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Real Deal No Bake Lemon Cheesecake + RECIPE VIDEO

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A smooth, extra creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake made with lemon juice and lemon zest and no artificial flavors! It’s firm enough to stand up to being cut and is even great frozen! Includes step by step recipe video

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A smooth, extra creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake made with lemon juice and lemon zest and no artificial flavors! It's firm enough to stand up to being cut and is even great frozen! Includes step by step recipe video | no bake cheesecake | no bake dessert | lemon dessert | easy recipe

Happy weekend friends!

Here in Manitoba we are having some incredibly beautiful weather (we actually busted out the kiddie pool yesterday!), and we’re loving it. And when the weather is this gorgeous, all plans for cooking and baking kind of go out the window in favor of simple grilled meals and easy, no bake desserts.

This No Bake Lemon Cheesecake is possibly my favorite cheesecake ever. It is light and fluffy and creamy and just sweet enough to balance out all that tang from real lemon juice and zest. It is perfection, especially when you load it up with real whipped cream and fresh summer berries (<– those we’re still waiting for).

A smooth, extra creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake made with lemon juice and lemon zest and no artificial flavors! It's firm enough to stand up to being cut and is even great frozen! Includes step by step recipe video | no bake cheesecake | no bake dessert | lemon dessert | easy recipe

This cheesecake is made with cream cheese and Greek yogurt for an extra boost of protein (it also makes it so smooth and silky!). I haven’t tried it without the yogurt, but if you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can probably swap it for an extra cream cheese. You can use plain or vanilla yogurt, but keep in mind that vanilla is sweetened so if you use plain you may need to add more sugar (just sweeten to taste before pouring into the crust).

I used unflavored gelatin so that the cheesecake would keep its shape when sliced, but I mixed it with freshly squeezed lemon juice for that real lemon flavor. If you like your lemon flavor really strong, feel free to add extra zest or pure lemon extract until it reaches your preferred level of lemoniness!

A smooth, extra creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake made with lemon juice and lemon zest and no artificial flavors! It's firm enough to stand up to being cut and is even great frozen! Includes step by step recipe video | no bake cheesecake | no bake dessert | lemon dessert | easy recipe

Watch the recipe video and see how easy it is to make!

Post and photos updated from June 2016

Serves 12     adjust servings

Real Deal No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Preparation 20 mins Prep Time
Cook Time 10 mins Cook Time
Total Time 0:30 Total Time

A smooth, extra creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake made with lemon juice and lemon zest and no artificial flavors! It's firm enough to stand up to being cut.

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Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling

  • juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup) (zest it before juicing!)
  • 1 package unflavored gelatin (about 7g)
  • 2 packages light cream cheese
  • 1 cup vanilla 0% Greek yogurt
  • zest of 1 lemon (or 2 lemons for big lemon flavor!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered icing sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream (not whipped)

Instructions

  1. *NOTE: Baking the crust is completely optional. It just assures that it will hold together better. You can skip the baking if you want, it just won't be quite as sturdy.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9" Springform pan..
  3. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter and press into prepared pan, and about 1" up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or just until dry. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
  4. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin evenly over lemon juice. Let stand for 1 minute. Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds until hot and whisk until dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  5. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the Greek yogurt and beat until combined.
  6. Add gelatin mixture, lemon zest, vanilla and sugar and beat until combined.
  7. Add whipping cream and beat on low until combined, then beat on high for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and thickened (the mixture should hold stiff peaks on the beaters).
  8. Pour filling into cooled crust, cover and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Serve with whipped cream and berries if desired!

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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
Amount Per Serving As Served
Calories 423kcal Calories from fat 289
% Daily Value
Total Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Transfat 0g
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 174mg 7%
Carbohydrate 30g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 20g
Protein 7g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

Calories 2000
Total Fat Less than 65g
Sat Fat Less than 25g
Cholesterol Less than 300mg
Sodium Less than 2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate 300g
Dietary Fiber 25g

 More lemon cheesecake love!

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Squares from Live Well Bake Often

No Bake Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake from House of Yumm

No Bake Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with White Chocolate Ganache Layer from Floating Kitchen


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Comments

  3. Hi, can you tell me the weight of 1 package of cream cheese? We get different sizes where I live…and I’m DYING to try this ASAP!!! thank you so much!

