No-Bake Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust
Creamy no-bake cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust and canned pie filling topping. Cream cheese, heavy cream, and sour cream blend into a smooth filling that chills for at least 3 hours. Perfect for quick desserts without oven time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, crushed
- ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream
- 3 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup sugar, granulated
- 2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar, powdered
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pure
- 21 ounce canned pie filling, strawberry, cherry, or blueberryfresh fruit compote1:1vegan
homemade option
Instructions
- 1
Mix crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter until incorporated.
- 2
Press mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Refrigerate.
- 3
Beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- 4
Add sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, and confectioners sugar, blending thoroughly.
- 5
Stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- 6
Pour into the chilled crust.
- 7
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight. Do not freeze.
- 8
Top with canned pie filling before serving.
Tips
Soften cream cheese at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beating to ensure smooth filling.
Press graham cracker crust firmly and chill before adding filling to prevent crumbling.
Do not freeze; prolonged freezing can separate the filling.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
Prepare crust 1 day ahead. Filling can be made up to 8 hours before serving; add topping just before serving.
Serve chilled directly from pie pan or slice and plate. Add canned pie filling topping immediately before serving to prevent sogginess.
Common Mistakes
Do not freeze to avoid separation and grainy texture in the filling.
Do not skip the refrigeration time to avoid soft, unstable filling.
Do not under-beat cream cheese to avoid lumps in the filling.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
homemade option