No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

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This no bake lemon cheesecake is the right summer season dessert. A clean, creamy cheesecake filling loaded with actual lemon taste sits atop a candy vanilla wafer crust. It’s tremendous straightforward to make and also you don’t even need to activate the oven!

Side view of a slice of no bake lemon cheesecake on a plate.

Why You’ll Love This No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Lemon is considered one of my favourite flavors for this time of yr and on the subject of cheesecake, lemon is a must have. This lemon cheesecake has so many promoting factors however listed below are a couple of of the most important.

No baking required. I like that you just don’t even have to show in your oven for this recipe. It takes a lot of the effort and time out of the method and retains your kitchen good and funky as the times get hotter.
Recent lemon taste. I used a hefty quantity of recent lemon juice (and lemon zest to associate with it) so as to get the right, pure lemon taste. Each chunk tastes like a shiny ray of sunshine.
Creamy and refreshing. The filling for this cheesecake is creamy, gentle and refreshing. It’s a cheesecake, so it’s wealthy by nature, however the tart, shiny taste of the lemon break that richness up and make it the right gentle dessert for hotter months.

No bake lemon cheesecake on a serving platter.

What Makes This Recipe Work?

Including lemon taste to a no-bake cheesecake generally is a little tough, as a result of including lemon juice can skinny out the filling. Certain, you could possibly use issues like lemon jello or lemon extract, however I needed real-deal recent lemon taste straight from the lemon. To realize that taste and nonetheless have the right cheesecake consistency, I used two issues: gelatin and the powder of acid mixed with cream.

Gelatin – I attempted to keep away from the gelatin, as a result of I do know it might probably appear intimidating to make use of in case you haven’t used it earlier than and it provides a pair extra steps. However the cheesecake simply didn’t agency up as a lot as I like with out it. That mentioned, I actually don’t look after cheesecakes which have an excessive amount of gelatin in them. You actually style it and also you not solely sacrifice taste, but in addition texture. So I used as little as doable.
Acid and Cream Combination – That’s the place the acid and cream are available and assist thicken the filling a bit with out wanted an excessive amount of gelatin. How does that work? Properly, on this cheesecake the “cream” is sweetened condensed milk. When mixed, the acid in lemon juice mainly “spoils” the milk and subsequently thickens it. This cheesecake makes use of simply sufficient sweetened condensed milk to assist issues thicken, however not a lot that the cheesecake tastes closely of sweetened condensed milk.

The way to Use Gelatin

Gelatin isn’t exhausting to make use of, however you do must comply with a pair steps. The primary is to permit the powdered gelatin to “bloom”, or activate. Gelatin wants a cool liquid for this step. So, sprinkle the powder over the lemon juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The gelatin will activate and the lemon juice will thicken like gelatin. Microwave it for 10-20 seconds to soften it after which you’ll be able to add it to your cheesecake filling (or different desserts!).

Substances and Substitutions

Right here’s what you’ll must make this no bake lemon cheesecake recipe. It’s a reasonably easy listing, so it is best to have the ability to discover all of it at your native grocery retailer. You’ll want to scroll to the recipe card beneath for exact measurements.

Ingredients for no bake lemon cheesecake.

Vanilla wafer crumbs – I like the sweetness of the cookies, however you could possibly use graham crackers right here as a substitute.
Recent squeezed lemon juice – Recent actually is finest right here. Lemon juice that comes from a bottle simply doesn’t have the identical brightness to it.
Unflavored gelatin – I used a variety of lemon juice on this recipe, which thins the filling out. The gelatin helps issues thicken again up. I used powdered gelatin.
Sweetened condensed milk – Ensure to not seize evaporated milk. They aren’t the identical.
Cream cheese – The cream cheese needs to be at room temperature. Whether it is too chilly, it gained’t combine easily and simply with the opposite substances and also you’ll find yourself with a lumpy filling. Additionally make sure to use brick-style full-fat cream cheese. The type within the tub is thinner, as is diminished fats. Since we wish the filling to thicken correctly, these gained’t work.
Bitter cream – The bitter cream provides creaminess and taste to the filling that makes it extra carefully resemble a baked cheesecake.
Lemon zest – For just a little additional actual lemon taste. Use recent lemon zest, not jarred.
Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream have to be chilly. Whether it is too heat, it gained’t whip up and maintain quantity correctly and also you’ll find yourself with a flat cheesecake.
Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar retains the whipped cream steady. It gained’t ever wilt. Don’t go away it out.

