Made with just 10 ingredients, my no bake lemon cheesecake bars are the perfect tart and tasty dessert for any occasion! I combined a no bake cheesecake base with fresh lemon and lemon Jell-O to create bright, zingy, and creamy cheesecake bars. I especially love to make this lemon cheesecake for Easter!
My no bake lemon cheesecake bars taste similar to lemon bars, but are way creamier! I love any dessert where I don’t have to turn on my oven, and this lemon cheesecake fits the bill! It’s lighter, softer, and fluffier than a traditional baked cheesecake, making it the perfect dessert after a heavy meal.
What’s in This No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bar Recipe?
- Graham Crackers: Form the sweet and crumbly base of the crust.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the crust and deepens its flavor.
- Butter: Salted butter helps bind the crust together and balances the sweetness.
- Lemon Jell-O: Any brand of lemon gelatin works.
- Cream Cheese: Let it soften at room temp before using so that it’s easy to mix.
- Sour Cream: This adds moisture and softness to the texture of the cheesecake, plus it adds some extra tanginess. I prefer this over heavy cream for this recipe!
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the cheesecake.
- Lemon: You need both lemon juice and lemon zest, so fresh lemons work best.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a hint of sweetness and balances the overall flavor.
- Whipping Topping: Something like Cool Whip, used to mix into the cheesecake mixture.
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How to Store
Store leftover no bake lemon cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying cold or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- If you typically like a lot of lemon flavor, you may want to use more lemon juice and zest! I recommend using ⅓ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup lemon zest.
- I sometimes like to fold ½ cup of blueberries or raspberries into the batter.
- This cheesecake also tastes delicious with an Oreo cookie crust. Believe it or not, chocolate and lemon is a great flavor combo!
- The longer your cheesecake bars chill in the fridge, the more time they’ll have to set. So if they aren’t firm enough for your liking after an hour, just let them chill longer. A few hours is ideal if you have the time.
- For clean cuts, let the bars cool and set before cutting. Then, dip a knife in warm water and dry it off before each cut. The warming of the knife will help create a smooth cut.
- I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe additional whipped topping on top of the bars as a garnish.
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups crushed honey graham crackers
- ½ cup salted butter melted (1 stick)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
For the Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- 3 ounces lemon gelatin (1 box)
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature (2 bricks)
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed if frozen (such as Cool Whip)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Hand Mixer
Instructions
- Place the graham crackers in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and brown sugar, tossing to combine.1½ cups crushed honey graham crackers, ½ cup salted butter, ⅓ cup brown sugar
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan (don’t pack upward alongside the edges of the pan). Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until your other ingredients are prepped.
- Meanwhile, boil 1 cup of water and pour over the lemon gelatin in a medium-size bowl. Stir to dissolve.3 ounces lemon gelatin
- Cool the gelatin in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until it’s thick but not set.
- In the meantime, using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.16 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream
- Add in the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract on medium speed.½ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons lemon zest, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Stir in the whipped topping.8 ounces whipped topping
- Fold the cooled lemon gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Taste mixture and add more lemon juice or lemon zest depending on preference.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust and smooth to the edges of the pan.
- Refrigerate until set, 30-60 minutes.
- Cut into bars and place a dollop of whipped topping on each piece and/or decorate with lemon slices, optional.
Notes
How to Make No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars Step-by-Step
Mix the Crust: Place 1½ cups of crushed honey graham crackers in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup of melted salted butter and ⅓ cup of brown sugar, tossing to combine.
Press the Crust: Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan (don’t pack upward alongside the edges of the pan). Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until your other ingredients are prepped.
Prepare the Gelatin: Meanwhile, boil 1 cup of water and pour over 3 ounces of lemon gelatin in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to dissolve. Cool the gelatin in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until it’s thick but not set.
Beat the Cream Cheese: In the meantime, using a hand mixer, beat 16 ounces (2 bricks) of softened cream cheese and ½ cup of sour cream until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
Flavor the Cream Cheese: Add in ½ cup of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of lemon zest, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract on medium speed.
Fold in the Whipped Topping: Stir in 8 ounces of whipped topping
Flavor the Filling: Fold the cooled lemon gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Taste the mixture and add more lemon juice or lemon zest depending on preference.
Set and Serve: Pour the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust and smooth to the edges of the pan. Refrigerate until set, 30-60 minutes. Cut into bars and place a dollop of whipped topping on each piece and/or decorate with lemon slices, optional.
Typical gelatin box is 0.3 ozs, but recipe calls for 3 ozs. So it takes 10 jello boxes to make this recipe? I was hoping to see comments from others for similar questions but can’t find any.
I believe they meant lemon Jello which is 3 oz per box.
Can I use lemon pudding mix instead of gelatin?
Can I substitute something else instead of gelatin as I am vegetarian. I want to make this yummy recipe
You can use agar agar in place of the gelatin and add a bit of extra lemon juice!
Can I substitute cool whip with real whipped cream?
You can try, but I worry it would collapse too easily. Cool whip is stabilized, which helps a lot with the texture!