Easy Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake

ByAmber Edwards
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This is the best NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPE EVER! It has a sweet golden buttery graham cracker crust with a silky smooth sweet & tart Philadelphia no-bake cheesecake filling, topped with a variety of toppings including cherries, chocolate, and even fresh berries made to represent an American flag for any summer gathering, birthday party, potluck, or patriotic holiday. Even the most skeptical cheesecake critic loves this easy no-bake cheesecake recipe with condensed milk!

A slice of Philadelphia no bake cheesecake on a white plate with cherry pie filling and chocolate sauce drizzled on top with a bowl of more cherry filling in the background

This Easy No-Bake Cheesecake recipe was originally published Sept 16, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and tips/tricks for your convenience. This recipe may contain affiliate links.

Overhead view of a round no bake cheesecake with blueberries and strawberries laid out in the American Flag design representing the stars and stripes.

I love cheesecake. More specifically, I love no-bake cheesecake. From our mini chocolate no-bake cheesecakes with pretzel crusts, to our decadent fudge brownie cheesecake, to a mouthwatering sour cherry no-bake cheesecake, and especially our no-bake cheesecake trifle with mascarpone cheese.

A slice of Philadelphia no bake cheesecake on a white plate with a polish pottery dessert spoon and a bowl of cherry topping in the background

But my all-time favorite dessert is this silky smooth, mouthwatering sweet, and tart No-Bake cheesecake with sweetened condensed milk. It’s much lighter than a traditional cheesecake and is often called a Philadelphia cheesecake because it uses Philadelphia cream cheese and requires NO baking, has NO eggs, and NO gelatin.

How Does It Taste?

This no-bake cheesecake showcases a nice, buttery graham cracker crust filled with a silky smooth, creamy, and velvet-rich cheesecake filling that tastes like a cheesecake mousse with a refreshing lemon and vanilla twist for the perfect balance between indulgent sweet and refreshing tang.

This is my mom’s recipe that she would make my Dad every year for his birthday as it is his favorite dessert. I grew up thinking it was “Dad’s Cheesecake”. And I looked forward to his birthday every year so I could enjoy this mouthwatering no-bake cheesecake.

Slice of Philadelphia cheesecake on a white plate with cherry pie filling on top

This Philadelphia cream cheese no-bake cheesecake is the most requested “birthday cake” in our family. Most of us prefer this cheesecake for our birthday cake instead of a traditional cake! And besides the crust and fruit topping, the no-bake cheesecake filling requires only 4 ingredients and is incredibly easy to make!

It has been shared at community events, potluck dinners, and community fundraisers, won prizes at the county fairs, enjoyed at hundreds of birthday parties, and was even the dessert at my wedding reception. It is tried and true, tested over thousands of times, and is older than I am!

Overhead view of a round no bake cheesecake with blueberries and strawberries laid out in the American Flag design representing the stars and stripes.

Most importantly, I have shared this cheesecake with people who don’t like cheesecake, and they love this easy sweet and tangy no-bake cheesecake. It is a golden recipe even among critics.

I actually don’t allow myself to make it other than birthdays and holidays, because I have absolutely zero self-control when it comes to this Philadelphia no-bake cheesecake!

👩🏻‍🍳 Easy Recipe for Kids

This no-bake cheesecake is so easy, it is an excellent recipe for beginning bakers and to make with your kids. Get them involved! They love to help! And it creates cherished memories of you baking together.

Kids can easily be involved based on their skill level to crush the graham crackers, mix up the crust, form the crust in the pan, measure out the ingredients, pour in the cheesecake filling ingredients, spread out the filling into the crust, and top with the fresh fruit!

🍋 Ingredients

This no-bake cheesecake is made with a basic graham cracker crust, no-bake cheesecake filling using Philidelphia cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and a fresh fruit topping.

overhead view of ingredients including cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, vanilla and a golden homemade graham cracker crust

The Recipe Card at the end provides full measurements of each ingredient.

Graham cracker crust: you can make a homemade graham cracker crust or you can buy a premade graham cracker crust from the store.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese: I’m not often a brand snob, but I highly recommend being a brand snob for this cheesecake recipe. I have tried this recipe with other brands of cream cheese and low-fat cream cheese and the texture just doesn’t turn out right. So I will always use Philadelphia cream cheese for this no-bake cheesecake.

