Philadelphia). Ensure it is softened to room temperature to prevent a lumpy filling.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Must be completely cold straight from the fridge so it whips up into thick, sturdy peaks.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the filling while melting in smoothly to guarantee a velvety, lump-free texture.
- Optional: Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of high-quality vanilla adds a deep, classic bakery aroma.
How to Make a 3-Ingredient No-Bake Cheesecake
Prepare the Filling
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened room-temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract (if using) with an electric hand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
2. Slowly pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl while mixing on low speed to incorporate.
3. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and whip the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens significantly and holds its shape cleanly. Do not overmix or the cream will curdle.
Assemble and Chill
4. Pour the thick cheesecake batter directly into your prepared or store-bought graham cracker crust. Smooth the top evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
5. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (or overnight) to allow the filling to set completely before slicing.
6. Garnish with your favorite toppings or pipe whipped cream around the edges before serving.
Expert Tips
- Soften the Cream Cheese: Always bring your cream cheese to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese creates tiny white lumps that are impossible to beat out later.
- Keep the Cream Ice-Cold: Unlike the cream cheese, your heavy cream must be cold. Warm cream will not whip up or hold the air structure needed to set the cheesecake.
- Don't Overmix the Cream: Stop mixing the moment the batter becomes thick and holds stiff peaks. Overwhipping will turn the heavy cream into butter, ruining the silky texture.
Troubleshooting
Cheesecake is Too Soft: This happens if the heavy cream wasn't whipped long enough to create stiff peaks, or if low-fat tub cream cheese was used. Ensure you use full-fat block cream cheese and allow the full 5 hours of chill time.
Lumpy Filling: This is caused by mixing cold cream cheese. To fix it, let the mixing bowl sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to warm up, then beat it again until smooth.
Faq's
No. While a springform pan is perfect for a homemade crust, a standard glass pie dish or a pre-made foil store-bought crust works beautifully.
It is not recommended. Granulated sugar will not dissolve properly in a no-bake filling, leaving your cheesecake with a gritty texture.
It takes a minimum of 4 to 5 hours in the refrigerator. Letting it chill overnight yields the absolute best texture and cleanest slices.
Storing
Keep any leftover cheesecake covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing
This cheesecake freezes perfectly. Chill the cheesecake completely first, wrap it securely in a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Make Ahead Instructions
In the Fridge (Up to 2 Days): Assemble the cheesecake completely in the crust, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Add toppings right before serving so the crust stays crisp.
In the Freezer (Up to 1 Month): Freeze the assembled cheesecake uncovered for 1 hour until firm. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge before slicing.
Substitutions
Store-Bought Crust: Swap the standard graham cracker crust for an Oreo, Biscoff, or shortbread crust.
Gluten-Free Crust: Use a certified gluten-free store-bought crust (like Mi-Del), or make one using gluten-free graham crumbs and melted vegan butter.
Dairy-free- To make this recipe dairy-free, swap the cream cheese, heavy cream, and butter 1:1 with block-style vegan cream cheese (like Violife), plant-based heavy whipping cream (like Silk), and melted vegan butter sticks.
Variations
Fruit: Top with strawberry compote, blueberry compote, raspberry jam, or lemon curd.
Topping: Drizzle with warm hot fudge, melted salted caramel, or melted Biscoff cookie butter.
Zesty: Fold 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon or orange zest into the filling batter.
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer: For beating the cream cheese smooth and whipping the heavy cream to stable peaks.
- Large Mixing Bowl: Provides enough room to whip the filling cleanly without splattering.
- Offset Spatula: Smooths out the top of the filling quickly for a clean, professional finish.
More cheesecake recipes
Caramel pecan cheesecake- Baked cinnamon cheesecake topped with a rich, gooey caramel pecan topping.
Baileys Cheesecake- A boozy, velvety cheesecake on an Oreo crust, topped with chocolate ganache.
Classic No-Bake Cheesecake- My traditional, from-scratch vanilla no-bake cheesecake made with a completely homemade crust.
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📖 Recipe
3 Ingredient No Bake Cheesecake (Easiest Cheesecake In The World)
Ingredients
For the crust (optional)
- 2 cups Graham crackers
- ½ cup Butter unsalted, melted
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
For the filling
- 15.8 oz Cream cheese softened, full fat
- 1 ⅔ cups Heavy cream cold
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract optional
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened room-temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract (if using) with an electric hand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl while mixing on low speed to incorporate.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and whip the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens significantly and holds its shape cleanly. Do not overmix or the cream will curdle.
- Pour the thick cheesecake batter directly into your prepared or store-bought graham cracker crust. Smooth the top evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (or overnight) to allow the filling to set completely before slicing.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings or pipe whipped cream around the edges before serving.
Notes
- Soften the Cream Cheese: Always bring your cream cheese to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese creates tiny white lumps that are impossible to beat out later.
- Keep the Cream Ice-Cold: Unlike the cream cheese, your heavy cream must be cold. Warm cream will not whip up or hold the air structure needed to set the cheesecake.
- Don't Overmix the Cream: Stop mixing the moment the batter becomes thick and holds stiff peaks. Overwhipping will turn the heavy cream into butter, ruining the silky texture.
Patty says
Do I have to use a spring pan!!?...can't wait to try these 🙂thank you!
RichandDelish says
Hi! I love using a springform pan the most as it makes it easy to release the cheesecake from the pan, but any pan like a pie pan will work!