Cooking and Serving: 8 slices cheesecake
Ingredients
How it sets without eggs | The simple crust | Ingredient substitutions
Description
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Servings: 8 slices cheesecake
Ingredients
How it sets without eggs
The simple crust
Expert tips
Ingredient substitutions
Instructions
A lighter recipe variation.
Notes
* How it sets without eggs
* Ingredient substitutions
* Easy No Bake Cheesecake with Gelatin Recipe
* Storage instructions
* A lighter recipe variation
This easy no bake cheesecake is light and sweet, and not at all heavy like a
traditional cheesecake. It’s the perfect summer recipe for those hot days when
you don’t want the oven on for hours.
It’s just as smooth and creamy as a regular cheesecake, thanks to a secret
ingredient: gelatin. Since it’s incredibly easy to make, it’s perfect if you’re
not really a confident baker, or need simple the kids can handle. And you can
even bake it in a square pan, cut it into small squares, and make a no bake
version of cheesecake bites
Even if you factor in the time to crush the cookie crumbs for the crust in a
mini food processor, this whole recipe only takes 10 minutes to make.
The ingredients are simple and fresh, the taste combination of cream cheese and
sour cream is bright and lightly tangy, and it’s just sweet enough. The addition
of gelatin makes the texture perfect and it sets up perfectly in the
refrigerator in just a couple of hours.
Whole cheesecake with cookie crust from side with sliced strawberries in white
cheesecake with cookie crust from side with sliced strawberries in white bowl in
You’ll notice some of these ingredients, like the cream cheese and sour cream,
are mostly typical of a traditional cheesecake recipe (especially the cream
cheese). But unlike in a traditional baked gluten free cheesecake
cream cheese, sugar, and eggs, this no bake cheesecake contains no eggs.
Of course, we can’t have eggs in a cheesecake that isn’t being baked. But we do
still need something to help the filling set into something that can be sliced
cleanly with a knife and eaten with a fork. For that, we use unflavored powdered
Here are all the primary ingredients for this cream cheese cheesecake:
* Water – We use just a little water to dissolve the powdered gelatin
* Powdered gelatin – This is what we use in place of eggs to hold the no bake
cheesecake together, so it sets up and slices cleanly
* Cream cheese – Be sure to use a block of full fat cream cheese for the best
flavor and texture; let it soften to cool room temperature so you can blend
it without leaving behind any lumps
* Sour cream – This ingredient gives this no bake cheesecake flavor its
* Pure vanilla extract – A bit of vanilla extract adds dimension to the flavors
* Confectioners’ sugar – Use this fine sugar rather than granulated sugar for
an immediate smooth texture even without melting the sugar in the oven
slice of no bake cheesecake being removed from rest of cake with a metal spatula
of no bake cheesecake being removed from rest of cake with a metal spatula
HOW IT SETS WITHOUT EGGS
The only essential ingredients in a classic, baked cheesecake are cream cheese,
sugar, and eggs. You make it a gluten free cheesecake free graham cracker crust
making sure any starches you add are gluten free.
The eggs in a classic cheesecake provide structure to the cheesecake when
they’re baked. They’re what make it into a cake that you can slice.
So how do you set a cheesecake without eggs? Here, we use some powdered gelatin
to make a no bake cheesecake that sets even more cleanly than a traditional,
First, we “bloom” the gelatin in some lukewarm water waiting for the gelatin to swell. Then, we melt the mixture in the microwave
until it’s liquefied, but not hot.
The combination of cream cheese and sour cream, with some sifted confectioners’
sugar, makes for a silky smooth cheesecake with a slight tang. There’s not a ton
of confectioners’ sugar, so it’s never too sweet.
Making the graham cracker crust for this no bake cheesecake recipe is easiest step in the process. You only need two ingredients, melted butter and
crushed gluten free graham crackers, and like the cheesecake filling, the crust
never sees the inside of an oven.
