No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
This No Bake Cherry Cheesecake is the ultimate summer dessert – creamy, light, and bursting with sweet-tart cherry flavor. With a buttery graham cracker crust, a fluffy cream cheese filling, and a glossy cherry pie topping, it requires just minutes of prep and no oven time. Chill, slice, and enjoy a cool, decadent treat with minimal effort!
This cherry pie cheesecake needs to be chilled for 4 hours (overnight is even better), making it an ideal make-ahead dessert for upcoming parties, potlucks, or to treat the family. Prefer a different fruity flavor? Simply swap the cherry pie filling for blueberry, strawberry, or lemon curd to create a whole new cheesecake.
It delivers all the richness of traditional cheesecake, minus the fuss of baking, water baths, or cracking risks. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser with half the work! For more cheesecake desserts, try my Lemon Cheesecake with Condensed Milk, Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes, or Blueberry Cheesecake Dip.
What is No Bake Cherry Cheesecake?
This No Bake Cherry Cheesecake is a recipe passed down by my mom, and now my friends and family get to enjoy it too – perfect all year round!
This fuss-free, creamy dessert requires no oven time – great for those warm days or when you want a delicious treat without heating up the kitchen. It consists of a simple buttery Graham cracker crust, a light and fluffy cheesecake filling (made with whipped heavy cream, cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar), and a sweet cherry pie filling topping for a beautiful finish.
Just chill it for 4 hours (or overnight) to set, then slice and serve for a cool, indulgent dessert.
Ingredients needed to make this No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Graham cracker crumbs: Creates an easy and delicious base for this no bake cheesecake recipe. If you can’t source packaged crumbs, simply process Graham crackers in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs.
- Butter: Melted to combine with the Graham crumbs. Salted or unsalted butter works, depending on your preference.
- Cream cheese: Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature for easy mixing. I don’t recommend reduced-fat or fat free cream cheese for this recipe – they just won’t deliver the same quality as full-fat cream cheese.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cheesecake filling and distributes evenly.
- Heavy cream: Whipped and then added to the sweetened cream cheese to create a light and airy cheesecake filling.
- Cherry pie filling: I’ve used canned cherry pie filling for convenience, but you could also use this homemade cherry compote instead if you want to get extra fancy!
Secret ingredient:
Almond extract: Pairs beautifully with the cherry flavor of this no bake cheesecake. You could use vanilla extract instead, if you prefer.
How do you make this No Bake Cherry Cheesecake?
Prepare the pan:
- Line an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
Make the crust:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham crumbs and melted butter. Mix with a fork until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.
- Press firmly with your fingers or use the flat bottom of a drinking glass to compact the crust into the base of the dish.
Make the cream cheese filling:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the almond extract and mix gently just until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form (be careful not to overwhip).
- Mix the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture on high until combined.
Assemble:
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the prepared crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Carefully spoon the cherry pie filling over the top, smoothing it into a uniform layer.
Chill and serve:
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the dessert to set completely.
- Once chilled, lift the dessert out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into squares and serve.
Serving
Serve this no bake cherry cheesecake as a delicious summer dessert with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. For extra cherry indulgence, pair this cheesecake with Black Cherry Ice Cream!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover no bake cherry cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. The flavors of the cheesecake will intensify over time!
- Freezing: If you want to freeze this cheesecake as a way to make it ahead, I recommend wrapping the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and leaving the cherry pie filling off. Once thawed in the fridge, top the cheesecake with the cherry pie filling, slice, and serve.
- Make ahead: Assemble this no-bake cherry cheesecake the day before with or without the cherry pie filling.
- Fruity twist: If you don’t like cherries, use canned raspberry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, blackberry pie filling, or strawberry pie filling instead. It’s such an easy ingredient swap for a brand new dessert!
- Chocolate shavings: For added decadence, sprinkle white chocolate or milk chocolate shavings over the assembled cheesecake just before serving.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free Graham crumbs or source gluten-free crackers to crush and make gluten-free cheesecake.
- Don’t overmix: Be careful that you don’t overmix the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture or the cheesecake filling won’t be light and fluffy.
- Lemon: You could add fresh lemon zest to the cheesecake filling. It will balance the sweetness, brighten the flavors, and improve the creamy texture of this cheesecake.
- Extracts: I’ve used almond extract in the cherry cheesecake filling. Feel free to use vanilla extract instead, if you prefer.
- Soften cream cheese: Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature to prevent lumps and for easier mixing. If you’re in a rush, you can remove the cream cheese from the foil lining and microwave it for very short intervals.
- Chill the cheesecake: This cheesecake must be chilled for at least 4 hours for it to set and thicken. Always place the cheesecake back into the fridge when not using it for an extended time due to the creamy filling.
- Double this dessert: This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a 9×13-inch dish instead – great for catering to a larger crowd.
- No bake cherry cheesecake with Cool Whip: You can substitute 1 cup of prepared whipped cream (like Cool Whip) if you prefer not to whip your own, but it won’t taste the same.
More no-bake desserts you may want to try:
- No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie
- Banana Split Freezer Dessert
- Hot Cocoa Mug Cake
- Millie’s Best Rocky Road Fudge
Get the Recipe:
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham crumbs
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 21 oz cherry pie filling
Equipment
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the graham crumbs and butter. Mix with a fork until combined. Spread it onto the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish, pressing down with your fingers to form the crust. TIP: you can also use the bottom of a drinking glass to push the crust down.
- Using a stand mixer (paddle attachment), combine the cream cheese and sugar. Mix until it becomes light and fluffy. Add in the almond extract and gently mix.
- In a separate bowl mix the heavy cream on high until the heavy cream becomes whipped cream.
- Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on high until combined.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, smoothing it out with a spatula.
- Next, spread the cherry pie filling out evenly over the top. Smooth it out carefully.
- Place the dish in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and cut into squares and serve!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
