No Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
My husband’s favorite dessert EVER is cheesecake. Anytime a slice shows up on a menu he orders it. Every special occasion, holiday, you name it he requests it. I typically never it only because a true cheesecake is difficult to master! I haven’t nailed it down and the outcome for me at least are not that appetizing. I’m working on it, but what I have been given an A+ on is my No Bake Cheesecake! And truly that is enough for me, this baby tastes incredible and to me, outshines any real cheesecake I’ve every met! Ya I said it. This No Bake Cheesecake has minimal ingredients, simple steps, and knocks everyones socks off! That is a total win in my book. I like things simple and I know you do too!
The best part? You can customize the flavor to match whatever craving you need to satisfy. The recipe below uses vanilla beans because that is our household favorite. Though you can do lemon extract + lemon zest or do the same with limes! You could add in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and have it be a chocolate chip cheesecake. The bottom line here is that you can add any flavor you’d like that pairs well with cheesecake (anything) and it will be great! If you have any questions about measurements ask away in the comment section!!
There is no other crust greater than graham cracker! It is the OG and quite frankly I eat the cheesecake just for the this crust! I like to make quite a bit so you have enough to go up the sides on the pan. I just use melted butter and graham crackers to keep it simple. A lot of graham cracker crust recipes call for sugar to be added, but I skip that as the cheesecake + crust don’t need any additional sweetness.
Another tip here, line the bottom of your spring form pan with a layer of parchment paper! This will ensure that your cheesecake will slip right off and onto a cake plate or serving tray. Or you can be scavengers like our family and just eat slices right out of the pan! haha! This cheesecake gets devoured by Dan and I. Lately, we can’t wait until the girls are in bed so we can turn on The Crown and eat a slice of cheesecake.
Now I use a 9 inch spring form pan and this is the perfect pan for this cheesecake. This way once it is ready you can just unhook the pan and slip the cheesecake right out! Of course if you don’t have a spring form pan, you can use any pie pan. It just might be a little tough to slice and serve but it is doable and it all tastes the same!
When forming your graham cracker crust, first use your fingertips to evenly spread it around the pan. Then I like to use the bottom of a small cup to press the crust in and form a nice even crust that goes up the sides. Like below …
Let’s talk vanilla! Because this recipe is only a few ingredients I love using vanilla beans because they really shine in the dessert! Of course these are very expensive and if you aren’t wanting to snag them you can use vanilla extract instead, no problem! Or vanilla bean paste if you can find it. Vanilla beans live within the pod and to get them out you just slice down the pod and use a small knife to drag its tip down the center of the pod. All the small beans will start to pile up as you see below. There are literally thousands of vanilla beans within just 1/2 a pod. You’ll want to add the vanilla beans that you scrape out directly into your cheese cake mixture. I LOVE seeing the small vanilla bean specs through out.
No Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese at room temp
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/2 of one vanilla bean pod OR 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
18-20 graham crackers
11 tbs unsalted butter
9 inch spring form pan
Directions
Step 1: Start by crushing your graham crackers and slowly stir in the melted butter until they form a wet sand texture. I like to do all this in my food processor. You could crush your graham crackers in a large zip top bag and then place your graham cracker crumbs into a large bowl to then stir in your melted butter.
Step 2: Pour your graham cracker crust into a 9 inch spring form pan and use your fingertips and the bottom of a small cup to form your crust evenly on the bottom + up the sides of the pan.
Step 3: Place your graham cracker crust in the freezer while you whip up the cream cheese filling.
Step 4: In a stand mixer or large bowl whip your cream cheese. Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese so the batter has no lumps!
Step 5: Add in your vanilla beans (or vanilla extract)
Step 6: Slowly add in your sweetened condensed milk. Once everything comes together smoothly, pour it into the chilled graham cracker crust. Use a spatula to even the top of your cheesecake out.
Step 7: Let the cheesecake firm in the refrigerator UNCOVERED for at least SIX hours or preferably overnight. Be sure to NOT cover your cheesecake with anything, this way it will form a thin coating on the top that will help it set properly. Keep in mind that this cheesecake will be very smooth and soft in texture, though if it has ample time to chill it will hold up just fine and be delicious.
Step 8: Once the cheesecake is firm slice and serve cold! It is best served chilled straight from the refrigerator. Store any left overs for up to a week and continue to keep it uncovered. We store any leftovers in the pan itself and just slice and serve until the whole thing is gone.