Let’s face it, no one wants to turn on the oven in the warm months when you’re craving a traditional cheesecake. No you don’t. I’m taking a classic dessert and making it even easier. It’s the perfect make ahead dessert that you can refrigerate until you’re ready a cooling sweet treat. There’s really no reason NOT to make this as it has only a few simple ingredients. Serve cold or room temperature. There’s nothing I love more in a dessert than a tasty crust made from Graham crackers! (they’re just like digestive biscuits for my U.K. friends). Mostly, it’s my go-to crust over regular pie crust, even in desserts like my Summer Mango Pie or a classic English Banoffee Pie. The best part about this lemon cherry cheesecake is sinking your spoon through the creamy filling and hitting that amazing crust. It’s buttery, slightly sweet, and crumbles perfectly in your mouth. This is one of those cheesecake recipes that looks fancy and is a great dessert for both a casual family gathering and special occasions.
Cream cheese mixture/filling
For the cream cheese filling, I skip the eggs, common in baked cheesecakes, and use gelatin for setting in this no-bake version. Sweetness and extra creaminess come from sweetened condensed milk, along with vanilla and a touch of lemon zest, that perfectly complements the cherries.
Let’s talk about the fresh cherry topping
Since it’s cherry season, I love to simply toss the fresh cherries in a pan with sugar and cook them down slightly. This creates a perfect, syrupy cherry sauce that pairs beautifully with the creamy cheesecake filling. And it’s also fantastic on ice cream! If you’ve tried this No Bake Cherry Lemon Cheesecake or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!
Best pan for cherry cheesecake
I like to use a bread loaf pan/bread tin. It can be glass or metal. The reason is, this shape is easier to slice and they are perfect sizes. You can also use a round, springform pan or square baking dish.
Equipment needed for cheesecake
While a food processor makes quick work of the crust, you can easily crush the graham crackers by hand and mix in the melted butter in a bowl. Similarly, the filling can be whisked by hand, though a hand mixer or stand mixer will definitely save you some time!
Storing leftover cheesecake
If you have any left, simply wrap the remaining in an airtight container. It will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see daily recipe updates.
