No-Bake Cheesecake Bars

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These No-Bake Cheesecake Bars are utterly delicious with a crunchy graham crust and creamy, rich cheesecake filling. These easy to make bars are sure to become a family favorite.

If you can’t get enough of delicious cheesecake bars, then you should try these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars.

No-bake Cheesecake Bar missing a bite and topped with blueberries and a raspberry.

Table Of Contents

Recipe Details
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
Add-ins and Substitutions
How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
Recipe Tips
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Make This Recipe in Advance
More Delicious Desserts!
Full Recipe Instructions

Recipe Details

It’s impossible not to love these No-Bake Cheesecake Bars. Not only are they so easy, but they taste heavenly. These are the perfect treat to bring to your next get-together or serve to the family after a nice dinner.

TASTE: Sweet and rich, these cheesecake bars have a tangy flavor from the sour cream and some bright notes from the fresh lemon juice.
TEXTURE: The graham cracker crust is crunchy and the cheesecake filling is smooth and creamy. These bars are fluffy and not as dense as regular cheesecake.
TIME: They take just 35 minutes.
EASE: This recipe is a breeze. The ingredients are basic kitchen staples and the instructions are nice and easy for a simple dessert everyone will love.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for No-bake Cheesecake Bars: graham cracker crumbs, lemon juice, pecans, cinnamon, heavy cream, melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, sour cream, cream cheese, and brown sugar.

Ingredient Notes

Cream cheese- Full fat and room temperature cream cheese is what you want. This makes it easier to mix and also keeps the cheesecake thick and creamy.
Sour cream- Again, full fat is best. This gives the filling a tangy flavor.
Heavy cream- Use 36% fat or higher cream to give your cheesecake the right level of richness.
Lemon juice- This balances the sweetness of the cheesecake bar filling and gives it a fresh flavor.
Graham cracker crumbs- This is the base for the crust. Crush graham crackers yourself or buy the crumbs already made.
Pecans- Chop these finely so they can mix well with the crust ingredients.

Add-ins and Substitutions

Make it gluten-free- Use gluten-free graham crackers crumbs to make this dessert for those who can’t have gluten.
Substitute the sour cream- For extra tangy flavor and some added protein, substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
Add a swirl topping- Before they set, swirl homemade Strawberry Jam, Raspberry Sauce, or Chocolate Ganache on top of the cheesecake bars.
Top with fruit- Top each bar with some Cherry Pie Filling, Blueberry Pie Filling, or Peach Pie Filling.

How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake Bars

Combine the crust ingredients. In a large bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and melted butter and whisk together thoroughly.
Bake the crust. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to a 9×13 inch deep baking dish and flatten and compress it into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes to set the crust. Then set it aside to cool.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find graham crackers crumbs, you can place graham crackers squares into a gallon-sized ziplock bag and crush them up with a rolling pin.

Steps to make No-bake Cheesecake Bars: combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and melted butter and then press them into a baking dish to bake and cool.

Make the filling. In a separate bowl, add the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Combine well with an electric hand mixer, starting at a low speed and increasing as you go. Then mix in the sour cream, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Steps to make No-bake Cheesecake Bars: make the filling by combining the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, cream cheese, and sugar in a bowl.

Whip the cream. In another bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then fold it into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula.
Set the cheesecake. Evenly spread the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust using an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight before slicing and serving.

Steps to make No-bake Cheesecake Bars: beat the heavy cream into whipped cream and then fold it into the cheesecake filling, then spread it evenly with a spatula onto the graham cracker crust.

Recipe Tips

Use full fat ingredients- To get truly rich and creamy cheesecake bars, use full fat sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream for the best results.
Tightly pack the crust- Flatten and compress the crust using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup so the crumbs are tightly packed and the crust holds together.
Fold in the whipped cream- Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture so it incorporates but doesn’t lose it its fluffiness.
Allow enough time for it to set- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, but overnight will give it more time to get firm and set fully. This is very important for a no-bake cheesecake.

FAQs

Should I cover no-bake cheesecake in the fridge?

While your no-bake cheesecake bars are in the refrigerator setting and firming up, you do not need to cover them. But when you store leftovers, it’s best to tightly cover them with plastic wrap to keep them fresh and avoid drying out.

How do you keep a no bake cheesecake firm?

The most important step to getting firm no-bake cheesecake bars is letting them have enough time to set. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, but overnight is even better. This gives it time to solidify and thicken.

Overview of No-bake Cheesecake Bar missing a bite on a plate and topped with blueberries and a raspberry, with a fork nearby.

Serving Suggestions

These No-Bake Cheesecake Bars are the perfect dessert to serve to guests with other sweet treats, nuts, and fruits.

Fruits: Serve this topped with fresh berries, or alongside some Chocolate Covered Dates, a Fruit Pizza, Pear Tart, or Cherry Cobbler.
Nuts: Pair this dessert with roasted nuts or a nutty dessert like these Candied Pecans, Nutella Brownies, or Banana Walnut Bread.
Mini desserts: These No-Bake Cheesecake Bars are perfect with some Mini Fruit Tarts, Mini Pavlova with Chocolate (VIDEO), or Mini Almond Biscotti.
Cookies: Enjoy one of these bars with some White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Lemon Macarons, Easy Cream Cheese Cookies, or Pecan Shortbread Cookies.

Make This Recipe in Advance

Make ahead: You can make the crust for these cheesecake bars ahead of time and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it until you are ready to add the filling, or you can add the filling now and let it set. These bars can be made 1-2 days before serving for the optimal texture.

Storing: Store these No-Bake Cheesecake Bars in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze: You can freeze these wrapped cheesecake bars in a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Enjoy frozen or thaw for a few hours in the fridge before serving.

More Delicious Desserts!

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Dina

Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!