No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
This No Bake Lemon Cheesecake makes for a tasty dessert on a warm summer evening! Enjoy!
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“The fly does not know that the frog is not mad. The frog does not know that the cat is not bad. The cat runs in fear of the dog, I can tell. If I can stop HIM, then all will be well.”
“Oh, they would put me in the zoo, if they could see what I can do.”
We’ve been reading a lot of Dr. Seuss books lately. Robbie requests at least 2 books before bed every night. (In truth, he always requests more…but I think he’s just trying to delay bedtime.) And recently, he’s all about Dr. Seuss. In fact, he almost has several of those books memorized. He’ll tell me what happens next before I even turn the page. That kid!
Now I’ve always loved Dr. Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of my all-time favorite Christmas books. I even have a copy of that one in Latin, I do. Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit. It just doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like the English version. But I bet you can imagine the Pope saying that and sounding all Pope-like, right?
Speaking of rolling off your tongue, Laura and I have totally caught ourselves talking like Dr. Seuss lately. “Do you want green eggs and ham?” “I do not want green eggs and ham. I want No Bake Lemon Cheesecake, Sam I am.” Ok, so maybe we shouldn’t quit our day jobs to become children’s book writers. But I’m not kidding one bit when I say that we speak in short, rhyming phrases. And I bet all of you parents out there can totally identify!
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
We had some friends over for dinner adult conversation last weekend, and I wanted to whip up some sort of fun dessert. I’m all about lemony desserts in the summer, and I also love no bake desserts. That’s when I landed on this idea for a No Bake Lemon Cheesecake. I pulled up several of my older no bake recipes and blended them into one. The result? A wonderfully light and creamy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake. Heck, I’ll even eat a plate of green eggs and ham if it means I can get a slice of this cheesecake afterwards! (On a somewhat related side note, I actually made green eggs and ham one time. You know, for fun. It tasted great, but it did not look very appetizing at all. True story!)
I called a last-minute audible on this No Bake Lemon Cheesecake, too. I was all set to make this one with a graham cracker crust, but that’s when I discovered that Robbie had polished off my graham cracker stash for his snack yesterday. Well, hmmm. Then I saw a box of vanilla wafers. Then I got an idea. An awful idea. The Grinch I got a wonderful, awful idea. I know just what to do! I simply said, “If I can’t use graham crackers, I’ll just use vanilla wafers instead!” In all seriousness, I’ve used vanilla wafers as a pie crust when making Banana Cream Pie…and they make an excellent pie crust. I also saved a few of the crumbs and sprinkled them on top of the cheesecake once it was done baking freezing.
If you’re looking for a tasty and fun summer dessert, then look no further! Grab a slice and enjoy!
Love lemon desserts as much as I do? Then check out some of these other recipes, too:
Lemon Blueberry 7UP Pound Cake
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- 60 vanilla wafers ~1¾ cups of crumbs, divided
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- 1 3-oz. package lemon gelatin
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 5.3-oz. container lemon or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 12-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
For Garnish
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- ¼ cup vanilla wafer crumbs leftover from above
- {optional} small lemon wedges
Instructions
For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Using a food processor or mini-chopper, pulse the vanilla wafers until finely ground. Remove ¼ cup of crumbs and set aside to use as garnish later.)
- Using a medium bowl, combine the 1½ cups of vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter; stir until fully combined.
- Lightly butter or grease a 9”x3” springform pan. Press the vanilla wafer mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of pan. (Tip: A flat-bottomed glass helps pack the crust mixture down evenly.)
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Note: For a sturdier crust, bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Let crust cool before adding filling.)
For the No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- Using a medium mixing bowl, stir gelatin, boiling water and lemon juice together until fully dissolved; let sit for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla extract and sugar until well combined.
- Using a large mixing bowl, stir together gelatin mixture with the cream cheese mixture. Add whipped topping and stir until just combined.
- Pour mixture over cooled crust. Cover and freeze for 4 hours, or overnight.
- Before serving, combine the whipping cream and powdered sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip; decorate top of cheesecake.
- Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbs on top of cheesecake.
- {Optional} Insert small lemon wedge into center of each dollop of whipped cream.
