No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
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This no bake strawberry cheesecake has a delicious strawberries and cream flavor with a thick Oreo cookie crust. The texture is silky smooth, surprisingly light, and almost like a strawberry mousse. This no bake cheesecake sets beautifully and is surprisingly simple to make.
**This recipe was originally published in March 2018 and updated May 25, 2025 with step-by-step recipe tips, photos, and a slightly updated recipe for a thicker crust**
Table of Contents
The Best No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake – Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This no-bake strawberry cheesecake just might be the perfect cheesecake for spring and summer. It’s creamy, smooth, filled with real strawberries, and you don’t even need to turn on the oven. It has a creamy strawberry flavor with the perfect hint of tanginess. It almost reminds me of a strawberry milkshake or a strawberry mousse. I love the flavor combination when using an crunchy Oreo crust, but I’ve also included the details for a graham cracker crust if you prefer.
Note: If you’re looking for a no bake cheesecake with strawberry topping, then try this strawberry cream cheese pie.
Method – Step-by-Step Photos
Jump to RecipeThis recipe is made with real berries. I know a lot of no bake strawberry cheesecake recipes call for Jello powder – but I wanted to use real berries for the best flavor. It does mean a couple of extra steps, but the payoff is definitely worth it.
For the Oreo cookie crust:
- Crush the Cookies. I always do this in a food processor, but placing the cookies in a freezer bag and crushing with a rolling pin works just as well.
- Note: You can use graham crumbs instead of Oreos – I’ve included details in the recipe notes.
- Mix in the Butter. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze in your palms.
- Form the Crust. This recipe has enough to press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Chill. Pop in the fridge as you make the filling.
Then it’s time for the no bake strawberry cheesecake filling”
- Make the Reduced Strawberry Puree. Core the berries and then pulse in a food processor or blender until smooth. Optionally, pour the puree through a sifter to remove the seeds (this is optional). Then boil down the puree until you’re left with about 3/4 cup. It should be darker in color and thick.
- Reducing the puree is necessary to concentrate the flavor and remove excess liquid. If you add the puree to the cheesecake without reducing, the cheesecake won’t set properly.
- Dissolve the Gelatine. Sprinkle the gelatine into the hot, reduced strawberry puree. Stir until it dissolves. Set aside.
- Whip the Cream. You could skip this step and use whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) instead, but I prefer the flavor with whipped cream. Set aside.
- Beat the Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar. I recommend sifting the powdered sugar first to remove lumps. Be sure to occasionally turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. It should be smooth and creamy when you’re finished – about 3-4 minutes of beating.
- Mix in the Reduced Strawberry Puree. Make sure that it’s no longer warm to the touch before adding to the cream cheese mixture. Optionally, add in a few drops of red food coloring for a brighter pink color.
- Fold in the Whipped Cream. It’s important to do this gently and by hand with a rubber spatula. When finished, the mixture should be an even consistency and you shouldn’t see streaks of whipped cream.
- Note: The mixture may look a bit thin at this point, but the gelatine will make the cheesecake set properly.
- Pour into the Cheesecake Crust. Then smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Chill. The cheesecake will need to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving. I
FAQs
Yes. The cheesecake will be a bit thinner in the 10-inch pan, or a bit thicker in the 8-inch pan.
Yes, frozen berries work fine for this recipe. However, it will take longer when boiling down the strawberry puree as frozen berries hold more liquid
Yes. In my recipe testing I found that omitting the gelatin meant that the cheesecake didn’t set properly. If you don’t want to use gelatin, then I recommend making this strawberry cream cheese pie (it’s a vanilla no bake cheesecake with strawberry topping).
Technically, yes. This cheesecake will freeze well, if wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months then can be thawed in the fridge overnight. However, I prefer not to freeze this cheesecake as it can get ice crystals which negatively impact the texture.
This no-bake strawberry cheesecake is so creamy without being too dense, bursting with real strawberry flavor, and honestly reminds me of a big strawberry milkshake (which I think is a very good thing).
Or for a few more no-bake cheesecake recipes, don’t forget to try:
- Classic, No Bake Cheesecake (there’s no gelatin in this recipe)
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Oreo Crust*
- 36 Oreo Cookies, wafers and filling
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams) , melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 lb strawberries* (454 grams), cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup white sugar (50 grams)
- 1 package gelatin*
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream (300 ml) , 33-35% MF
- 24 oz cream cheese* (680 grams), full-fat, brick-style
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (82 grams)
To Serve (Optional)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (120 ml)
- sliced strawberries
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Crush the Oreo cookies (wafer and filling) in a food processor until fine crumbs. Or place in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- In a medium bowl stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides (about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up) of the springform pan. Place in the fridge as you make the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender.
- Push the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds. (Optional, but recommended).
- Add the puree to a medium saucepan with the white sugar and bring to a gentle boil while stirring. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens – it should reduce to about 1/2 of the original volume (about 3/4 cup when it's finished boiling).
- Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the boiling strawberry mixture. Remove from the heat and give the mixture a stir to ensure the gelatin has dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. Occasionally, turn off the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Beat in the cooled strawberry mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Ensure the strawberry puree is fully cooled first.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it's an even color and consistency. You should no longer see streaks of whipped cream.
- Spoon the mixture on top of the crust, smooth the top.
- Place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Serving
- When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the fridge. With a thin knife, carefully trace around the edges of the pan. Unclamp the outer ring of the springform pan.
- Optionally, beat the whipping cream until medium peaks form. The whipped cream can be piped around the edges (I used a 1M star tip) or dolloped on the top of each slice. Decorate with sliced strawberries as preferred.
- Slice with a very thin, sharp knife ensuring to cut all the way through the crust.
Notes
- Graham Cracker Crust: If you’d prefer to use a graham cracker crust – use 2 3/4 cup graham crumbs, 3 tablespoons white sugar and 10 tablespoons unsalted butter. Stir together the mixture, then press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Berries: Frozen berries work too. You’ll need approximately 4 cups sliced strawberries.
- Gelatin: One envelope of gelatin is about 2 1/4 teaspoons. It should be enough to set 2 cups (500 mL) of liquid.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese should be softened to room temperature before getting started. Do not use anything labaled low fat or that comes from a tub.
- Storage: Always store cheesecake in the fridge. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is based on 1 piece without whipped cream decorations on top, assuming the cheesecake is divided into 12 equal pieces.
Hi, Can this be made and frozen ahead? How would you recommend defrosting? Thank you.
Yes, definitely. Just be sure to wrap it very tightly. Thaw it overnight in the fridge – if you thaw it at room temperature you can end up parts some parts becoming soggy and while others are still frozen.
I would like to use frozen strawberries. Do I need to reduce an6 liquid or just keep in the same. Thanks!
The recipe will work the same, but I’d recommend boiling down the strawberries for about 10 minutes to boil out the extra liquid 🙂
Hi Fiona, just wanted to know how many tablespoons of gelatin is required for this recipe.
About 2 1/2 teaspoons of gelatin are in one packet.
Can you use strawberry gelatin?
I think the cheesecake could end up being very sweet is you used strawberry gelatin. I haven’t tried it myself, so I’m not sure how much you’d need to adjust the sugar.