Simple No-Bake Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust
- 9 ounces graham cracker or Biscoff crumbs, about 2 cups
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the filling
- 16 ounces plain, full-fat cream cheese
- 5 ¼ ounces sugar, about ¾ cup
- Juice from 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 12 ounces heavy cream, about 1 ¼ cups
For the garnish
- 12 ounces fresh berries, washed and dried, cut as needed
Preparation
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For the Crust: Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl, then stir in a pinch of salt to taste. Sprinkle into a 9-inch tart pan or pie plate, spread into an even layer, then press firmly with a flat-bottomed object. Keep pressing until the crumbs are in a firm, even layer across the bottom and sides of the pan. Throw it in the freezer for a few minutes while the next steps happen.
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Make the filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
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Combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a bowl and mix at low speed to form a thick paste, then increase to medium speed until soft and smooth.
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Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, briefly fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
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Scrape the filling into the crust and spread into an even layer, using the back of a spoon or a butter knife to sculpt. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until the filling is firm and cold, about 6 hours or ideally, overnight.
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To Serve: Top with fresh fruit and cut into wedges with a hot chef’s knife, rinsing the knife under hot running water between slices. Carefully slide a pie server under the crust, making sure it reaches all the way to the tip of the wedge (the first slice will be the most difficult and messy to remove).
Recipe Notes
• This recipe works great with your favorite graham cracker, but I absolutely love the spice and caramel flavor of Biscoff cookies. You can pick up a package of Biscoff from Amazon or the grocery store, and I used 16 of the packets that are linked.
• To make this cheesecake partially ahead of time, assemble the crust up to a couple of days in advance, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until needed.