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No-Bake Cheesecake

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Recipe photo courtesy of James Baigrie

There are certain days during the summer when the last place anyone wants to be is in a hot kitchen. But that's when kids can come to the rescue, making a delicious dessert for the whole family without ever having to ask their parents to turn on the oven.

Source: Martha Stewart Kids, July/August 2004
Total Time Prep Yield

Ingredients

Directions

  4. Watch: How to Cook with Martha: How to Juice Citrus

Variations

Skip the crust: use cheesecake filling in a parfait and invent a whole new "layer cake." Mix the filling, then put some in a glass. Top with broken-up cookies (such as chocolate or vanilla wafers) or graham crackers, and add fresh fruit (such as raspberries or blueberries). Alternate layers. Refrigerate parfait for 30 minutes, and serve.

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Reviews

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How would you rate this recipe?
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  • lauradaltaviota
    15 DEC, 2018
    I loved the creamy centre but I think the crusty base was too thick .. but may have been my miscalculation? Overall a clear and easy recipe to follow !
    Reply
  • ACX93280833
    15 DEC, 2018
    I too used this recipe to make cheesecake and my filling did not set. Because I made a blackberry compote to accompany the cheesecake that didn't set, I ended up making a parfait cup. I also agree with other cooks that the cake was too tart. I was surprised how bad the cake didn't set for it to be a recipe backed by Martha Stewart. I'll find another and try again this weekend.
    Reply
  • aab45439639
    1 NOV, 2018
    This is an amazing recipe! So easy and everyone loved it. The only thing I did differently was that I used three 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese instead of two. That eliminated the runny filling issue completely and it set perfectly in the freezer. Also, the cake remained on the table for well over an hour during dessert with no melting or running. This will definitely be my go-to cheesecake for special occasions.
    Reply
    • kiruciga07
      22 NOV, 2018
      How much does your 1tbsp and 1tsp in ml and the 1cup . Pls clarify
  • boom_jaz
    21 OCT, 2018
    I make this No-Bake Cheesecake at least 5 times a year. I find it to be delicious and easy to make. This is one of my family's favorite desserts.
    Reply
    • boom_jaz
      21 OCT, 2018
      beebe.lewis2 Are you adding the lemon last. I mean after all the other ingredient have been mixed. That is an important key to making this receipt a success.
  • chriswking84
    23 AUG, 2018
    Honestly, I don't understand the bad reviews. I've done this No-Bake Cheesecake a couple times over the past two years and every time it turns out perfectly just like shown in the picture. The taste is super rich and sweet with a tad of tanginess depending on how much lemon you put in there. This might sound rude but I think some people are better off buying one of those artificial tasting grocery store cheesecakes because they are clearly not able to follow a simple recipe. And others, to be frank, are probably so used to the taste of those artificial chemical tasting commercial cheese cakes that they dislike the taste of this one.
    Reply
    • beebe.lewis2
      7 OCT, 2018
      Rude! Lots of presumption here. Store cheesecake is awful. I've prepared more food and desserts over the past 40 years for countless events. I'm not perfect but I'm willing to admit it was me if a recipe turns out wrong. Mine looks like the photo but it needs to taste as good as it looks. Your review should have been just about you and your experience!
  • beebe.lewis2
    7 OCT, 2018
    I made this twice. First time let it set for 5 hours and I was runny with an awful flavor and worst after taste. I figured I did something wrong. So I tried again and let it set overnight. It wasn't as runny, but still runny, taste improved and no after taste. But still not an enjoyable dessert.
    Reply
  • kushalinninair1
    12 SEP, 2018
    My cake tasted really good but it turned up being runny,i reduced the lemon juice to only 1 tbsp but it still ended up runny.
    Reply
    • elizabethindig
      5 OCT, 2018
      Don't reduce the lemon juice! It's the reaction of the citrus juice to the sweetened condensed milk that causes the thickening. Little to no lemon juice means runny filling.
  • Sansb13
    6 DEC, 2017
    The flavor is ok I guess. I left it in the refrigerator all night and it is still very runny. Hopefully the freezer will help firm it up enough to cut. Won’t make again.
    Reply
    • chriswking84
      23 AUG, 2018
      Use less lemon juice. The taste is divine.
  • sugarlulita11
    8 FEB, 2018
    Great overall recipe. I did change the amount of lemon juice to 2 tbsp and my cheesecake sets up nice and firm.
    Reply
    • chriswking84
      23 AUG, 2018
      Finally, someone who understands simple chemistry. People pour a [filtered] ton of lemon juice in the filling which makes it runnier and then they complain about it being too tart and too runny.
  • Boniboo
    13 FEB, 2018
    Total fail. Followed everything to a t. Left in the frig over night never set, it had the same texture as when I put it in the frig. Good taste but never got firm. :(
    Reply
    • chriswking84
      23 AUG, 2018
      Because it depends on the temperature and on how much lemon you put and how fast you churn it. The more you churn it the fluffier it will become thus it will be runnier since the air trapped in the cheese cannot 'freeze'. Next time do not churn it so much just gently whip everything together and then put it in the freezer right away before you pour it into the pan with the crust.
    • bettyruthhelman
      4 MAY, 2018
      Mine too! Never got firm. Disappointed.

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