No-Bake Cheesecake With Almond Flour Crust Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my no bake cheesecake not setting up? ›

The primary reason a no-bake cheesecake is too runny or doesn't set up properly is generally the temperature of the ingredients. If your cream cheese is too warm, the mixture will be too soft and will never set up properly.

Another common mistake is not pre-baking the crust. Before you add your batter, it's important that your crust has a short 8-10 minute visit in the oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). This sets and seals the crust to prepare it for the wet batter. Make sure it's completely cooled before adding the batter.

Add Gelatin or Cornstarch

Gelatin is great for adding firmness, while cornstarch can thicken the mixture without making it too firm. Just make sure to dissolve the gelatin or cornstarch in a little bit of warm water before adding it to the filling.

Generally speaking they only take 8–12 hours to set in the fridge, so making it the night before is always preferable. I can hardly think of a situation where you'd need a no bake cheesecake in the next couple of hours. However when setting the base I would recommend using the freezer.

When in doubt, give it a smell. A sour, off-putting odor is a definite sign it has spoiled and should not be consumed. Always store your no bake cheesecake in the refrigerator. If not consuming immediately, cover it with a cake dome or plastic wrap, not foil as it can give off a metallic taste.

Many recipes say to let the cheesecake sit in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for about an hour, then let it cool completely on the counter. It also needs to spend four hours, or ideally overnight, in the fridge before slicing and eating to ensure the perfect velvety smooth texture.

Go with speculoos or crisp ginger snaps for a spicy kick that works well with cheesecake or cream pies, vanilla wafers or animal crackers if you want something more subtle, or chocolate wafers or even Oreo cookies for something dark and chocolate-y.

Tip: To get more crispness in the cheesecake base, brush some lightly beaten egg white over the surface of the biscuit layer before you bake it. The egg wash will form a layer between the cheesecake base and filling, and this will help to reduce the amount of moisture penetrating the biscuit base.

The crust is usually prepared with a mixture of sugar, butter, eggs, and flour. It isn''t too sweet, but serves as a base to showcase the delicate flavors of the cheesecake itself. As opposed to a traditional crust, many cheesecakes are made with a graham cracker crust.

If you are making a plain cheesecake such as my no-bake vanilla cheesecake, you can probably get away with cold ingredients, but generally the cream cheese should be room temp. Often a cheesecake mixture can split or curdle because of over mixing – I often get comments of 'how long do I mix for?

Why is my no bake cheesecake base soggy? ›

I'd say it's too much liquid in the cheesecake batter and it didn't set fast enough and the liquid and moisture got into the base. Baking the base would help, but I guess if you need to bake it then there's no point to make a no bake cheesecake. Buiscuits, butter and a bit of cocoa powder for the base.

Overmixing may lead to cracks and a grainy texture

With a batter mainly composed of cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolks, you can quickly form cracks in your cheesecake with the excess air that comes from overmixing (via Cheesecakes World).

The USDA says to avoid the “danger zone” you must place a cooled cheesecake in the fridge within two hours. You can set a timer for yourself so you don't forget and risk wasting all that beautiful, rich dessert.

You want to be sure you set up your pan by spraying the sides with non-stick baking spray and lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper before you ever even begin making the crust.

You can either pour the mixture into a pot at a low temperature or put it in a bowl over warm water. Stir continuously until all the cream cheese lumps are melted, and the mixture is completely smooth. It is also a good method to fix cheesecake batters that are curdled or split.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is better. For a sturdy no-bake cheesecake with beautifully neat slices, refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This makes for a great make-ahead dessert! Do not freeze the cheesecake to set it.

We do not recommend freezing our no-bake cheesecake as a way to speed up the chilling and setting process because freezing will impact the texture of both the filling and the crust. We also do not recommend freezing the cheesecake as a make-ahead strategy.

Absolutely! In my opinion, it's one of the best desserts for making ahead because it doesn't dry out or go bad as quickly if you store it well. It's also something I typically make a day before I serve it anyway, since it takes several hours in the fridge to firm up.