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No Bake Cherry Cheesecake is the dreamy, make ahead dessert that skips the oven entirely, with a buttery graham crust and a fluffy cherry cream cheese filling studded with fresh cherries. I make this all summer when it is too hot to bake and the girls want something cool and sweet, and it slices like a frozen cheesecake dream. If you love an easy chilled dessert like our no bake key lime eclair cake, this cherry version is pure magic.
With real blended cherries swirled right into the creamy filling, this no bake cherry cheesecake tastes like summer in every cool, fruity bite.
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 6 hours (freeze)
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 252kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cool, creamy, and fruity (fresh cherries, tangy cream cheese, graham crust)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a no bake make ahead like our no bake mint chocolate chip cheesecake
Quick Answer
To make no bake cherry cheesecake, press a graham cracker crust into a springform pan. Blend most of the fresh cherries into a juice, then whip cream cheese with sugar and stir in the cherry juice by hand. Fold in chopped cherries and cool whip, pour over the crust, and freeze for at least 6 hours. Slice and garnish with whipped cream and fresh cherries.
Jump to:
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake FAQs
- Other Recommended No Bake Dessert Recipes
- Easy No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Fresh cherries bring real flavor. Blending fresh cherries into the filling gives it natural color and a bright, true cherry taste no canned filling can match.
- Straining the juice keeps it smooth. Pressing the blended cherries through a fine mesh sieve gives you pure cherry juice without gritty skins, so the filling stays silky.
- Whisk the juice in by hand. Stirring the cherry juice into the cream cheese by hand instead of with a mixer prevents a splattery red mess and keeps the filling fluffy.
- Cool whip makes it airy. Folding in cool whip lightens the cream cheese into a soft, mousse like texture that slices clean once frozen.
- Freezing sets it firm. A few hours in the freezer firms the no bake filling so it holds its shape in neat slices, like an icebox cheesecake.
- The graham crust needs no baking. Buttery graham crumbs pressed into the pan firm up in the freezer right along with the filling, so the oven stays off.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No oven required. It is the perfect cool, creamy dessert for hot days when you do not want to bake.
- Made ahead and stress free. Freeze it the night before, just like our banana icebox cake, and it is ready when you are.
- Real fresh cherry flavor. Blended fresh cherries make it taste fruity and bright, not artificial.
Key Ingredients
No bake cherry cheesecake comes together with just six simple ingredients. Here is what each one does.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Pressed with butter, they form the classic buttery, no bake crust.
- Butter: Melted butter binds the graham crumbs so the crust holds together once chilled.
- Fresh Cherries: The star of the show. Most get blended into juice for flavor and color, with chopped cherries folded in for texture.
- Cream Cheese: Softened and whipped smooth, it gives the filling its rich, tangy cheesecake base.
- Sugar: Just enough to sweeten the tangy cream cheese and tart cherries.
- Cool Whip: Folded in for a light, airy texture that slices beautifully once frozen.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This no bake cherry cheesecake is easy to adapt. Here are some favorite swaps.
- Short on time? Use a can of cherry pie filling spooned on top instead of blending fresh cherries.
- Swap the cherries for fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for a different fruity twist.
- Add a little gelatin to make a sliceable fridge version that does not need the freezer.
- Drizzle the top with melted chocolate or a chocolate shell for a black forest feel.
- Make individual no bake cheesecakes in cups or a muffin tin for easy serving.
- Swap the cool whip for fresh sweetened whipped cream if you prefer homemade.
How to Make No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, then press into an even layer on the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan using the bottom of a flat glass.
- Set aside 1 cup of chopped cherries. Blend the rest until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh colander, pressing to get as much cherry juice as you can.
- Whip the softened cream cheese until smooth with an electric mixer, then add the sugar and whip again until creamy.
- Whisk the cherry juice into the cream cheese by hand, not with the mixer, then fold in the chopped cherries and cool whip until fully combined.
- Pour the cherry filling over the graham crust and smooth the top as evenly as possible.
- Cover and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing, then garnish with whipped cream and fresh cherries.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Whisk the cherry juice in by hand. Using a mixer will splatter red juice all over your kitchen.
- Strain the cherry puree well so the filling is smooth and not gritty with skins.
- Soften the cream cheese fully so it whips up lump free.
- Freeze overnight for the cleanest, firmest slices.
- Let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing so it is not rock hard.
- Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for picture perfect slices.
- Garnish just before serving with whipped cream and fresh cherries for the prettiest finish.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
No bake cherry cheesecake is best served cold, sliced into neat wedges and topped with a swirl of whipped cream and a few fresh cherries. It is a showstopper at summer cookouts, potlucks, and holiday tables alike.
Pair it with a pot of coffee for dessert, or set it out alongside other chilled treats like our no bake raspberry cheesecake bites and key lime eclair cake for a no bake dessert spread.
Love cheesecake in every form? Round out the table with our key lime mini cheesecakes, golden Oreo white chocolate cheesecake bars, or a strawberry cheesecake bundt cake for the cheesecake lovers in the crowd.