Fox in Socks was always my favorite Dr. Seuss book. But I’m totally getting a copy of the Grinch in Latin–I didn’t know such a wonderful thing existed! I’m 100% obsessed with anything related to Romance language. I shoulda been born in Italy. . .And as you know, I’m fully obsessed with anything cheesecake too. I’m wishing I had a giant slice of this for breakfast 🙂
There are actually a surprising number of classic books that have been reprinted in Latin. The Grinch is my favorite, but there’s also Winnie the Pooh and I saw Where the Wild Things Are on Amazon just the other day. I might have to get that one to keep my collection going! Also, I’m pretty sure I should’ve been born in Italy, too. I missed my calling there! But in the meantime, let’s read some Dr. Seuss and eat lemon cheesecake, ok? 🙂
This looks so light and creamy! Anything lemon, I’m in! I’ve been on a cheesecake baking spree this month and have the second half of a lemon cheesecake in my fridge right now (experimenting with water bath vs no water bath. The verdict: the bath makes the creamiest, crack-free cake, but you don’t get a crisp crust. The no-bath makes for the best crust but the cake will most likely crack, though still tastes delicious.) But this no-bake cheesecake sounds like the answer to cheesecake perfection! The thing I love so much about lemon cheesecake in the summer is all the fresh fruits you can make into a sauce to serve on top or along side. Currently I have sour cherry sauce, next up is peache sauce!
I totally appreciate your cheesecake trials, Kim! I agree with your findings about the water bath, too. It’s kindof a pain to do, but it does prevent the cracking (most of the time). But I also enjoy just putting a thin layer of whipped cream across the top of the baked cheesecake. It hides any cracks and gives you a clean slate to garnish with whatever you might want! So this no-bake version definitely avoids the cracking issue. And I’m thinking some of that sour cherry sauce poured on top of this cheesecake would be an excellent dessert. Hmmm…cherries are on sale at the grocery store here right now… 🙂
Thanks for the great tip for covering the cracks! When cherrries aren’t available, or you just don’t want to pit them, Trader Joe’s and Aldi have fabulous sour cherries in a jar packed in light syrup. Bring to simmer with a little sugar, add a little cornstarch to thicken and finish with some almond extract. A good pantry item to keep on hand for a quick dessert sauce!
Good call on the Trader Joe’s sour cherries! Actually, now that you say that, I swear we have a jar in the back of the pantry. I need to investigate! And yes to the almond extract, too!
Ha…I started reading and I’m, like, huh, but totally get it! Those books are great at The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is so good. Really love the movie adaptation with Jim Carey…well, also the old school cartoon. Lemon is totally my jam, David. LOVE IT! Did I mention I love lemon. It’s one of my favourite dessert flavours, probably more than chocolate.Yes, you read that right. Anywho, Pinning this beauty. I especially love that it’s no bake so perfect for summer!
I absolutely love the Jim Carrey version of the Grinch, too! It’s a classic holiday movie around here. But of course we have to watch the old cartoon version, too. Boris Karloff has such a unique voice as the narrator! (Did you know Boris played Frankenstein in the original Frankenstein movie? I didn’t until now!) Anyhoo, I hear ya on lemon desserts during the summer. It’s hard to beat a good lemon cheesecake…unless you make it a no-bake version! Thanks, Dawn! 🙂
Awww I wish I could meet Robbie. He’s so adorable. Well, summer weather is perfect for lemon and this lemon cheesecake is filled with all summer fun. Can’t wait to enjoy it!
I wish you could meet Robbie, too! I bet he’d have you outside in the yard playing within 5 minutes. 🙂 If your travels ever bring you to the Saratoga Springs, NY area, then you have a place to come! And I’ll make sure to have plenty of this lemon cheesecake on hand, too. Thanks, Linda!!
Interesting. I’m not familiar with Dr. Seuss’ books, but I’ve just googled his bibliography – he created the Grinch! It’s also interesting that you shared another cheesecake. Two cheesecakes within one week, David? And I didn’t get to have a slice? Hmm. Also, if you keep on making cheesecakes in this pace, you’ll run out flavors soon, and you’ll finally need to make a lavender cheesecake. How exciting!
Yes! Dr. Seuss is a legend in the world of children’s books…and of course you know The Grinch. That’s one of my all-time favorites! And I did indeed share another cheesecake…but this one is no-bake. That means it’s different enough from the other one. Plus, this one is lemon and that was blueberry. Wait a second. What if I combined those two. A lemon blueberry swirled cheesecake! No lavender needed! Hah. Thanks, Ben!
I used to not really be a fan of lemon at all, but in the last few days it’s grown on me. I’ve been using lemon zest in a lot of recipes and love the fresh taste that it adds!
Totally meant to say in the last few YEARS that it’s grown on me! 😉
Haha…I was thinking, “wow, the last few days??” 🙂 But, yes, I agree with you! Lemony desserts on a hot summer day are amazing. And lemon zest is definitely a secret weapon for so many recipes! Thanks, Nicole!
Such a lovely summer dessert. It looks so light and fluff and sooo delicious! (We are all Dr. Suess fans in my house!)
Yes! Dr. Seuss really is a classic. But you haven’t lived until you’ve read The Grinch in Latin. Hah! 🙂 Thanks, Valentina!
