Creamy decadent cheesecake on top of a buttery graham cracker crust, these luscious no bake cheesecake bars are the best dessert to make for a crowd!
Why this recipe works
How can you resist cheesecake? I sure can’t. It’s smooth, rich, and a classic dessert that practically everyone enjoys. No bake cheesecake bars are awesome for every occasion and their individual portions are ideal for large gatherings without the sweat of spending hours baking up a few cheesecakes in the oven.
You can top these bars with fresh fruit for an even prettier presentation. See our no bake strawberry cheesecake bars if you’d like to incorporate the fruit into the bars themselves!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHEESECAKE – You will need 24 oz of softened cream cheese. To properly soften cream cheese, cube it and let it rest on a plate at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before using. This helps your cheesecake batter be smooth and creamy. The heavy whipping cream used will take the creaminess up a notch in these bars.
CRUST – Salt, sugar, and melted butter are added to finely pulsed graham crackers in a food processor. This buttery graham cracker crust is so delicious. If you’d like a substitute, try chocolate or golden Oreos, minus the butter, sugar, and salt and finely pulse them (cream and all) in a food processor.
How to Make No Bake Cheesecake Bars
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- To a food processor add the graham crackers and pulse until a fine crumb. Add the salt, sugar, and melted butter to the food processor. Pulse until well combined. Press into a parchment lined 13×9 casserole dish. Place into the fridge or freezer while assembling the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat again until combined.
- In a separate large bowl beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the combined mixture onto the graham cracker crust and smooth.
- Refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
- Remove from the dish and cut with a sharp knife into 20 (5×4) pieces. Top with sliced strawberries if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can freeze no bake cheesecake bars. To do so, place the bars in an air-tight container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Enjoy frozen or thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Absolutely! These bars will need at least 6 hours of chill time, so this is pretty much a “make in advance” type of dessert. You can either make these the morning of, a day in advance, or realistically 2 days in advance if needed. Prep and store the cheesecake bars in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Store your cheesecake bars in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
Serving Suggestions
Make a pretty presentation out of your no bake cheesecake bars by topping with fresh fruit like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries.
Other topping ideas include a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce or whipped cream and chopped nuts. You can add more graham cracker crumbs to the top of the cheesecake bars if desired or serve them plain as is. Be sure to keep these bars chilled before serving, or keep them in the freezer and enjoy frozen like cheesecake ice cream!
More No Bake Recipes
- Individual Tiramisu
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate No Bake Cookies
- Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
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No Bake Cheesecake Bars
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 16 graham crackers 16 full sheets of graham crackers, pulsed
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 24 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- You can alternatively use golden or chocolate Oreos for the crust. If you plan to do so, remove the butter, sugar, and salt that goes with the graham cracker crust. Pulse Oreos in a food processor (cream filling and all) then press into the pan.
Instructions
- To a food processor add the graham crackers and pulse until a fine crumb. Add the salt, sugar, and melted butter to the food processor. Pulse until well combined. Press into a 9×13, parchment lined casserole dish. Place into the fridge or freezer while assembling the filling.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer about 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. Beat again until combined.
- In a separate large bowl beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the combined mixture onto the graham cracker crust and smooth.
- Refrigerate 6 hours to overnight.
- Remove from the dish and cut with a sharp knife into 20 (5×4) pieces. Top with sliced strawberries if desired.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Liz says
I made this for a dinner party and it was a hit! I used a blender for the graham cracker crust and just mixed the rest of the crust by hand and it turned out perfect.
Anna Igl says
Looks mighty good! Thanks.
Barbara Fungaroli says
can you use cool-whip??