Description
This No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake is a luscious, creamy dessert perfect for summer. Featuring a buttery graham cracker crust, a smooth cream cheese and ricotta filling, and a sweet strawberry topping, it requires no oven and offers a delightful, scoopable texture that's quick to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 18 sheets whole graham crackers (2 sleeves)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole fat or part skim)
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Topping
- 1 pint strawberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch (dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water)
- Mint leaves (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Add the graham crackers to a food processor, breaking them up as you add them. Add the granulated sugar and salt. Pulse until the crackers are finely ground. Alternatively, place crackers in a large baggie and crush with a rolling pin for an even grind.
- Mix crust with butter: In a bowl, toss the graham cracker crumbs with the melted unsalted butter until evenly coated. Spread a generous layer of crumbs in the bottom of an 8x11 inch dish. Do not pack down the crumbs; leave them loose. Reserve any extra crumbs for topping individual servings. Chill the crust while preparing the filling.
- Prepare the filling: Wipe out the food processor, then add cream cheese, ricotta cheese, confectioner's sugar, and fresh lemon juice. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Assemble cheesecake: Dollop the filling evenly over the chilled crust. Gently spread it out using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, taking care not to disturb the crumb layer. Flatten and smooth the surface. Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture.
- Make the strawberry topping: Hull and finely chop half of the strawberries. Place them in a saucepan with granulated sugar over medium heat. Cook until the berries release their juices and soften, approximately several minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and chill the sauce before serving.
- Serve: When ready to serve, spread the strawberry sauce over the cheesecake surface, leaving some white areas visible around the edges. Top with the remaining fresh strawberries, sliced, halved, or quartered as preferred. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
- Storage: Use a large spoon to serve the cheesecake into individual bowls or cups. Keep the cheesecake chilled until serving for optimal flavor and texture. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This cheesecake is perfect for summer and requires no baking, making it quick and easy to prepare.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the graham crackers manually using a rolling pin in a sealed bag.
- Using whole-fat ricotta and cream cheese will yield the creamiest texture and richest flavor.
- Chilling the cheesecake overnight allows the flavors to meld and the filling to set firmly.
- The strawberry topping can be prepared ahead and refrigerated to save time before serving.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with whipped coconut cream or omit; however, this may affect texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 426 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 327 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
