Easy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake – A delicious lemon cheesecake with a crunchy biscuit base that’s absolutely packed full of flavour from the fresh lemon zest and juice. It’s unbelievably moreish!
Introducing one of the most moreish desserts I’ve ever made – No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake.
This lemon cheesecake is a dessert I hadn’t really expected to share on here. The simple reason is that until recently, I didn’t think I was particularly fussed on either cheesecakes or lemon desserts (so I really wouldn’t go for something that combined the two).
This stems back to the fact that I wasn’t keen on them as a child, and like a stubborn child I flatly refused to give them another go until recently. You may have guessed by the regular stream of both lemon desserts and cheesecakes appearing on here in recent months, I’ve completely changed my mind.
I realised that as my tastes had changed when it came to so many other foods, they had probably done so with both lemons and cheesecakes too, and I’m so glad I decided to give them another go. I have to say that this lemon cheesecake is one of the most moreish desserts I’ve ever eaten. It’s quite light, while still being packed full of flavour, so I could keep eating it for ages. In the end, I had to pop the rest of the leftover cheesecake into the freezer to stop me polishing it all off!
❄️ SUITABLE FOR FREEZING
This cheesecake freezes brilliantly. However, I would recommend adding both the fresh cream and lemon slices to the top just before serving as the cream will go grainy if it’s frozen and then defrosted.
To freeze the cheesecake, either:
- Keep it in the tin (if the tin is freezer-safe) – cover the top with clingfilm to protect it.
- Store it in an airtight container
- Wrap it in clingfilm – pop it into the freezer for a couple of hours on a freezer-safe plate (either uncovered or loosely covered with clingfilm. Once it is firm, you can remove it from the plate and wrap it with clingfilm. It’ll hold its shape well despite not being in a container (as long as you don’t pack it in too tightly!). When you remove it from the freezer, take off the clingfilm immediately (otherwise it will stick to the cheesecake mixture). If you find there are some clingfilm marks on the surface of your cheesecake, simply run a palette knife around the edge to smooth it.
For all of these options, make sure you put the cheesecake onto your serving dish when you take it out of the freezer as it’s much harder to move once it has defrosted.
FREE FROM/SUITABLE FOR
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Egg-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Soya-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
This lemon cheesecake can be made gluten-free by switching the digestive biscuits for a gluten-free alternative.
FREE GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION CHARTS
Subscribe to the Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen mailing list to get your FREE printable grams to cups and cups to grams conversion charts for twelve popular baking ingredients
Easy Lemon Cheesecake (No Bake)
INGREDIENTS
- 100 g digestive biscuits
- 40 g butter
- 250 g cream cheese - I use Philadelphia
- 280 ml double cream - 300g – I prefer to weigh my cream as then I can pour it straight into the bowl I’ll be whipping it in
- 100 g caster sugar
- Zest of 2½ lemons
- 5 tsp lemon juice - This is the juice of just under 2 lemons
To decorate
- 75 ml double cream - 80g
- 4 slices of lemon (halved)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line the base of an 18cm round loose bottomed tin with greaseproof paper or a reusable baking liner.
- Melt the butter (40g).Crush the digestive biscuits (100g). Mix together the crushed biscuits and melted butter. Put the biscuit mix into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to push it flat. Put the tin into the fridge to chill while you make the topping.
- Finely grate the zest of 2½ lemons. Squeeze out the juice until you have enough for 5 tsp and set aside.
- Whip the double cream (280ml/300g) until it forms a soft peak. Add the cream cheese (250g), caster sugar (100g), lemon zest and lemon juice.Whisk together until combined and thick.
- Remove the tin from the fridge and add the lemon mixture. Add a little at a time and push the mixture down with the back of a spoon, so there are no gaps. Once you’ve added all of your lemon mixture, smooth the top with a palette knife. Put your cheesecake into the fridge for at least 2 hours to set fully.
- When you’re ready to serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin. You may find the edges become a little smudged as you do this. If this happens, simply run a small palette knife around the edge of the cheesecake to smooth it out again.
