This no-bake strawberry cheesecake is the perfect dessert for summer! It has a light and creamy filling packed with fresh puréed strawberries in a crunchy graham cracker crust. It’s easy to make, and you can give your oven the day off!
Easy No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Summer is my favorite time of the year for no-bake desserts (surely I can’t be alone?). Aside from the obvious perk of not heating up the kitchen with a hot oven, recipes like this cool and creamy no-bake strawberry cheesecake are refreshing and delicious. I didn’t think any strawberry dessert could rival my Strawberry Delight, but I am a huge fan of cheesecake, so rest assured this one gets the seal of approval from me, even my toddler devoured this one.
Why I Love This Cheesecake Recipe
- No oven. Summer desserts don’t get better than a creamy cheesecake that I can make without turning on the oven. No oven also means no water bath, so I get to enjoy all the richness of homemade cheesecake without the fuss.
- Fresh strawberry flavor. An easy strawberry reduction gives flavor without sacrificing texture. It means that it packs every bite full of strawberry goodness without worrying about the filling setting up properly.
- Thick, creamy slices. Like my classic no-bake cheesecake, I make this no-bake strawberry cheesecake with melted white chocolate, which doesn’t impact the taste but instead helps to thicken the filling for an overall better texture.
Ingredient Notes
This easy strawberry cheesecake needs just a handful of ingredients, and I’ve included notes on the key ones below. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with recipe amounts.
- Crust – I use a simple homemade graham cracker crust made from crushed graham crackers and melted butter. Feel free to save time with a store-bought crust if you’d like, or even Nilla Wafer or Golden Oreos.
- Strawberries – These can be fresh or frozen. Fresh berries will need to be washed and hulled beforehand. If you’re using frozen strawberries, be sure to thaw them first. Strawberries must be fully ripe for the best flavor.
- White Chocolate – Chopped and melted. I recommend using white chocolate bars, such as Lindt or Ghirardelli. These will melt down much smoother than chocolate chips. If you only have chocolate chips, I have a tutorial on how to melt chocolate chips with tips.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Make sure it’s cold from the fridge. For this recipe, homemade whipped cream is used in both the filling and for garnishing the cheesecake. For time-saving purposes, you can use store-bought Cool Whip instead.
- Cream Cheese – You’ll want to use bricks of full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest no-bake cheesecake. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before you start.
How to Make a No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Follow the brief steps here to make the perfect no-bake strawberry cheesecake. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for printable recipe instructions.
- Make the strawberry purée. Next, purée rinsed and hulled strawberries in a food processor. Afterward, you’ll reduce the purée in a saucepan over medium heat until you’re left with about ½ cup. It should be nice and thick. It should be fully cooled before using.
- Prepare the crust. First, combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a greased springform pan. If needed, refer to my tutorial on how to make a no-bake crust in a springform pan.
- Melt the chocolate. Melt chopped white chocolate in the microwave in increments, stirring in between until that’s nice and smooth. Both the purée and melted chocolate will need to cool before you make your cheesecake filling.
- Prepare the whipped cream. Meanwhile, whip heavy cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks start to form. Add powdered sugar and whip again, this time until you get stiff peaks.
- Assemble the cheesecake. Now, you’ll beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla, followed by the melted white chocolate and strawberry purée. Lastly, fold in the whipped cream. Spread the cheesecake filling into your prepared crust.
Crust Filling Tip!
Wanna know how I get that perfect edge?
- Add just enough of the filling to cover the bottom of the cheesecake and use a spoon or my favorite is an angled spatula, and spread the filling to the edges, getting in all the nooks and crannies.
- Then add more filling just until it reaches the top of the crust, and very carefully spread the filling to the edges of the pan. Add any remaining fill on top and smooth you.
- Chill. Pop the strawberry cheesecake into the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.
- Add the topping. Before serving, whip up a fresh batch of whipped cream and pipe or dollop the topping over the cheesecake. Garnish with fresh strawberries and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Line the bottom of the pan. This is only necessary if you’d like to fully remove the cheesecake from your springform pan. Place a large piece of parchment over the bottom edges of the pan and close the pan around the edge. The paper will hang out the sides.
