No Bake Cheesecake (Secret Ingredient)

This cheesecake is the most perfect cheesecake to indulge with. You can top it with different types of topping like chocolate ganache, fruit sauces, fresh fruit, caramel sauce,

You do not need a water bath for this cake or even turn on the oven! This cheesecake sets in the oven with the help of whipping the cream to stiff peaks, the addition of instant vanilla pudding, and the activation of the sour cream with the lemon juice.

This is the most perfect summer dessert that is also perfect all year round. It is refreshing and light and is delish!

Check out my mini version of this recipe that is perfect for parties, my no bake mini cheesecakes.

For more delicious cheesecake recipes, check out my creamy vanilla cheesecake, pistachio cheesecake, cinnamon roll cheesecake, cheesecake with strawberry sauce, triple chocolate cheesecake, and Oreo cheesecake.

A no bake cheesecake is a cheesecake that is made without eggs, or flour and is made without turning on the oven.

The best part about this cheesecake except it's absolutely delicious is that you don't have the risk of the cheesecake from cracking, overbaking, underbaking, etc.

Before you start to make this Philadelphia no bake cheesecake recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.

Full measurements are in the recipe card below.

For the crust:

Graham crackers/ tea biscuits- we like to use tea biscuits or digestive biscuits, but graham crackers will work as well.

Melted butter– melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds pulses, to make sure that the butter doesn’t boil up and explode in the microwave (been there done that), or melt it on the stovetop.

Sugar- I added granulated sugar for the crust, you can swap it with caster sugar or brown sugar, or skip it for a less sweet crust.

Heavy cream- make sure that your heavy cream is cold from the fridge.

Cream cheese- use full-fat cream cheese, and make sure that it’s at room temperature.

Powder sugar- you will need powder sugar for the outer layer of these cookies in this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor. super easy!

Sour cream- we suggest using full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The sour cream makes the cheesecake batter creamier and lighter.

Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor.

Salt– We used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give them a salty taste, it helps to enhance the flavor.

Lemon zest- the lemon zest adds an aroma and a light flavor to this dessert. Don’t worry, this cheesecake will not taste like lemon cheesecake.

Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. We don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!

Instant pudding- our secret ingredient to make this cheesecake stable without using gelatin.

Pulse graham crackers or digestive biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form. If you don’t have a food processor on hand, place the crackers in a Ziplock bag and smash them with a cup until fine crumbs form.

Into a small to medium mixing bowl, add the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until the crumbs are coated with butter.

Transfer the crumbs into a prepared 9-inch cake pan, pressing evenly and firmly into the pan.

Transfer the pan to the freezer and let the crust firm up while you make the filling.

To freeze this cheesecake after you let it set in the fridge for at least 5 hours. Freeze the cheesecake covered in a few layers of plastic wrap or foil.

This will freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

Make this in advance by making it according to the instructions. Let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Top the cheesecake with the topping of your choice and serve when ready to serve!

Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the graham crackers with gluten-free graham crackers.

Toppings- this cheesecake can be topped with various types of toppings like, jam, fruit compote, strawberry topping, fresh fruit, etc.

Zest- we added lemon zest for these but you can swap it with orange zest as well!

Sweet sauces- top this cheesecake with hot fudge, caramel sauce, lemon curd, etc.

Whipped cream- top these with freshly made whipped cream! Or top these with chocolate whipped cream, or Oreo whipped cream.

Crust- you can make this crust into a chocolate crust by swapping the graham crackers with Oreo cookies. You can use the same recipe from my Baileys cheesecake recipe.

No bake chocolate pie- This no bake chocolate pie is made with an oreo cookie crust, topped with a rich chocolate filling that is made with both dark chocolate and cocoa powder, and topped with plenty of freshly made whipped cream.

No bake turtle pie- This no bake turtle pie is made with a rich chocolaty oreo crust, and a creamy no bake caramel cheesecake filling and topped with melted chocolate, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.

Cheesecake balls- These cheesecake balls are the perfect bite sized dessert for cheesecake lovers! They are made with only 5 simple ingredients that you may find in your kitchen!

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