These No-Bake Cheesecake Bars are a rich, decadent dessert that tastes heavenly. Made with a buttery graham cracker crust and a cheesecake filling that is smooth, creamy, and extra fluffy, this no-bake cheesecake will become your new favorite dessert!
Whenever we head over to a friend’s house for dinner, I feel like I can’t go empty-handed. So I keep a few of my favorite dessert recipes handy, so I can throw something together quickly. These no-bake cheesecake bars are perfect for such occasions.
Really these cheesecake bars are ideal for pretty much any occasion you can think of. Graduations, dinner parties, potlucks, barbecues, anniversary dinners, and the list goes on and on. I rarely end up with leftovers when I take it to events. Everyone will eat up every last graham cracker crumb because it’s so tasty.
What You Need To Make No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: You will need to make crumbs out of the graham crackers for the crust. Either put them in a food processor or crush them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Brown Sugar: If you would rather use granulated sugar, that’s okay too. We love the way brown sugar tastes in this crust, so that’s why I use it.
- Unsalted Melted Butter: The melted butter is to hold the graham cracker crumbs and sugar together, so it stays together.
- Cream Cheese: The cream cheese is the most important ingredient in these cheesecake bars. Just make sure to use room temperature cream cheese, so it blends properly.
- Granulated Sugar: Using some sugar will give the cheesecake the perfect sweet flavor.
- Sour Cream: You don’t need a ton of sour cream, just a little bit. It keeps the cheesecake creamy without being too dense.
- Vanilla: A dash of vanilla enhances the way the cheesecake tastes.
- Lemon Juice: You can choose to leave out the lemon juice if you wish. It gives you a tangy flavor.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This cheesecake bars recipe is so rich and creamy in part to the whipping cream.
How To Make No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
There are just a handful of steps involved with making these no-bake cheesecake bars. Start off by preparing the crust. To do that, you will need to combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. Combine well then press into an 8 or 9-inch pan, then refrigerate.
Next using a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until creamy.
Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and sour cream into the cream cheese mixture. Add in the heavy cream slowly and whisk it well.
Spread the cheesecake layer on top of the graham cracker crust and smooth it out with a spatula. Cover and place in the fridge for 8-12 hours until they have set up.
Use a knife to loosen the edges away from the pan and slice. Be sure to wipe off the knife after each slice to get clean cuts. Add some whipped cream or berries of your choice on top if desired.
How Long Do The No-Bake Cheesecake Bars Last?
As long as you keep the cheesecake bars covered tightly, they will last 4-5 days in the fridge. They are perfect for making ahead of time for parties and events. Or they are great to enjoy all week too.
More Decadent Cheesecake Recipes
If you are a lover all things cheesecake related, be sure to try these recipes too.
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake Fat Bombs
- Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops
- Mini Strawberry Swirl Cheesecakes
No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
For The Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, (or granulated sugar)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, (melted)
For The Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, (two 8-ounce bricks) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, (optional)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined. Press into an 8 or 9-inch square pan or glass pie plate and refrigerate.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together, scraping the sides and mix again to ensure there are no lumps, until smooth and creamy.
- Whisk in sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice just until combined.
- Next, Whisk in heavy cream in 3-4 increments, whipping it into the cream cheese mixture after each addition.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8-12 hours or until fully set and cold.
- To serve: Loosen edges with a knife, slice, and wipe the knife after each slice. Top with whipped cream or fresh berries if desired.
- The cake will last 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These didn’t set up at all, stayed very soft and that made them difficult to cut. Followed the recipe exactly with same ingredients too.
Delicious! Was a big hit when I made it for a gathering.
too long we need a shorter quick one