To crush your graham crackers, you have two options: The quicker way is to use a
blender or food processor. Simply throw the crackers into the processor and let
it go for a few seconds.
If you don’t have a food processor or blender or simply don’t want to use it,
you can manually make graham cracker crumbs zip-top bag, squeezing out the air, and rolling over them with a rolling pin.
Overhead image of whole cheesecake on white platter with purple cloth, sliced
strawberries in bowl, and powdered sugar in sieve
image of whole cheesecake on white platter with purple cloth, sliced
strawberries in bowl, and powdered sugar in sieve
Because this no bake cheesecake won’t go into the oven, you don’t have to worry
about finding a pan that will ensure even cooking. Instead, you can use just
about any pan you have handy: a springform pan, a pie dish, or even a square
cake pan for cutting your no bake cheesecake into bars rather than slices.
USE FRESH GRAHAM CRACKERS
Making no bake cheesecake is not an excuse for using up stale graham crackers
from the pantry. Believe me, you will taste the difference. For the best flavor
and texture, stick with fresh gf graham crackers, or just be sure to open up a
fresh package of store-bought gf graham crackers so they aren’t stale.
REFRIGERATE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE
As with a traditional cheesecake, no bake cheesecake needs about at least 2
hours in the fridge to set up, but if you let it set for closer to 12 hours, it
will still be creamy but slice very cleanly. If possible, aim to refrigerate
overnight and enjoy your cake the next day.
Overhead image of slice of cheesecake on small brown plate, sugar in sieve, rest
of whole cheesecake, forks, and strawberries
image of slice of cheesecake on small brown plate, sugar in sieve, rest of whole
cheesecake, forks, and strawberries
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
If you can’t have gelatin, you might be able to use agar agar, which is a vegan
replacement for gelatin. One Green Planet has a whole primer on agar agar
and they suggest that you can replace gelatin with it in equal amounts.
For a fluffier cheesecake that doesn’t rely on gelatin, you can try the no bake
cheesecake filling from our gluten free cookie cups
It calls for whipped cream in place of sour cream, and is made without gelatin
or a gelatin substitute. It won’t slice as cleanly, but it still tastes great.
Cheesecake is, contains tons of cream cheese but also calls for sour cream. Plus the crust is
made with cookie crumbs and melted butter.
If you use dairy-free cookie crumbs, like from my gluten free graham crackers
and use virgin coconut oil or butter-flavored Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable
shortening in place of butter, you’ve got a dairy-free crust.
The sour cream could be replaced with a dairy-free variety. If you’re willing to
experiment, try replacing the cream cheese with Tofutti Better Than Cream
Cheese. Miyoko’s Creamery also has a block-style vegan cream cheese that doesn’t
work in a baked cheesecake but might work here.
If you’d like to make a sugar free crust, you’ll just need to use sugar-free
cookies—or leave out the crust entirely. Try replacing the confectioners’ sugar
in the filling with Swerve brand confectioners’ sugar replacement.
My recipe for a no bake gluten free cheesecake gives you a blank canvas on which
you can decorate or add other flavors you love. plain if you’d like, but also feel free to try these variations:
* Run out of gluten free graham crackers or just don’t like a crust? Skip it
and have a crustless no bake cheesecake, or use another gluten free crunchy
* Interested in adding Oreos? Try our no bake Oreo cheesecake
cookies in the crust and big cookie pieces in the filling.
* Like plain cheesecake but still want a little something extra? A whipped
cream topping is light and fluffy and adds additional texture.
* For an even tangier taste, you can replace half the liquid you use to bloom
the gelatin with lemon juice.
* Top your cheesecake with other berries you like, such as fresh strawberries,
raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of them all.
* Create a fruit swirl cheesecake the jam slightly to make it pourable, then drop a spoonful into your
cheesecake filling mixture before it sets. Slowly swirl the jam around with a
butter knife to create a pattern, then let the cheesecake set.
* Drizzle in some chocolate sauce (or another of your favorite ice cream
before the filling sets. Swirl around with a butter knife to create a
pattern, and then let it set.
