No-Bake Cheesecake (Without Gelatin)

No-bake cheesecake is made with ingredients that firm up in the fridge, such as cream cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, or heavy cream. Corporations are credited with inventing the no-bake cheesecake as a shortcut for busy housewives, and a common recipe calls for cream cheese, whole milk, Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix, and a store-bought crust. The pudding mix sweetens and stabilizes the filling. To make the cheesecake, you combine the ingredients, pour the mixture into the crust, and then chill it for an hour. It's important to make sure all ingredients are fridge-cold before starting, as warm ingredients can result in a soupy mixture that won't set.

Ingredients

• Cream cheese. brick-style, full-fat cream cheese

• Sour cream. If you don’t have or can’t find sour cream, full-fat, plain greek yogurt will also work in a pinch.

• Lemon juice. Splash of it.

• Sugar. brown sugar in my graham cracker crust. Powdered sugar in the filling.

• Heavy cream. heavy cream is essential for this no-bake cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 9″ or 10″ graham cracker crust prepared in springform pan (please click link for graham cracker crust recipe)

• 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature (use brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs)

• 1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• ⅓ cup (75 g) sour cream

• 1 ½ cup (355 ml) heavy cream

• Additional whipped cream for topping, optional

Instructions

1. Place cream cheese in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese

2. Add powdered sugar and stir until combined. 1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar

3. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice, pausing to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.   1 teaspoon vanilla extract,2 teaspoons lemon juice

4. Add sour cream and stir well.   ⅓ cup (75 g) sour cream

5. Pour heavy cream into a separate, medium-sized bowl (preferably a chilled metal bowl).  Whisk on high speed (preferably using an electric mixer) until stiff peaks are achieved. 1 ½ cup (355 ml) heavy cream

6. Fold your whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until smooth and well-combined.  

7. Spread cheesecake mixture evenly over prepared graham cracker crust.   1 9″ or 10″ graham cracker crust

8. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Top with additional whipped cream before cutting and serving, if desired. Additional whipped cream