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This creamy Lemon Cheesecake is a delicious no bake cheesecake recipe. It’s an impressive dessert that involves NO BAKING. Here’s my foolproof guide to make sure you get the best result possible!

A plate with a slice of Lemon Cheesecake on, on a blue table with the rest of the cheesecake and some lemons in the background.

A lot of my cheesecakes are chocolatey, but I LOVE my Strawberry Cheesecake so much that I decided to create another fruity one that’s perfect for summer or if you fancy a fresher, zestier dessert. 

Here’s my Lemon Cheesecake. A tangy lip-smackingly good no bake cheesecake in which the light creamy filling offsets the sharpness of the lemon to perfection. 

I hope you love it! 🧡


Why you’ll love this Lemon Cheesecake recipe

⭐️ No baking – made in 30 minutes

⭐️ Zesty, creamy and fresh – perfect for summer

⭐️ Make ahead of time for convenience


Looking down on a blue table with a lemon cheesecake, a slice taken out of it, and the slice on a plate with a fork. Lemons are in the background.

How we came up with this recipe

In case you’re new to the Taming Twins cheesecake party, I discovered a simple way to make amazing cheesecakes that don’t involve baking a few years ago, and what followed was a dedication to creating a cheesecake for any occasion, be it Easter, Christmas or just about any other day of the year. 

It’s a relatively simple recipe, but below are some tips and tricks to follow to make sure you get your cheesecake just right, looking pretty and utterly delicious!


Ingredients

The ingredients for making a No Bake Lemon Cheesecake laid out in small bowls on a white counter.

For the base:

  • Ginger biscuits – Crush these up. These work really well in this recipe to give an added flavour. You could use another type of ginger biscuit or graham crackers if you’re not in the UK
  • Unsalted butter – Melt this quickly in a mug in the microwave 

For the cheesecake filling:

  • Double cream – See tips below on the required whipping consistency. This is also called ‘heavy cream’ or ‘whipping cream’ outside of the UK
  • Full fat cream cheese – Don’t use low fat as it’s not as stable
  • Icing sugar – I recommend sifting to avoid lumps
  • Lemons – You’ll need about 85ml of juice plus the zest of 3 lemons

How to make Lemon Cheesecake

Crushed ginger biscuits in the bottom of a processor for step 1 in the recipe for Lemon Cheesecake.

1. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or food processor. Mix with the melted butter and press into your tin.

A ginger biscuit base in a tin for step 2 in the process for a Lemon Cheesecake recipe.

2. Press the biscuit mixture into your tin to make a base. Chill in the fridge while you make your filling.

Cream, cream cheese and sugar with lemon zest in a bowl for step 3 in the recipe for Lemon Cheesecake.

3. Add the cream, cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice (as per the recipe below).

Whipped cream in a bowl for step 4 in the process of making Lemon Cheesecake.

4. Whisk until thick with an electric whisk if you have one. Be sure it’s VERY thick!

A Lemon Cheesecake still in the tin for step 5 in the recipe.

5. Remove the base from the fridge and add the cheesecake mixture, smoothing the top. Pop into the fridge and chill as per the recipe below.

Three lemons on a wooden chopping board with a zester to the side, with some lemon zest on the board too.

6. Remove the cheesecake from the tin and sprinkle the edges with the remaining lemon zest before serving.

Hint: Whip the cream straight from the fridge (this helps to keep it stable) and whip enough so it holds its shape (to about the texture of ice cream).


Substitutions

  • To make gluten free – Simply use gluten free ginger biscuits instead of standard ones. Always check the labels of your ingredients to double check they’re also gluten free

STORING

Chilling the biscuit base while you’re making the cheesecake filling will allow it to set and firm up a bit, making it a bit less crumbly when you add the topping.

You can store the cheesecake in the fridge (without the decoration) for a MINIMUM of 4 hours and up to 24 hours from preparation. I very much recommend overnight to make it more sliceable.

Leave it in the tin in the fridge and cover with a dinner plate of cling film (but make sure it doesn’t touch the surface of your beautiful cheesecake!)

This is one of few cheesecakes I suggest not making more than than 2 days in advance (and don’t store it longer than an hour or two in the fridge out of the tin) as the lemon juice can make the base go a little soft and make it less stable.

Can I freeze cheesecake? 

Yes you can freeze in the tin for up to a month. Defrost in the tin, in the fridge, and serve it when fully thawed. Don’t defrost it at room temperature as the cheesecake will collapse!

