Perfectly fresh, zingy and sweet, this no bake lemon cheesecake is the perfect Easter and summer dessert. Simple and quick to make, every bite is truly delicious!
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Easy Lemon No Bake Cheesecake Bars
Lemon is one of my favorite flavors for desserts, and this lemon cheesecake is everything!
These bars are made with a Graham Cracker crust and then topped with the most creamy and zingy cheesecake filling. Even better, you don’t have to turn the oven on!
Be sure to try my lemon cupcakes and lemon angel food cake!
Why You’ll Love this No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe:
- Perfect for Occasions: This cheesecake recipe is perfect for Easter and throughout the summer. It’s perfect for those warm-weather birthdays and showers.
- Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead dessert, so it’s great if you are planning to serve it as part of a big feast.
- Easy: Super simple to make and no baking, you just need to be a little patient to let it set!
How to Make No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Mix together the crackers, melted butter and brown sugar.
- Press into a baking dish and chill.
- Dissolve the gelatin in water and let cool.
- Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, juice and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the whipped topping.
- Fold the gelatin into the cream cheese mix.
- Pour the cream cheese over the graham cracker crust and let set in the fridge.
This is a pretty foolproof recipe, so you shouldn’t have any issues with a runny cheesecake. Just allow it enough time to set, it can take up to an hour, and maybe a little longer. To speed up the setting process, you can pop it into the freezer, though I wouldn’t advise doing this for more than 15-20 minutes, as the texture can become gritty if it isn’t wrapped.
Once your lemon cheesecake bars have fully set, cut them into squares and place in an airtight container, or, cover the whole dish with plastic wrap. They will keep well for up to 3 days refrigerated.
Yes! This no bake lemon cheesecake freezes beautifully, so be sure to make extra! You can wrap the whole dish in foil and then place it in a Ziplock bag, or wrap individual squares. They will keep well for up to 3 months and should be thawed in the fridge overnight to serve.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- If you typically like a lot of lemon flavor, you may want to use ⅓ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup lemon zest.
- When you’re adjusting your lemon flavors before you pour it on top of the Graham cracker crust, it should be noted that the mixture becomes slightly more lemony as it cools.
- I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe additional whipped topping on top of the bars as a garnish.
This no bake lemon cheesecake is so fresh and creamy, it makes for such a wonderful treat to share with friends and family!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups crushed honey graham crackers 213 grams
- ½ cup salted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar 71 grams
For the Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- 3 ounces lemon gelatin 85 grams (1 box)
- 16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, softened (2 bricks)
- ½ cup sour cream 114 grams
- ½ cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest 18 grams, from 2 lemons
- ¼ cup lemon juice 57 grams, from 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 8 ounces whipped topping 227 grams, softened (such as Cool Whip)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
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
- If you typically like a lot of lemon flavor, you may want to use ⅓ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup lemon zest.
- When you’re adjusting your lemon flavors before you pour it on top of the Graham cracker crust, it should be noted that the mixture becomes slightly more lemony as it cools.
- I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe additional whipped topping on top of the bars as a garnish.
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.
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!