I love dessert, but baking and I go back to a very troubled history. I am not the type to bake and weigh ingredients with precision – which is a huge no in baking! – so I am a big fan of simple recipes. And this 5 ingredient no bake Cheesecake couldn’t be easier!

Sure, you still need to weigh your ingredients precisely – I am learning that!- but apart from that, there’s no baking involved at all, so it’s a beginner-friendly recipe that still leaves so much space for creativity with toppings, Crust type and size. You could make amazing mini cheesecakes or crustless cheesecakes with the same simple ingredients. 

The hardest part will be the wait rest assured! This 5 ingredient no Bake Cheesecake is the perfect combination of silky and creamy cheesecake filling with a delicious crust. Sweet thanks to the maple syrup, but not overpowering as some grocery store vanilla cheesecakes might be.

It’s the perfect no bake dessert to make ahead for special occasions or for when you are hosting and don’t have much time to spend baking. It will take you only ten minutes to whip up and then only to rest! 

If you love no bake desserts, we have got you covered with these mini strawberry pots, no bake cookie dough bites , no bake cookie truffles and no bake pumpkin ganache pie.

What ingredients will I need for this no bake cheesecake?

This 5 ingredient cheesecake requires as the main ingredient, room temperature cream cheese – if you beat a cold one you could end up with a lumpy mixture (the kitchn). Then you will need heavy cream, sugar, maple syrup and a crust of your choice, whether store-bought or a homemade crust, but more on that later on. Make sure the cream cheese you use is full fat cream cheese as it will keep better the shape and texture. 

​Can I substitute anything in this 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake recipe? 

Substitutions for this recipe could be quite hard as it requires very few ingredients. What you could swap is the heavy cream and maple syrup, the latter can be substituted by vanilla extract and instead of heavy creamy you could use heavy whipping cream or coconut cream. More than omitting or substituting ingredients you could easily add, like lemon juice for a bit of tartness, or something to add to your cream cheese mixture for a flavoured cheesecake. 

What equipment will I need for this 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake?

All you will need for this recipe is a stand mixer or a hand mixer if you prefer, a large bowl and a pan, which will come with the crust if you buy it at the shop. Unless you prefer to change it. So easy it could be made on the road and on holiday! 

Can I make my own cheesecake crust?

You absolutely can! The store-bought crust might be a quicker way and most probably easier to find around. We couldn’t find any so we did end up making our own. And to be honest, it’s so quick you won’t really consider buying it and it’s also a good way to get rid of old biscuits. We crushed 300 g of biscuits and mixed it with 100g of melted butter, which worked well for a 9-inch baking pan. 

It takes only a few minutes and you can actually use a blender to make the crust itself. With the help of a glass then you can spread evenly the biscuit crust and then keep it in the freezer while you are making your creamy filling, so it has time to set. Or you could also make a crustless cheesecake following the same simple recipe.

Other crust ideas are: 

• graham crackers crust;
• oreo cookie crust;
• crumb crust;
• peanut butter cookie crust;
• cinnamon bun crust;
• brownie base crust;
• ladies finger crust;
• gingersnap crust;
• pretzel crust;
• streusel crust (similar to this streusel topping);
• digestive biscuits cookie crust;
• vanilla wafers crust;
• biscoff cookies crust. 

What toppings can I add to this 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake?

There are so many options for toppings when you have a delicious cheesecake base like this one. Between the many, you could add:

• fresh berries and fresh strawberries;
• fine crumbs of your favourite cookies;
• broken graham cracker;
• lemon zest;
• candy bars & cookies;
• granola;
• crushed nuts;
• cookie butter – anything like lotus biscoff or your favourite cookie butter brand;
• peanut butter, Nutella or granola butter;
• fresh fruit or frozen;
• fruit competes;
• curds or jams;
• cherry pie filling;
• chocolate – chocolate chips, chocolate syrup or chocolate shavings;
• caramel;
• ice cream;
• oreos;
• matcha.

How to make the 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake recipe

In the bowl of your standing mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the room temperature cream cheese, sugar and maple syrup for 2-3 minutes at medium speed, or until the mixture has a fluffy texture. Slowly add the heavy cream and beat at high speed for an additional 3 minutes or until you achieve stiff peaks. 

Pour the mixture on the crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or even better overnight. Take the cheesecake out of the fridge ten minutes before serving. Slice your cheesecake, add any toppings and enjoy! 

Can I freeze this 5 ingredient no bake cheesecake? How long will it last?

You absolutely can! Just make sure to use plastic wrap around it and then close it in a ziplock bag or into a container that is freezer safe. This will keep your no bake cheesecake still delicious as the first day. You can keep it in the freezer for up to a month and thaw it overnight in the fridge. You can serve it the next day and add any of your favourite toppings to it. 

If you go for the fresh no bake cheesecake, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Make sure to cover it with a cover or plastic wrap so that the filling will still keep silky and the crust won’t go soggy or stale. And I must admit that it’s even better the day after! 

More easy dessert recipes:

• Biscoff blondies;
• Nutella muffins with strawberries;
• Pistachio lemon cake loaf;
• 4-ingredient banana bread;
• 3-ingredient strawberry sorbet;
• Matcha tiramisu;
• 3 ingredient Nutella cookies;
• Peach hand pies.