Name brand box of Nabisco honey maid graham crackers next to a package of Philadelphia cream cheese and Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk on a white marble background.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: This sweetens and stabilizes the cheesecake filling and thickens the filling to help it hold its shape. I use Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk. Again, this is one of the rare times the brand matters. I found when I use other brands, they are more watery, and the cheesecake didn’t set up correctly.

Lemon Juice: The lemon juice really helps the flavor shine and offers the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. It cuts through the rich sweetness and offers a refreshing crisp flavor to the cheesecake. The acidity of the lemon juice also helps to thicken the cheesecake filling.

Pure Vanilla Extract: Again, it’s all about flavor! A pure vanilla extract will give you a richer depth of flavor than an imitation extract.

Fresh Strawberries: Washed, hulled, and sliced in half from top to bottom like a hot dog bun (not like a hamburger bun).

Fresh Blueberries: Washed and dried.

🎛️ What Pan Do You Use to Make a No-Bake Cheesecake?

You can make this no-bake cheesecake in several different types of pans. I have made it in regular pie dishes, large deep pie plates, a 9×13 cake pan, an 8X8 brownie pan, and also a 9″ springform pan. For the different sized pans, you will need to adjust how much filling and crust you make.

No bake cheesecake with fresh strawberries and blueberries in an American Flag design in a clear 9X13 cake pan.

If you want a good table piece for a summer party, I recommend making it in a pan with sides to support the filling. Being no bake, it does soften in the heat. If you are going to set it out and immediately serve it, you can have success using the springform pan.

overhead view of a no bake cheesecake with homemade graham cracker crust in a white ceramic 9" pie plate on a marble counter

Sizing Tips:

  • 9X13 cake pan: you will want to 1.5 times the graham cracker crust recipe, and triple the filling recipe for a good filling-to-crust ratio.
  • 8X8 brownie pan: make the recipe as written
  • Regular 9 inch pie dish: make the recipe as written
  • Deep pie plate: if your pie dish is larger than 9 inches or deeper than a standard pie tin, you will want to double the filling recipe, but the crust can stay the same.
  • 9″ Springform Pan: for a springform pan you can make the recipe as written, but it will need a minimum of 12 hours, preferably closer to 24 hours, in the refrigerator to fully set before removing the collar in order to hold its shape.

If you ever have extra cheesecake filling you can portion the remainder into mini graham cracker pie shell crusts, prebaked mini Fillo tartlet shells, or even into a dessert cup and enjoy it later as a simple cheesecake mousse in a jar.

🍮 How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake

🍘 Graham Cracker Crust

Mix the Crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Mix well with a fork until all the crumbs are equally saturated.

Form in the pan: dump the graham cracker mixture into the pan of your choice. Spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan and 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides. Lightly pack the graham crackers down to make the crust stick to itself. But don’t pack it too tightly or you will end up with a dense and hard to chew crust.

A 9" white ceramic pie plate filled with a homemade graham cracker crust on a marble table

Springform Pan Tip: If you are using a springform pan, you can have the crust go up the sides to create a full crust. Or if you want the cheesecake layer visible from the sides, only pack the graham cracker mixture on the bottom of the pan. If you choose to not have the crust go up the sides of the pan, you will want to line the inside wall of the pan with parchment paper to allow easy removal of the pan after the cheesecake has set.

round Springform pan with parchment lining the inside on a wooden table top

Chill: Chill the crust in the fridge or freezer for a minimum of 10 minutes. I usually put it into the fridge while I make the cheesecake filling.

🥮 No Bake Cheesecake Filling

graham cracker crust in a white pie plate next to a black plate holding a block of cream cheese, and 3 bowls holding condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract

Whip the Cream Cheese: Add your room temperature cream cheese to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until the cream cheese is smooth and lump free.

Cream Cheese Mixture: Add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed just until all the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to beat the cream cheese mixture too much or it will result in a cheesecake filling that cannot hold its shape once served. The cheesecake filling should be a medium-thick consistency that hangs onto the spatula like a thick custard pudding and smooth like a mousse without lumps.

