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No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce is a simple springtime dessert that is low on effort and high on delicious! A simple graham cracker crust holds a light and airy lemony cheesecake filling that gets dressed in a sweet sauce made from fresh blueberries. You’ll return to this dessert recipe again and again for any occasion.
This no-bake recipe creates a cheesecake that is so light and so airy and so perfectly balanced. The base recipe is delicious in and of itself, but the flavor combinations that can be created on this blank cheesecake canvas are truly limitless. Here’s what you’ll need to start your masterpiece:
Five Ingredients for No-Bake Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
Those simple ingredients combine with fresh lemon zest for a no-bake cheesecake filling that is perfectly scented by citrus. And perfectly complimented by a simple blueberry sauce. The sauce comes together in minutes and consists of fresh blueberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. That’s it! This recipe is all about ease.
Which brings me to the crust!
Perfect No-Bake Graham Crust
A sleeve of graham crackers + granulated sugar + melted butter = perfect cheesecake crust every time!
- First, pulse the grahams in a food processor until they’re reduced to very fine crumbs.
- Then pulse in the granulated sugar. Followed by the melted butter. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. I do this with the back of a measuring cup to make sure I get the crust into the way edges of the pan. A clean hand also works!
Make the crust in a food processor. Press crust into springform pan.
Making the filling
- Whip the cream. To stiff peaks. I do this with my KitchenAid but a hand mixer works great too. Or, if you’re really strong, a whisk and some serious forearm strength!
- Cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Until light and fluffy. Then stir in the salt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Be sure to fold it into the cream cheese mixture gently to keep all that air and lightness in the whipped cream. This will help keep the cheesecake airy and delicate.
- Pour the filling into the crust. And simply smooth it out to the edges with a spatula.
- Chill the cheesecake. For at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. This allows the filling ample time to set up so you don’t have a runny mess on your hands.
Make the whipped cream and set aside. Whip the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake batter. Pour the no-bake filling into the graham crust and chill.
Simple Blueberry Sauce
Is there a better combination that lemon and blueberry? It’s truly one of my favorites! This simple dessert sauce combines fresh blueberries, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar to create the perfect topping for this no-bake cheesecake.
Simply combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes, or until a spatula leaves a streak in the bottom of the pan that takes 4 – 5 seconds to disappear. Remove the glaze from the heat. It will thicken slightly as it cools and become a perfectly pourable consistency that adds sweetness to the chilled cheesecake.
Recipe Hints and Substitutions
Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature. Cream cheese that still has a touch of chill on it won’t blend out completely smooth and you’ll be left with little chunks of hard cheese in your filling. A disaster!
Don’t love lemon? Substitute lime or orange zest for the filling and the fresh juice in the berry sauce for a fun twist. Or, omit the citrus and topping altogether and still enjoy the most perfect, vanilla no-bake cheesecake.
Use strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries in place of the blueberry filling. Even mulberries would be wonderful when they’re in season! This recipe is a great blueprint for you to plug and play some of your favorite fruit flavors.
Do not freeze the cheesecake! It can be tempting to throw the cheesecake in the freezer for it to set up faster, but just don’t. It really needs the hours spent in the refrigerator. Not only does the long chill time help the filling set up perfectly, but it also allows the moisture in the filling to seep into the crust, giving it a tender consistency that would be destroyed if frozen.
Frozen berries work too! If that’s all you have on hand or you’ve got some of last summer’s bounty still hanging around in your freezer. There’s no need to thaw the frozen berries, either. Just make the sauce as directed in the recipe, adding another 5 minutes or so to the cook time to account for the frozen fruit.
No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce
Equipment
- Food Processor
- 9-inch Springform Pan
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 sleeve graham crackers (9 whole crackers)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. Kosher salt
- Zest of 2 lemons
For the Blueberry Sauce:
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until only fine crumbs remain. Add the granulated sugar and pulse to combine. Add in the butter and blend until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Dump crust mixture into springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Use the back of a measuring cup to ensure the crust is nicely packed and level. Set aside until ready to use.
For the No-Bake Cheesecake:
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. But not too stiff, as that will create butter! The whipped cream should hold its shape both in the bowl and on the beater. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and glossy. Whip for several minutes to incorporate a good amount of air, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the cream cheese in incorporated and no chunks remain. Stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and lemon zest.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, being careful not to knock too much air out of the filling.
- Spread the filling into the prepared crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably for at least 12 or overnight.
- When ready to serve the no-bake cheesecake, prepare the blueberry sauce.
For the Blueberry Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook sauce until berries are bursting and sauce has thickened, about 5 – 7 minutes. The sauce is done when a spatula or spoon run along the bottom of the pan leaves a streak that disappears in 4 – 5 seconds.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (sauce will also thicken upon cooling) before pouring over chilled cheesecake and serving.
Notes
- Cheesecake can be wrapped and kept in the fridge for up to five days.
- Blueberry sauce can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Pop in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds to rewarm and stir before using.
Rita Mactaggart says
My husband has declared this his new favourite dessert by a country mile!! Delicious!
Amanda says
Love to hear that Rita! Thanks for making the recipe <3
Hilary says
This recipe is soooo good. Light and flavorful. One of my favorites!