The ultimate no bake cherry cream cheese pie! This no bake cherry cheesecake pie with graham cracker crust is a family favourite and super simple recipe. Made without condensed milk or Cool Whip, all you need are simple ingredients and a can of your favorite cherry pie filling!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- Graham cracker crumbs - finely crushed graham crackers. These can be homemade, using a food processor, or bought pre-crumbed. If you can't find graham crackers, you can substitute with Lotus Biscoff biscuits.
- Sugar - either superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar.
- Butter - unsalted butter, melted. You can use salted butter here as well, but it will add a slight saltiness to the crust.
For the Cheesecake
- Cream cheese - if you're a regular on my website, you'll no doubt already know that all of my recipes are made with soft, spreadable cream cheese. This is the only variety available in the UK. You can use block cream cheese in this recipe, but you will need to leave this out to soften first at room temperature and it will take a bit extra effort to beat it smooth.
- Crème Fraîche - this is a thick cream with a soured tang. If you can't find crème fraîche, you can substitute with mascarpone for the consistency in your pie, though the mascarpone is a slightly more mild flavour.
- Vanilla bean paste - you can also use vanilla extract, but for the effect of vanilla bean flecks, I prefer the paste in this recipe.
- Sugar - superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar will work best in this recipe.
- Heavy cream - or double cream. If you're unsure what to use in your local area, you're looking for a cream that you would use for making homemade whipped cream.
- Cherry pie filling - the star of the show! Simply use a regular size can of your favourite pre-made cherry pie filling.
Making Cherry Cheesecake Pie
Crust First
This simple cheesecake pie recipe begins with the crust. If you're looking for a step-by-step guide to whipping up a crushed biscuit base, check out my quick Lotus Biscoff Biscuit Crust recipe. This recipe follows the same process.
Mix your crushed graham cracker crumbs together with the sugar and butter until you have a moist grainy mixture. Press this firmly into your pie or tart shell. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you make your cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake Filling
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, place the heavy cream and powdered sugar. Whip this until stiff peaks form.
Once whipped, set aside while you prepare the cream cheese mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, crème fraîche and vanilla bean paste until smooth and creamy. Then add your whipped cream and fold with a spatula to combine, avoiding beating out the air you carefully whipped in!
Spoon this into your prepared crust and spread in an even layer. Refrigerate thoroughly to set - at least 4 hours, but often best to leave overnight.
Cherry Topping
Once your cheesecake is set, the final touch couldn't be simpler: add the cherry pie filling! Just pour this or spoon it straight onto the top. You can return your cheesecake to the refrigerator once the cherries are added, if you're making in advance of an event, or serve straight away.
Top Tips
- The whipped cream in a no bake cheesecake is incredibly important to the consistency of your cheesecake filling. Under-whipped and the cheesecake may not set firm enough to cut. Over-whipped and it will be a bit stiff - not super creamy smooth. To ensure a well whipped cream, whip on high until your beaters start leaving a track in the cream. Then, continue beating, but stopping occasionally to check progress. The test of stiff peaks is to be able to turn the bowl upside down without the cream moving.
- When folding whipped cream into cheesecake batter, dollop a spoonful of cream in first and stir. This allows you to loosen the cream cheese mixture with the lighter whipped cream, without needing to worry about losing air. Then when you add the rest, it will be easier to fold.
FAQs
This is a great make-ahead dessert and can easily be made a day or two in advance of an event. It is best if eaten within about 3 days, but I've certainly had leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 4.
No, this is a no bake cherry cheesecake pie without condensed milk. Instead, my easy cherry cream cheese pie recipe uses a quick homemade whipped cream to stabilize and set the mixture - just like a normal no bake cheesecake. This means it isn't overly sweet.
Technically, as a stabilized whipped topping, you could use cool whip in place of the homemade whipped cream in this recipe. I have not tested this recipe using Cool Whip as a substitute and cannot confirm the exact measurements for how much you would need in order to substitute for the whipped cream.
If you are looking for more cheesecake inspiration, try:
- Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
- No Bake Baileys Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- S'mores Chocolate Cheesecake
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Pie
Equipment
- 9" pie pan or tart pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs or Lotus Biscoff biscuits, crushed into fine crumb
- ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
Ingredients for Cheesecake Pie Filling
- 8 oz spreadable cream cheese (see note)
- 4 oz crème fraîche or mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoon superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream or double cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar or icing sugar
- 21 oz cherry pie filling (see note)
Instructions
Instructions for Graham Cracker Crust
- Begin by making your crust. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until you have a grainy and lightly moist crumb.
- Tip the crumb mixture into a pie or tart shell and press firmly into the base and up the sides. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
Instructions for Cheesecake Pie Filling
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat until you reach stiff peaks, taking care to avoid over-beating.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, crème fraîche, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold through with a spatula to incorporate.
- Spoon the filling into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly.
- Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly for at least four hours (or overnight).
- Once set, pour a can of cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake pie, slice and serve.
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