A creamy no bake cheesecake with swirls of spiced apple butter is a great option for a fall dessert. Add a spiced graham cracker crust, and you’ll be in for a real treat!
When it comes to fall flavors, one of the main things I love is all things apple! From drinks to savory dishes to desserts, apples have a special place in my heart. And so does cheesecake. So why not put them together with some apple butter, and make it no bake cheesecake style!!!
What is no bake cheesecake?
Cheesecake is a custard made with cream cheese and raw eggs that’s slowly cooked in the oven until it’s firm. With no-bake cheesecake, there are zero eggs, which makes the filling safe to eat without it being cooked!
These 2 cheesecakes will have a different texture. The no-bake version will have a softer texture, more like a mousse or pudding, while the baked version will be more firm. The flavor will be the same for each style, but the no-bake version is a more fool-proof recipe which is perfect for the non-bakers (like myself).
How to make no bake cheesecake
Putting together a no-bake cheesecake takes about 20 minutes of prep. All you have to do is:
- Assemble your crust and chill in the fridge
- Whip together the cheesecake filling, then pour the cheesecake filling into the chilled crust
- Sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight
- To serve, slice with a warm knife
The only difficult part about this recipe is waiting for the cheesecake to set, since you’ll want to eat this right away!
What pan should I use for no bake cheesecake
For this recipe, I assemble the cheesecake in an 8×8 baking pan. Luckily, there are a few ways this can be put together:
- Springform pans are standard for cheesecakes. If you have one, definitely use it!
- Individual servings are a fun idea, which can be done by assembling the cheesecake into muffin tins! Be sure to use cupcake liners for this.
- Make individual cheesecake parfaits! Layer the cheesecake filling with the crumbs used for the crust into cups before chilling. Or if you want, this can be served right away!!!
What kitchen tools do I need to make cheesecake?
Whether it’s regular cheesecake or no bake, there are a couple of tools that you should have to make the filling:
Stand mixer or hand mixer with a whip attachment – this will ensure you have a nice smooth cheesecake filling. The cream cheese needs to be beaten into a very smooth consistency with zero lumps,, and the only way to do this is with a mixer.
Rubber spatula – this is an essential tool for bakers! It helps to gently scrape the contents that’s on the inside of mixing bowls. Super cheap too. Go invest in one!
Important steps for making no bake cheesecake
While this is a simple recipe with many variations, there are a few things that you absolutely have to do to make this correctly.
Room temperature cream cheese
Before whipping the cream cheese, it has to be room temperature. I let the cream cheese sit out on the counter for a couple of hours before putting the filling together, but even an hour will work. This is to ensure that the completed cheesecake filling does not have any lumps. Biting into a chunk of cream cheese is not appealing when trying to enjoy a smooth cheesecake.
Powdered sugar vs regular sugar
Since the filling is not being cooked, it’s best to use powdered sugar instead of granulated.
Granulated sugar is a standard when making desserts, in which the sugar will melt while cooking. The no-bake cheesecake is obviously not being cooked. Using it can make the filling a little gritty. So using powdered sugar, which is much finer but just as sweet, will give the sweetness that’s needed and also keep the filling smooooooth.
Fresh lemon juice
The eggs in a baked cheesecake helps the filling to set, which is omitted from the no-bake version.
In order to get the filling to set, fresh lemon juice is needed. Acid does some science-y sh*t where it cooks protein. In this case, the natural protein in milk is being “cooked” by the lemon juice.
Don’t worry though….the amount of lemon juice used does not alter the taste of the cheesecake. It actually helps to brighten the flavor a bit, and gives it the tanginess in cheesecake that we all love!
Don’t use reduced fat cream cheese!
This is NOT one of those recipes where you should use a low fat or nonfat cream cheese. In reference to needing lemon juice, that lemon juice needs something to cook. If there isn’t the right amount of fat in the filling, it will not set like it’s supposed to.
How to store cheesecake
Cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to tightly cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap, or cut and store in an airtight container.
There’s also the option to freeze anything not being consumed before the 5 days are up. Wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe zippered bag for 1-2 months. Defrost on the counter for a couple of hours, or in the fridge overnight.
Now that you have the rundown of making a no bake cheesecake, you can now make my Apple Butter Cheesecake!
The crust for my cheesecake is made with regular graham crackers. In true fall fashion, I felt the need to shake things up by adding a few spices to the mix. There’s cinnamon and nutmeg, which is also in the filling. But there’s a little ground ginger as well. Yummmmmyyyy!!!!!
Your apple butter of choice is added into the cheesecake filling base. Once poured into the chilled crust, I also add several dollops of the apple butter onto the top to swirl into the filling. It’ll look super pretty, and add more of that bomb apple flavor! I used store bought apple butter, but you can most certainly make some from scratch.
If you’re looking for another no-bake dessert, definitely try out my Cookie Butter Chocolate Pudding Pie!!!
Apple Butter No Bake Cheesecake with Spiced Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Square baking pan
- Rubber spatula
- parchment paper
- Skewer
- Food processor
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- 15 plain graham crackers
- 1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- dash ground nutmeg
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup apple butter
- ½ cup apple butter for garnish
Instructions
For the crust
- Place all ingredients, excluding the butter, into a food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs, then pour into a medium sized bowl.
- Pour the melted butter in with the crumbs. Gently mix with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Line the inside of a square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra parchment paper hanging off the sides.
- Pour the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, evenly pressing it into the bottom of the pan with the spoon, or bottom of a small cup.
- Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Make the cheesecake filling while the crust is in the fridge.
For the cheesecake filling
- Using the whip attachment on a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth with no lumps, for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the cream cheese from the inside of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and whip for 1 more minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients, excluding the apple butter. Whip on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the filling again, and whip on low for 1 more minute.
Cheesecake assembly
- Remove the cookie crust from the fridge.
- Pour half of the cheesecake filling into the crust. Spread evenly using the rubber spatula.
- Using half of the apple butter garnish, drop several small dollops onto the filling. With a skewer or tip of a knife, gently swirl the apple butter back and forth into the cheesecake filling.
- Pour the remaining cheesecake filling into the pan and spread evenly with the spatula. Dollop with the remaining apple butter and swirl with the skewer.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 3 hours, until set. Once the filling has set, the cheesecake can be covered with plastic wrap.
To serve
- Remove cheesecake from the fridge.
- While holding 2 sides of the parchment paper that’s hanging off the side of the pan, carefully lift the cheesecake out of the pan and place onto a cutting board.
- Warm a sharp knife under hot water. Cut the cheesecake into 9 squares, or to desired serving size.
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