Easy No Bake Cheesecake with Gelatin

This creamy, fluffy no bake cheesecake with gelatin sets up quickly, and has the flavor balance of cream cheese and sour cream. Always smooth as silk.

Why this is the best no bake cheesecake recipe

I'll say right off the bat that you won't mistake this no bake cheesecake for a baked cheesecake — that's not the point of this recipe at all. For starters, the texture is completely different (because the ingredients aren't exactly the same; bye bye, eggs!)

However, I think you'll appreciate this easy no bake cheesecake all the same for its differences. It's light and sweet, and not at all heavy like a traditional cheesecake. That's because it never sees the inside of an oven (or a microwave, or any other cooking appliance). This makes it the perfect summer recipe for those hot days when you don't want the oven on for hours.

Though this no bake cheesecake is lighter than its baked counterpart, it's just as smooth and creamy. That's thanks to a secret ingredient: gelatin. We'll talk more on that in a bit.

Of course, because my family and I live a gluten free lifestyle, this is a no bake cheesecake recipe. As cheesecake filling is typically gluten free anyway, all I had to worry about was the crust. Thankfully, my gluten free graham cracker crust recipe was made for the job.

But of all the reasons I think this is the best no bake cheesecake recipe, I think the top spot goes to the fact that this homemade no bake cheesecake is so incredibly easy to make. Don't imagine yourself a baker? Looking for something simple the kids can handle? This recipe, my friend, is about to become your new best friend.

What makes this no bake cheesecake recipe special

This gluten free, no bake recipe is so dead simple that I almost could have made the how-to video in real-time. Still, you’d be surprised how unbelievably boring it is to watch someone mix something for even, like, 10 whole seconds. ⏲

But I did time myself while making this no-oven-necessary cheesecake recipe, exactly as written. It clocks in at 10 minutes flat. And that’s only if you factor in crushing the cookie crumbs for the crust in a mini food processor.

The ingredients are simple and fresh, the taste combination of cream cheese and sour cream is bright and lightly tangy, and it's just sweet enough. The addition of gelatin makes the texture perfect and it sets up perfectly in the refrigerator in just a couple of hours.

No bake cheesecake filling ingredients

You'll notice some of these ingredients, like the cream cheese and sour cream, are mostly typical of a traditional cheesecake recipe (especially the cream cheese). But unlike in a traditional baked cheesecake made with cream cheese, sugar, and eggs, this no bake cheesecake contains no eggs.

Of course, we can't have eggs in a cheesecake that isn't being baked. But we do still need something to help the filling set into something that can be sliced cleanly with a knife and eaten with a fork. For that, we use unflavored powdered gelatin.

Here are all the primary ingredients for this cream cheese cheesecake:

• Water – We use just a little water to dissolve the powdered gelatin
• Powdered gelatin – This is what we use in place of eggs to hold the no bake cheesecake together, so it sets up and slices cleanly
• Cream cheese – Be sure to use a block of full fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture; let it soften to cool room temperature so you can blend it without leaving behind any lumps
• Sour cream – This ingredient gives this no bake cheesecake flavor its signature tanginess
• Pure vanilla extract – A bit of vanilla extract adds dimension to the flavors of this cheesecake
• Confectioners’ sugar – Use this fine sugar rather than granulated sugar for an immediate smooth texture even without melting the sugar in the oven

How to set a no bake cheesecake with gelatin

The only essential ingredients in a classic, baked cheesecake are cream cheese, sugar, and eggs. You make it a gluten free cheesecake by baking it in a gluten free graham cracker crust, and making sure any starches you add are gluten free.

The eggs in a classic cheesecake provide structure to the cheesecake when they’re baked. They’re what make it into a cake that you can slice.

So how do you set a cheesecake without eggs? Here, we use some powdered gelatin to make a no bake cheesecake that sets even more cleanly than a traditional, baked cheesecake.

First, we “bloom” the gelatin in some lukewarm water by mixing them together and waiting for the gelatin to swell. Then, we melt the mixture in the microwave until it’s liquefied, but not hot.

The combination of cream cheese and sour cream, with some sifted confectioners’ sugar, makes for a silky smooth cheesecake with a slight tang. There’s not a ton of confectioners’ sugar, so it’s never too sweet.

A simple graham cracker crust for a simple cheesecake

Making the graham cracker crust for this no bake cheesecake recipe is by far the easiest step in the process. You only need two ingredients, melted butter and crushed gluten free graham crackers, and like the cheesecake filling, the crust never sees the inside of an oven.

To crush your graham crackers, you have two options: The quicker way is to use a blender or food processor. Simply throw the crackers into the processor and let it go for a few seconds.

If you don't have a food processor or blender or simply don't want to use it, you can manually make graham cracker crumbs by tossing the crackers into a zip-top bag, squeezing out the air, and rolling over them with a rolling pin.

Tips for making the perfect no bake cheesecake

Choosing a pan for your no bake cheesecake

Because this no bake cheesecake won't go into the oven, you don't have to worry about finding a pan that will ensure even cooking. Instead, you can use just about any pan you have handy: a springform pan, a pie dish, or even a square cake pan for cutting your no bake cheesecake into bars rather than slices.

Use fresh graham crackers for the crust

Making no bake cheesecake is not an excuse for using up stale graham crackers from the pantry. Believe me, you will taste the difference. For the best flavor and texture, stick with fresh gf graham crackers, or just be sure to open up a fresh package of store-bought gf graham crackers so they aren't stale.