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake FAQs
Yes. For a shortcut no bake cherry cheesecake, skip blending fresh cherries and spoon a can of cherry pie filling over the plain cream cheese layer instead. Fresh blended cherries give the brightest flavor, but canned filling is a quick, classic option.
This no bake cherry cheesecake is set in the freezer so it slices cleanly like an icebox cheesecake. Freeze it at least 6 hours, then let it sit 10 minutes before slicing. For a softer, fridge set version, add a little gelatin to the filling.
You whisk the cherry juice into the cream cheese by hand because using an electric mixer at that stage will splatter red juice everywhere. Whisking gently keeps the filling smooth, fluffy, and your kitchen clean.
Absolutely. No bake cherry cheesecake is the perfect make ahead dessert. Freeze it overnight or up to a week in advance, then thaw slightly and garnish just before serving. It is ideal for parties and holidays.
Keep no bake cherry cheesecake covered in the freezer for up to 1 week, or in the fridge for up to 3 days if you prefer a softer set. Let frozen slices sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Fresh sweet cherries, pitted and chopped, give the best flavor and color for no bake cherry cheesecake. When fresh are out of season, thawed frozen cherries work well too. Just drain them before blending.
Looking for what to make next? Layer up our easy key lime eclair cake for another cool, no bake dessert the whole family loves.
Easy No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries pitted and roughly chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 ounces cool whip thawed in the fridge
- fresh cherries for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter. Mix until the butter is evenly distributed over the crumbs.1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Press this mixture into an even layer on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. I like to use the bottom of a flat glass to press them down well.
- Take 1 cup of chopped cherries and set them aside. Place the remaining cherries into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries
- Put the blended cherries in a fine mesh colander and scrape it along the bottom with a spoon until you get as much juice as you can out of them. Discard whatever is leftover in the colander.
- Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl and whip it until smooth with an electric hand mixer.8 ounces cream cheese
- Add the sugar and whip until smooth.3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Mix the juice with the cream cheese mixture with a whisk by hand, NOT with the handheld mixer, or else you will have a red cherry juice massacre all over your kitchen. When this is combined, fold in the chopped cherries and cool whip. Mix thoroughly.8 ounces cool whip
- Pour the cream cheese filling over the graham cracker crust and smooth it out on top as evenly as possible.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until it is frozen. At least 6 hours but best if you can freeze overnight.
- Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with whipped cream, more cool whip, and fresh cherries if desired.fresh cherries for garnish
Notes
- If you like a sweeter crust, you can add about 1/4 cup sugar to the butter and graham cracker mixture.
- Want to change up the flavor? Use chocolate graham cracker crumbs!
- You can use frozen cherries in this recipe, see my tips above.
- Since this cheesecake is frozen to begin with it is able to keep longer than your normal cheesecake, see my tips above on storage.
- If you want a less thick cheesecake you can use a larger spring-form pan such as a 10″ one.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Dana, I love icebox cakes and this looks fantastic! I would have also cried when the last piece was eaten 🙂 I love how simple this recipe looks–lots of bang for the buck!
Don’t you wish it were cherry season all year? Love, love cherries! Pinning now!
Definitely, it is sooo easy I hope you enjoy it!
It was so nice to find a cheesecake recipe that doesn’t need baked. (my oven is kaput…) I will be trying this one REAL soon and will be back in the cheesecake “business” again. My family will be happy!! lol
This is so pretty and I bet it tastes fantastic! I love anything cherry! Thanks for sharing with Simple Supper Tuesday.
Oh yea, this is awesome, Dana! Cherries are one of my favorite fruit! Pinning and sharing on Facebook and Twitter tomorrow. Thanks for sharing at Marvelous Mondays! 🙂
It would be sad to see the last piece of this cheesecake go, unless of course you had the time and ingredients to make another one.
Heidi’s Wanderings
I would love for you to share and link up at my weekly TGIF Link Party if you haven’t already this week. Your favorite posts, most popular, recent or new! The party is open every Thursday night and closes Tuesday’s at midnight. Followed by (Not SO) Wordless Wednesday! http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/.
I would be honored if you join us and follow to stay connected Have a wonderful week!
Hugs, Cathy
Love cherries, and this sounds really good. Your photos make it look delicious!
Oh YUMMMY! mmmm looks so delish! I am a new follower. Have a fabulous week.
I am not much of a fan of cherries however this recipe seems so nice and simple. I am sure other berries would also work. Looks so tasty!!!
Hmmm that’s a good question. I used the cool whip mainly because my Husband can’t have cream and I really wanted to make a dessert we could both eat. I know cool whip freezes solid that’s why I used it. I hate to say it but I’m not sure if that would work, sorry!!
This looks so good. Did you use Cool Whip for convenience or ??? I am soy-sensitive and I can’t eat Cool Whip, do you suppose it would be ok to use whipped cream?
LOL, that is the funniest thing I have read/heard in a long time. You just made my day!
I want to just motorboat that cheesecake…