The best No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake recipe beats all others with a creamy no bake cheesecake filling mixed with fluffy Cool Whip, graham cracker or gluten-free crust option, and fresh strawberries covered in a glossy gelatin glaze.
Strawberry Cheesecake with cool whip and gelatin
No bake strawberry cheesecake with a gelatin glaze was the dessert I anticipated the most every summer. We would only get to enjoy it when strawberries were in season, and tasted like actual strawberries.
The no bake cheesecake easily comes together in minutes by whipping together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. Finish it off by folding in Cool Whip.
Pile juicy, fresh strawberries on top, cover with a jello glaze and you have an easy, refreshing summer dessert anyone can pull off!
Cheesecake Filling
The filling is made of 5 simple ingredients and firms up and slices beautifully, just like baked cheesecake!
Easy ingredients blend together perfectly to make an extraordinarily creamy, tangy, and sweet no bake filling.
- Cream Cheese – Regular cream cheese makes a thicker, studier filling than light cream cheese. For the cream cheese to blend well with the other ingredients, it should be at room temperature first.
- Sour Cream – Sour cream gives the distinctive tangy taste. Regular or light sour cream can be used because it’s adding more to the taste than the structure.
- Powdered Sugar – Important for a few reasons – it thickens the filling, won’t leave a grainy texture, and adds the vital sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract – A splash of flavor enhancer
- Cool Whip – Brings a light, airy texture, while still maintaining cheesecake’s firmness. Homemade whipped cream may also be substituted by beating 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
How to Make No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- Stir together no bake crust ingredients and press into a 9″ pie dish. Chill for 20 minutes. (Alternative gluten free crust or oreo crust recipes are included in recipe card.)
- Meanwhile, make no bake cheesecake. With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat together cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip.
- Spoon filling into chilled crust and refrigerate for 1 more hour.
- Wash and hull strawberries. This tool is my absolute favorite way to hull strawberries.
- Boil together sugar, cornstarch, and water. Remove from heat and add strawberry jello. Let cool and spoon over fresh strawberries.
Strawberry gelatin Topping
I love the juiciness of fresh strawberries paired with the creamy filling. The topping mimics the legendary fresh strawberry flavor I grew up on.
Arrange fresh, whole strawberries on top of the cheesecake. Mix together the simple glaze ingredients – strawberry jello, cold water, cornstarch, sugar, and corn syrup – on the stovetop.
Cool the strawberry glaze to room temperature, then pour over arranged strawberries. It will form a sweet strawberry jam to fill in all the nooks between the strawberries.
Return pie to the refrigerator to set.
No Bake Cheesecake Crust options
The crust for this cheesecake come together in minutes, especially with time-saving kitchen equipment. A food processor or blender grinds into fine crumbs, making it easier to press down, and firmly binding the crust.
If you don’t have a food processor or blender, place the crust ingredients in a durable, plastic freezer bag and use a rolling pin flatten crumbs. Keep rolling until crumbs are very small and granular, almost like cornmeal.
Graham Cracker Crust
Typically a no bake cheesecake uses graham cracker crumbs for its crust. When mixed with melted butter and chilled briefly, the crust binds together very well and holds up with slicing.
Gluten-Free Crust
Gluten-free graham crackers are expensive, so I prefer to use crushed Chex cereal for gluten free cheesecake or pie crusts. The crust does need to be baked briefly for the ingredients to bind together.
Also, the finer the crumbs the less crumbly it will become during slicing. Use a food processor or blender for best results. Alternatively use a durable, plastic freezer bag and rolling pin to almost flour-like crumbs.
To learn more about this alternative crust, and see modifications, go to the Chex crust recipe. Another option is to bake an almond flour crust or oatmeal pie crust, which would be pair perfectly with the cheesecake filling and fresh strawberry topping.
Oreo Crust
An oreo cheesecake crust infuses a touch of chocolate into Strawberry Cheesecake. An oreo crust can be baked or refrigerated for a no bake crust.
To make an Oreo Cheesecake Crust:
- Mix together 24 finely crushed oreo cookies with 4 tablespoons melted butter.
- Scoop the mixture into a 9″ pie plate and press down bottom and up around sides.
- No Bake Crust: refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then fill. Baked Crust: Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, cool, and fill.
expert TIPS and storing
- Don’t forget to remove 1 tablespoon of strawberry jello from the package before adding it to the sugar water. Leaving it in makes the strawberry glaze a little too gelatinous.
