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Home » Recipes » Single Serving Desserts

By Joanie Zisk Published: Jun 1, 2022 · Updated: Jun 1, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · Please read my disclosure

No-Bake Cheesecake For One

Jump to Recipe
a small cheesecake in a dessert dish topped with fresh raspberries and mint

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.

a small cheesecake in a dessert dish next to a bowl of strawberries

This no-bake cheesecake is as simple as it gets. The filling is refreshing, tart, and perfectly sweet.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Made with just a few simple ingredients: This creamy cheesecake is a quick and easy dessert recipe. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a short time in the fridge.
  • There's no baking involved: 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.
  • You can adjust the sweetness level in this dessert: I use 2 tablespoons of sugar but you can add a little more or use a little less sugar if preferred.
  • This recipe doubles well: If you want to make two mini cheesecakes, just double the ingredients.

Ingredients

ingredients in no bake cheesecake on a kitchen counter
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Ingredient Notes

To make a single serving no-bake cheesecake, you will need:

  • 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 ginger snaps or vanilla wafers. In the UK, you can use digestive biscuits and in Australia, Arnott’s Granita biscuit is a good substitute.
  • Butter: Use melted butter. The butter is mixed with the cookie crumbs to create the cheesecake crust.
  • Cream cheese: Use room temperature cream cheese from a block of real cream cheese, not cream cheese spread or whipped cream cheese. Just leave the cream cheese on the counter for 30 minutes and it should be soft enough to use.
  • Sugar: Use granulated sugar in this recipe. Feel free to adjust the amount you use to suit your tastes. I happen to love the taste of this cheesecake with the amount of sugar listed in the recipe but use a touch more or a little less if you prefer.
  • Vanilla extract: Adds a wonderful flavor.
  • Heavy cream: Also called double cream, this is the "secret" ingredient to a thick no-bake cheesecake filling. Make sure you beat the cream into stiff peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes of whipping with an electric hand mixer.

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

How To Make No Bake Cheesecake For One

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  1. Place 2 sheets of graham crackers in a ziplock bag, seal, and roll with a rolling pin or heavy can to crush. This yields about ¼ cup of crushed graham crackers. Alternatively, you can add the cookies to a food processor and pulse until the cookies turn to crumbs.
graham crackers in a zip lock bag
  1. Pour the cookie crumbs into a small bowl and stir in the melted butter.
graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl
  1. Spoon crumbs into a dessert dish and press down with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of a dessert dish
  1. In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
cream cheese and sugar whipped together in a mixing bowl
  1. Pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl. With an electric mixer on medium speed or using a hand whisk, whisk until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
making homemade whipped cream
  1. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
whipped cream folded into cream cheese
  1. Spoon over the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before eating.

Pro Tip: For a much firmer cheesecake filling, refrigerate for about 6 hours.

one small no bake cheesecake in a dessert dish with a spoon on the side

RELATED: The Best Cookie Recipes For One

Expert Tips

Make Ahead Instructions

  • You can make the crust 1-2 days ahead of time. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Storing Instructions

  • Store a no-bake cheesecake in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 5 days, covered.

No Bake Cheesecake Tips

  • 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.
  • This recipe works great with your favorite graham crackers, but you might like to consider using ginger snaps or Biscoff cookies instead.
  • 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.
  • Consider making a crustless cheesecake by leaving out the crust and spooning the cheesecake mousse into a pretty dessert dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My No-Bake Cheesecake Not Firm?

To get cheesecake filling to firm up, it needs to be refrigerated for a minimum of 6 hours. It will not be as firm as a cheesecake that has been baked in an oven.

You can certainly eat a no bake cheesecake shortly after it's made - and it's absolutely delicious this way - but it will have more of a mousse-like consistency.

Also, 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 will thicken in the refrigerator.

Can This Easy Cheesecake Recipe Be Doubled?

Yes! If you'd like to make two small cheesecakes, double the ingredients.