It won’t be suitable for refreezing.

favourite no Bake cheesecake recipes…

Top tipS

The best tools for lemons

The best way to zest lemons is to invest in a great zester. It will change your cake-making life! I like this Microplane Zester, which I’ve had for years and it makes the job SO easy.

I also love this OXO zester with channel knife, which gives a thicker zest that’s perfect for decorating the cheesecake with.

How to crush the biscuits for the base

I use a food processor because it helps get that nice, fine consistency. 

If you’d prefer to do it by hand, just put the biscuits in a food bag, seal the top, then bash with a rolling pin or something fairly heavy to get the fine crumble.

Whipping the cream

When whipping the double cream, be sure to watch it very carefully. It should be just forming soft floppy peaks, but still hold its shape. 

Too runny and the cheesecake will be sloppy, too stiff and it will be too dense. Use an electric whisk if you have one.

Icing sugar sifting 

Do sift the icing sugar! It will give a much smoother texture to the cheesecake.

Ideal cheesecake consistency 

It should be sliceable but not solid (something like room temperature butter), and it should quiver but not wobble.

If you feel the cheesecake is too runny you could add a little more cream cheese during the whisking stage.

How to remove the cheesecake successfully from the tin

Use a tin with either a springform (unclippable sides) or removable base (I like these Masterclass 7″ Removable Base tins that I’ve had for years). 

➡️ Warm a regular dinner knife under a hot tap and then dry it. Use this to run around the outside of the cake, inside the tin, before removing it. 

➡️ Remove the knife and wipe as you work your way around the cake.

➡️ If you have a removable base, sit the tin on a tall glass and carefully press down so the sides of the tin can slip down lower than the cheesecake and you can easily remove it.

More Lemony Recipes…

FAQs

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, you can make and store in the fridge in the tin for up to 24 hours.

Most cheesecakes you can leave for longer, but with this one the liquid from the lemon juice starts to come out and you’ll end up with soggy dessert!

What is double cream?

If you’re not in the UK, you may not have access to double cream. No problem, just use the equivalent of whipping cream or heavy cream instead.

Help my cheesecake isn’t set!

This almost always happens when either you haven’t whipped it sufficiently or when it hasn’t been chilled for long enough. 

If you didn’t whip it enough initially you may be able to rescue it and firm it up a little by putting it into the freezer for an hour or so. It really does need to be whipped until it is VERY thick.

Are cheesecakes made with real cheese?

Yes – cream cheese. But do they taste like cheese? No! They just have a certain kind of creaminess that is so good and honestly does lend itself to a sweet dish.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

5 from 1 vote

No Bake Lemon Cheesecake {6 Ingredient Recipe}

You can make this zesty, creamy Lemon Cheesecake ahead of time for an easy but impressive dessert. No baking needed, just 30 minutes to whip it up! Follow this foolproof recipe for top results, every time!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

For the base:

  • 200 g Ginger nut biscuits, Crushed
  • 80 g Unsalted butter, Melted

For the cheesecake filling:

  • 300 ml Double cream
  • 400 g Full fat cream cheese, See notes
  • 100 g Icing sugar, Sifted
  • 3 Lemons, Zest and 85ml juice

Instructions 

  • Combine the crushed ginger biscuits with the melted butter and press into a tin. Chill in the fridge while you make the topping.
  • Pour the double cream into a bowl, add the cream cheese, icing sugar and the zest of 2 lemons.
  • Now juice 3 lemons – you should have around 85ml of juice. If you have more than 85ml, discard the rest. Don't use more than 85ml as it will be too runny. (You may want to zest the third lemon now as it is used to decorate the cheesecake – it is much easier to zest a whole lemon rather than one that has been juiced).
  • Whisk until it's very thick – almost the consistency of ice cream. Use an electric whisk if you have one.
  • Remove the base from the fridge and add the cheesecake mixture, smoothing the top.
  • Pop into the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight/up to 24 hours if you don't need it until the next day).
  • Remove from the tin then sprinkle the edges with the remaining lemon zest before serving.

Notes

Whipping the cream: Whip the cream straight from the fridge and whip enough so it holds its shape (texture of ice cream).
Consistency: The consistency of the cheesecake should be sliceable but not solid. Something like room temperature butter (it will give a little quiver if you wobble it gently).
Removing the cheesecake from the tin: Run around the outside of the tin with a warm knife to easily remove the cheesecake. If you have a removable base, sit the tin on a tall glass and carefully press down so the sides of the tin can slip down lower than the cheesecake and you can easily remove it.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 165mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 990IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Family Food
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Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

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Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

5 from 1 vote

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