Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake (without condensed milk)
Meet your new favorite summer dessert! This no bake lemon cheesecake is made without condensed milk and without ever touching your oven. Cold, creamy, and loaded with fresh lemon flavor, because when it’s hot outside, the freezer should be doing all the work, not you.
This recipe started with a craving and a problem to solve. I wanted a no bake lemon cheesecake but every recipe I found either used condensed milk or powdered sugar, and I didn’t want to use either. I wanted a minimal ingredient, no bake, easy lemon dessert– but one that I could throw together without turning on the oven.
Then I remembered I have a cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar that combines cream cheese and granulated sugar, and wondered if I could start with that as the base over a graham cracker crust (that also isnt baked!).
Guess what! It totally worked! Yes even as a trained pastry chef, I am still testing to see if things will work the way I intend them to.
I added vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice and zest for that bright, punchy flavor, then folded in whipped heavy cream to bulk it up and give it that light, mousse-like cheesecake texture. It’s creamy, and rich but not heavy, exactly what I was going for.
After I tested a slice I sent home the rest of the cake with my mom, and she ended up serving it at her very fancy (lol) ladies tea. It was the hit of the party! So whether you’re bringing this to a fancy tea or just eating it straight from the pan on a Tuesday, both are valid and I fully support it.
Quick tip before I show you how to make the recipe- if you forgot to take out your cream cheese, learn how to soften cream cheese quickly!
Graham cracker crust
The graham cracker crust is no bake too! You prep it the same way you would if you were baking it but instead of putting it in the oven, you put it in the freezer to firm up while you make the filling. Don’t worry the texture really doesn’t change.
Heres a pro tip though– buy the pre-ground graham cracker crumbs instead of crushing your own. Since this crust isn’t being baked, you need really finely ground crumbs to stick together properly, and the store bought ones are perfect for that.
If you do want to crush your own, use a food processor and make sure they are really pulverized. You don’t want any large pieces.
Decorating and Serving
You can simply zest some more lemon over the cheesecake and serve it like that. I decided to whip up some sweetened whipped cream and pipe it on the middle of the cake using different tips and then zest some more lemon on top. It’s a simple way to make this look even prettier, plus it was fun to do.
I decorated right before serving. Take the cheesecake out of the freezer 10 minutes before you want to serve it so that it softens a bit and makes it easier to cut.
Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake (without condensed milk)
Ingredients
For the crust
- 5 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, about 1/3rd cup
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, store bought preferred
For the cheesecake filling
- 24 ounces block of cream cheese, (3 blocks) softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of two lemons
- 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, from 2 lemons- can use up to 3 tbsp
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, can skip if you don't have it
Optional Sweet Cream Garnish
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
Crust
- Melt the 5 ½ tbsp butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add the 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs and mix until the crumbs are evenly coated and hold together when pressed.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan using a ⅓ cup measuring cup to help. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
Filling
- Add the 24 oz softened cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer. Cream on medium speed and slowly pour in the 1 cup sugar. Increase to medium-high speed and mix for one more minute. To test, pinch a little between your fingers, if you feel sugar granules keep mixing, if it’s smooth, move on to the next step.
- Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides. Add the 1 tsp vanilla extract, the zest of 2 lemons, and 2 1/2- 3 tbsp lemon juice, and mix to combine.
- Transfer the cream cheese filling to a separate bowl. Clean the mixing bowl and add the 1 cup heavy whipping cream and ¼ tsp cream of tartar. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. About 1-2 minutes, it happens fast, don’t walk away!
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until evenly combined, being careful not to deflate the cream.
- Pour the filling into the frozen crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to soften slightly for easier slicing.
Optional Garnish
- Whip the 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Pipe onto the center of the cheesecake and finish with extra lemon zest.
