The Easiest No-Bake Cheesecake

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Thank you for being a friend… that brought cheesecake

Oh, cheesecake, you delightful creamy wonder. You’ve stolen my heart—second only to The Golden Girls. That show? A treasure. I grew up watching it with my grandmother and my mom, and now I have every glorious episode tucked safely into my Amazon account. It’s my go-to comfort watch while I’m getting ready for work, and trust me, nothing beats starting your day with Dorothy’s wit, Rose’s wild St. Olaf stories, and a slice of cheesecake.

ospicious beginnings

Speaking of cheesecake, my man is obsessed with it. Naturally, I’ve become the household cheesecake whisperer. Funny thing is, as a kid, I hated cheesecake. Absolutely couldn’t stand it—baked, no-bake, upside-down, or on a stick, I wanted none of it. Looking back, all I can think is, “What was wrong with me?” Cheesecake is perfection: creamy, just sweet enough to curb cravings, and ridiculously versatile.

So, grab your mixing bowl and let’s channel our inner Golden Girls—because if there’s one thing they taught us, it’s that life’s too short not to have cheesecake.

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The Easiest No-Bake Cheesecake
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The Easiest No-Bake Cheesecake

Recipe by Jenn MalziCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Grab your mixing bowl and let’s channel our inner Golden Girls—because if there’s one thing they taught us, it’s that life’s too short not to have cheesecake.

Ingredients

  • 1 sleeve of  graham crackers

  • 16oz cream cheese

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar

  • 8 ounces of Cool Whip

  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1 tsp lemon juice

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • 8 Tbsp melted butter ( I use salted but unsalted also works)

  • 21 oz cherry pie filling or any canned berry pie filling of your choice

Directions

  • Start by crushing up your graham crackers. They should be finely crushed. Or you could just buy a ready made graham cracker crust and make it easy on your arm.
  • In a medium bowl, place your crushed graham crackers, sugar, salt and melted butter. Mix to combine.
  • Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the baking dish, presing til firm. Place in the refrigerator to start firming up while you’re making the cheesecake filling
  • As always, I use my trusty stand mixer to do the mixing for me. In the mixing bowl, add your softened cream cheese and mix it on low to make it a soft and creamy texture.
  • Mix in the confectioners sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and mix til combined.
  • Add the Cool Whip and mix til combined and smooth
  • Pour the cheesecake mixture into your graham cracker crust lined pie dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
  • You can top it with the pie filling now or you could put it in the fridge and let it firm up then add the pie filling when you’re ready to serve it.
  • Either way, place in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Notes

  • This recipe is very versatile. You can use any pie filling you want, or you can even make your own. If you choose to do that just make sure it’s cooled completely before adding it to the cheesecake or you’ll have a sad, melted little dessert on your hands.
Delivery via Instacart

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To bake or not to bake? that is the question.

How do you feel about cheesecake? Are you Team Baked or Team No-Bake? Personally, I’m all about the no-bake version—it’s easier to whip up, and there’s something about that creamy, dreamy texture that wins me over every time. (Tink here… I am team whatever… just give it to me.)

So grab a slice, pull up a chair, and enjoy your cheesecake around the kitchen table, talking about life with your best friends—Golden Girls style, of course. Cheesecake always tastes better with good company! 🍰✨