No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

This dreamy No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake highlights the sweet, unmistakable flavor of fresh ripe strawberries! A totally irresistible dessert that’s made without an oven!  

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

Can you believe this is my first no-bake cheesecake ever??? Since I tend to steer clear of Cool Whip, which is often an ingredient added to give a no-bake cheesecake its structure, these were off my radar.

Unfortunately, my first attempt without any stabilizing agent slowly oozed off the crust when I released my no-bake strawberry cheesecake from its springform pan. Rats.

So I set out to find a way to firm up this no-bake strawberry cheesecake. Inspired by a terrific recipe from Zoe Francois using gelatin, I changed up the crust, eliminated the topping, and made it my own. A cooked puree of sweet, fresh Florida strawberries was key in making a winter berry dessert that tasted like summer!

No-Bake Desserts

I am without a garage and laundry room at the moment while our house is undergoing renovations. I finally caved and purchased an Instant Pot as our kitchen will be gutted in a little over a month.

No oven, no cooktop, no sink. Sigh. A food blogger’s nightmare. Desserts around here will all be no-bake after that!

No-bake desserts are often simpler and quicker to make than their baked counterparts, and even healthier at times. Plus, these are the recipes you’ll want to dig out come August when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. Hopefully, I’ll have a fully functional kitchen by then! But I wouldn’t mind eating this dreamy no-bake strawberry cheesecake a lot during this remodel.

Florida Strawberries for a Strawberry Cheesecake

I love making strawberry desserts and I’m delighted to find fresh, luscious berries most times of the year.  From this Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake to my ever-popular Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle, this Strawberry Cream Pie, No-Bake Strawberry Fool, and even a Strawberry Eton Mess, I can’t think of one fresh strawberry recipe that’s been a flop, even when made in the heart of winter as long as I use Florida strawberries. I adore strawberry desserts!

Thank goodness the Florida Strawberry season runs from December through April. Easily recognizable in the markets, they are more vibrant and fragrant compared to the competitor’s winter berries. Perfect for my no-bake strawberry cheesecake, they combined with cream cheese to form a most exquisite pink topping for the graham cracker crust!

If you don’t see strawberries grown in Florida at your grocery store, make sure to request them from the produce manager. Sweet, juicy and nutritious, they are perfect to push your no-bake desserts over the top!!!

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The Recipe:

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Yield 10

This dreamy No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake highlights the sweet, unmistakable flavor of fresh ripe strawberries! 

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Strawberry Puree:

• 1 pound fresh strawberries (Florida Strawberries recommended), hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

Cheesecake:

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Fresh strawberry slices, to garnish, optional

Instructions

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar and mix until combined. Press into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

In a saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook over medium heat until the strawberries are soft. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pulse a few times in the food processor to puree the mixture. Return to pan.

Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Allow it to soften for 1-2 minutes, and then add to the strawberry mixture.

Cook over low heat, whisking until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a stand mixer fit with the paddle
attachment until smooth. Mix in the reserved strawberry puree and vanilla.

In another  bowl, whip the cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar to soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry cheesecake batter until combined.

Pour the cheesecake batter onto the prepared crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate 2 hours or more before serving.

To serve, garnish with sliced berries.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 446Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 251mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 28gProtein: 5g

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