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This delicious Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipe is the most requested dessert at every holiday. You can even make this rich, no-bake dessert low-carb so the whole family can enjoy it!
Creamy lemon cheesecake, with its bright citrus flavor and perfect crumb crust, is a staple on the holiday dessert table! No matter the season, this no-bake dessert is a delectable, coveted treat the whole family will love. With a few simple substitutions, you can even make this gorgeous dessert gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly!
We love our original Lemon Cheesecake Bars, but there are times I need to give my oven a break! During the summer, I’ll do anything to avoid heating up my kitchen with the oven, so this treat was perfect for 4th of July! When the winter holiday season hits, there’s always something needing to be baked or roasted, so a dessert that can firm up in the fridge is a gamechanger.
You are going to LOVE how easy this recipe is! With this no-bake recipe, there is no water bath to worry about and no lemon curd to fuss over. Plus, there are no eggs, so that’s one more allergen you can strike off the list!
Can’t get enough lemon? Try our Lemon Ice Cream, Lemon Chia Pudding, and Spiked Blueberry Lemonade!
Ingredients:
Here’s a quick overview of what you will need for this delicious lemon cheesecake. Find exact measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Graham cracker crumbs, unsalted melted butter, and granulated sweetener – These three ingredients create our delicious crust. To make this dessert low-carb, replace the graham crackers with Highkey cookies (just pulse them in the food processor for 10 seconds or so) and use monk fruit for your sweetener. If you’re gluten-free, use the Highkey cookies or any gluten-free graham crackers.
- Cream cheese, powdered sweetener, lemon, vanilla extract, lemon extract (optional) – To make this low-carb, use powdered monk fruit for your sweetener. You will want both juice and zest from your lemon for the freshest, brightest flavor. Lemon extract can create an even bolder citrus flavor, but feel free to skip this if you prefer the authentic fresh lemon flavor. Make sure to give the cream cheese time to come to room temperature for the smoothest texture.
- Heavy whipping cream – This gets beaten into a fluffy whipped cream that is then folded into the cream cheese mixture. It’s the key to the velvety texture of this no-bake cheesecake, so I cannot recommend any substitutes.
How to make a no bake lemon cheesecake
This easy dessert requires a 9″ springform pan, parchment paper, mixing bowls, and an electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer is fine). Follow this step-by-step guide for this rich cheesecake.
Make the crust
Line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it up the sides about 1 ½ inches. Set aside.
NOTE: Do not leave the sides of the graham cracker crust too short! If you do not make the crust go up at least 1 1/2 inches, you will have too much of the cheesecake layer touching the springform pan. That creamy layer will stick to the pan, making it very difficult to slice into pretty, uniform pieces.
Make cheesecake filling
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sweetener, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract (if using) and beat until well combined. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula until combined.
Assemble and chill
Pour the mixture into the crust, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours. After chilled, you can top with any garnish or decorations — I used blueberries, mint leaves, and lemon slices. When ready to eat, carefully slice and serve!
Storage Instructions
This cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator up to 3 days. If you like to prepare your desserts early for a stress-free holiday season, you can even freeze it for up to 3 months! Before placing in the freezer, you will want to gently wrap the entire cheesecake in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil.
Make sure to carefully press the plastic up against the surface of the cheesecake, removing any chance for air to touch it and cause freezer burn. The day before your party or event, simply place the frozen, wrapped cheesecake in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Tips for the BEST no-bake cheesecake
- Use an electric mixer. It is possible to mix your cheesecake filling without an electric mixer, but it will take a lot of time and elbow grease! The electric mixer makes this recipe quick and easy, ensuring a super smooth texture.
- Be gentle. There is no baking process to help things stick together, so you need to be mindful when pressing the crust into the pan and when folding the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Being too rough can cause cracks in the crust or can cause you to lose all the airy pockets in the filling.
- Use softened cream cheese. Make sure to let your cream cheese sit out for at least an hour to soften before mixing it with the other ingredients. If you try to mix cold cream cheese, you will find dots of unmixed, unflavored cream cheese in your filling–It’s a bit unappealing.
- Chill before freezing. Even if you plan to freeze your cheesecake, first let it chill in the refrigerator at least 6-8 hours first. This time allows the ingredients to set, creating that beautiful, velvety texture. If you skip the chilling and put it straight into the freezer, the filling will not have time to create that texture before it freezes.
More amazing dessert recipes:
- Keto Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Creamy Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
- Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles
Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs , OR Highkey cookie crumbs for low carb
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp granulated sweetener, monk fruit for low carb
Filling:
- 24 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sweetener, monk fruit for low carb
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract, optional
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it up the sides about 1 ½ inches. Set aside
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sweetener, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract (if using) and beat until well combined. Set aside
- In another bowl, beat the whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the crust, then cover and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours. Slice and serve!
Notes
- Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- For presentation’s sake, it is essential to make sure that the graham cracker crumbs go up the pan at least 1 ½ inches, otherwise too much of the filling is touching the edges of the pan and end up sticking to it. So when you release it, it’s not very pretty. Although it tastes delicious either way!
- When made with Highkey cookies and monk fruit, each slice has 6.5 net carbs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