What Is The Best Dish To Use?

The dishes I most often use in this recipe are mini pie/tart pans, an 8.5-ounce, a 10-ounce ramekin, or a pretty dessert dish. These dishes can be found on our Cookware Page and our Bakeware Page.

a half eaten cheesecake next to a brown napkin

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual no bake 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 Meringue Pie, Key Lime Pie, Mini S'mores Dip
  • Cream cheese: Pumpkin Bars, Keto Fat Bombs, Mini Carrot Cake, Hummingbird Cake, Mini Red Velvet Cake
  • Heavy Cream: Blue Cheese Dressing, Alfredo Sauce, Crustless Quiche Lorraine, Two Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Mini French Silk Pie

Other No Bake Cheesecake Recipes

You might also like to try these single serving cheesecake recipes:

  • No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • Lemon Cheesecake

A word about calories...

The nutrition information calculated in the recipe box is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator.

Keep in mind that this recipe yields one VERY LARGE serving of cheesecake. It is not a typical slice. The cheesecake can be enjoyed in one sitting or over a couple of days.

The majority of the calories come from the cream cheese and the heavy cream - two ingredients that are essential to making a no-bake cheesecake.

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 it!

a small cheesecake in a dessert dish next to a bowl of strawberries

No Bake Cheesecake For One

You won’t find an easier cheesecake recipe! This no bake single serving 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.
5 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 866kcal
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer
  • Dessert dish

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 extract
  • 4 ounces heavy cream
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place 2 sheets of graham crackers in a ziplock bag, seal, and roll with a rolling pin or heavy can to crush.
    This yields about ¼ cup of crushed graham crackers.
    Alternatively, you can add the cookies to a food processor and pulse until the cookies turn to crumbs.
  • Pour the cookie crumbs into a small bowl and stir in the melted butter.
  • Spoon crumbs into a 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 a medium-sized bowl. With an electric mixer on medium speed or using a hand whisk, 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 before eating.
    Pro Tip: For a much firmer cheesecake filling, refrigerate for about 6 hours.

Notes

Expert Tips
Make Ahead Instructions
  • 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. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
Storing Instructions
  • Store a no-bake cheesecake in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 5 days, covered.
No Bake Cheesecake Tips
  • 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.
  • This recipe works great with your favorite graham crackers, but you might like to consider using ginger snaps or Biscof cookies instead.
  • 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.
  • Consider making a crustless cheesecake by leaving out the crust and spooning the cheesecake mousse into a pretty dessert dish.
Nutrition Facts
No Bake Cheesecake For One
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 866 Calories from Fat 666
% Daily Value*
Fat 74g114%
Saturated Fat 45g281%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 19g
Cholesterol 216mg72%
Sodium 359mg16%
Potassium 224mg6%
Carbohydrates 46g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 34g38%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 2778IU56%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 150mg15%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

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About Joanie Zisk

Joanie Zisk is the creator of OneDishKitchen.com, the number one go-to site for single serving recipes. The aim of One Dish Kitchen is to inspire individuals with access to single serving recipes that will enable them to enjoy the preparation of a meal that will nourish both body and soul. Her website is filled with hundreds of easy, flavorful recipes that are tailored for those cooking for one. Joanie is the author of "The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook" and her recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including, TODAY.com, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Self.com,Women’s Day, Buzzfeed, and others. Come say hello and follow Joanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. J. Hegyi says

    June 02, 2022 at 1:38 am

    Great recipe.

    Reply
  2. Libby Cummings says

    November 19, 2021 at 9:17 am

    My creme cheese is already too sweet. Do I need to add more sugar? I'm using Pillsbury brand

    Reply
    • Joanie Zisk says

      November 19, 2021 at 12:33 pm

      Hi Libby, Are you using Pillsbury cream cheese "frosting"? Cream cheese should not be sweet at all and I wasn't aware that Pillsbury had a cream cheese product.

      Reply
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