Having easy no-bake treats that can be made quickly in your recipe rotation is a great practice, and a deliciously creamy no-bake cheesecake checks all the boxes. This is especially great when you can make it with just three ingredients that are easily found at the grocery store: cream cheese (often Philadelphia cream cheese, though other brands work too), heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk. That’s right, no baking and no gelatin required — store-bought graham cracker crust optional.
Making a cheesecake with just these ingredients works for various reasons. First, most types of store-bought cream cheese usually contains some form of gum such as carob bean gum or xantan gum, which helps to add a firm texture. However, when making a no-bake cheesecake, it’s super important that the cream cheese is at room temperature, as cold cream cheese will create lumps in the mixture. Be sure to take it out of the fridge at least an hour before you’re ready to use it.
The opposite is true for the heavy cream. You want that to be as cold as possible when whipping it so that it fluffs up nicely. That’s because the cold fat globules trap the air bubbles in the cream, which are added through the whipping process. You can whip cream in various ways — with a stand mixer, a hand mixer, an immersion blender, or by the preferred method by pastry chefs: using a globe wire whip. For a no-bake cheesecake you can whip the cream separately and then incorporate, or add it as the final ingredient to the mix. Lastly, the sweetened condensed milk will add another layer of creaminess plus the right amount of sugar so that you don’t need to add any extra. While it might be too sweet on its own, when mixed with the tangy cream cheese and whipped cream, it achieves the perfect balance of sweetness.
Simple ways to flavor your easy no-bake cheesecake
It is super easy to customize your no-bake cheesecake with different flavors, starting with the crust. A store-bought Graham cracker crust will be the fastest, but if you have the time and want to make your own, consider using different cookies such as lemon, chocolate, ginger snaps, or whatever your favorite may be. Once you choose your crust flavor, you can match it with a flavor add-in or topping. A super simple idea is to mix a spoonful or two of dark cocoa or your favorite marmalade or jam, like in this no-bake strawberry cheesecake recipe. For something even fancier, check out this apricot goat cheese cheesecake recipe that incorporates tangy goat cheese alongside the cream cheese and uses apricot preserves as the topping.
You can also use fresh seasonal fruits like mixed berries as the topping, or take inspiration from this Filipino mango float recipe, which is quite similar to a no-bake cheesecake using just three ingredients. For an alternative presentation, skip the crust altogether and serve it in individual little cups or inside a waffle cone for something fun and different. However you choose to flavor and serve, refrigerate your no-bake cheesecake for at least eight hours or overnight for the best results. Alternatively, place it in the freezer for two hours, then let it thaw for a few minutes before serving.