Decorate your cheesecake
- Whip the double cream (75ml/80g) until it forms stiff peaks. Put it into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle (I use a JEM1B) and pipe 8 small swirls of cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Top each swirl with a half slice of lemon.
- Serve.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Gayle Davies says
Love this easy lemon cheesecake recipe, I did individual ones have put 3 in freezer, will definitely make again.
fatima says
hope u enjoy your amazing cheesecake congratulation well done you did amazing job
Cassie says
I recently made this and whilst it was fine, I noticed it could have been more ‘set’…..I read somewhere that it’s better to cover the cheesecake in clingfilm whilst it’s cooling in the fridge but others say to leave it uncovered…..would covering the tin help it set more?
Tina Gell says
Best lemon cheesecake recipe I’ve ever tried. I’ve decorated it in different ways too. Edible lemon paper butterflies look amazing on it if you want to make it that little bit fancier. Candied lemon peel, mint chocolate orange segments and new berry fruits look great too.
fatima says
I am baking my favourite lemon cheesecake tomorrow at night
is my first time to taste it
the lemon cheesecake is my top list favourite
have you tried Eton mess , rocky road, brownies and tiffin before
if you like it I will give you recipe of mine
if u want to put Terry orange chocolate I saw it on website
leave my comments for you
see you later
Kat says
I didn’t have any butter so used melted chocolate with a bit of milk mixed with the biscuits to make the base. I substituted Philadelphia for mascarpone. Made in 15 mins, stuck in freezer and it was set for dinner less than an hour later. Perfect quick and easy dessert!
Kristophina Antonius says
Come out perfectly, thank you
Carys Lewis says
Can I freeze this cheesecake
Charlotte Oates says
Yes – make sure it is very well wrapped!
fatima says
I am baking lemon cheesecake at 7 o clock today
I am using chocolate drizzle and lemon drizzle
you can put cheesecake in the fridge if you like
Marina says
Perfection, low calories digestives. Thank you for providing this little gem
Nadine says
Can I use less sugar than a half a cup?
Charlotte Oates says
I wouldn’t really recommend it as the sugar provides part of the body and texture of the cheesecake. And the sweetness is there to balance out the sour lemon. It is possible to experiment but I couldn’t guarantee the results.
Carita says
Totally love this recipe . Everybody loves it . I double the recipe and make one big one . I make it every time I want to impress ! ❤️
Joy says
I have made this cheesecake 3 times now and each time it turns out to be too soft. I don’t know where I’m going wrong!!
Charlotte Oates says
It may be the kind of cream cheese that you are using – Are you using a lower fat version? These tend to not set very well. If that isn’t an issue then it might be that you need to whip the cream more.
Chris Essex-Hill says
This was a marvellous recipe.
Couple of modifications…
150g for the biscuits base as slightly thicker was preferred.
Also swapped 1/2 lemon juice for 1/2 lime.
Outcome was fabulous.
Thanks
Chris
Jacqueline says
Love this recipe…try it you won’t be disappointed
Ruth says
Really easy and delicious recipe. I used amaretti biscuits instead of the digestive ones. Everyone loved it.
Jenny says
420 calories for what weight you don’t say even on the link to nutritional information.
Charlotte Oates says
The top of the recipe card states that the whole cheesecake serves 8. As is usual practise, the nutrition information relates to one serving.
Nicky says
I have used this recipe a few times. Although I put more zest and lemon juice in, as I love the taste of lemon. It is so easy to do and is really quick to come together. I’ve even replaced full date with half fat and turns out just as good. I’ve tried a lot of cheesecakes but this is by far the best one. Even my most requested one has fallen to the wayside in favour of this one. Absolutely delicious
Anita St.Clair says
Just.love this recipe it now always on the menu and always is a huge hit. So easy to
Susan Kelly says
It’s delicious but you state 5tsp lemon juice, I think maybe it’s 5tbs, this equates to around juice from 2 lemons. This amount works perfectly
Mamanita says
Amazing, I use your recipe all the time and everyone loves it. I add some swirls of lemon curd on the top for decoration.