No bake strawberry jello cheesecake gives you all the flavors you love without the finicky baking that goes along with many cheesecake recipes. Sweet strawberry jello and an easy cheesecake filling are layered over a crust of vanilla wafers to create a sweet treat that fills you with joy and not frustration.
I love fruity cheesecake, but I don't love futzing around with baking the crust, then baking the cheesecake (and hoping it won't crack), and then having to fiddle with putting on all the fruit. This version takes all of that headache away and simply leaves me with pure, delicious joy.
Strawberry Jello Cheesecake
This was inspired by my no bake icebox cake recipe on this site. As I was eating those layers of cherries, cheesecake, and graham cracker, it suddenly occurred to me that I could do much the same thing with a cheesecake recipe. It worked out fantastically, if I do say so myself.
Ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this delicious no bake cheesecake. You probably have most of them in your kitchen right now, and what you don't have can be easily found in just a couple of aisles at your local grocery store.
- Vanilla wafers
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Softened cream cheese
- Heavy cream
- Strawberry Jello
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Instructions
It only takes a few simple steps to make this tasty cheesecake. It's just as easy as the ingredient list. Unlike a lot of cheesecakes, there's not much to making this one.
Step 1: Prep
Set your cream cheese out on the counter to soften and measure out all of your ingredients. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Then, melt the butter for the next step.
Step 2: Make the Crust
In a food processor, pulse the vanilla wafers until they resemble crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and add the sugar and melted butter. Then, use a fork to combine.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides. Then, chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Mix the Cream Cheese and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together with a hand-held mixer until it's smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Step 4: Make the Jello
In another bowl, whisk the strawberry jello and boiling water together until the jello is dissolved. Set aside.
Step 5: Make the Whipped Cream
In another medium bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form.
Step 6: Assembly
Fold half of the whipped cream into the jello and the other half into the cream cheese mixture. Then, alternate filling the pan with the mixtures, starting with the cream cheese mixture and ending with the jello mixture.
Step 7: Chill and Serve
Chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight, then serve.
Hint: It's important to use a hand mixer for the whipped cream to get enough air into the mixture to create the right texture.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this strawberry jello cheesecake.
- Jello Flavors - You can make this recipe into any fruity flavor you want by using different jello flavors.
- Graham Crackers - If you don't have vanilla wafers, use graham crackers for the crust.
- Graham Cracker Crust - You can save even more time by simply buying a pre-made graham cracker crust.
- Cool Whip - If you don't want to make homemade whipped cream, just use Cool Whip.
Variations
Want to personalize this no bake strawberry jello cheesecake recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Add Fresh Fruit - Add fresh fruit to the top of your cheesecake for a beautiful look and extra flavor.
- Chocolate - For even more sweet flavor, melt a little semi-sweet chocolate and add a thin layer to the crust before chilling.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy no bake chocolate peanut butter pie.
Equipment
As you might imagine with a recipe this simple, it doesn't take a lot of equipment to make. You only need a few simple, basic kitchen items.
- Microwaveable dish
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Spoon
- Springform pan
- Whisk
Storage
You can store this cheesecake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Tips
This is a super simple recipe, but even so, I have some tips here to help you get the most out of it. These are easy tips that can make a big difference, so don't skip this part.
- Fully soften your cream cheese to ensure a rich smooth texture with no bits of raw cream cheese.
- Use a hand mixer when making the whipped cream to achieve the best results.
- When pressing your crust into the pan, work from the center outward to achieve the most uniform results.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Do you like cheesecake filling? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups with Cheesecake Filling
- Peppermint Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
- Caramel Brownie Trifle with Cheesecake
FAQ
Do you have questions about the no bake strawberry jello cheesecake? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about strawberry jello cheesecake.
You can keep it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to five days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Take the chilled cheesecake and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then again in foil. Then, transfer it to an air-tight, freezer-safe container or large, heavy-duty freezer bag.
Remove the foil from the cheesecake but leave the plastic wrap on. Then, place it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight.
Yes! You can use any flavor you like, it's the easiest way in the world to change the cheesecake flavor.
No Bake Strawberry Jello Cheesecake
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
No-Bake Strawberry Jello Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 12 oz. vanilla wafers
- 1-½ cups granulated sugar divided
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted or ½ stick
- 2 bricks (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 box (3 oz) strawberry jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
- Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor until it resembles crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a bowl.
- Add ½ cup granulated sugar.
- Add melted butter.
- Using a fork, combine well.
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan generously with cooking spray and press mixture into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.
- Chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar with a hand-held mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together strawberry jello and boiling water until dissolved.
- Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whip heavy cream, vanilla extract, and confectioners sugar.
- Whip until stiff peaks form.
- Combine half of the whipped cream mixture with the strawberry jello mixture.
- Add remaining half of whipped cream mixture to cream cheese mixture.
- Alternate spreading each mixture into the pan, starting with the cream cheese mixture.
- Ending with the whipped cream mixture on top!
- Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
- Add whipped cream and raspberries to decorate, if desired.
- Serve.
- Enjoy every bite.
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