No bake cheesecake is arguably the best dessert that is made with cool whip. This recipe is easy-peasy compared to a baked cheesecake. It seems people either love cheesecake or hate it but regardless, attempting to bake a cheesecake is like conducting a science experiment. It is tricky. Lots can go wrong and boy is that intimidating. Between the timing, temperature, texture and sweet to savory ratio, it’s like being in a lab.
Sometimes, we just don’t have the time for it. And that’s where these no bake cheesecakes come in handy. Think of them as a fool-proof alternative to baked cheesecake. They are light and fluffy with a sweetness that beats a classic cheesecake. And then there’s the crust, a sweet & salty one. Made with graham crackers and pretzels, this crust really takes these to the next level.
Although these cheesecakes are a bit different than a classic cheesecake, they have not failed to satisfy a sweet-tooth. Even the non-cheesecake lovers and picky eaters alike will enjoy these fun, no bake cheesecakes!
Jump to Recipe
What You Need to Make These No Bake Cheesecakes:
- Graham Crackers
- Pretzels
- Butter (salted or unsalted)
- Granulated Sugar
- Cool Whip
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Lemon
- Chocolate Chips (Optional)
- Coconut Oil (Optional)
- Fruit for garnish on top (Optional)
- 12 Cavity Muffin Pan
- Muffin/Cupcake Liners
Did Someone Say Chocolate?
Okay. So this might go against every “cheesecake” rule out there. But I did it anyways. I sneaked in a layer of chocolate between the crust and the cheesecake mixture – and y’all I have ZERO regrets. Obviously, chocolate in cheesecake is nothing new. But some may say it should be incorporated into the cheesecake mixture or the crust, not just melted in between the two. But there I was layering chocolate like it’s a s’more rather than a cheesecake. 😂
To my surprise, it actually enhanced the “crunch” without disrupting the sweet to salty ratio that makes these so. dang. addicting.
Of course, this twist isn’t for everyone and can be omitted. But for all of us chocolate lovers out there – we know that chocolate only makes things better. I felt particularly “chocolate crazy” the day I made this batch and made them with milk chocolate, white chocolate, and a swirl of both milk and white chocolate. The outcome? All equally delicious. But if I had to choose a winner, semi-sweet milk chocolate is the obvious choice. Although, it really just comes down to preference.
Here’s the truth…
Have you ever been to a party and put multiple desserts on your plate? Chances are you end up with a favorite and a least favorite. Yet if you had just picked only one of those desserts, you would think it’s good and not question it. Naturally when we have options, we compare them. And that’s what happened the first time I perfected this recipe. I made a batch of my classic mini cheesecakes and a batch of these no bake cheesecakes. I brought a few of both over to my neighbors (thank goodness for neighbors who are always there when you make too much food, am I right?). My neighbors are total foodies like I am so I wanted to get their honest opinion on these cheesecakes. And the truth was…
The no-bake cheesecakes came out victorious (no diss to my classic cheesecakes – they are extremely delicious too). My neighbors explained that “the classic cheesecakes were awesome” but they could “eat 100 of those cool-whip ones!”
I think that speaks for itself.
No bake cheesecake filling, tips, and secrets
- Room temperature cream cheese and cool whip is a must. Make sure your cream cheese and cool whip actually come to room temperature. If not, the cream cheese tends to clump and not mix as well with the cool whip.
- Surprisingly, they will hold their shape. If you’re skeptical about the cheesecake mixture holding together when you peel back the liner like I was, you’ll be surprised to see these hold their shape well considering the light and fluffy texture. This will only happen if they’re given enough time to firm up in the fridge aftering being at room temperature. Overnight is best, but to be on the safe side, give them at least 4 hours in the fridge before serving.
- The secret is in the chocolate. Another way to ensure these bad boys hold their shape is with the chocolate layer. You can manipulate the chocolate to harden along the sides of the liner, creating a little wall to help hold the cheesecake in. I noticed the cheesecakes with the additional chocolate layer held up a little better than the ones without. In the image below you can see how the chocolate rises on the sides and helps hold the cheesecake in. Either way, you’ll be happy to see these mostly hold their shape.
- Storing leftovers. Store leftovers (if there are any) covered in the fridge for 3 days. After 3 days, the crusts get a little too soggy for my liking. However, they’re safe to eat for 5 days if stored properly.
No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
Equipment
- 12 Cavity Muffin Pan
- 12 Muffin Liners
Ingredients
Crust
- 18 halves (or 1 package) Graham Crackers
- 1/2 cup Pretzel Crumbs
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) Butter, Melted Salted or Unsalted
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz Cool Whip room temperature
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1/3 cup Sour Cream
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice or 1 big squeeze
Chocolate Layer (Optional)
- 1/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 tbsp Coconut Oil
Instructions
Prep
- Take the Cool Whip and Cream Cheese out to thaw to room temperature
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350° F
- Add your graham crackers to a ziplock bag and seal shut, making sure to release all the air first. Take a rolling pin or other hard object and crush the graham crackers until they turn to crumbs. Add to a medium bowl and repeat with the pretzels.
- Melt the butter in the microwave at 30 second increments until fully melted. Add the melted butter to the bowl with the graham cracker and pretzel crumbs. Mix until fully combined.
- In a lined cupcake/muffin pan, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture to each liner. Using the bottom of a shot glass, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of each cavity, ensuring the entire bottom is covered.
- Bake for 7 minutes or until the crust looks toasted.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to the fridge to finish cooling. Approximately 20 minutes. **Do not skip this step or your cheesecake will not set correctly on top of the crust**
Chocolate Layer *Optional*
- In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in an oven safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each set until completely melted.
- Add a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of the crusts. Use a spoon to spread it to the edges.
- Put back in the fridge and chill for 20-25 minutes until the chocolate hardens completely.
Cheesecake Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese and sour cream together using a hand mixer. Mix for approximately 1 minute on medium speed.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to mix for another minute.
- Using a spatula, fold in the cool whip and squeeze in the lemon juice. Fold until well combined.
- Fill each cavity with the cheesecake mixture, leaving 2 cm of room on top. Do not overfill them! Place back in the fridge to firm up for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
- Top with fresh berries, chocolate chips, crushed nuts, or anything your heart desires. Serve immediately and enjoy!
I want to know what you think of this recipe! Could you eat 100 of these like my neighbors could? 😂 Leave me a comment down below, tag me on Instagram or post a picture with the hashtag #ReadySetHost.
This post was all about the best no bake cheesecake recipe that is easy, quick, and fail-proof. Some might even say it’s better than regular baked cheesecake!
[…] of if you like cheesecake or not, this no-bake cheesecake recipe is still one of my most talked about recipes. People go nuts for these cool-whip based cheesecakes […]