No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries and Homemade Strawberry Sauce Recipe
This refreshing no-bake cheesecake features a buttery graham cracker crust layered with a rich, creamy filling made from cream cheese, mascarpone, and whipped cream. Enhanced with fresh lemon juice for brightness and topped with fresh strawberries and a vibrant homemade strawberry sauce, it’s a delightful dessert perfect for any occasion without the need for an oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from 12 whole crackers)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 12 oz mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Topping
- 8 oz strawberries, thinly sliced
- Strawberry sauce (strained and chilled, see recipe below)
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Sauce: Prepare the strawberry sauce according to your preferred recipe, then strain it through a sieve, pressing on the solids with a spatula to extract as much syrup as possible. Set aside to cool to room temperature, or refrigerate if making ahead. The strained sauce keeps 3-4 days.
- Prepare the Crust: In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Press crust mixture firmly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- Make the Cream Cheese Mixture: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and 2/3 cup sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Set aside.
- Prepare the Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In a separate bowl, beat the chilled heavy cream on high speed for 3-5 minutes until stiff peaks form. Lower speed to medium-low and beat in the mascarpone cheese until well combined and smooth.
- Combine the Filling: Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped mascarpone mixture gently with a spatula until blended. Then fold in lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated.
- Assemble and Chill: Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until fully set and chilled.
- Add Toppings and Serve: Before serving, arrange sliced strawberries in decorative rings over the cheesecake. Brush the strawberries with the strained strawberry sauce. Serve additional strawberry sauce alongside each slice for extra flavor.
Notes
- The cheesecake filling benefits from using room temperature cream cheese and chilled heavy cream for the best texture.
- Make sure to chill or freeze the crust before adding the filling to help it set properly.
- The strawberry sauce can be made one day in advance and refrigerated.
- For cleaner slice cuts, dip a kitchen knife in hot water and wipe dry between slices.
- This recipe requires refrigeration; do not attempt to freeze as the texture may be affected.
Keywords: no-bake cheesecake, easy cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, no bake dessert, creamy cheesecake, mascarpone cheesecake, summer dessert
