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This No Bake Lemon Cheesecake is sweet, tart, and creamy with a crunchy graham cracker crust. This cheesecake is completely no bake with simple ingredients and it slices perfectly!
Elevate your cheesecake game with the Best No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe! It’s a lemon version of my favorite no bake cheesecake recipe with a crunchy graham cracker crust. It’s a no-fail cheesecake that’s so creamy! Want to know a secret? But hey, if you want a baked cheesecake instead – try my Lemon Cheesecake Recipe that’s perfectly creamy.
Ingredients needed
- Graham Cracker Crust – I use my homemade recipe – you’ll need to make it from scratch because you’re using a springform pan.
- Cream cheese: I’m using softened cream cheese at room temperature. You can use fat cream cheese for a creamier texture if you wish.
- Sugar: The cheesecake is sweetened with granulated sugar
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed from about 1-2 lemons
- Lemon zest: packed from about 2 lemons – learn how to zest a lemon!
- Heavy whipping cream: make sure it’s cold – this makes up the body of the cheesecake.
How to make lemon cheesecake
1. Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2. Mix graham crackers with sugar and melted butter. Press into a springform pan.
3. Beat the cream cheese until smooth and then mix in the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese.
5. Place the cheesecake filling in the pan and chill until set.
Expert tips
- It’s very important to fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture. Do not stir or beat – fold gently so you don’t break the cream.
- Be sure to use fresh lemon juice for best results, and do not omit the lemon zest, that is where the lemon flavor comes from.
- If you want an extra punch of lemon, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract to the mixture.
- To substitute cool whip, use about one 8-ounce container in lieu of the fresh whipped cream.
- Garnish cheesecake with additional whipped cream and lemon slices.
- For even more flavor, drizzle with my homemade lemon curd recipe!
FAQs
If your whipped cream is not at stiff peaks, the cheesecake may not set. Also, if you mix the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and not fold it, it can break and become watery. Be sure to use full fat cream cheese as well.
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (147g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
- 7 tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake:
- 3 (8-ounce) blocks (678g) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon packed lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- ⅔ cup (158ml) cold heavy whipping cream
- Whipped Cream for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare crust by stirring together melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Stir with a fork in a medium bowl, then press into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch round springform pan. Chill to set while preparing filling.
- Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
- In another bowl, beat cold whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold whipped cream into cheesecake filling – to not beat or mix, fold it so as not to break the cream.
- Place the cheesecake filling in the prepared crust. Chill to set, at least 4 hours.
- Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Be sure to use fresh lemon juice for best results, and do not omit the lemon zest, that is where the flavor comes from.
- If you want an extra punch of lemon, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract to the mixture.
- To substitute cool whip, use about one 8-ounce container in lieu of the fresh whipped cream.
- Garnish cheesecake with additional whipped cream and lemon slices.
I’m obsessed with lemon desserts. This looks delicious!!!
Simple ..!!!
Love this recipe.. Pinned..!! i never heard about this before from our area.really new to me
This cheesecake looks yummy! and no bake is the cherry on top!!
Lemon makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I could definitely use a slice of this cheesecake to get my day started!
I am obsessed with all the lemon right now. I need a few slices for breakfast!
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