Okay, let’s hop right into it! Spring is here (whatever that means in Canadian terms; rain, wind, snow, I give up!) but either way Easter is here no matter what! I love Easter, the beginning of a new season. With fresh blooms popping up and the sun shining longer it’s hard not to get excited about the arrival of warmer days.
I also love the pretty pastel colours that represent spring. So when I was deciding on what to bake for Easter I knew either way it had to be soft and delicate with pastel colours. And everything about this dessert screams spring!
I’m not a big cheesecake fan myself nor do I bake them often but this no bake, strawberry cheesecake is something completely on its own. Most cheesecakes are heavy and extremely filling. This one is light, airy, smooth and refreshing – not like the typical cheesecakes that we know! It’s exactly what you think strawberries and cream would taste like but with a chocolatey crunch and a hint of cheese. I love how you can make it ahead of time too. It doesn’t involve a lot of work and is quite simple to whip together.
Ingredients
- Mr. Christy Chocolate Wafers
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Fresh strawberries
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream (whipping cream)
- Edible flowers (or fresh strawberries, or mini eggs)
Cheesecake Variations
In a pinch you could substitute the strawberries for blueberries, raspberries or your favourite berry but if you’re a strawberry fan I wouldn’t bother. It is nice to try new flavours after you’ve mastered the original recipe first. Who knows maybe you’ll discover a new flavour you love!
Decorating Your Strawberry Cheesecake
I’m a huge flower girl so I couldn’t resist adding a few violets on top of each slice, but if you can’t find edible flowers you can top the slices of cheesecake with mini eggs or fresh strawberries. But look just how beautiful the cheesecake is with flowers and the fact that the cheesecake doesn’t really take much effort, the extra work in finding the flowers is worth it if you ask me!
If you use flowers, make sure they are edible, organic and food safe. Some food save flowers are:
- Roses (try using spray roses, as they are smaller)
- Lavender buds or flowers
- Violas
- Violets
- Herbs; camomile, rosemary, thyme
How To Make No Bake, Strawberry Cheesecake
Step One: In a food processor, add chocolate wafers and pulse until fine crumbs form, add melted butter and mix well. Pour out crumble into your pan and pat the chocolate cookie crumbs down firmly. Then place in the refrigerator to firm up.
Step Two: Next make your strawberry filling. Add strawberries and pulse until smoothly chopped, add sugar and continue to mix. Add cubed cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Whip up whipping cream and fold into cream cheese batter. Pour batter on top of the chilled cookie crust. Smooth out the top and cover with plastic wrap (making sure not to touch the batter). Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Step Three: Gently lift the the cheesecake out of the pan. Using a large sharp knife, slice the cheesecake into 16 squares. Add a dollop of whipping cream and lightly press edible flowers into the whipping cream.
I hope everyone has a lovely Easter with their loved ones.
PrintMake ahead, No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
These cheesecake squares taste more like a light strawberry mousse on a bed of buttery chocolate, than actual cheesecake, perfect for a light summer treat. The longer you keep the squares in the fridge the better for setting. I found on day two the squares were at their best.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 box (200g) Mr. Christy Chocolate Wafers
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups (200g) chopped strawberries
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks), cubed at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
Topping
- 1/3 cup whipped cream
- edible flowers (or fresh strawberries, or mini eggs)
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper, making sure there is lots of overhang (this way you can easily pull out the cheesecake when it’s ready.
- In a food processor, add chocolate wafers and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and mix well.
- Pour out crumble into your prepared pan and pat the cookie crumbs down firmly. Make sure to get into the corners as well. Place in the refrigerator.
- Clean out your food processor. Add strawberries and pulse until smoothly chopped, add sugar and continue to mix. Add cubed cream cheese. Mix until smooth.
- Whip up whipping cream and fold into cream cheese batter. Pour batter on top of the chilled cookie crust. Smooth out the top and cover with plastic wrap (making sure not to touch the batter).
- Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight or up to 2 days in advance.
- Once cheesecake is completely set, gently lift the the cheesecake out of the pan by using the overhang of the parchment paper. Using a large sharp knife, slice cake into 16 squares.
- Add a dollop of whipping cream and lightly press edible flowers or strawberry slices into the whipping cream.
- Store cheesecake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Remember this is a no bake recipe so the filling will not be as stable as a baked cheesecake. I don’t recommend travelling with this dessert, as it’s best served cold, right from the fridge.
The longer you leave the squares in the fridge the better. I found on day 2 the squares were completely solid and at their best for serving.
Use edible flowers on top or chocolate mini eggs or fresh slices of strawberries.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 239
- Sugar: 12.3g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18.1
- Saturated Fat: 10.6
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18.3g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 2.9
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: Cheesecake, No Bake, Strawberry, Dessert, Squares
FAQ’s
No bake cheesecake needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 hours before it starts to firm up. The longer it’s in the refrigerator the better, preferably overnight. I find day 2 the cheesecake is at its firmest. Also, when making your cake make sure your whipping cream is whipped to stiff peaks and is folded into the batter. You want to make sure you keep the air in the whipping cream, avoid stirring it into the batter. Also, if the strawberries are too juicy they can throw off the ratio in the recipe, causing too much liquid. This makes it more difficult for the batter to set.
Yes, you can freeze a no bake cheesecake to help it set. It’s better to use the refrigerator and let it set slowly but in a pinch you can help it along by putting it in the freezer for approx. 1 hour. Then let it finish setting in the refrigerator. Be warned though, a frozen cheesecake can become gritty and once it starts to defrost will sweat and lose its shape.
Two days is the ideal time to make a no bake cheesecake ahead of time. It will last approx. 5-6 days stored in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
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It looks delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.