No Bake Cheesecake with Gelatin

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When it comes to desserts, you can’t go wrong with a cheesecake! If you’re short on time to devote to a baked cheesecake, why not try this delicious no-bake cheesecake with gelatin? Easy enough for beginners!

The beauty of cheesecake is that it can be finished off just how you like it. Whether that’s topped with seasonal fruits, some whipped cream, or a good drizzle of caramel sauce or chocolate syrup. You can even make a ‘fancy’ version by replacing the vanilla extract with vanilla bean; the flecks look beautiful.

However you choose to top your cheesecake, you don’t even need to turn on the oven with this easy cheesecake recipe! On hot days, it’s a great way to (not) bake your (cheese)cake and eat it too!

What makes this cheesecake great?

With no need to bake this cheesecake, it’s a great dessert to make when the oven is otherwise occupied, or if it’s too hot! Timing is also in your favor here because you’ll want to make the cheesecake in advance. That makes this the fanciest make-ahead dessert I know (up there with tiramisu!).

The gelatin gives the cheesecake structure while keeping it light and creamy in texture. Gelatin needs time to set up though, so if you’ve got a lot going on in the kitchen already, it’s one more thing you can take off your list!

I love that this cheesecake isn’t too sweet, but has a creamy texture that’s almost like a baked cheesecake. While not exactly identical, even resident cheesecake snob the Godfather gave this recipe a thumbs up!

Key Ingredients

Gelatin – As mentioned, the gelatin in this recipe gives the cheesecake structure, which is important when not baking. It replaces the eggs we would normally add in a cheesecake recipe.

Gelatin is of course derived from animal sources, so is not suitable for vegetarians. To make a vegetarian-friendly version, you can use an equal amount of agar agar.

BUT, it is important to note that agar agar sets thicker than gelatin at room temperature, so your cheesecake will lose a little of the light and creamy texture. Personally, I haven’t found my magic agar cheesecake recipe yet.

Instead, I’ll send you here for a No-Bake Mango Cheesecake recipe made with agar! It looks quite delicious, and I hope to give it a try one day.

Yogurt – Full-fat plain or vanilla Greek yogurt is best for this recipe. I like the tang added and the sneaky extra bit of protein. Of course, if Greek yogurt isn’t to your liking, sour cream is also a wonderful substitute!

I used plain yogurt in developing this recipe. Should you swap for vanilla, you’ll get a sweeter batter. If your yogurt is particularly sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar in the recipe by a tablespoon or two.

Vanilla extract – The recipe requires vanilla extract for flavor. It is a vanilla cheesecake after all! Of course, I encourage you to play with flavors. This is a lovely blank canvas for you.

If you’re keeping with classic vanilla, you can swap the vanilla extract for vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste. It really does beautify this cheesecake!

Top tips for your no-bake cheesecake with gelatin

Since we aren’t going to bake this cheesecake, you need a good base. One that isn’t going to crumble everywhere when you serve it up!

The best thing you can do is to use a drinking glass to press the crust into the cheesecake tin. That way, the crust shouldn’t be loose giving it a better chance of coming out of the pan without blemishes. Be sure to grease the pan well too, and line it with parchment for easy transfer.

If you find yourself without a cheesecake tin, don’t worry. You can make this in an 8 or 9-inch round cake tin. Just place long strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the tin, leaving long edges up top that act as handles. You can then carefully lift the cheesecake out of the pan once completely chilled.

Topping Your No-Bake Cheesecake

Once you’ve made your cheesecake, it’s time to add some flair! An easy way to top your cheesecake is by using fresh fruit and whipped cream.

This Easy Stabilized Whipped Cream uses agar-agar so it’s fine for vegetarians. Alternatively, this Marscapone Whipped Cream is delicious too!

If you’re a fan of caramel, I don’t know many who aren’t..! Then why not try adding this Caramel Sauce. You’ve likely got the ingredients you need already to hand and it’s quick and easy to make.

And that’s it darlings! Your no-bake cheesecake with gelatin is ready to be devoured! If you’ve made it ahead of time, be sure to keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it up, and enjoy!