Craving cheesecake, but don’t have the experience, confidence or tools to make a classic one? Short of going to The Cheesecake Factory and picking up a slice to bring home, no-bake cheesecakes are your simple answer.
No-bake versions allow you to forgo worries about water baths, cracking and other common cheesecake mistakes and focus on achieving a surprisingly similar texture and that rich cream cheese flavor your tastebuds have been calling for. Our no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe is a great place to start—and caters to chocolate lovers.
Also, if you’re looking for a simple fall dessert, check out these no-bake pumpkin cheesecakes for an effortless mini treat.
How to Make No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
This recipe from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen serves 16 people—or eight, if you prefer bigger slices.
Ingredients
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Crust:Â
- 2-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped toppings, thawed
Topping:
- 2 cups whipped topping
- Chocolate curls
Directions
Step 1: Make the crust
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In a large bowl, combine the chocolate graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: To crush the graham crackers, put them in a large zip-top bag, and use a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup and crush until the crumbs reach your desired size.
Step 2: Mix the cheesecake filling
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In a large bowl, beat in the softened cream cheese, sugar and baking cocoa until smooth. Beat in melted chocolate chips and vanilla. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread into the chocolate crust.
Editor’s Tip: Use one of the best cocoa powder brands, tested and chosen by our Test Kitchen pros.
Step 3: Top the cheesecake and refrigerate
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Spread the whipped topping over the chocolate cheesecake filling. Refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Serve the no-bake chocolate cheesecake
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Remove the sides from the springform pan. Garnish the chocolate cheesecake with chocolate curls and serve.
Tips for Making No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Can you use different crusts to make no-bake chocolate cheesecake?
If you’re an Oreo lover, an Oreo crust would work just as well for no-bake chocolate cheesecake—whether you use regular or golden Oreos. If you don’t want quite as much chocolate, feel free to use regular graham cracker crumbs to make the crust. Beyond these, there are still other ingredients to use in a crumb crust for your no-bake desserts such as crushed Nilla wafers or even nuts if you’re looking for a gluten-free option.
How can you make sure your no-bake chocolate cheesecake is smooth and creamy?
Smooth and creamy are two of the most important characteristics of a good cheesecake—classic and no-bake alike. There are a few things that you can do to make sure your cheesecake is both:
First, give the cream cheese some time to reach room temperature before you beat it with the sugar and butter. Skip the reduced fat cream cheeses, too—save those for another time when the recipe isn’t as cream-cheese centric.
Second, beat the mixture for long enough to make sure there are no lumps before you pour the batter into the crust.
How should you store no-bake chocolate cheesecake?
Store no-bake chocolate cheesecake in the fridge for three to four days. It can also be wrapped, tossed in a freezer-safe container or bag, and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before eating, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes
Taste of Home
No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cheesecake
I like to make this cannoli cheesecake in the summer since it's flavorful and refreshing! And not needing to turn on the oven and heat the house up is an added bonus. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York. If you enjoyed this recipe, then you must try
no-bake chocolate cheesecake.
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Pressure-Cooker Lime CheesecakeI love my pressure cooker and get a kick out of creating recipes for it. When I wanted to try a
cheesecake, I did some research and put together my own version. Success! It not only was beautiful with no cracks but also tasted absolutely scrumptious. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
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