- What’s dessert without chocolate? Melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips with a small splash of vegetable oil and drizzle over the set pie.
- The recipe only requires 2 cups of Cool Whip whipped topping. Use the leftover whipped topping for decorating or serving with slices.
- No-bake cheesecakes may be may be made in a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan.
- Love raspberries? Substitute raspberry jello with fresh raspberries on top.
- Refrigerate leftovers with a piece of plastic wrap pressed into the cut side. Avoid pressing on top, so it doesn’t stick to the glaze.
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
More Favorite Summer Desserts
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Butterscotch Delight
- Zucchini Brownies
- Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake
- Baked Alaska
- Sugar Cookie Bars
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No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe (To Beat All Others!)
Ingredients
No Bake Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (10 full sheet crackers)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Alternative Gluten Free Crust:
- 2 cups (5 cups whole) rice or corn Chex cereal, crushed very fine
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
Fresh Strawberry Topping:
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- 3 ounce strawberry jello gelatin (WITH 1 TABLESPOON REMOVED)
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
Instructions
Crust:
- In a medium bowl mix together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Dump into a 9” pie pan. Spread in an even layer, then use fingers, or flat-bottomed glass, to press crumbs firmly on bottom and up sides of pan. Chill for 20 minutes.
- ALTERNATIVE GLUTEN FREE CRUST: Preheat oven to 375ºF. Stir together crushed cereal, sugar, and butter in a bowl. TIP: For best results use a food processor to mix everything and so crumbs are very finely ground, almost like flour. Dump into a 9” pie pan. Spread in an even layer, then use fingers, or flat-bottomed glass, to press crumbs firmly on bottom and up sides of pan. Bake for 12 minutes and cool at least 15 minutes before filling.
No Bake Cheesecake Filling:
- In a large bowl use a hand mixer to beat together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth and no lumps remain, about 1 minute on high.
- Gently fold 2 cups of whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Evenly spread cheesecake filling in no bake crust. Place back in refrigerator for 1 hour while making strawberry topping.
Fresh Strawberry Topping:
- Wash strawberries, hull, and then place on towels to dry.
- In a small saucepan whisk together sugar, cornSTARCH, and water. Bring to boil, whisking occasionally.
- Immediately remove from heat once it begins to boil. Whisk in strawberry jello (with 1 tablespoon removed) and corn SYRUP. Stir to dissolve and let sit until thickened and cooled, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally while cooling.
- Arrange washed, dried, and hulled strawberries, cut side down, on top of cheesecake filling. Place the pie on a large platter or baking sheet to catch drips. Spoon cooled strawberry gelatin mixture over fresh strawberries. TIP: This makes a lot of glaze. I usually pour half on, refrigerate until set, and then add another layer. Return cheesecake to refrigerator for gelatin to set, about 1 hour.
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Recipe Notes
expert TIPS and storing
- Don’t forget to remove 1 tablespoon of strawberry jello from the package before adding it to the sugar water. Leaving it in makes the strawberry glaze a little too gelatinous.
- What’s dessert without chocolate? Melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips with a small splash of vegetable oil and drizzle over the set pie.
- The recipe only requires 2 cups of Cool Whip whipped topping. Use the leftover whipped topping for decorating or serving with slices.
- No-bake cheesecakes may be may be made in a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan.
- Love raspberries? Substitute raspberry jello with fresh raspberries on top.
- Refrigerate leftovers with a piece of plastic wrap pressed into the cut side. Avoid pressing on top, so it doesn’t stick to the glaze.
Nutrition
❊SHOP THE RECIPE❊
Items used to make this recipe:
Food Processor Strawberry Huller 9″ Pie Dish
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This post first appeared on The Slow Roasted Italian website.
Annie says
Can the strawberry mixture be put on the cheesecake when serving it?
Melissa says
Hi Annie,
You can definitely leave the strawberry topping off and serve it with a strawberry sauce on the side. However, the topping in this recipe would not work for that. The recipe is fresh strawberries with a jello like glaze that covers and drips in between the strawberries, becoming solid. I hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
Cathy says
Just made this for my niece after a bad day at school. She absolutely loved it! Thanks!
Melissa says
What a fabulous aunt you are! This is guaranteed to cheer anyone up, right?!
julie says
Loved the recipe
Melissa says
That’s wonderful. Thanks for writing!