You won't find an easier cheesecake recipe! This single serving no bake cheesecake comes complete with a buttery graham cracker crust. It's creamy, it's delicious, and so easy to make. Satisfy a sweet craving with this delightful dessert recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- This creamy no bake cheesecake is a quick and easy dessert recipe. It's the perfect dessert to make when you crave a little something sweet.
- No baking is necessary. The ingredients are whipped together and refrigerated. No bake cheesecakes are different than traditional cheesecakes, they have more of a light and airy, mousse-like consistency rather than a dense, custard-like filling. No-bake cheesecakes are very easy to make.
- This cheesecake is soft, light, and absolutely delicious!
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
For the crust
- Graham crackers: Graham crackers are sweet whole wheat cookies made from graham flour. They are commonly found in the US in the cookie aisle of the grocery store. You can also use cream-filled cookies or vanilla wafers. In the UK, you might like to use digestive biscuits instead.
- Butter: Melted butter helps hold the crust together.
For the cheesecake
- Cream cheese: Make sure you use cream cheese from a block of real cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. Also, make sure the cream cheese is room temperature.
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar provides the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: For wonderful flavor.
- Heavy cream: Beating heavy cream into stiff peaks is a very important step in this recipe. It is the secret to a thick no-bake cheesecake filling. Heavy cream is also called double cream.
How To Make This Recipe
- Pour crumbs into a small bowl and stir in melted butter.
- Spoon crumbs into dessert dish and press down with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
- Pour the heavy cream into another small bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spoon over the cookie crust and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
RELATED: The Best Cookie Recipes For One
Frequently Asked Questions
As mentioned in the ingredient notes, the most important step is to beat cold heavy cream into stiff peaks. Be sure to fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese filling gently so that the cream doesn't deflate. The filling thickens in the refrigerator.
Yes! If you'd like to make two cheesecakes, double the ingredients.
The dishes I most often use in this recipe are mini pie/tart pans, an 8.5-ounce or a 10-ounce ramekin. These dishes can be found on our Cookware Page and our Bakeware Page.
You could even make a crustless cheesecake by leaving out the crust and spooning the cheesecake mousse into a pretty dessert dish.
Expert Tips
- This cheesecake can be made 1-2 days in advance. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before eating.
- You can make the crust 1-2 days ahead of time. To freeze the crust only, cover and place the crust in the freezer for 1 hour, then cover tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 days before adding the filling.
- Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before using. This helps to guarantee a smooth cheesecake filling. The heavy cream MUST be cold in order to whip into stiff peaks.
- You can certainly enjoy this cheesecake right after you make it. However, if you refrigerate the cheesecake for a few hours you'll end up with a firmer, yet still mousse-like consistency.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients left over from this cheesecake recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes.
- Graham crackers: Icebox Cake, Peanut Butter Pie, Lemon Pie, Key Lime Pie
- Cream cheese: Pumpkin Bars, Keto Fat Bombs, Mini Carrot Cake
- Cream: Blue Cheese Dressing, Alfredo Sauce, Crustless Quiche Lorraine
Other No Bake Cheesecake Recipes
You might also like to try these single serving cheesecake recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
RELATED: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes For One
If you’ve tried this no-bake cheesecake recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
No Bake Cheesecake For One
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (2 large sheets of graham crackers)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter , melted
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 4 ounces heavy cream
Instructions
- Place the 2 sheets of graham crackers in a ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin or use a heavy can to crush.
- Pour crumbs into a small bowl and stir in melted butter.
- Spoon crumbs into dessert dish and press down with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and set aside.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spoon over the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Notes
- This cheesecake can be made 1-2 days in advance. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before eating.
- You can make the crust 1-2 days ahead of time. To freeze the crust only, cover and place the crust in the freezer for 1 hour, then cover tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 days before adding the filling.
- Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before using. This helps to guarantee a smooth cheesecake filling. The heavy cream MUST be cold in order to whip into stiff peaks.
- You can certainly enjoy this cheesecake right after you make it. However, if you refrigerate the cheesecake for a few hours you'll end up with a firmer, yet still mousse-like consistency.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Heather says
Can I use already prepared whipped cream (from a can) in place of the Heavy Cream?
Joanie Zisk says
I've actually never tried making this cheesecake with prepared whipped cream. I think it would work. If you try it please let me know how it turns out for you.
Sheila says
Cold you use a no fat yogurt instead of cream?
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Sheila, I recommend using cream for best results.
Carol Borchardt says
I love this idea! What a wonderful way to pamper oneself and so easy to double to enjoy with a friend!
Joanie says
Thank you, Carol.
Brenda beal says
Love these one dish recipies
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you, Brenda.
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
I'm so glad your camera didn't break!!! I have a couple lens that need to go in for repair and a body...one was dropped on the garage floor. 🙁
This looks so tempting! I love cheesecake, but my family isn't as enamoured with it as I am, and the idea of making it for myself as a treat is very tempting!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Dear Joanie - I loved your post. Hearing about the Outlander series. Slowing down. Reading a book. I'm still in that somewhat frenetic stage of life with car pools and four kids at home. But I needed the reminder to inhale, exhale. Thank you. Perhaps I will make this cheesecake for one. For me. (!)
Joanie says
Allie, our house has become busy once again since our son moved back and transferred to a college near our home and another son moved back to Houston for a job change. Our once quiet house is buzzing with activity and I'm not at all complaining. I kind of missed it. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Christine from Cook the Story says
I love that this will help with portion control, and 5 ingredients? NO bake? Hello, perfect dessert.
Joanie says
Thanks so much, Christine.
Kate @ Diethood says
I haven't read an entire book since I had my first baby... 5+ years ago! Eeek! BUT, I have had cheesecake! haha 😉 And there's always room for one more... please pass me a spoon!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
Slowing down and relaxing and enjoying life is something we can all do more often. I know I'm guilty of being busy all the time with work, family, school, sports, church...the list keeps going. Having an easy no bake cheesecake treat for one sounds like the perfect way to enjoy a quiet moment!!! Love how easy this is!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
OMG dessert will never be the same! This looks exactly like what I need!
Joanie says
Single serving desserts are the best. I can satisfy my sweet tooth and not keep going back for more.
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
I love how simple and easy this is to make. I totally understand about needing to slow down, I have 4 kids at home!
Joanie says
It's not easy to carve out time for ourselves, but so necessary. Thanks for reading, Nancy.