No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars
These perfectly creamy no-bake lemon cheesecake bars have the perfect pop of citrus flavor! Super simple 20-minute prep, a touch of ginger in the graham cracker crust to give the flavor a pop, and topped with a tart lemon whipped cream--this easy dessert is a lemon lover's dream! No baking required makes these a perfect summer treat but can be a great option any time of year!
Servings: 10
Ingredients
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- 14 sheets of graham crackers approx. 1 ¾ – 2 cups crumbs
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼-½ tsp of ground ginger optional
- pinch of sea salt
LEMON CHEESECAKE
- 24. oz. block cream cheese softened to room temperature (3, 8 oz. blocks)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice fresh
- 1 Tbsp packed lemon zest
- ⅓ cup confectioners sugar
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold
Optional Lemon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Process the graham crackers in a food processor until fine. (You can do this in a plastic bag with a heavy wood spoon or rolling pin if you don't have a food processor.)
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, vanilla, ginger, salt and sugar until combined and crumbly. Press VERY FIRMLY into a parchment lined 9x9 inch pan. Freeze for about 15 minutes while making the cheesecake filling.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Filling: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, add the very cold whipping cream and beat on high until stiff peaks begin to form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon cream cheese mixture until fully combined.
- Transfer the cheesecake mixture to chilled crust. Spread evenly until smooth. Chill for at least 6-8 hours to set—I let it set overnight for easiest slicing.
- Serving: Before serving, you can make optional lemon whipped cream by beating the heavy cream in a small bowl, slowly adding in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and lastly the lemon juice. This is a subtle lemon whipped cream flavor—for stronger flavor, fold in about 1 tsp very finely zested lemon zest (some people won’t want that texture.
- Slice and pipe a bit of the whipped cream on each square and a small slice of lemon. Serve!
Notes
Storage: Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. The creamy texture will be the best in the first 24-36 hours but it is still perfectly edible for another few days!
Freezing: If you want to freeze it, allow it to set completely in the fridge first. Cover the cheesecake very tight with plastic wrap and then seal with a lid to keep it at its best texture. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight
Chill the cheesecake sufficiently. This will make for easier slicing and will hold up much better. You can eat it still if it's not fully set, it will just be a LOT messier--consider yourself warned!
You can opt to make this in a 9 inch springform pan instead for a round cheesecake pie. It should work well in that form as well!
Tips for cutting the cheesecake bars:
- Make sure the cheesecake is chilled sufficiently. You can even freeze it for the last 30 minutes before serving.
- Take a sharp knife and run it under hot water for about 15 seconds, wiping it dry before slicing.
- Slice and then wipe between each slice. You can run it under hot water several times throughout.
Nutrition
Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 1mg