The Best No Bake Cheesecake Recipe - Vanilla Bean with Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crust

This No Bake Cheesecake Recipe is seriously the best.

If you've never had a no bake cheesecake before, you're in for a treat. It's cold, incredibly fluffy, and perfectly sweet and tangy. Fresh whipped cream is folded into a cream cheese and powdered sugar mixture, and then instead of baking, you set it in the fridge to firm up. This recipe is perfect in the summertime when it's too hot to want to leave the oven on for extended periods of time, plus it doesn't get more refreshing than this.

This no bake cheesecake is vanilla bean flavored and uses gluten-free graham crackers as the crust. To make non gluten-free, simply swap the GF graham crackers for your regular brand. Top with fresh fruit such as cherries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries.

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What makes this No Bake Cheesecake Recipe so delicious?

I love no bake cheesecake recipes because they taste as delicious and tangy as a regular cheesecake, except they are fluffier and take a little less work.

This recipe uses cold whipping cream to make homemade whipped cream instead of using a container of Cool Whip, which contains unnecessary ingredients such as corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable oil, artificial flavors, food starch, polysorbate 60, and sorbitan monostearate. Whipping your own cream really doesn't take much extra time and it gives the cheesecake a great, fluffy texture.

Vanilla bean paste is used in this recipe to give the cheesecake those gorgeous black specks. You can also substitute for an equal amount of pure vanilla extract, or use a vanilla bean pod.

Ingredients for Vanilla Bean No Bake Cheesecake Recipe:

For the Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust:

• Gluten-free graham crackers. I used Mary's Gone Kookies: Cinnamon Graham-Style Snacks, it was about 1 and ¾ boxes worth.
• Light brown sugar
• Butter

If you want to amp up the vanilla bean flavor, use gluten-free (or regular) vanilla wafers as the crust.

For the Vanilla Bean No Bake Cheesecake:

• Cream cheese
• Heavy whipping cream
• Sour cream
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar (be sure it has cornstarch in it, this is crucial in order to stabilize the whipped cream)
• Freshly- squeezed lemon juice
• Pure vanilla bean paste or extract or vanilla bean pod
• Optional toppings: Fresh fruit, pie fillings, homemade strawberry sauce, etc.

How to make Vanilla Bean No Bake Cheesecake:

For the Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust:

• Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

• Place the graham crackers in a gallon storage bag, seal tightly, and crush into fine crumbs with a rolling pin or mallet.

• Add the graham cracker crumbs to a medium-sized mixing bowl along with the brown sugar and melted butter. Stir until well-combined. The mixture should look like wet sand.
• Pour the crumbs into the prepared spring form pan. Using the palms of your hands and/or the bottom of a measuring cup, pack the crumbs down firmly in an even layer on the bottom and a little up the sides. Press as firmly as possible to prevent the crumbs from falling apart when the cheesecake is cut.

• Place the pan with the crust in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or as long as it takes to prepare the cheesecake filling.

For the Cheesecake Filling:

• To make the whipped cream: Use an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed to whip the cold heavy whipping cream into stiff peaks, about 4-5 minutes. If new to making homemade whipped cream, you can also use a cold bowl by placing it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes beforehand. This helps the cream to whip a little faster. Set aside.

• In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

• Add in the freshly-squeezed lemon juice, powdered sugar, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste. Beat an additional 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and no lumps remain. Tip: You can sift your powdered sugar if worried about lumps.

• Carefully and slowly fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful to not over turn the mixture or else the air in the whipped cream will deflate.

• Remove the crust from the freezer and place the filling on top of the crust. Spread into an even layer, smoothing out the top.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the cheesecake to set up properly.

• When serving: Top with optional toppings just before serving. (Topping just before helps prevent any pie filling from seeping into the crust or through the cheesecake)

• To cut: Use the edge of a knife to go around the cheesecake in a circle to help loosen it from the sides of the pan. Release the spring form pan and remove the rim. Cut into the cheesecake using a sharp dessert knife, wiping the knife clean between cutting each slice.
• Enjoy!

Equipment

For this recipe, you will need a:

• 9 or 10-inch spring form pan
• Electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments

How to Store | No Bake Cheesecake Recipe:

This cheesecake must be kept refrigerated at all times and is recommended to be eaten within 3 to 4 days. Store in the spring form pan, tightly covered in plastic wrap or foil to prevent from drying out.

Notes

• While whipping your own cream can be considered an extra step, it really doesn't take much extra time and it really gives the cheesecake a great, fluffy texture. If you still really want to use store-bought Cool Whip, you can substitute the heavy cream for 2 and ½ cups of Cool Whip. Since Cool Whip has added sugars, you may want to reduce the granulated sugar in the recipe, not the powdered sugar.
• You can also try making different crusts with this recipe, such as an Oreo cookie crust, vanilla wafer crust (this would really amp up the vanilla flavor!), shortbread crust, etc.
• Additional toppings that would be delicious on this cheesecake are strawberry sauce, blueberry or cherry pie filling, lemon curd, caramel sauce, etc.
• Allow the cream cheese and sour cream to come to room temperature before combining to prevent lumps in the cheesecake filling.
• You can replace the sour cream for plain full fat yogurt in this recipe.
• I don't recommend reducing the powdered sugar in this recipe because the cornstarch in it is crucial for the whipped cream to stabilize.

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