The way to Make No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Able to hop within the kitchen? Right here’s a fast overview of learn how to make this gentle, shiny no bake cheesecake. In search of extra detailed directions? Scroll to the recipe card beneath.

Make the crust. Combine collectively the substances for the crust till properly mixed and press the combination into the underside and up the perimeters of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill within the fridge.

Mixing together the ingredients for a vanilla wafer crust.

Bloom the gelatin. Add the lemon juice to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with powdered gelatin. Let stand for 4-5 minutes. Pop the combination within the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
Add the sweetened condensed milk. Stir the sweetened condensed milk into the lemon juice combination and put aside.

Blooming gelatin in lemon juice. — Bloom the gelatin in lemon juice.

Beat. Beat collectively the cream cheese and sugar till clean. Combine within the bitter cream and lemon zest adopted by the cooled lemon juice combination.

Beating together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. — Beat the cream cheese and sugar collectively.

Add quantity. Whip the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar on excessive pace till stiff peaks kind. Fold the whipped cream into the remainder of the filling.
Chill. Unfold the filling into the crust and chill within the fridge for no less than 5-6 hours.
Put together to embellish. Free the set cheesecake from the springform pan and place it on a serving platter.
Make the whipped cream. Whip the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on excessive pace till stiff peaks kind.

Folding whipped cream into no bake lemon cheesecake filling. — Fold whipped cream into the filling.

Adorn. Pipe swirls of whipped cream across the fringe of the cheesecake and high nonetheless you see match. I used lemon slices, raspberries, and mint leaves.
Chill. Refrigerate the cheesecake till able to serve.

Overhead image of no bake lemon cheesecake on a serving platter.

Suggestions for Success

Use a springform pan. Whereas you should use a normal pan lined with plastic wrap, a springform pan makes issues 1,000,000 occasions simpler when it comes time to take away the cheesecake from the pan.
Room temperature cream cheese. Begin with room-temperature cream cheese. Whether it is too chilly, it should have a troublesome time smoothing out and also you run the danger of a lumpy filling.
Bloom the gelatin. It is likely to be tempting to combine all the substances for the filling collectively and name it a day however, in case you don’t bloom the gelatin first, your filling gained’t thicken. Discuss with the part above titled “How To Use Gelatin” to be taught the way it’s executed.
Chilly heavy cream. The heavy cream (for the filling and the whipped cream topping) must be chilly. Whether it is too heat, it gained’t whip up and maintain quantity correctly. If it doesn’t whip up correctly, your filling and your whipped cream topping will fall flat.
Fold gently. When folding the whipped cream into the filling, achieve this gently in order to not knock the quantity out of the whipped cream and, thus, the filling.
Don’t skimp on chill time. After filling the crust, you really want to sit back the cheesecake for no less than 5 hours (in all probability longer) till it has absolutely set. In any other case, whenever you take away it from the springform pan, it should crumble.

A slice of no bake lemon cheesecake with a bite taken out of it.

Serving Recommendations

I like serving this no bake cheesecake with some recent fruit. However in case you’re feeling additional fruity, go forward and drizzle my Strawberry Sauce, Raspberry Sauce or Blueberry Sauce excessive of your slice. This Lemon Curd could be a enjoyable addition to the highest of the cheesecake, as properly.

How To Retailer No Bake Cheesecake

Fridge. Seal the absolutely set, chilled cheesecake in an hermetic cake provider or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap (use toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the whipped cream topping). You can even organize slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. Retailer the leftover cheesecake within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Freezer. Pop the cheesecake within the freezer for a few hours to agency up earlier than wrapping the entire thing in a double layer of plastic wrap. In any other case, organize particular person slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. This cheesecake will preserve within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Permit it to thaw within the fridge earlier than diving again in.