The creamiest, smoothest vanilla bean cheesecake you'll ever make! This is a super easy no bake vanilla bean cheesecake recipe with a biscoff base and quick blueberry compote. No condensed milk, no gelatine, just a luscious cream cheese mixture packed full of vanilla!
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Tell Me about this Recipe
This is the ultimate no bake vanilla cheesecake! There are three main components: the crust, filling and topping.
- For the crust, we have a quick and easy Biscoff biscuit base - the perfect touch of caramelised cookie flavour without overpowering the cheesecake.
- As the main event, a super smooth vanilla bean cheesecake filling, packed with flavour and speckled with the black seeds of the vanilla. No gelatine required to set this cheesecake - just a stabilized whipped cream for the best silky texture.
- On top we have a vanilla infused homemade blueberry compote. A simple no fuss one saucepan topping, using the reserved vanilla pod from the cheesecake filling to add even more vanilla flavour to your recipe.
Ingredient Notes
To make the BEST vanilla cheesecake, you'll need:
- Cream Cheese - soft spreadable cream cheese. No need for waiting around for this to soften, you can use the cream cheese straight from the fridge. You can use block cream cheese in this recipe, but you will need to allow this time to soften and may find it takes a bit longer to beat smooth.
- Sour cream - a bit of sour cream adds a bite to this cheesecake, accentuating the vanilla and offsetting some of the sweetness.
- Sugar - superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar.
- Vanilla pod - one whole vanilla bean pod. You will want to scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and use these in the cheesecake. Reserve the pod for use in the blueberry compote topping.
- Heavy cream - or double cream. This ingredient is often referred to by different names in different places. You essentially want thick full fat cream which can be whipped to stiff peaks.
- Powdered sugar - or icing sugar. If your powdered sugar is particularly lumpy you may wish to sift this to remove any risk of stiff lumps making their way into your mixture. In general it is not normally necessary to whisk the powdered sugar for making this recipe.
Tips on Vanilla Bean
Working with vanilla bean can lead to a few issues - the handling of the vanilla bean with the cutting of the pod and the scraping of the seeds. Also the cost and availability of vanilla beans vary by local area.
Cutting and Scraping Vanilla Pods
To get the most out of your vanilla bean, cut the pod down its length in half using a sharp knife. For ease of scraping, it is best if you're able to slice clean through, creating two halves of the pod and exposing the seeds in each half.
Then holding the top of the pod firmly against a work surface or plate, use the knife, to scrape down the inside of each half. Doing so firmly should press each half of the pod open and leave you with the little black vanilla seeds on your knife. These can then be wiped carefully on the rim of a plate or bowl (to use later) or added straight to your mixture.
Potential Vanilla Bean Substitutes
In relation to the cost and potential issues finding vanilla pods, be assured you can substitute the vanilla bean pod in this recipe for vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
Vanilla bean offers a very pungent flavoring - the seeds scraped from one pod is usually held as equivalent to a tablespoon of vanilla.
While I would of course highly recommend using the vanilla bean as indicated in this recipe, if you're unable to do so, try a tablespoon of vanilla bean paste as the first choice substitute.
How to Make Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
This no bake vanilla cheesecake recipe follows a very similar process to my many other no bake cheesecake recipes.
- Begin with your crust. This recipe uses my Lotus Biscoff Crust, which is prepared and then chilled in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- In a mixing bowl, place the cream and powdered sugar. Beat these with a handheld electric beater until stiff peaks form. Set this aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and the vanilla seeds, which you've scraped from the pod.
- Once the cream cheese mixture is smooth, add the whipped cream and fold with a spatula to incorporate into a creamy smooth and airy vanilla cheesecake filling.
- Add this filling to your prepared crust and spread evenly.
- Chill for at least 4 hours (better overnight) to set.
Top Tips for this Recipe
- Line your springform baking pan with parchment paper on the base and sides. This will help making the removal of the cheesecake easier once this is chilled.