Slice of cheesecake with sliced strawberries and a forkful taken with the fork
of cheesecake with sliced strawberries and a forkful taken with the fork on a
Go Ad-Free
EASY NO BAKE CHEESECAKE WITH GELATIN
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 0 minutes mins
Chilling time: 2 hours hrs
Yield: 8 slices cheesecake
slice of no bake cheesecake with gelatin on brown plate with forkful taken
of no bake cheesecake with gelatin on brown plate with forkful taken
This delicious no bake cheesecake is light, creamy, simple to make, and sets up
perfectly in the refrigerator. Perfect for summer days!
* Handheld mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
* 9-inch springform pan
* 1 ½ cups (225 g) crunchy cookie crumbs, (gluten free if necessary; I used
my gluten free graham crackers
and crushed them in the food processor)
* 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, melted
* ¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
* 2 teaspoons (6 g) unflavored powdered gelatin
* 2 8-ounce packages (16 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1 cup (227 g) sour cream, at room temperature
* ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* Seeds from one-half of a vanilla bean, optional
* 1 ½ cups (173 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
* Sliced fresh strawberries
* Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
* In a medium-size bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter until
* Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch
springform pan or deep-dish pie plate. Set the pan aside.
* In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the water and sprinkle the gelatin evenly
on top. Mix to combine well, allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until
* Heat the mixture in the microwave at low power (about 50%) for about 30
seconds or until the mixture has just liquefied, but isn’t hot. Set the
gelatin aside briefly.
* In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the
paddle attachment, place the cream cheese and sour cream, and beat on
medium-high speed until smooth and well-combined (about 2 minutes).
* While still mixing, slowly pour in the gelatin mixture, and continue to mix
* Add the salt, vanilla and optional vanilla bean seeds, and beat until smooth.
Add the (sifted) confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture
into the prepared crust.
* Using an offset spatula, spread the filling into an even layer. Bang the pan
flat on the counter to break any large bubbles.
* Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic doesn’t
touch the top of the cheesecake.
* Place the covered pan in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until fully
set, which can take up to 12 hours if you want the cleanest slice. When the
cheesecake is set, it will move only slightly when the pan is shaken from
* Remove the pan from the refrigerator, remove the plastic, and free the
filling from the sides of the pan carefully all around the inside of the perimeter.
* Remove the sides of the pan, slice, and serve with strawberries and a
Approximate nutrition information excludes optional toppings and vanilla bean
Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber:
0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
Is no bake cheesecake gluten free?
Generally, the filling of a no bake cheesecake is gluten free. If the recipe
includes a graham cracker crust, however, it typically specifies traditional
graham crackers that are made with wheat flour, and those do have gluten.
Is JELLO no bake cheesecake gluten free?
Jello no bake cheesecake is gluten free, so long as you skip its graham cracker
crust. That mixture does contain wheat. However, the cheesecake filling is not
made with ingredients that contain gluten.
Why is my no bake cheesecake filling lumpy?
Your no bake cheesecake batter may be lumpy if you didn’t allow time for your
cream cheese to soften before mixing it. You can solve this problem by
microwaving your batter for 5 seconds, and then mixing again. Continue 2 to 3
times until the batter is smooth.
How long does it take no bake cheesecake to set fully?
It takes several hours for no bake cheesecake to set. I recommend that you allow
the cheesecake to refrigerate overnight to achieve the best texture.
Can I make no bake cheesecake ahead of time and store it?
Absolutely, yes! As a matter of fact, you sort of have to. No bake cheesecake
isn’t the cake to make an hour before a dinner party — that’s simply not long
enough for it to set properly.
Instead, make this no bake cheesecake recipe the night before, and it will be
perfect the next day.
Is my no bake cheesecake supposed to be soft?
