Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake is a melt-in-your-mouth dessert that tastes every bit as decadent as classic cheesecake with a fraction of the work!
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Pin RecipeIf you, like me, used to be slightly intimidated by the idea of baking a cheesecake, this Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake recipe is just for you!
This incredibly delicious and easy cheesecake features a buttery Graham cracker crust base. Then, we add a sweet and tangy cheesecake filling made with softened Philadelphia cream cheese. Left to chill in the fridge for six hours, it turns out rich and creamy every single time.
This Philadelphia no bake cheesecake is like a clean canvas for all your favorite toppings. Finish it with fresh fruit, berry compote, fruity pie filling, or a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce! Or, enjoy it all on its own!
Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
While I do love a traditional New York cheesecake, this no-bake version is super convenient with no cooking time required. Simply assemble the Graham cracker crust, fill it with the Philadelphia cheesecake filling, and chill. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
The filling won’t be as firm as a baked cheesecake. However, it slices easily and is perfect if you enjoy a softer, slightly fluffy filling.
And if you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out my No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake and No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake, too!
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Ingredients for Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Crust – The crust is easily made with a combination of Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar.
- Filling – The cheesecake filling consists of softened Philadelphia cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream, lemon juice, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and salt.
Variations
- Whole Graham crackers can easily be turned into crumbs. To do so, blend them in a food processor until you achieve a fine consistency.
- Use another brand of crackers or cookies to make the pie crust. Nilla Wafer cookies or Golden Oreos (without the stuffing) would make delicious substitutes.
- Change the flavor of the cheesecake filling by using a different extract, such as almond extract, peppermint extract, orange extract, lemon, you name it!
- Top the no bake cheesecake with strawberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, or mixed berry pie filling.
- Garnish the cheesecake with fresh fruit such as sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced peaches, or even candied fruit.
- Cool Whip could be used to replace the whipped cream mixture. Allow the Cool Whip to thaw before folding it into the cream cheese mixture.
How to Make Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake
- Make the crust: Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9″ springform cake pan and up the sides. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling base: Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Then, blend in the vanilla, sour cream, and lemon juice.
- Combine the filling ingredients: Whip the cream with salt and powdered sugar in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling mixture until evenly combined.
- Assemble and chill: Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan, and spread it evenly over the crust. Cover the cheesecake loosely, and refrigerate for six hours.
- Serve: Remove the outer ring of the springform pan carefully. Then, slice the cheesecake to serve!
Quick Tip
Always let your block of cream cheese sit at room temperature for at least an hour before making the cheesecake filling. this allows it to soften, allowing for easy mixing. You’ll have a smooth, creamy cheesecake filling!
How to Store Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake
Store leftover Philadelphia no bake cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Or, freeze it for up to two months. Thaw frozen cheesecake in the fridge overnight, and enjoy it cold!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this Philadelphia no bake cheesecake topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or, pair it with a serving of fruit salad or fried apples!
FAQs
No-bake cheesecake does not become as firm as traditional baked cheesecake. However, after four hours of chilling it becomes firm enough to slice. And after size hours or up to overnight, it holds its shape nicely!
Absolutely! If you don’t want to make a whole cheesecake, you can definitely serve the filling as a decadent dip alongside fresh fruit, wafers, and cookies.
Philadelphia cheesecake is named after the Philadelphia brand of cream cheese used to make the cheesecake filling. Meanwhile, New York cheesecake doesn’t always have to use the Philadelphia brand of cream cheese.
Use the correct measurement of cheesecake filling ingredients called for in the recipe, and allow enough time for the assembled cheesecake to chill in the fridge. You shouldn’t have any issues!
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Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9” springform pan
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- whisk
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Filling
- 24 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by making the graham cracker crust. Mix all of the crust ingredients together in a medium sized bowl until all the graham cracker crumbs are blended into the butter.2 cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup melted butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Pour the graham cracker mix into a 9” springform cake pan. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Set the pan aside while you make the filling.
- Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth using a paddle attachment of a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer.24 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Blend in the vanilla, sour cream and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, ⅓ cup sour cream, ¼ cup lemon juice
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, salt and powdered sugar together until the mix forms stiff peaks. The whipped cream should hold its shape.1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix, and add the salt. Fold slowly until the two mixes are evenly combined.¼ teaspoon salt
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth it evenly into the pan.
- Loosely cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- Carefully remove the outer ring of the springform pan then slice the cheesecake and serve!
Yummy!!! 🙂
Thank you, Kim!