This classic no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake boasts a buttery graham cracker crust, a creamy no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake, and lightly sweetened vanilla bean whipped cream.
I absolutely love cheesecake, if that’s not totally evident by the number of cheesecake flavors I have steadily growing on this site! And while cheesecakes can be a labor of love, cheesecake bars and no-bake cheesecakes are much easier and still embody that full cheesecake flavor. I specifically wanted to create a no-bake cheesecake for those of us in the heat of summer who wanted a creamy cheesecake but just didn’t want to turn the oven on. Enter my classic no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake. A buttery graham cracker crust is filled with creamy vanilla bean cheesecake, and then topped with vanilla bean whipped cream. I added this fresh lemon curd beneath the whip. It’s absolutely decadent, and it’s a perfect blank slate dessert that you can dress up or enjoy plain. Let’s make it.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THIS classic NO-BAKE vanilla bean CHEESECAKE:
Graham cracker crumbs
Salted butter
Granulated sugar
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Pure vanilla bean paste
Heavy cream
THE CRUST
I created an ultra thick Graham cracker crust that is fully no-bake, and requires only three ingredients: Graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted salted butter.
Place all of your ingredients in a medium sized bowl, and gently mix with a fork. Alternatively you can add all of the ingredients to a large food processor and process until smooth. The crust should be buttery to the touch and roughly the texture of wet sand. It should also press easily into your springform pan without flaking at all.
Press the crust into your parchment lined 9-inch springform pan, and use the bottom of a glass to gently press down around the bottom and along the sides. Set the crust pan aside while you make your filling.
THE FILLING
This creamy filling of an offshoot of many recipes on this site. The main difference is you are going to omit the eggs, and the cream cheese mixture will stiffen once it is refrigerated. You definitely want the cream cheese and the sugar to mix well, which is why we substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. You can absolutely try it with granulated sugar, just know that it will be a bit more grainy, although I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing. I love a good grainy texture on occasion, especially when it comes to my brown sugar butter cream. It reminds me of the true texture of cookie dough before you add the flour.
Begin by creaming the cream cheese for one to two minutes in a standing mixer or by hand, ensuring that the cream cheese has been softened to room temperature and is blending up lump free. Add the sifted sugar and the vanilla bean paste. Mix until combined. Set this aside while you whip the heavy cream.
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form in a standing or hand-mixer, about 2 to 3 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, blending until no whipped cream remains unmixed, and the cheesecake is lump free. That should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour or spoon the no-bake cheesecake filling into the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a spatula to ensure an even finish. Placed the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
The topping + alternate options
This glorious vanilla bean whipped cream boasts only heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste. It is deliciously creamy and speckled with beautiful vanilla beans, allowing the light yet rich flavor to complement the denser cheesecake filling wonderfully.
Add all of your whipped cream ingredients to a small bowl and beat with a standing mixer or hand mixer for about 1 to 3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream onto your chilled cheesecake. It is best to only put whipped cream on the parts of the cheesecake that you plan to consume that day. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days sans whipped cream topping.
I added lemon curd to my vanilla bean cheesecake, and absolutely loved the tart and sweet lemon flavor combined with the creamy filling.
You can also add the raspberry jam from this cookie recipe, this three ingredient homemade caramel sauce, or a decadent chocolate ganache found in this no-bake peanut butter cheesecake recipe.
You can chop up fresh fruit to serve with the cheesecake, add a dollop of pastry cream, or serve it with anything that you fancy would complement this blank slate dessert. Get creative and make it your own!
THE PRODUCTS
Here is one link to all of the products I used in making this cheesecake. I linked the 9-inch springform pan (which comes with pre-cut parchment liners!), the water bath liner (in 6-inches and 9-inches, I have both and love them), the piping bags, and piping tip.
Peruse my entire storefront for the items that I bake and style with daily! My promise to you is to never share a product that I don’t personally use and love.
THE DIETARY SUBSTITUTIONS
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Pamela’s Honey Graham Crackers are gluten free and perfect for use in this crust if you want or need to avoid gluten
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for the cheesecake base and the whipped cream.
If you loved this classic no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations.
Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy!
XO,
Heather
Classic No-Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 3 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 14 Tablespoons Salted Butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 24 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream, whipped to stiff peaks
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
Toppings:
- Lemon Curd (link in blog), fresh fruit, fruit preserves, etc!
Instructions
- For the Crust: Place all of your ingredients in a medium sized bowl, and gently mix with a fork. Alternatively you can add all of the ingredients to a large food processor and process until smooth. The crust should be buttery to the touch and roughly the texture of wet sand. It should also press easily into your springform pan without flaking at all. Press the crust into your parchment lined 9-inch springform pan, and use the bottom of a glass to gently press down around the bottom and along the sides. Set the crust pan aside while you make your filling.
- For the Filling: Begin by creaming the cream cheese for one to two minutes in a standing mixer or by hand, ensuring that the cream cheese has been softened to room temperature and is blending up lump free. Add the sifted sugar and the vanilla bean paste. Mix until combined. Set this aside while you whip the heavy cream.Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form in a standing or handmixer, about 2 to 3 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, blending until no whipped cream remains unmixed, and the cheesecake is lump free. That should take about 1 to 2 minutes.Pour the no bake cheesecake into the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a spatula to ensure an even finish. Placed the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
- For the Whipped Cream: Add all of your whipped cream ingredients to a small bowl and beat with a standing mixer or hand mixer for about 1 to 3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream onto your chilled cheesecake. It is best to only put whipped cream on the parts of the cheesecake that you plan to consume that day. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days sans whipped cream topping.
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