The combination of a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy filling, and cherry topping creates a delicious balance of flavors and textures that make this easy No Bake Cherry Cheesecake a true crowd-pleaser!
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I love cheesecake, but it's one of those desserts that simply takes time!! This no bake cherry cheesecake recipe is easy enough for weeknight meals but decadent enough for special occasions and any family gathering! Even better, it has just 5 simple ingredients and comes together in a jiffy!
Ingredients Needed
Graham Cracker Crust - A store-bought graham cracker crust is a great option if you're short on time OR you can make your own (see below for details).
Cream Cheese - I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for this recipe. You can use the fat-free cream cheese, but it might not set up quite as well. Also, be sure to have the cream cheese set out at room temperature for awhile so its softened.
Powdered Sugar
Whipped Topping - aka a tub of Cool Whip.
Cherry Pie Filling - A can of cherry pie filling from the store is great! If you have homemade pie filling, you could use that as well.
Is No Bake Cheesecake as good as Traditional Cheesecake?
In my opinion, it's not necessarily better or worse, it's just different. If you're going for the easiest cheesecake recipe, no bake is where it's at! It doesn't take much time at all to whip up and is super delicious. A traditional cheesecake is more dense and richer in flavor.
How to Make No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
The Graham Cracker Crust
If you're using a pre-made graham cracker crust, don't worry about this first part. To make a homemade crust, add 9 graham cracker sheets in a food processor and pulverize until they're fine crumbs. It'll make about 1 ⅓ cups of graham cracker crumbs.
Add ⅓ cup of sugar, 6 tablespoons melted butter and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and mix until well-combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
Cream Cheese Filling
It's really important to start with softened cream cheese so you don't have lumps in your cheesecake. Once it's soft, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. I find it easiest to use a stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hand mixer. Then fold in the whipped topping with a rubber spatula and carefully spread over the crust.
Topping
Spoon the cherry filling over the cream cheese mixture and spread into an even layer.
Pro Tip! To quickly bring cream cheese to room temperature, keep it in the foil and submerge it in a container of warm water for 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! You certainly can, however there are many other options. Try using a pie plate (works great if you buy a store-bought pie crust), a square baking dish or a tart pan. You could even make these into 12 mini cheesecakes.
Cover the no bake cherry cheesecake dish with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container and refrigerate. This dessert will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If your cheesecake didn't seem to set up, you likely didn't refrigerate it long enough. The creamy cheesecake filling will take a few hours to really set up and slice easily.
If you double the recipe, it'll fit great in a 9 by 13-inch pan.
Absolutely!!! One thing I love about this no bake cheesecake recipe is that it is so versatile. Top with other fruit pie fillings (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, peach) or mix it up and do an Oreo crust with cherries on top for a Black Forest no bake cheesecake!
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No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients
- One graham cracker pie crust (can make homemade, see notes below)
- One 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- One 8 ounce tub whipped topping
- One 21 ounce can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the whipped topping and mix until well combined.
- Spoon into the graham cracker crust and spread to an even layer.
- Spoon the cherry pie filling on top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
Notes
- To make a homemade crust, add 9 graham cracker sheets in a food processor and pulverize until they're fine crumbs. It'll make about 1 ⅓ cups of graham cracker crumbs. Add ⅓ cup of sugar, 6 tablespoons melted butter and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and mix until well-combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
- Feel free to use a homemade cherry pie filling in place of the canned version, if desired.
- Try topping with different pie fillings such as blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, peach, etc.
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