Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

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This right here is the lightest, creamiest and most incredible no bake lemon cheesecake recipe EVER! It’s also really easy to create using my simple step by step pictures and helpful top tips, making this easy lemon cheesecake recipe the perfect make ahead dessert!

Ideal for dinner parties, Summer barbecues, family gatherings and well, just about any occasion you can think of! And yes, it’s just as silky smooth as my popular no bake vanilla cheesecake recipe!

This honestly is the best lemon cheesecake recipe I’ve ever made. (Coming in top alongside my mango and white chocolate cheesecake recipe!) It’s the perfect balance of tangy and creamy. If you just can’t get enough lemon – my Lemon Meringue Pie recipe will be right up your street too! It’s one of my all time favourites!

Why is no bake lemon cheesecake so good?

No bake cheesecake recipes have always been a firm favourite of mine but they can quite often be heavy and stodgy. Not this bad boy! I kid you not, every single person that had a slice exclaimed that this lemon cheesecake was ultra light, zingy yet creamy, cloud like and moreish! That’s not a bad review for a seriously easy dessert recipe is it?!

How easy is no bake lemon cheesecake to make?

CRAZY easy! It’s very difficult to get a no bake cheesecake wrong which is why I love them so much. Anyone can make it and come across like a master patissier that’s been crafting for years… especially when you make it look super fancy with my CRAZY easy decoration tip! (See ‘recipe tips’ section later in the post.)

What you need to know

In this section I’m going to share everything you need to know to recreate this lemon cheesecake perfectly in your very own home! From helpful tips to my ‘cheat’ decorating tips, this is definitely worth a read!

Ingredients Notes

Right here is everything you need to know about the ingredients you need to make the perfect no bake lemon cheesecake.

For the biscuit base

• Biscuits – Here in the UK, digestive biscuits are best and any brand will work fine. In the US you can substitute for graham crackers.
• Lemon zest – A nice large fresh lemon will give a good zingy flavour.
• Butter – Using a good brand like Lurpak will improve the flavour but any brand will work. Use unsalted if you can.

For the cheesecake filling

• Cream – You need double cream here as it has to be whippable. (Heavy cream in the US)
• Icing Sugar – Also called confectioners sugar, this dissolves well into the cream so don’t sub it for granular sugars!
• Cream Cheese – This is important. Brand matters here! Only use Philadelphia full fat original cream cheese as it’s very stable and makes setting your cheesecake a breeze. cheaper brands and low fat versions are almost certain to disappoint! Yes it’s expensive but you can buy them when on offer (which is quite often here in the UK) which will help.
• Caster Sugar – (Super fine sugar in the US) I like to use golden caster sugar as it has a slight caramel flavour, but regular white caster sugar will work great too.
• Lemon Curd – Obviously a nice fancy brand would be lovely but, in all honesty, the cheap versions work just as well in this recipe!
• Lemon Zest – As in the biscuit base, a nice large fresh lemon will give a wonderful zingy flavour.

For the topping/decoration

• Lemon Curd – You don’t need to buy anything special here. As I said in the filling ingredient notes, cheap versions work really well in this recipe.
• Mini Meringue Nests – The perfect cheat! These take away the headache of having to pipe beautiful cream swirls on top (which can honestly be a nightmare!).

How to make no bake lemon cheesecake: recipe summary

For the biscuit base

1. Blitz biscuits into crumbs then mix with lemon zest and melted butter.
2. Press into a lined tin and freeze.

For the cheesecake filling

1. Whip cream and icing sugar to stiff peaks.
2. Beat cream cheese and caster sugar together then add lemon curd and zest.
3. Fold in whipped cream then smooth out in the biscuit base.

For the topping/decoration

1. Beat lemon curd to soften then smooth over the cheesecake.
2. Set in the fridge.
3. Decorate just before serving.

Recipe tips

This right here is the golden egg of lemon cheesecake recipe information. It’s where I share some really helpful tips that I think will help you nail it first time!