The consistency of your no bake cheesecake will vary depending on how long you
allow it to set. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours, and you’ll end up with a softer,
mousse-like texture. Give it 6 to 8 hours to set, and you’ll enjoy a thicker,
Why is my no bake cheesecake runny?
If you followed my no bake cheesecake recipe exactly as written as far as
ingredients and amounts, your no bake cheesecake is likely runny because it
hasn’t had enough time to chill. Leave it in the refrigerator for a few more
hours, and the texture should improve. If your gelatin was exposed to a warm,
humid environment and it was clumpy before you used it, that may prevent it from
setting properly when it’s used in your cheesecake.
Do I have to make this cheesecake with a crust?
No, you can pour just the filling into a lined, nonstick 9-inch springform pan
and let it set, just as described, without a crust of any kind. It should still
slice cleanly, but be sure to let it set fully (more than 2 hours, ideally
overnight), since having a crust does help keep the cheesecake slices more
Can I use lowfat cream cheese to make this no bake cheesecake?
You can use lowfat cream cheese, but you’ll also need to change some of the
method and other ingredients, like replacing sour cream with nonfat Greek-style
plain yogurt that you drain of more of its liquid. The instructions are below.
Words no bake gelatin cheesecake above a slice of cheesecake with cookie crust
and strawberries on top on a small brown plate
no bake gelatin cheesecake above a slice of cheesecake with cookie crust and
strawberries on top on a small brown plate
Storing your non baked cheesecake is just as easy as making it. To keep it in
the fridge, first cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it inside a
container. This protection will help keep the cake from drying out. I find that
wrapped properly, the cake will taste fresh for up to 5 days.
If you’re making no bake cheesecakes to enjoy in the future, pop them into the
freezer. When you wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and then again with
aluminum foil over the top, they’ll stay good for up to 3 months.
Before wrapping, I suggest slicing your no bake cheesecake. This will allow you
to grab a slice when the mood strikes, rather than having to defrost the entire
cake. To defrost, simply transfer your slice(s) or the whole cake to the
refrigerator for several hours.
White lower fat cheesecake being assembled and a slice of cheesecake on a white
lower fat cheesecake being assembled and a slice of cheesecake on a white plate
A LIGHTER RECIPE VARIATION
As written, the no bake cheesecake recipe below is made with full fat cream
cheese, plus regular sour cream, and 1 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar. It’s
decadent and delicious.
If you’d like to try making it a bit lighter, you can use low-fat cream cheese
(as long as it’s the lowfat block of Neufchatel cheese, which has 1/3 the fat of
“regular” cream cheese) and nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt in place of full fat
sour cream. You can also reduce the confectioners’ sugar Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the lighter filling:
* 1 cup (227 g) low-fat (or nonfat) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
* 2 teaspoons (6 g) unflavored granulated gelatin
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1 teaspoon light corn syrup)
* 2 8-ounce packages low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese, in the block), at
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 cup (86 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Here’s how to make the lighter filling. The process is very similar, but you
must drain the Greek-style yogurt to remove as much moisture as possible, or the
cheesecake won’t set up properly.
1. First, place the Greek yogurt in a fine mesh strainer over an empty bowl,
and allow the yogurt to drain for at least 5 while you prepare the rest of
2. Soften the gelatin in the lukewarm water as steps 1 and 2 of the filling
recipe instructions below describe. Add the cream of tartar or light corn
syrup to the gelatin, and mix to combine.
3. Much like the recipe below, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment or a handheld mixer with the balloon attachments, beat
together the cream cheese, drained Greek yogurt, salt, confectioners’ sugar,
and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined.
4. With the mixer beating slowly, drizzle the dissolved gelatin mixture slowly,
and continue to beat until the mixture begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).
5. Pour the filling into a greased and/or lined 9-inch springform pan, with or
without a crust like in the recipe below.
6. Smooth the filling into an even layer, cover the pan tightly with plastic
wrap that doesn’t touch the filling, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
and up to 12 hours until fully set.
7. Follow the instructions below for unmolding the cheesecake and serving it.