Philadelphia cream cheese no bake cheesecake recipe cool whip

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No-bake Cool Whip cheesecakes are not only super easy to make, but also totally adorable. No one will know that you didn't spend hours baking these little cheesecakes. They use only six ingredients— if you don't make your own graham cracker crust.

They're rich and fluffy all at the same time and, thanks to the lack of baking part, make for the perfect decadent yet refreshing summer dessert. Top them with fresh summer berries, but you can top them with whatever fruit you like. Make them ahead of time and store them in the fridge to cut down on prep the day you are serving.

"This dessert offers a nearly effortless way to get your cheesecake fix. I made it in muffin cups and the individual portions were the perfect size. The garnish of fresh berries is as pretty as it is delicious with the light, creamy and slightly tangy filling. A dollop of lemon curd would be delicious too." —Danielle Centoni

For the Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, more for greasing

For the Filling

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 (8-ounce) tub frozen whipped cream topping, thawed

• Raspberries

• Blueberries

• Blackberries

1. Gather the ingredients.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and pre heat to 350 F. Place the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a food processor and process until combined.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

3. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse until combined.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

4. Press the graham cracker crust into 6 greased mini cheesecake molds. If you are using a muffin tin, make sure to use liners.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

5. Bake until the crusts are lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely while you make the filling.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

6. Beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until combined and fluffy.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

7. Fold the whipped cream topping into the cream cheese mixture.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

8. Fill the prepared crusts to the top of the molds a bit at a time with the cream cheese mixture, pressing down on the top with a spoon or spatula so the crust is completely covered and there are no pockets of air.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

9. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

   The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

10. Remove the cheesecakes from the molds, top with fresh berries and serve. They can also be kept chilled for up to 2 days before serving!

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

Tips

• This recipe will fill 6 mini cheesecake molds, or 18 muffin cup cheesecakes.
• Make sure your cream cheese is very soft before you start whipping. This will ensure that the cheesecake doesn't have any lumps and stays smooth and creamy.
• Make sure you use cream cheese, and not a cream cheese spread. These are two different products and the spread won't firm up well.
• Don't overmix the cream cheese mixture. If it's beaten too much, it will lose some of its fluff.

Variations

• To make this into one large cheesecake, use a springform pan or prepare it in a pie plate. You can also buy a pre-made store-bought graham cracker pie crust. This will save you time and dishes.
• To make these cheesecakes in a muffin tin, put cupcake liners in each of the molds and form the crusts in them.
• Feel free to top these mini cakes with whatever fruit you want, like strawberries, pineapple, or cherries.
• You can also use your own homemade whipped cream instead of the prepared stuff.

Why Is My No-Bake Cheesecake Not Firm?

Smaller cheesecakes should firm up in 2 or 3 hours, but it's possible yours needs longer. Also, if you are making the whole cheesecake variation, you will need 6 to 8 hours in the refrigerator to completely firm up to the consistency of a baked cheesecake. Putting your cheesecake in the coldest part of the fridge, which is on the bottom shelf toward the back, should also help.

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