No Bake Cheesecake Bars
No need to turn on the oven when you can make No Bake Cheesecake Bars for dessert! They’re rich and creamy cheesecake squares with a buttery graham cracker crust and a tangy cream cheese filling. Made without Cool Whip, top with cherry pie filling or whipped cream to serve.
Even if it’s not 80 degrees outside, I live in an upstairs apartment so hot air always rises.
And my gas oven is an inferno so any time I run it, my internal temperature rises by a few degrees. That may feel nice in the winter but certainly not in the summer!
That’s why once the warm weather is here to stay, I don’t turn on my oven unless I ABSOLUTELY have to (like say I’m baking my mini cherry pies during cherry season).
And when I recently updated my loaf pan cheesecake I realized – I don’t have a recipe for No Bake Cheesecake Bars!
Technically I have no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars, but I’m referring to traditional plain no bake cheesecake (like my no bake mini cheesecakes but in a regular pan).
These no bake cherry cheesecake bars are rich, creamy, and tangy with a buttery graham cracker crust.
There are two pan sizes you can use for this no bake cheesecake bar recipe – 9×5 loaf pan (as pictured) or an 8×8 square pan.
The cherry cheesecake bars made in the loaf pan will be thicker and have more of a side crust than the bars in the 8×8 pan, but the ingredient amount is the same (as shown with my no bake Biscoff cheesecake).
On top I served them with cherry pie filling. Depending on the season, I’ll either make homemade with freshly picked cherries or opt for canned cherry pie filling if it’s not summer.
You can also opt for another fruit filling or whipped cream for garnish.
Ingredients for No Bake Cheesecake Bars
To make your no bake cheesecake bar recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Graham cracker crumbs: Here I went with a traditional graham cracker crust, but you can easily use another cookie such as Oreos.
- Butter: Needed to bind the crust. You’ll need to use less if using an Oreo crust as the cookie filling helps with binding.
- Granulated sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to the crust. Omit the sugar if using an Oreo crust.
- Salt: Helps bring out the other flavors, especially if using unsalted butter.
- Heavy cream: In lieu of eggs, homemade whipped cream is used to thicken and stabilize the filling.
- Cream cheese: Can’t make no bake cheesecake without cream cheese! Make sure you’re using a block of full-fat cream cheese. The low fat and fat free versions have more water in them and may be too watery.
- Powdered sugar: Balances out the tanginess of the cream cheese plus helps stabilize the no bake filling since there’s added cornstarch.
- Vanilla: Adds flavor to the batter
How To Make No Bake Cheesecake Bars
Here’s how to make your no bake cheesecake bars:
- Mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt to form a crust.
- Pat crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of your pan.
- Whip heavy cream until it thickens into whipped cream. Transfer to fridge to keep cold.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add the filling to your crust, evenly smoothing out the top as much as possible.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight then serve as desired.
Refrigerate leftover cheesecake bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Don’t know what folding means? Learn how to fold whipped cream from The Kitchn.
How To Garnish No Bake Cheesecake Bars
The best part of making cheesecake bars (in my opinion) is the toppings!
As mentioned in the intro I used cherry pie filling, but you can easily use another fruit such as blueberry pie filling, peach pie filling, and apple pie filling.
Or go super easy with strawberry sauce.
You can also garnish with whipped cream. Go traditional with homemade whipped cream or enjoy different flavors with chocolate whipped cream, peanut butter whipped cream, strawberry whipped cream, maple whipped cream, or even cream cheese whipped cream.
More No Bake Cheesecake Recipes
If you enjoyed your no bake cream cheese bars, check out these other no bake cheesecake recipes:
No Bake Cheesecake Bars
No need to turn on the oven when you can make No Bake Cheesecake Bars for dessert! They’re rich and creamy cheesecake squares with a buttery graham cracker crust and a tangy cream cheese filling. Made without Cool Whip, top with cherry pie filling or whipped cream to serve.
Ingredients
- 1 + 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Pinch of table salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature and not cold to the touch (do not sub fat free)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a 9x5 loaf pan or 8x8 square pan with parchment paper, leaving extra on the sides for handles.
- In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Pat into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Chill while you make the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed (with whisk attachment if using stand mixer), beat the heavy cream until it thickens and stiff peaks form, roughly 3-4 minutes (when you pull the beaters up, peaks will form and not fall over). Transfer to another bowl and keep cold in the refrigerator.
- In the same mixing bowl (no need to clean bowl - switch to paddle if using stand mixer), beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl then fold in the whipped cream by hand until fully incorporated.
- Spread filling evenly into the crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- *If you're making an Oreo cookie crust instead, reduce the butter to 4 tablespoons as the cookie filling will also help with binding.
- Serve your cheesecake with cherry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, strawberry sauce, or homemade whipped cream.
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