A blue spatula held above a silver mixing bowl covered in the cheesecake filling to demonstrate the thick custard consistency of a successful texture for the filling.

Fill the Crust: Pour the cheesecake filling into the graham cracker crust and spread evenly filling the crust.

half of a white ceramic pie plate on the left filled with homemade graham cracker crust and no bake cheesecake filling

Chill: Place the cheesecake into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. The longer you let it settle the better it will be. Overnight will provide the best results. Don’t rush this. It will take at least 4 hours for the no bake cream cheese filling to thicken and set.

**If you are completely impatient you can enjoy it after 4 hours. It will taste just as amazing, but the filling will be soft and may not hold its shape.**

round no bake cheesecake on a springform base on a wooden table

🇺🇸 American Flag Cheesecake

To achieve the iconic American Flag cheesecake design you simply arrange fresh blueberries and strawberries in a stars and stripes pattern on top of the cheesecake after it has fully set in the refrigerator. This makes it the perfect patriotic cheesecake for your 4th of July celebration.

Prepare the Berries: wash and drain the fresh blueberries and strawberries. Hull the strawberries and slice them in half like a hotdog bun.

Springform Pan Tip #2: If you are using a springform pan, remove the collar and the parchment paper lining.

left hand removing parchment lining from the sides of a round no bake cheesecake on a wooden table

If the filling has drooped a little, you can sharpen the edges with an icing spatula.

Silver icing spatula running around the edges of a no bake cheesecake on a metal platter on a wooden table

Arrange the Blueberries: To create the illusion of the USA flag, arrange fresh blueberries in the top left corner in the shape of a square. Then fill in the square with even more blueberries. This can be done with neat little rows of blueberries or just haphazardly tossing them on top. It just depends on how nice you want your fruit to look.

Fresh Blueberries lined up in the top left quarter square of a round no bake cheesecake.

Lay out the Strawberries: Start just below the blueberry square and place the strawberries (cut side down) in a line across the top of the cheesecake.

White Stripe: Allow a little space (about 1/4-1/2 inch) for a white stripe of cheesecake.

Another Strawberry Row: Repeat another line of strawberries below the white cheesecake row.

Red Tongs placing a strawberry slice onto the top of a no bake cheesecake in the design of an American flag.

Repeat the Red and White Stripes: Repeat adding a row of strawberries, leaving a space for the white cheesecake to show through all the way down the cheesecake. Then repeat again on the right side of the blueberry square until the entire cheesecake has equal lines of strawberry red stripes and white cheesecake filling stripes.

Overhead view of a no back cheesecakes with blueberries and strawberries designed to look like an American flag on a wood table with patriotic star garlands on top.

When you add fresh fruit, no other topping is necessary! It is quite delicious! It makes the perfect dessert for any summer gathering, summer BBQ, potluck, or any USA/Patriotic holiday like Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day (4th of July), and Veteran’s Day!

👩🏻‍🍳 Tips from the Chef

Smooth Texture: Ensure your cream cheese is warmed at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before mixing. Cold cream cheese directly from the fridge will result in a lumpy cheesecake filling.

Keeping Its Shape: Mixing the cream cheese filling mixture too vigorously for too long can make the cheesecake filling fluffier, but it will take longer to set and will be too soft to maintain its shape once sliced and served.

Taste too Rich?: If you find the cheesecake filling too rich, you can add 4 oz of whipped cream to make the flavor lighter and the texture slightly airier, while also enhancing its sweetness. This tweak is ideal if you prefer desserts that aren’t too heavy. Although I favor homemade whipped cream, Cool Whip serves as a handy substitute.

Chill in the Fridge: For the filling to set, it needs to be in the fridge. Moving to the freezer too soon will prevent it from setting correctly and will alter the texture. If you want to freeze your cheesecake for later, make sure it is fully set in the fridge before you prepare it to be frozen.

Close up view of Fresh strawberries and blueberries arranged on top of a cheesecake to represent an american flag

Storage Instructions

  • Refrigerator: Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 5-7 days.
  • Freezing: After the cheesecake has already been fully set in the refrigerator, wrap the whole pan in 1 layer of plastic wrap, then 1 layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then slice and serve.
No bake cheesecake in a white pie plate missing 2 slices, ready to be wrapped and placed in the fridge for later.