Refrigerate your no bake cheesecake for as long as possible

As with a traditional cheesecake, no bake cheesecake needs about at least 2 hours in the fridge to set up, but if you let it set for closer to 12 hours, it will still be creamy but slice very cleanly. If possible, aim to refrigerate overnight and enjoy your cake the next day.

Storing a no bake cheesecake for later

Storing your non baked cheesecake is just as easy as making it. To keep it in the fridge, first cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it inside a container. This protection will help keep the cake from drying out. I find that wrapped properly, the cake will taste fresh for up to 5 days.

If you're making no bake cheesecakes to enjoy in the future, pop them into the freezer. When you wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil over the top, they'll stay good for up to 3 months.

Before wrapping, I suggest slicing your no bake cheesecake. This will allow you to grab a slice when the mood strikes, rather than having to defrost the entire cake. To defrost, simply transfer your slice(s) or the whole cake to the refrigerator for several hours.

No bake cheesecake: ingredient substitution suggestions and variations

Gelatin alternative

If you can't have gelatin, you might be able to use agar agar, which is a vegan replacement for gelatin. One Green Planet has a whole primer on agar agar, and they suggest that you can replace gelatin with it in equal amounts.

For a fluffier cheesecake that doesn't rely on gelatin, you can try the no bake cheesecake filling from our gluten free cookie cups. It calls for whipped cream in place of sour cream, and is made without gelatin or a gelatin substitute. It won't slice as cleanly, but it still tastes great.

Dairy free no bake cheesecake?

Cheesecake is, by its very nature, made with tons of dairy. This recipe not only contains tons of cream cheese but also calls for sour cream. Plus the crust is made with cookie crumbs and melted butter.

If you use dairy-free cookie crumbs, like from my gluten free graham crackers, and use virgin coconut oil or butter-flavored Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening in place of butter, you've got a dairy-free crust.

The sour cream could be replaced with a dairy-free variety. But the cream cheese is a major problem. I've been working quite literally for over a year on a really good dairy-free cheesecake—no bake or not. I mean, I've taken breaks so it's not like I haven't been doing anything else. But I have tried time and again to make an amazing dairy-free cheesecake. So far, no luck.

The main problem is that even the “best” dairy-free cream cheese varieties (like Daiya and Kite Hill brands) just taste kind of strange when you use more than about 4 ounces of them in a recipe. I've tried making cheesecake with the same amount of dairy-free cream cheese as I would dairy cream cheese, and it's been nearly inedible.

Sugar-free no bake cheesecake

If you'd like to make a sugar free crust, you'll just need to use sugar-free cookies—or leave out the crust entirely. Try replacing the confectioners' sugar in the filling with Swerve brand confectioners' sugar replacement.

No bake cheesecake variations

My recipe for a no bake gluten free cheesecake gives you a blank canvas on which you can decorate or add other flavors you love. By all means, eat the cheesecake plain if you'd like, but also feel free to try these variations:

• Run out of gluten free graham crackers or just don't like a crust? Skip it and have a crustless no bake cheesecake, or use another gluten free crunchy cookie to crush.
• Interested in adding Oreos? Try our no bake Oreo cheesecake, with crushed cookies in the crust and big cookie pieces in the filling.
• Like plain cheesecake but still want a little something extra? A whipped cream topping is light and fluffy and adds additional texture.
• For an even tangier taste, you can replace half the liquid you use to bloom the gelatin with lemon juice.
• Top your cheesecake with other berries you like, such as fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of them all.
• Create a fruit swirl cheesecake by swirling in some smooth fruit jam. Warm the jam slightly to make it pourable, then drop a spoonful into your cheesecake filling mixture before it sets. Slowly swirl the jam around with a butter knife to create a pattern, then let the cheesecake set.
• Drizzle in some chocolate sauce (or another of your favorite ice cream toppings and sauces) before the filling sets. Swirl around with a butter knife to create a pattern, and then let it set.

FAQs

How to make a lighter no bake cheesecake

As written, the no bake cheesecake recipe below is made with full fat cream cheese, plus regular sour cream, and 1 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar. It's decadent and delicious.

If you'd like to try making it a bit lighter, you can use low-fat cream cheese (as long as it's the lowfat block of Neufchatel cheese, which has 1/3 the fat of “regular” cream cheese) and nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt in place of full fat sour cream. You can also reduce the confectioners' sugar by half to 3/4 cup. Here are the ingredients you'll need for the lighter filling:

• 1 cup (227 g) low-fat (or nonfat) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons (6 g) unflavored granulated gelatin
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1 teaspoon light corn syrup)
• 2 8-ounce packages low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese, in the block), at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (86 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Here's how to make the lighter filling. The process is very similar, but you must drain the Greek-style yogurt to remove as much moisture as possible, or the cheesecake won't set up properly.

1. First, place the Greek yogurt in a fine mesh strainer over an empty bowl, and allow the yogurt to drain for at least 5 while you prepare the rest of the filling.
2. Soften the gelatin in the lukewarm water as steps 1 and 2 of the filling recipe instructions below describe. Add the cream of tartar or light corn syrup to the gelatin, and mix to combine.
3. Much like the recipe below, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer with the balloon attachments, beat together the cream cheese, drained Greek yogurt, salt, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined.
4. With the mixer beating slowly, drizzle the dissolved gelatin mixture slowly, and continue to beat until the mixture begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).
5. Pour the filling into a greased and/or lined 9-inch springform pan, with or without a crust like in the recipe below.
6. Smooth the filling into an even layer, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap that doesn't touch the filling, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours until fully set.
7. Follow the instructions below for unmolding the cheesecake and serving it.

How to make this easy no bake cheesecake, with gelatin