For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Graham Crackers – You can either make your own or purchase pre-crushed ones. Opt for gluten-free graham crackers for a GF version.
- Sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness to the crust.
- Butter – Unsalted, melted to bind the crust together.
For the No-Bake Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream Cheese – 2 blocks (not tubs), at room temperature, and full-fat variety for proper setting.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar for just the right sweetness.
- Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream creates a denser, smoother texture.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed, balancing sweetness and adding a zesty kick.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Ensure you use HEAVY whipping cream with a higher fat content to achieve stiff peaks.
- Cherry Sauce
Pro Tip: For your crust, you can use any crispy cookies, such as Vanilla Wafers, chocolate Oreo cookies (cream removed), or Biscoff shortbread.
How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly
- Dice the cream cheese: My preferred method for swiftly bringing cream cheese to room temperature is to cut it into small cubes. You can dice the cubes right on the foil liner, saving on cleanup. Leave it on the counter for about an hour or until it’s soft to the touch.
- Warm water method: Alternatively, you can place the wrapped cream cheese block in a bowl of warm water and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave (least favorite): This option can be a bit tricky due to uneven heating. Remove the foil, place the cream cheese block on a microwave-safe plate, and heat it in 10-15 second intervals for roughly 1 minute.
Our Preferred No-Bake Crust
Some no-bake cheesecake recipes still call for baking the crust, but here, it’s completely unnecessary. The butter binds the crust together flawlessly.
- Line Your Muffin Pan – Place 14 liners in cupcake pans. If you don’t have a pan with 14 spaces, you can use ramekins for the extras.
- Make the Crust – In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the crumbs are moistened.
- Press – Spoon around 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture into each liner and press it evenly to form the crust. If using ramekins, sprinkle a layer of crumbs in the bottom without pressing too firmly.
