This no-bake Strawberry Cheesecake is the ultimate dessert for warm daysโlight, creamy, and full of strawberry flavor. With a crushed biscuit base and strawberry infused creamy filling, this cake requires no gelatin and comes together without turning the oven on.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and substitutions for Strawberry Cheesecake
- Graham crackers: Graham crackers with their whole wheat plain flavor are a perfect base for this cheesecake. If you cannot source graham crackers. A perfect substitute in equal measure is digestive biscuits which are very similar equivalent overseas or even a plain milk biscuit would work well here.
- Sugar: The best sugar here is superfine or caster which helps dissolve into the cream cheese during whipping. You could half and half the sugar with light brown sugar or raw sugar alongside the caster sugar as I do not recommend completely substituting in another due to the flavor it would give the cheesecake instead of simply adding sweetness.
- Cream cheese: The core of our creamy cheesecake is room temperature full fat cream cheese, which results in giving us a light cheesecake that is easy to mix until smooth and full of that beloved cheesecake flavor. Itโs best not to replace with a lower fat version, as itโs less likely to the right texture.
- Heavy cream: Fluffy and lightly whipped heavy cream helps the no bake hold its shape. It also helps bind the cream cheese and compliment the strawberries.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries were used here because they are plenty in season, however, because you make them into a reduction, you could replace in equal measure with frozen. It is not recommended to replace the reduction with jam as this would likely make the cheesecake too sweet.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Strawberry Cheesecake:
Step 1: Sit and blend: Toss the strawberries and sugar into a saucepan or blender and allow to sit for 10 minutes before blending until smooth.
Step 2: Low heat: Pour into a saucepan and cook until reduced and thickened.
Step 3: Base: Stir the crushed biscuits and melted butter together and press into the cake tin evenly.
Step 4: Whip: Whip the cream cheese until smooth. Before adding in half the sugar and whipping, repeating with the remaining sugar.
Step 5: Smooth cream: Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold together with the cream cheese until smooth.
Step 6: Flavors: Add all the strawberry sauce into the creamy mixture and stir to combine.
Step 7: Tin: Spoon the cream cheese filling over the biscuit base and smooth out.
Step 8: Refrigerate: Set for several hours in the fridge before removing and slicing.
Step 9: Slice it up: Serve, ideally with a cup of your favorite hot beverage!
FAQโs for the best Strawberry Cheesecake
The homemade strawberry reduction adds a burst of intense strawberry flavor to the cheesecake. By simmering fresh strawberries with sugar, you create a thick and sweet sauce that infuses every bite with the natural taste of ripe strawberries.
This no bake cheesecake was tested three times to get the exact light cheesecake texture without being too stiff or too soft. The first recipe had a lesser base which couldn't hold up the cheesecake when cut. It also didn't have enough cream to set the cake without gelatin. The second test had slightly too much of a base which offset the balance with the creamy filling and too much cream which also overpowered all other flavors in the filling and made the texture more cream heavy than a cheesecake should have. The third test recipe had a balance of crushed biscuit and butter and the cream was lowered to compliment the strawberry for a perfect final test.
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Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 250 grams / 1 ยผ cup strawberries hulled and halved
- 60 grams / โ cup superfine/caster sugar
Base
- 225 grams / 7.9 ounces graham crackers crushed
- 75 grams / 2.65 ounces butter melted
Cheesecake
- 60 grams / โ cup superfine/caster sugar
- 560 grams / 19.75 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 321 grams / 1 ยผ cups + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To serve
- 113 grams / ยฝ cup heavy cream
- 16 grams / 2 tablespoons confectionerโs/icing sugar
- 140 grams / โ cup fresh strawberries halved
Instructions
- Line a 20 cm or 8 inch round cake tin base with parchment paper. Set aside
Strawberries
- Place the strawberries and sugar into a bowl and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
- Toss into a blender and pulse until smooth.
- Pour into a saucepan and cook on low heat until thickened and intense in color, approximately 20 minutes.
- Spoon into a small bowl and set aside to cool completely. For best results, the weight of the reduced sauce should be as close to 130 grams / 4.5 ounces, as possible.
Base
- For the base, place the crushed biscuits and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine, making a well in the center.
- Add in the melted butter and stir until no dry portions remain in the bowl and the mixture resembles rough breadcrumb.
- Spoon into your cake tin and press firmly and evenly into the base with a flat bottomed measuring cup or glass. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- Place the cream cheese into a bowl and beat until smooth, approximately 2 minutes with a hand beater.
- Add in half the remaining sugar and beat to until smooth and the sugar has dissolved, approximately 1 minute with a hand beater, repeat with the remaining sugar.
- Beat the cream until soft peaks form and fold through the cream cheese until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and all the strawberry reduction into the creamy mixture and fold to fully combine.
- Pour into your cake tin and smooth out.
- Place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
To serve
- To serve, pour the heavy cream and sugar into a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
- Spoon into a piping bag or spoon onto the cheesecake.
- Top with the halved strawberries.
- Slice and serve.
- Dig in!
Notes
- Cream cheese: The core of our creamy cheesecake is room temperature full fat cream cheese, which results in giving us a light cheesecake that is easy to mix until smooth and full of that beloved cheesecake flavor. Itโs best not to replace with a lower fat version, as itโs less likely to the right texture.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries were used here because they are plenty in season, however, because you make them into a reduction, you could replace in equal measure with frozen. It is not recommended to replace the reduction with jam as this would likely make the cheesecake too sweet. If you have a scale, the weight of strawberry reduction is 130 grams.
- Graham crackers: Graham crackers with their whole wheat plain flavor are a perfect base for this cheesecake. If you cannot source graham crackers. A perfect substitute in equal measure is digestive biscuits which are very similar equivalent overseas or even a plain milk biscuit would work well here.
- Make ahead: Prepare a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight. The flavors will meld together, and the cheesecake will have a chance to set perfectly.
- Cake tin: A round spring form tin was used, however, a standard cake tin of similar size would also work well.
Nutrition
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