Aren’t no bake cakes the best in the summer when its hot outside and the last thing you want to do is to increase the temperature in the kitchen by a hot oven. We have a crazy heatwave here in London and it does not seem to stop any time soon … Love lemony flavours especially during summer, it is so refreshing! Have a wonderful weekend ahead, my friend!
No bake desserts really are the best. I was just teaching one of my buddies how to bake bread the other day, and it was so hot! I love baking bread, and I was happy to teach him…but man, that oven. On a hot day. No thanks! We’ve been having a pretty crazy heatwave over here, too, so desserts like this are certainly appreciated. Thanks so much, Miriam…and I’m hoping it cools off a bit for you over there soon!
Wow, what an amazing cake David. I would love to try this recipe, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks so much, Puja! This cake is definitely a fun one…and perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn the oven on! 🙂
Good Ol’ Dr. Suess. My kids are too old for those books, but we always celebrate his birthday at school! 🙂 I still get plenty of opportunities to read my favorites! Love this cheesecake! The height makes a stunning presentation and I love anything with lemon!
Yes! They celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday at Robbie’s daycare last year, and we had a Dr Seuss shirt for him to wear, too. Those books really are classics! Thanks so much, Kathy! 🙂
Well now. Lemon Cheesecakes are one of my most favourite. You cannot beat that clean zingy flavour you get when you bite in. This one looks so creamy too David. Yum! “Do you want No Bake Lemon Cheesecake. Yes I WANT No Bake LEmon Cheesecake”. 😀
I love that zingy flavor of lemon desserts, too, Neil…especially on hot summer days! And I think you might have a future writing kid’s books if I say so myself. Haha! Thanks, my friend! 🙂
Haha – I LOVED when Lil Shashi went through the Dr Seuss phase! She still hasn’t brought herself to parting with some of those books – one of her favs was The places you go – with the Grinch being a very close second! Sounds like y’all are enjoying the Dr Seuss phase as much (or maybe more than) Robbie is? 🙂
As for this creation – Dang Dude! That wafer crust sounds so good – what a fantastic idea! And that lemon filling! So much lemony goodness! I would have to do several “taste tests” of that filling and probably end up with a cheesecake half as tall as this one! Also love the smattering of crumbled wafers on top… and that background fruit roll up deco isalmost seussical!
I totally know what you mean about Dr Seuss books being classics, Shashi! I was actually collecting them long before Robbie was born…they’re just such good books! Ok, I didn’t sit around and read them very often, but I did collect ’em. If only I could make a slice of this no bake lemon cheesecake magically appear every time I pulled a Dr Seuss book off the shelf! Hah! 🙂
I love Dr. Seuss! Keith can rattle off Tweedle Beetle Paddle Battle in a way that always makes me giggle!
And just look at this beautiful cheesecake! Plus, no bake!? For the win!! This beauty will be making an appearance at our house this summer!
Oh man, Keith has Dr Seuss memorized!? Now that is a feat! I do have parts of the Grinch memorized, and you never know when I’ll drop it into conversation. But Tweedle Beetle Paddle Battle is one of the more uncommon ones! Anyhoo, let’s eat cheesecake and read/quote Dr Seuss, ok? (Basically I’m just looking for an excuse to eat more of this no bake Lemon Cheesecake! hah!) Thanks, Marissa!
My grandma used to make a no-bake cheesecake for my birthday when I was a kid. I haven’t had one now since … I don’t know, maybe since I was a kid! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors, so I’m sure this’d be completely addictive if I were to eat even one bite. By the way, when I was a kid, my favorite Seuss book was “Big A, little a, what begins with A? Aunt Annie’s alligator, A…a…A.”
I say you should embrace your childhood, Jeff. Pull out Aunt Annie’s alligator book and make one of these no bake Lemon Cheesecakes. It’ll be like back in the old days! 🙂
I love no-bake cheesecakes. This one sounds yummy. Lemon is a great flavor.
Thanks so much, Dawn! I love lemony desserts, too…especially in the summer!
OMG, I love Dr. Seuss. In this house we were totally obsessed with “Where the Wild Things Are” (roaring our terrible roars and such), and “Goodnght Moon”. Dr. Seuss was always on the list, though we tried to limit to 2 as well. But this no-bake cheesecake is what I’ve been craving! Lemon cheesecake is just what we need right now, and no-bake to boot! This weather is screaming for it – thanks for the recipe!
Both ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and ‘Goodnight Moon’ are classics! Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve read ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ to Robbie yet…good idea! And then maybe I’ll come downstairs for a slice of this no-bake lemon cheesecake. 🙂 Thanks, Laura!