Easy 5-ingredient no-bake cheesecake recipe

Are you a cheesecake lover like me? Then you will enjoy this easy 5-ingredient no-bake cheesecake recipe. It's effortless to make, just few minutes of prep. It is creamy and can be customized the way you like it. And most importantly, it tastes as good as baked cheesecake.

I absolutely love cheesecakes and I have plenty of options to choose from on dessertkatta. Some of these require you to turn on the oven but my mini Oreo cheesecake and salted caramel biscoff cheesecake do not. They are no-bake!

These no-bake cheesecakes require more ingredients. Hence, I wanted to come up with a recipe that uses few ingredients and can be easily modifiable.

I made this using a 4-inch springform pan, which is enough for 2. I have also mentioned different sizes and recipe adjustments so don't worry.

Why you will love this easy 5 ingredient no-bake cheesecake?

1. Requires just 5 ingredients.
2. No baking required.
3. Affordable and customizable 
4. Excellent for beginners.
5. Can be made ahead - saves time on party day.

How to make an easy 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake recipe?

As always, let us understand the overview before starting the recipe.

Sr. No.	Steps
1	Prepare cheesecake base
2	Make creamy cheesecake filling
3	Assemble, refrigerate, decorate, and serve.

Easy 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake ingredients

Please find a list of all the ingredients below. The recipe card has exact measurements and is included at the bottom with full printable version of this recipe.

Digestive biscuits - Just plain digestive biscuits. 

Butter - Use regular butter here. Normally, I recommend using unsalted and salt separately so that you can manage the quantity of salt, but because I designed this recipe to utilize the fewest ingredients possible, you can use salted butter instead.

Cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese, any brand will do. My personal favorite is Philadelphia though :)

Cold heavy cream - Use heavy whipping cream or double cream or whipping cream, anything is fine as long as the fat percentage is 35% or more.

Icing sugar - This is also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. This is easily available in any grocery store or you may create your icing sugar at home.

Any substitute?

Another cookie - You can replace digestive biscuits with any of your favorite cookies. Oreos, graham crackers, and shortbread are just a few examples.

Sugar-free - Instead of icing sugar, use a powdered sugar-free substitute. Using either allulose or monk fruit sweetener would be ideal.

I have not tried it vegan version yet. I will update the post once I try. Please let me know if you tried it before me :)

Cool whip - You can substitute store-bought cool whip for whipped cream. Just cut the amount of icing sugar by half.

Tools needed

1. Mixing bowls.
2. Weighing scale.
3. Hand beater.
4. Cheesecake pan.

If you do not have a special cheesecake pan, don't worry. You can use any regular pan as a substitute.

Easy 5-ingredient no bake cheesecake (step-by-step) recipe

Make the homemade crust

1. Make fine crumbs of digestive biscuits into a Ziplock bag and a rolling pin or with a food processor. 

2. Add the melted butter and combine well.

3. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 4-inch springform pan. Spread the mixture evenly using the back of a spoon or a bowl. Freeze it for 10 minutes and it will make the firm crust. Please note, you do no need to bake the crust.

Make the no bake cheesecake filling

4. In a large bowl, add tangy cream cheese and half of the icing sugar. Beat until it is light and creamy. Set aside.

5. In another chilled large mixing bowl, add whipping cream and the remaining icing sugar. Beat it together on speed 1 or 2 until stiff peaks form. This will take approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Use the whisk attachment if using a stand mixer.

6. Fold whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture using a rubber spatula. I do not recommend using a hand beater as it may deflate the cream, resulting in a less airy cheesecake.

Assemble

7. Pour the creamy filling over the prepared cookie base.

8. Smooth it out using an offset spatula.

9. Cover the pan with cling wrap.

Refrigerate 

10. Refrigerate the no-bake cheesecake for at least 4 hours, overnight is preferred. This will allow the cheesecake to set properly.

Serve

11. Once set, carefully remove it from the springform pan. Dip a knife in hot water and wipe it clean using a paper towel. Use this hot knife to release the cheesecake off the sides, then remove the latch, and remove it from the pan.

12. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate chips. Serve immediately.

How to serve?

Just like any other cheesecake, this also must be served chilled. This tastes amazing the way it is - plain but the beauty of this recipe is that this is extremely adaptable. Use your favorite topping and take it to the next level. The possibilities are endless. Below are some of my recommendations.

1. Raspberry sauce - Swirl a teaspoon of raspberry sauce on top while assembling as I did with my raspberry and white chocolate mini cheesecakes. You can also put it on top after it is completely chilled. 
2. Caramel - Use a teaspoon of caramel exactly as described above (in case of raspberry sauce)
3. Fruit sauce - Use any fruit sauce or pulp instead of raspberry sauce or simply use small pieces of any fresh fruit.
4. Chocolate - Use your favorite chocolate either as shavings or melted and make a chocolate version no bake cheesecake.
5. Fresh berries - Just garnish it with fresh berries. I do not recommend using frozen as it will loose out moisture, resulting in the sticky top.

 few variations made by tweaking the recipe.

Watch us making (video)

https://youtu.be/QChZNveaSx8

Storing and freezing instructions for no-bake cheesecake

Just like any other cheesecake, this no bake cheesecake may be stored or frozen.

Storing instructions

Making ahead - Once the cheesecake has completely cooled down, wrap the pan with cling wrap and refrigerate. This will protect the cheesecake from any outside odors. You can also use an airtight container to be on the safer side. But in any case, do not forget to cover with plastic wrap.

Leftovers - If you have any leftovers, cover the individual slice of cheesecake in cling wrap and store in an airtight container.

In both cases, it can lasts up to 1 week.

Freezing instructions

You can freeze the entire cheesecake or individual servings, just as you would with a traditional cheesecake. I would recommend freezing them individually so that you can defrost just that slice rather than the entire cheesecake.

Cover the cheesecake with 2 to 3 layers of cling wrap and store it in a freezer-safe container. It is fine for up to three months.

Thawing instructions

When ready to eat, place the covered slice in the refrigerator overnight and you are done. If you are in a hurry, place it directly on the kitchen counter for no more than 2 hours.

In short,

Sr. No.	Storage Type	Hours/Days/Week/Months
1	Room-temperature	2 hours
1	Refrigerator	1 week
2	Freezer	6 months

Variations

Biscoff cheesecake - Replace icing sugar with the exact quantity of melted biscoff spread and use biscoff cookies instead of digestives.

Nutella cheesecake - Replace icing sugar with the same amount of melted Nutella and use Oreo cookies instead of digestives.

Can you think of anything else? Please let me know, I would love to try it out.

Secret tips to make 5-ingredient no bake cheesecake recipe

Make this delicious dessert with some of my tips mentioned below.

• Room temperature cream cheese - For best results, always use room-temperature cream cheese as it is easier to mix and saves a lot of time. Remove it from the fridge one hour before and you are good to go.
• Use chilled cream - Whipping cream whips up fully when used chilled, giving the no-bake cheesecake a light and airy texture.
• Whip until stiff peaks - To maintain the stability of no-bake cheesecake, whip up the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Please refer to detailed instructions for making the best-whipped cream at home.
• Mix slowly - Gently fold in the whipped cream after adding it to the cream cheese mixture, otherwise, it may deflate, reducing the airy structure and its volume.
• Chilling time - You must chill the cheesecake twice. First, to set up the cheesecake crust and second, after pouring the filling. So, make sure to give enough time to chill it.

Want to try some other cheesecakes?

If you like this one then you should try my other delicious desserts.

1. Mini cheesecake.
2. White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake.

Did you make it?

Making cheesecake is not difficult anymore, especially when you have this easy 5 ingredient no-bake cheesecake recipe. Do not wait for any special occasions, try it out this simple recipe if you haven't already and let me know how it goes in the comments! I really love hearing from you, and your feedback is very much important to me.

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Recipe card