Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake

This Philadelphia No-Bake Cheesecake With Berries is a beautiful recipe for all kinds of events all year long. Quick dessert, made in no time. Enjoy!

Jump to:

• What is a no-bake cheesecake?
• When to enjoy
• Ingredients
• How to make this no-bake cheesecake
• How to hydrate the gelatin:
• How to decorate and finish
• How to store the leftovers
• More recipes to love
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is a no-bake cheesecake?

Philadelphia No-Bake Cheesecake with Berries is a delicious dessert that combines the rich and creamy taste of cheesecake with the freshness of summer berries.

This type of cheesecake is called "no-bake" because it doesn't require baking in the oven like a traditional classic cheesecake.

The result is a delicious and refreshing dessert that's perfect for any occasion. It is an easy recipe to make, requires no baking, and can be customized with your favorite fresh fruit or other toppings.

This classic cheesecake with berries, a no-bake recipe, comes in handy when you have to put a dessert together in no time. 

It is an excellent option for any celebrations during the year, and the best part is that you do not have to worry about baking a cake in the oven. It is also decadent, and people will fully enjoy it.

Let me tell you, the fact that it disappeared from the platter in less than half an hour after it took me only an hour to put the recipe together tells you that this cake is a keeper. 👀

Today is my birthday, so it was an excellent opportunity to make this cake again and reshoot some pictures.

I cannot tell you how bad they were when I first put this recipe on the blog a few years ago!

When to enjoy

Did I mention that it is excellent in the summer because you don't need to use the oven?

My version of this classic easy cheesecake recipe uses only natural ingredients, like heavy whipping cream, Philadelphia cream cheese, graham crackers, butter, natural fruits, a little sugar, and gelatin.

I can show you that we can make delicious, easy desserts without already pre-made stuff. 

You can use any berries you like, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or even cranberries, fresh or frozen.

In the winter, I like frozen fruit for convenience. I made this dessert a few times now, and I don't fuss over what kind of fruits I need. Whatever I have available, I use.

This time, I used frozen cranberries, but you know what? A cherry pie filling would be great to use as well, as a shortcut.

I like this dessert because it is also not very sweet.

I don't think this is a low-calorie item because cream cheese and heavy cream are rich, but the fact that it doesn't have a lot of sugar is a good thing, right?

You can add a little fruit to the cream cheese mixture if you prefer. No problem with that! It will still be delicious and gorgeous on the table!

Ingredients

(For the amount of each ingredient and instructions, please scroll to the bottom of the article to get a printable recipe card)

This cheesecake uses simple ingredients that you can easily find in grocery stores.

For the crust mixture:

• Graham crackers or vanilla wafers
• Unsalted butter melted but cool. 
• Cinnamon powder
• Lemon -zest 

Cream cheese filling:

• Philadelphia cream cheese - or any other brand of cream cheese.
• Heavy whipping cream - please do not use Cool Whip. It is not suitable for this cake.
• Granulated sugar
• Gelatin sheets(1 envelope-0.25 oz. granulated gelatin or 1 Tablespoon powdered gelatin)
• Pure vanilla extract

Top:

• Berries(strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries)-fresh or frozen 
• Granulated sugar
• Water 
• Gelatin sheets(1 envelope-0.25 oz. granulated gelatin or 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin)

How to make this no-bake cheesecake

The crust:

I started with the classic graham cracker pie crust and my favorite item in the kitchen: The food processor.

Grind the graham crackers together with butter, cinnamon, and lemon zest.

Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pan, preferably a springform, spreading it 1 ½ to 2 inches up the side.

Press flat. Chill the prepared crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Note: If you feel some frustration because you don't have a food processor, which I really encourage you to buy (it is a true lifesaver in the kitchen), then grab a sturdy plastic bag and place the crackers inside.

Seal the bag and grab that rolling pin. 

You know, that one that you were wondering what is doing in your kitchen, as you never used it before. Smack the life out of the crackers until you have fine crumbs. 

Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl, add melted butter and the rest of the ingredients, and mix well with a spoon until you have a wet sandy mess. Then, continue with the recipe.

Cream Cheese Filling:

Note: Before we start making this creamy filling, I wanted to tell you a little bit about gelatin. I like using gelatin sheets when I make desserts, but you can use any available kind. 

For best results, here is a good post about how to use different types of gelatin in baking. In general, 1 (0.25 oz.) envelope of granulated gelatin = 1 tablespoon of powdered gelatin = 3 sheets of leaf gelatin.

Now, the cream cheese filling is super easy to make. 

Before making the cake, ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature.

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and add sugar to it. Use an electric hand mixer to mix the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract. 

Set aside as we will add the whipped cream to it and some gelatin.

To whip the heavy cream, you must wash and dry the beaters well. Grab a clean bowl and pour the very cold heavy whipping cream(directly from the fridge) into it. 

Beat the cream to a medium stiff peaks and add it to the cream cheese.

Fold the whipped cream inside the cream cheese gently, making sure you do not lose the air in the whipped cream.

How to hydrate the gelatin:

For gelatin sheets- Grab a medium bowl with icy water and place the gelatin sheets in the water. Make sure the gelatin is covered in water.

Let the gelatin hydrate for 3-4 minutes until soft. Remove the gelatin from the water and squeeze the excess water, then use the gelatin according to the recipe.

For the gelatin in envelopes, follow the instructions on the package.

After the gelatin is hydrated, squeeze the water surplus and place it in a saucer or a double boiler at a low temperature. Make sure the gelatin doesn't start boiling.

Add the gelatin to your mixture and mix well.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pan over the crust.

Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, for about 2 hours.

How to decorate and finish

Place water and sugar in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil.

Add the fresh berries to the syrup and bring to a boil again. Do not simmer the fruits unless you use cranberries.

The goal is to preserve the shape of the fruits. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

Hydrate the gelatin and add it to your warm syrup. Mix gently to make sure the gelatin dissolves completely in the syrup.

Pour the fruits with the syrup over the cake and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the springform and place the cake on a platter.

Serve cold.

The cake is so pretty and delicious! It could be a great recipe to make for Easter, Mother's Day, birthday celebrations, small graduation parties, and even Christmas.

This recipe is so much easier than the traditional cheesecake!

The sky is the limit! Use fruits in season and get creative with the recipe!

How to store the leftovers

Place the cake in an airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to four days.

Happy No Baking, everyone! 🙂

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