- Freezing the crust while you prepare the filling will help firm up the crust. This will make it less prone to crumbling when adding the cheesecake mixture. In turn, this will help you spread the filling more easily.
- The stiff peaked whipped cream is key to the setting of a no bake cheesecake without gelatine. The cream stabilises the cheesecake filling and holds this firm enough to slice once chilled. Ensure you whip to stiff peaks, but avoid overwhipping or the cheesecake filling may loose its creamy smoothness.
- When adding the whipped cream to the cream cheese, add a small dollop of the whipped cream first. Stir this into the cream cheese mixture. This will help loosen the cream cheese mixture before you add the remaining whipped cream and fold.
Blueberry Topping for Cheesecake
This super simple vanilla blueberry compote is the perfect way to compliment your no bake vanilla bean cheesecake.
You'll need:
- Blueberries - I like using fresh blueberries if you can find these, but frozen could also be used in this recipe. Let these defrost first.
- Sugar - just a little granulated sugar or caster sugar.
- Vanilla pod - the scraped pod from your vanilla bean cheesecake. This is the perfect way to repurpose your vanilla pod - pods a great way to infuse flavor!
- Water - just a little bit of water will help get your sauce started.
To make the quick compote, add half of the blueberries to a saucepan along with the sugar, vanilla bean pod and water. Cook the mixture over a medium heat, bringing to a boil while the berries start to break down. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat, carefully remove the vanilla pod and add the rest of the blueberries. Stir these to coat and then decant into a bowl to allow the compote to cool before adding to the cheesecake.
FAQs
Yes!! I absolutely love vanilla bean! This is a dedicated recipe for an easy no bake vanilla bean cheesecake with a homemade blueberry sauce on top.
This cheesecake with vanilla bean can keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days. It's a great make ahead dessert.
You can also freeze the cheesecake. If opting to freeze prior to serving, make the cheesecake as directed and allow to set firm in the refrigerator overnight. Then, carefully wrap and place in the freezer, where it can be stored for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before topping and serving.
I would not recommend topping prior to freezing if using my blueberry compote as the color may bleed into the cheesecake during defrosting.
Looking for more vanilla packed recipes?
No Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8" springform cake pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for Crust
- 2 cups Lotus Biscoff cookie crumbs
- ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
Ingredients for Vanilla Cheesecake Filling
- 11.5 oz spreadable cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup superfine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod (see note)
- 1 cup heavy cream or double cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar or icing sugar
Ingredients for Blueberry Compote
- 10 oz fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries defrosted
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod seeds removed - the reserved pod from making the cheesecake filling
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Instructions for Crust
- Begin by lining the base and sides of your springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the crushed cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter until you have a moistened crumb mixture.
- Pour this into your lined pan and press firmly into the base and up the sides. Place the prepared crust in the freezer while you prepare your filling.
Instructions for Filling
- In a mixing bowl, whip your heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks using a handheld electric mixer. (see note)
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla bean seeds. (see note)
- Add the whipped cream to the cheesecake mixture and fold with a spatula to incorporate. Avoid beating out all of the air you've worked into the cream!
- Spoon the filling into your prepared crust and spread evenly. Place in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least four hours (better overnight).
Instructions for the Blueberry Compote
- While your cheesecake is setting, make the vanilla blueberry compote. Place half of the blueberries (5oz), the sugar, water and scraped vanilla pod in a saucepan. Cook this over a medium heat while stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to boil.
- Continue cooking, while stirring constantly (to avoid the sauce sticking to the bottom of the pan) for a further 5 minutes while it bubbles and thickens. Most of the blueberries should burst during this time - you can help them by pressing with your spatula as you stir (but be careful of them popping out!).
- After 5 minutes, remove from the heat, carefully remove the vanilla pod and then add the remaining blueberries. Stir these into the sauce to coat.
- Pour the sauce into a heatproof bowl to set aside and cool completely.
- When ready to serve, top the cheesecake with the blueberry sauce.
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