No Bake Cheesecake Variations

One reason why I love this no-bake cheesecake recipe so much is because of its versatility. You can exchange the fruit topping and the crust base and get hundreds of different dessert combinations. Because the no-bake cheesecake filling is the star it goes well with all kinds of flavor combinations!

Slice of Philadelphia cheesecake on a white plate with cherry pie filling on top

Topping Variations

Any kind of topping would go great with this no-bake cheesecake recipe!

I’ve successfully tried

Sterling silver form in a right hand cutting through a slice of no bake cheesecake with cherry filling and chocolate sauce topping

Crust Variations

Traditionally this no bake cheesecake is made with a graham cracker crust. I prefer the flavor of a homemade graham cracker crust. But when I’m pressed for time I have been known to just buy one from the store. But you can also make a crust from:

The sky is the limit with your flavor combination choices! We have tried all the toppings and most of the crust options I’ve suggested to you and they have ALL been a huge success!

Did you try this recipe?
Leave a 5 ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest!

Yield: 12

Easy Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake With Condensed Milk

A slice of Philadelphia no bake cheesecake on a white plate with cherry pie filling and chocolate sauce drizzled on top with a bowl of more cherry filling in the background

The best NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPE EVER! It has a sweet golden buttery graham cracker crust with a silky smooth sweet & tart Philadelphia no-bake cheesecake filling, topped with a variety of toppings including cherries, chocolate, and even fresh berries made to represent an American flag.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
  • 7 Tablespoons melted salted butter
  • 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Cheesecake Filling

Toppings

  • Fresh Strawberries - approximately 1/2-1lb
  • Fresh Blueberries - approximately 1/2 pint.

Instructions

<p><strong>Crust</strong></p><ol><li>Combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter into a bowl. </li><li>Mix with a fork until all graham crackers are wet and the butter is evenly distributed.</li><li>Pour into a parchment-lined springform pan.</li><li>Gently press the mixture to create a smooth even crust, reaching to all edges of the pan.</li></ol><p><strong>Cheesecake Filling</strong></p><ol><li>Place cream cheese on the counter to warm to room temperature, this will allow it to blend without lumps.</li><li>Dump cream cheese into a mixing bowl. </li><li>Mix on medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain. </li><li>Gently add in the condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract</li><li>Mix until all ingredients are well combined. (Do not overmix though)</li><li><strong>Optional</strong> - gently fold in the whipped topping until well distributed.</li><li>Pour the cheesecake filling onto the graham cracker crust. </li><li>Gently smooth it evenly around the pan</li><li>Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. </li></ol><p><strong>Assembly for an American Flag Design</strong></p><ol><li>When time to serve, gently remove the springform pan and parchment paper. </li><li>Slice fresh strawberries.</li><li>Carefully lay out blueberries in the upper left-hand corner to create the "stars" section of the flag design</li><li>Carefully lay the strawberries in strip patterns for the red stripes of the flag. </li><li>Slice and serve</li></ol><p>Overhead view of a no back cheesecakes with blueberries and strawberries designed to look like an American flag on a wood table with patriotic star garlands on top.</p>

Notes

Sizing

  • If you want to make a cheesecake big enough to fill a traditional 9X13 cake pan, you will want to 1.5X the crust and triple the filling to have good filling to crust ratio.

Tips

  • To prevent lumpy cheesecake filling, allow the cream cheese to completely warm to room temperature before mixing. I often take it out of the fridge in the morning and then by the afternoon I can quickly whip it all together.
  • If you find the cheesecake filling is too rich, add 4 oz of homemade whipped cream or cool whip. This will make the filling lighter and not as rich. 
  • If you try to use a standard blender to mix, it will still technically work, BUT the texture will not be right. It will be too runny and not set up correctly. (trust me, I've tried it) 
  • When picking the pan- this recipe can be made in a pie dish, a brownie pan, or even a springform pan if you want to remove the pan and have it look more like a traditional cheesecake. 
  • If using a springform pan, you will want to line the sides of the pan with parchment paper before adding the filling, to make for easier removal from the pan. And refrigerate overnight before removing pan
  • If by some miracle you have leftovers (which rarely happens in our house) you can cover and store in the fridge for about a week.