• Don’t go overboard on the decoration. Less is more! Keep it even easier by using shop bought mini meringue nests instead of attempting those difficult to achieve whipped cream swirls.
• Keep the double cream cold and the cream cheese at room temperature. This is important!
• Make sure you line the sides of the tin as well as the base. I’ve forgotten this before (in my vanilla strawberry cheesecake recipe) and it didn’t end well!
• I like to use the whisk attachment instead of the beater attachment in my stand mixer for this. It makes it smoother and creamier much quicker!
• Decorate just before serving to prevent the meringue nests from possibly going a little soggy.
• Whisk double cream by hand so you don’t over whip it. (This is easily done using a machine and it only takes a few seconds to render it unusable.)
• Use only full fat cream cheese, never reduced fat. Otherwise your cheesecake won’t set and it will all end in tears. Trust me, I’ve tried! (I find Philadelphia original full fat works best.)
• Never grate into the white part of lemon zest. This is called the pith and is very bitter. You only want the outer yellow part.

How to turn a no bake lemon cheesecake into a showstopper

I always see cheesecakes on the internet topped with these perfect, silky smooth swirls of whipped cream. But whenever I try it, the cream over whips and becomes grainy. Every time you touch whipped cream it seems to whip it some more – even the act of squeezing it through a piping nozzle ‘whips’ it and can cause it to look really unappetising.

My answer? Mini meringue nests! They have the most beautiful and perfect swirl without any of the potential errors or headaches. Look great too don’t they? I’m all about making life easier.

Even if you’re not a lemon fan, you can still make good use of my meringue nest tip! Check out my no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe for example.

Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to serve 10-12

For the biscuit base

• 375g (3 + 2/3 Cups Crushed) Digestive Biscuits *
• Zest of 1 Large Lemon
• 165g (2/3 Cup) Unsalted Butter

*If from the US, substitute these for graham crackers

For the cheesecake filling

• 300ml (1 + 1/4 Cups) Double Cream, Cold
• 60g (1/2 Cup) Icing Sugar
• 450g (2 Cups) Full Fat Cream Cheese, Room Temp
• 110g (1/2 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
• 120g (1/2 Cup) Lemon Curd
• Zest of 1 Large Lemon

For the topping/decoration

• 250g (1 Cup) Lemon Curd
• Mini Meringue Nests
• 1 Lemon, Cut Into Slices

Essential equipment

• 21.5cm (8.5″) Springform Pan
• Food Processor

Biscuit base instructions

Lightly grease and line the base and sides of your tin, set to one side.

In a food processor, blitz the digestive biscuits (375g | 3 + 2/3 Cups Crushed) until they become fine crumbs then add in the lemon zest (of 1 large lemon). Next gently melt the butter (165g | 2/3 Cup) in a bowl in the microwave in 10 second blasts. Pour this gradually into the biscuit crumbs while the processor is on and keep going until it comes together like wet sand.

Tip the crumbs into the lined tin and press firmly into the base and up the sides. Place this in the freezer to firm up while we make the filling.

Cheesecake filling instructions

In a large bowl with a whisk, whip the cold double cream (300ml | 1 + 1/4 Cups) until it starts to thicken. (I prefer to do this by hand as it’s SO easy to overdo it with a machine!)

Then sift in the icing sugar (60g | 1/2 Cup) and whip again until it forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to go too far.

In an electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese (450g | 2 Cups) until softened. (You can also do this in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk)

Next, add in the golden caster sugar (110g | 1/2 Cup) and whisk again for 2-3 minutes until smooth and shiny.

Then add in the lemon curd (120g | 1/2 Cup) and lemon zest (of 1 large lemon) and give it a good mix again. Watch that the lemon zest hasn’t stuck to the whisk attachment – you may need to scrape it off.

Finally, fold in the whipped double cream. I like to add about a third of the cream in at a time to make it easier.