    Reply

  4. Ashley, did you add sugar to the fresh fruit before using it as a topping. It’s beautiful. Just wondering if it would be too bitter.

    Thank you,
    Debbie

    Reply

  5. I don`t want to sound lost, but what is powdered icing sugar ?? I really want to make this. please help me. Thank you.

    Reply

  8. Not only the best cheesecake that I`ve ever made but is the best that I ever ate. My son is going insane when I`m making this desert.

    Reply

    • I will definitely try this since lemon is one of my family’s favorite flavors. I was wondering how it would be to substitute lime and lime zest and juice to make a Key Lime type cheesecake as well? Just wondering.

      Reply

        • Made the lemon cheesecake for Mother’s Day dessert and everyone loved it! My little grandson had to have two servings! Thanks and next I will try it as a key lime no bake cheesecake. Although I got your other key lime recipe in my mail today and that one looks yummy too.I really liked the consistency of the lemon cheesecake. When I sliced it, it came right out of the pie pan in nice pieces and held up beautifully. Very creamy. Definitely will make this again.

          Reply

  10. Okay, so I have no idea what I did wrong with the cheesecake, but it certainly didn’t set up at all! I think I followed the recipe just like it said (except that the gelatin/lemon juice mixture wasn’t totally cool…could that have been my problem?). I thought things were looking pretty good until I added the real cream….and then it seemed to get runnier rather than stiff. Was I supposed to beat the cream first? So right now the mixture is still in the mixing bowl chilling overnight in the fridge. Any ideas for how to make it stiffen up? It was supposed to be dessert for a banquet tomorrow evening. =) Thanks for any help offered!

    Reply

    • Hi Glenda! I’m so sorry to hear that! I add the cream and then beat until fluffy, so I would beat it on high until it starts to thicken up. I hope that helps!

      Reply

      • So, here is the outcome of what I thought was going to be a flop….I left the mixture in the mixing bowl and put it into the fridge overnight. Checked it out this morning and thought I’d probably need to try to add more gelatin or freeze it or something….and it had all set up nicely! =) Imagine that! But then it was in the mixing bowl and certainly wouldn’t transfer nicely to my pan. So I whipped it up again and poured it into my (larger than 9×13) pan….and stuck it back into the fridge hoping that it would set up again. And it did! I was so grateful! To top it off, I actually added another thin layer of lemon topping that you cook up in the microwave, cool, and spread on top. Made the whole dessert amazing! I ended up serving it at the banquet this evening and getting a host of compliments on how delicious it was. So, all that worrying last evening for nothing. Thanks for the delicious recipe. (Oh, and if you’re wondering how I’m talking about this evening already….I live in Thailand and our day is about over when yours is beginning.)

        Reply

        • Hi Glenda! I am so happy to hear that it worked out for you! That lemon topping sounds incredible — we can never have too much lemon here! I’m glad it was a success for you!

          Reply

  12. No judgment here! I totally get using box mixes and jello from time to time. But this cheesecake looks like utter perfection without that shortcut.

    Reply

  14. Totally not gonna question your use of a shortcut ingredient every now and then! After all, you’ve got two little ones to chase after every day! 😉 I ALWAYS love your cheesecakes, but I think this one just takes the “cake.” LOVE how creamy and luscious it looks! (p.s. we’re no-bake cheesecake buddies today!!)

    Reply

  16. Hi can you tell me the exact weight of the cream cheese per package please? Can’t wait to make this cheesecake – looks lovely!

    Reply

  19. Giiirl, I’d never judge you for using jello! But then again, I’m not classy. hahahaha. 😉 Either way, I’m totally fine with you posting all the cheesecakes, no bakes, and lemony desserts possible! Bring.It.On! Love this “real deal” cheesecake! So pretty and I bet it tastes even better! Cheers, girlfriend!

    Reply

  22. This is beautiful Ashley!! And I absolutely struggle with foodie shame sometimes too. I do my best to avoid box mixes and Jellos. But hello!!! I have kids. I think that gives us some kind of a pass in that area. This cheesecake looks fantastic though 🙂 Love it!

    Reply

  24. This real deal lemon cheesecake sounds incredible, Ashley! Your other version sounds delicious too, but I’m loving the real lemon flavor in here. And I love that you used Greek yogurt, too…I always trying to sneak that into my baked goods whenever I can!

    Reply

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