- Patience is key. Reducing the strawberries gives flavor and stability to the cheesecake. I suggest reducing until it’s about ½ cup of puree, which can take up to 30 minutes. Keep the heat at medium/medium-low and stir often so that the purée doesn’t burn or stick.
- Cool the strawberries faster. Afterward, I’ll place the purée into the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks. The key to a stable filling is to properly prepare the whipped cream until it reaches stiff peaks. If the whipped cream is wilted or runny before adding into the cheesecake it will cause issues with the cheesecake fully setting.
My Favorite Springform Oan
9-inch Spring Form Pan with heavy-gauge steel core that won’t warp and heats evenly. Perfect for cheesecakes, layer cakes or tortes that need careful handling.
How to Store No-Bake Cheesecake
- Storing. Keep the no-bake strawberry cheesecake in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days. I usually wrap the springform collar back around the pan and cover it with plastic wrap, otherwise, you can keep slices in an airtight container.
- Freeze. After chilling the cheesecake in the fridge, wrap the whole pan in a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 1 month. Leave off any toppings until the cheesecake is thawed for serving.
More No-Bake Desserts
- No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- No-Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Chilling Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This no-bake strawberry cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert, with a cool and creamy filling made with fresh strawberry purée set in a crunchy graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups (224g) graham cracker crumbs (about 2 sleeves)
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 lb (16oz) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
- 4 ounces (113g) white chocolate bar, chopped and melted
- 1 cup (236ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar
- 16 ounces (452) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
For the Topping:
- ¾ cup (177ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar
- Additional fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lightly greasing the edges of the pan with cooking spray, and then wiping gently with a paper towel.
- Grind the graham crackers into a fine crumb using a food processor or blender. Combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until well combined.
- Pour the crumbs into the springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up on the sides of the pan to create the crust. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
For the Filling:
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Puree them in a food processor or blender until smooth, yielding about 1¾ cups of puree.
- Transfer the puree to a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over medium to medium-low heat, stirring as needed to prevent burning and sticking, until the mixture reduces to about ½ cup. This can take up to 30 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Refrigerate to speed up the cooling process.
- Chop the white chocolate bar into smaller pieces. Microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the whipped cream. Chill the mixing bowl and beater blade for 5-10 minutes in the freezer or refrigerator. Beat the heavy cream in the chilled bowl and using the whisk attachment and beat at a high speed until the cream thickens to soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. If needed, transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.
- Next beat the cream cheese until it’s completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until smooth. Then add the melted chocolate and strawberry puree, beating until combined.
- Finally, slowly fold in the whipped cream until it’s completely smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared cooled crust, spreading evenly. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until it’s firm.
For the Topping:
- Prepare another batch of whipped cream following the instructions above. Use a large piping bag to pipe the borders of the cheesecake. Garnish with fresh fruit.
Notes
If you’d like to remove the cheesecake from the pan, full-line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, hanging it over the edges of the circle, and then close the edges of the pan around it.
Ingredient notes and Substitutions
- Frozen strawberries can also be used but should be thawed before blending.
- The strawberry puree can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Cool Whip: If you’d prefer to use Cool Whip, simply swap out the heavy cream and powdered sugar in the filling with one 8oz container of thawed Cool Whip.
- White Chocolate: I’d recommend using a brand like Ghirardelli or Lindt white chocolate for the filling. In a pinch, white chocolate chips can be used.
- Crust. A store-bought crust can be used in place of homemade. Alternatively Nilla Wafer or Golden Oreos would be another good option.
Storing
- Once prepared: Must stay refrigerated, best within 2-3 days of preparation. You can wrap the springform collar around the pan and then tightly cover it with plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Chill completely, and then tightly wrap the pan twice with plastic wrap. Save the garnishes to add once it’s thawed. Freeze for up to one month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 38.7 g
- Sodium: 306.5 mg
- Fat: 42.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.3 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 113.6 mg