Your filling is finally ready! Let’s pour that into the prepared base and smooth it out using a spatula.

Place into the fridge to set fully for at least 4 hours. (Overnight is best if you have the time.)

At this point it’s optional for you to add the lemon curd topping – see below.

Topping/decoration instructions

If you want your lemon curd topping to cascade like a beautiful river of lemony goodness down the side of your slices – wait until about an hour before serving to add the topping. If you’d rather it was a little more ‘set’ add it on before the 4 hours setting time. (Just after you’ve made the filling and poured it into the base.)

Simply weigh out the lemon curd (250g | 1 Cup) into a small bowl and mix until smooth and loose with a spoon. Pour this on top of the cheesecake and smooth out over the whole thing. Place back into the fridge to chill.

That’s it until right before serving!

When it’s set, carefully remove the tin and peel away the lining. Place onto a serving plate or cake stand.

Now all that’s left for you to do is slice up a lemon and cut each circular slice into half circles. Then top the cheesecake with mini meringue nests and lay a slice of lemon in between each one.

Store any leftover cheesecake in the fridge and consume within 3 days.

That’s it. Didn’t I tell you it was easy? Have you tried a slice yet? Is it not the most creamy and tantalisingly wonderful lemon cheesecake you’ve EVER tastes? Me too!!

What’s your all time favourite cheesecake flavour? This epic Biscoff Cheesecake is definitely one of mine! Let me know in the comments section below.

Have you Made This Recipe?

Will this creamy delicious Lemon Cheesecake be making an appearance in your household? I’d love to know if it is! Send me your pics and comments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or email me at emma@kitchenmason.com.

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Continue to Content

Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake - Printable Recipe

Yield: 12 Servings

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Chilling Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes

Hands down, the lightest, creamiest most moreish and luxurious lemon cheesecake EVER! You need this in your life!

Print

Ingredients

For the Base

• 375g (3 + 2/3 Cups Crushed) Digestive Biscuits *
• Zest of 1 Large Lemon
• 165g (2/3 Cup) Unsalted Butter

For the Filling

• 300ml (1 + 1/4 Cups) Double Cream, Cold
• 60g (1/2 Cup) Icing Sugar
• 450g (2 Cups) Full Fat Cream Cheese, Room Temp
• 110g (1/2 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
• 120g (1/2 Cup) Lemon Curd
• Zest of 1 Large Lemon

For the Topping/Decoration

• 250g (1 Cup) Lemon Curd
• Mini Meringue Nests
• 1 Lemon, Cut Into Slices

Essential Equipment

• 21.5cm (8.5") Springform Pan
• Food Processor

Instructions

For the Base

1. Grease & line the base and sides of the tin. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor then add the lemon zest and pour in the butter. Blitz again briefly until it clumps together.

1. Press the crumb mixture into the base and sides of the tin and freeze until needed.

For the Filling

1. Whisk the double cream until thickening (I do this by hand) then sift in the icing sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Set to one side.
2. In an electric stand mixer (or a large bowl with an electric hand whisk) beat the cream cheese until softened. Add in the caster sugar and whisk again until smooth and shiny.
3. Add the lemon curd and lemon zest and mix again until smooth. Then carefully fold in the whipped cream in thirds until blended.
4. Pour the filling into the prepared base and smooth out.

For the Topping/Decoration

1. Weigh the lemon curd out into a bowl and mix with a spoon to loosen. Smooth it out over the top of the cheesecake then place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours. (Overnight is fine too.)
2. Just before serving, top with mini meringue nests and half circle slices of lemon.

Notes

Store your lemon cheesecake in the fridge and consume within 3 days.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

• 
  MasterClass Springform Cake Tin with Loose Base, 23 cm (9")
• 
  AmazonBasics Silicone Spatulas, 3-Piece Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 662Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 1gSugar: 51gProtein: 7g

Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.

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