The USA Flag topping is only one of MANY topping options. You can also try

  • Cherry pie filling
  • Blueberry pie filling
  • Raspberry filling
  • Cherry pie filling with chocolate sauce drizzled on top
  • Hot fudge and salted caramel drizzled on top
  • options are endless! 

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 120Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 1g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Busy Creating Memories attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

© Amber
Cuisine: American / Category: Desserts

I have a quirky obsession with BBC comedy and classics, Dr. Pepper, and chocolate.
I am passionate about photography, crafting, baking, and helping families make cherished memories from everyday, ordinary moments

She is dedicated to helping you leave a legacy of moments and celebrated milestones for your family to treasure generation after generation.

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84 Comments

  3. So delicious and easy!! I feel the heart palpitations:) I might whip that up tonight for a tailgate party! Very festive! Thx.

    Reply

  4. I'm totally going to have to try this! My husband loves cheesecake so I'd love to surprise him. Plus he's in the military so the design fits 🙂

    Reply

  7. Oh, I'm so glad you ladies like it! It really is my favorite and SUPER easy to make. just make sure you let it sit in the Fridge for about 2 hrs or else it won't set up enough, that serving it will be a problem…it won't affect the taste at all, just how pretty it looks on the plates. lol.

    Thank you all for your visits and comments, I just LOVE reading them all!

    Reply

  9. I’ve tried other no-bake cheesecakes before and they just tasted like whipped cream. I tried this one today and it has that signature tartness of traditional cheesecake! Must be that secret ingredient of lemon juice. This was super yummy! TFS

    Reply

  11. I have made them just like this before 🙂 One of the variations I like is using pecan sandies cookies for the crust- yummy and deliciously sinful! I have always added fruits too- and for me strawberries are always my pick, but I am going to have to try the chocolate version now too!

    Reply

  12. This looks delicious! I love the american flag on the top. i will have to make this for next fourth of july

    Reply

  17. This looks so yummy! I was thinking what could make it a bit tart, the lemon juice!? Genius(: I also love the flag on there!!
    I can not wait to give this no bake cheesecake a try!

    Reply

  18. That is the cutest cheesecake I’ve ever seen!!!!
    I am stealing this idea for my Fla trip this summer. And as for cheesecake flavor fave…can any cheesecake be my answer? :0

    Reply

  22. Oh, the Oreo option sounds delicious! My husband is nuts about cookies and cream icecream. I be he would love this dessert!

    Reply

  26. My favorite part of the cheesecake is always the crust, some always goes missing during production 😉

    Reply

    1. Be careful! It is very addicting! I can’t eat hardly any other cheesecake now. And I can’t stop at just one slice! lol. That’s why I can’t make this recipe very often. I just can’t control myself around it.

      Reply

  42. Hello. I had refrigerated the cheesecake for almost two and a half hours and it still hadn’t hardened. I was wondering if I should just put it in for longer?

    Reply

  43. I love how easy that is to make and it’s PERFECT for our Memorial Day cookout this coming weekend!

    Reply

  45. This looks absolutely delicious! I will have to make this for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July…or just for myself!

    Reply

  46. One of my friends used to make THE best no bake cheesecake I’ve ever tasted. I once helped her make one but dummy me forgot to write things down so to this day I don’t know how it’s made. I’m definitely going to give this one a try to see if it’s similar! If so, this will be my new go-to xD

    Reply

  49. This is similar to my recipe and I LOVE how easy it is to make and tastes so amazing. Adding the berries to be your flag is a cute idea for all the weekend BBQ’s that will be thrown this weekend.

    Reply

  51. YUM! Not only is this cheesecake gorgeous, it sounds unbelievable tasty! I am huge lover of non-bake goodies, I will need to try this! My mouth is totally watering!

    Reply
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    1. I seem to use a different one each time. i’ve used a 9X 13 for a thin graham cracker crust. Or an 8X8 for a thicker crust and filling. I’ve also used an extra large pie dish to make this in a circular pattern before too.

      Reply

        1. you are most welcome! I’m a bit jealous, I need this again! It’s my absolute favorite dessert. It is one of the RARE things I can’t resist. You are going to love it!

          Reply
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