No-Bake Cheesecake with Flavor Variations

I love cheesecake and so does my second eldest son… so much that he insists on having cheesecake for his birthday and any other special occasion. I do have a recipe for a traditional cheesecake but I can’t seem to find it at the moment as it may be packed away.

This recipe is simple and tastes great! You can play with the ingredients to make your own flavors as well as trying different variations on the crust until you find your ‘perfect’ combination.

No-Bake Cheesecake with Flavor Variations

No-Bake Cheesecake with Flavor Variations printable recipe

Ingredients:

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. lemon juice (optional)
2 c. HEAVY whipping cream, cold (or use 16 oz of whipped topping)
3/4 c. powdered sugar – see notes below
1 T. vanilla extract (try different flavors for variations)– see notes below
graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.

Add in the lemon juice, mix well.

In a separate bowl beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until it forms soft peaks. – Omit this step if using whipped topping.

Gently fold the whipped cream or whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.

Spread the filling into the crust, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours.

Garnish with fruit and whipped cream, if desired.

Other toppings:

chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce
caramel syrup
crushed Oreos
chopped candy bars, Reese’s cups, etc.
fruit pie filling

Other flavors to try:

Peanut butter: Add in 1/2 c. peanut butter to the cream cheese mixture. You can also add 1/2 c. chopped peanut butter cups to the mixture. Garnish with whipped cream, chopped peanut butter cups and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Chocolate: Add in 8 oz melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa.
Cookies-n-Creme: Add in 1/2-1c. of chopped Oreos after folding in the whipped cream. Garnish with whipped cream and chopped Oreos.
Try this drizzled with some Homemade Caramel Sauce for an extra special treat.