Name: No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups cookie crumbs; 8 tablespoons butter (melted); 1 cup whipping cream ((thickened cream)); 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature); 1/4 cup hot water; 1 tablespoon gelatin; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup milk; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

Perfect on a hot day, this no bake lemon cheesecake is light and refreshing compared to its baked counterpart. The base is made from whipped cream and cream cheese. A little bit of gelatin helps keep it stable and firm since it is not baked.

Fresh lemons provide the main flavor for this dessert using both the juice and zest (grated yellow part of the lemon skin). The tart nature of the flavoring adds to the refreshing characteristics of the tart. Make sure to wash the lemons first before zesting them.

The crust is a traditional crumb base, however, the recipe doesn’t specify what crumbs to use. Generally, this can be any plain style crisp biscuit or cookie, such as digestives, graham crackers, or vanilla wafers. Try it with different crumbs and see what you like best.

Swipe to see all photos

A single slice of lemon cheesecake sits on a white plate with a fork.

Sweet and tart, this no-bake lemon cheesecake is easy to prepare.

Pouring the cheesecake base into a cookie crumb crust in pie tin.

After the cookie crumb crust has set completely, add the cream cheese and lemon filling.

A spatula is smoothing the top of the lemon cheesecake filling in a pie tin.

After filling the cookie crumb crust, smooth the filling with a spatula so that it sets evenly.

Looking down onto a single slice of no-bake lemon cheesecake on a white plate with a fork.

This is a great dessert to make when you don’t have access to an oven when cooking outdoors or camping.

Looking across a lemon cheesecake removed from the cake tin, sitting on a plate on a blue and green striped placemat.

Experiment with different types of cookie crumbs in this recipe, from the traditional graham cracker to the vanilla wafer.

No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Saffron Hodgson

reviews

Perfect on a hot day, this no bake lemon Cheesecake is light and refreshing compared to its baked counterpart.

Print Review

Preparation 20

Cook 1

Ready in 1 20

Servings Servings

CourseDessert

InfluenceGlobal

DifficultySeasoned

MethodChill

Similar RecipesCake

Print Review

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups cookie crumbs
8 tablespoons butter melted

Cheesecake Filling

1 cup whipping cream (thickened cream)
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon gelatin
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

Equipment

pie tin or cake tin

Directions

Crust

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and mix well.
Tip the crumbs into the pie tin then press into the base and sides of the tin to create a pie crust. Chill to set the butter.

Cheesecake Filling

Whisk the cream until it is lightly whipped and holding a soft peak.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth and soft.
In a cup combine the hot water with the gelatin and whisk with a fork until dissolved.
Add the sugar, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and dissolved gelatin to the cream cheese. Mix until well combined.
Gently fold through the whipped cream.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust. Chill until ready to serve or at least 1 hour.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 204mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 813IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg