Loader

Easy Cheesecake Recipe

By : | 0 Comments | On : 24/05/2026 | Category : breakfast

๐Ÿฐ Cheesecake Recipes ยท May 2026

15 Easy Cheesecake Recipes From No-Bake to Classic New York Style

Cheesecake has an undeserved reputation for difficulty. These 15 recipes prove it is one of the most achievable impressive desserts.

15Recipes
No-Baketo Baked
~$1.50Per Slice
AlwaysImpressive
M
Written by Moiz Dotani โ€” Founder, Food Recipes Deal

Home cook and baker. Every recipe personally tested before publishing. Techniques explained clearly for reliable results.

๐Ÿณ 10+ Years Cookingโœ… All Tested๐Ÿ“… May 2026๐Ÿ’ฐ Budget-First

Cheesecake has a reputation as a technically demanding dessert โ€” prone to cracking, sinking, and overbaking. This reputation is partially deserved for the classic New York-style baked cheesecake, which does require specific technique (water bath, low temperature, careful timing). But it ignores the vast world of cheesecake that requires no baking at all.

No-bake cheesecakes are set by cold rather than heat, use whipped cream or condensed milk to provide structure, and are genuinely impossible to crack or overbake. They take 15 minutes of active preparation and require only refrigerator time. For baked cheesecakes, the techniques that prevent problems are simple and reliable: room temperature ingredients, a water bath for even heat, and removing from the oven when still slightly wobbly in the centre.

These fifteen recipes span the full spectrum โ€” from a 5-minute no-bake cheesecake to a classic New York baked, with flavour variations, mini versions, and international styles along the way.

All 15 Recipes

1. Classic No-Bake Cheesecake

Cream cheese whipped with sugar and lemon, folded into whipped cream, set in a buttered biscuit crust โ€” the no-bake cheesecake that never cracks, never sinks, and takes 20 minutes of active work. The lemon juice provides brightness and helps set the cream cheese slightly.

โฑ 20 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.40
Ingredients
  • Crust: 250g digestive biscuits crushed + 100g melted butter
  • Filling: 600g full-fat cream cheese, softened + 150g icing sugar + juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp vanilla + 300ml double cream, whipped to stiff peaks
Instructions
  1. Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter. Press into 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese with icing sugar, lemon, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Fold in whipped cream gently.
  4. Pour over crust. Smooth top.
  5. Refrigerate minimum 6 hours or overnight.
  6. Release springform. Serve.
โœ“ Pro Tip: The cream cheese must be at room temperature โ€” cold cream cheese produces lumps that do not smooth out regardless of mixing time. Soften for at least 1 hour at room temperature before starting.

2. New York Baked Cheesecake

The American classic โ€” a dense, rich, smooth cheesecake baked in a water bath. The water bath provides gentle, even heat that prevents the edges from cooking faster than the centre and eliminates cracking. The result is the smoothest, richest cheesecake possible.

โฑ 1.5 hrs + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 12 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.00
Ingredients
  • Crust: 200g graham crackers crushed + 80g melted butter
  • Filling: 900g cream cheese, softened + 200g sugar + 4 eggs + 200ml sour cream + 1 tsp vanilla + 1 tbsp flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 160ยฐC. Press crust into greased 23cm springform tin.
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time.
  3. Add sour cream, vanilla, flour. Mix.
  4. Wrap tin in foil. Place in roasting pan. Fill pan with hot water 3cm deep.
  5. Bake 60โ€“70 minutes โ€” centre should wobble slightly.
  6. Turn oven off. Leave door ajar. Cool in oven 1 hour.
  7. Refrigerate overnight.
โœ“ Pro Tip: The still-wobbly centre is correct โ€” remove when a 5cm circle in the centre wobbles like set jelly when shaken. It sets completely during the overnight refrigeration. Fully set in the oven means overcooked, dense cheesecake.

3. Strawberry No-Bake Cheesecake

No-bake cheesecake with fresh strawberry filling and a strawberry compote topping โ€” the fruit cheesecake that celebrates seasonal strawberries at their peak.

โฑ 25 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.80
Ingredients
  • Crust: 250g digestive biscuits + 100g butter
  • Filling: 600g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 300ml double cream whipped + 200g fresh strawberries, pureed + 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Topping: 300g strawberries + 2 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp lemon juice โ€” simmered 5 minutes
Instructions
  1. Make crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped cream.
  3. Fold in strawberry puree.
  4. Pour over crust. Smooth.
  5. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  6. Top with strawberry compote before serving.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Fold the strawberry puree in gently and incompletely โ€” streaks of strawberry running through the cream cheese filling are more visually appealing and flavourful than a uniformly pink mixture.

4. Lemon Cheesecake

A bright, tangy no-bake cheesecake โ€” cream cheese with significant lemon zest and juice, set in a buttery biscuit base. The most refreshing cheesecake possible, ideal for warm weather serving.

โฑ 25 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.60
Ingredients
  • Crust: 250g ginger biscuits + 100g melted butter
  • Filling: 600g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + zest of 3 lemons + juice of 2 lemons + 300ml double cream, whipped
  • Lemon curd to top
Instructions
  1. Make crust with ginger biscuits. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon zest, and juice until smooth.
  3. Fold in whipped cream.
  4. Pour over crust. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  5. Top with lemon curd before serving.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Ginger biscuits instead of digestives produce a spiced, warm base that contrasts beautifully with the sharp lemon filling โ€” the combination is one of the great flavour pairings in dessert baking.

5. Mini Cheesecakes (Muffin Tin)

Individual no-bake cheesecakes made in a muffin tin lined with cupcake cases โ€” the portable, shareable format that requires no springform tin and serves individual portions cleanly.

โฑ 30 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 12 minis๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.20
Ingredients
  • Crust: 150g digestives + 60g butter โ€” divided between 12 cases
  • Filling: 400g cream cheese + 100g icing sugar + 200ml double cream whipped + 1 tsp vanilla
  • Topping: fresh berries, jam, or Nutella
Instructions
  1. Line 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
  2. Divide crust between cases. Press flat. Refrigerate.
  3. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla.
  4. Fold in whipped cream.
  5. Divide between cases. Smooth tops.
  6. Refrigerate 4 hours.
  7. Top with berries before serving.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Leave the paper cases on until just before serving โ€” they provide structure during refrigeration and serving. Remove at the very last moment for the cleanest presentation.

6. Chocolate Cheesecake

A rich, dark chocolate no-bake cheesecake โ€” cream cheese with melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and cream in an Oreo crust. One of the most impressive desserts possible for the effort involved.

โฑ 25 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.20
Ingredients
  • Oreo crust: 300g Oreos, crushed + 80g melted butter
  • Filling: 500g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 150g dark chocolate, melted and cooled + 30g cocoa + 300ml double cream, whipped
  • Ganache: 100g dark chocolate + 100ml cream
Instructions
  1. Make Oreo crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, cocoa.
  3. Add cooled melted chocolate.
  4. Fold in whipped cream.
  5. Pour over crust. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  6. Make ganache: heat cream, pour over chocolate, stir smooth. Pour over set cheesecake.
โœ“ Pro Tip: The melted chocolate must be completely cooled to room temperature before adding to the cream cheese โ€” hot chocolate causes the cream cheese to melt and the whipped cream to deflate.

7. Basque Burnt Cheesecake

The San Sebastiรกn cheesecake that is intentionally ‘burnt’ โ€” baked at extremely high temperature without a water bath until the top is dramatically caramelised. No crust, no cracking concerns, no water bath. The caramelised top and creamy, almost liquid centre are its defining features.

โฑ 35 min๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.40
Ingredients
  • 900g cream cheese, softened
  • 300g sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 500ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 230ยฐC. Line 23cm tin with parchment paper โ€” excess overhanging.
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  3. Add eggs one at a time. Add cream, flour, vanilla.
  4. Pour into tin.
  5. Bake 50โ€“55 minutes until deeply caramelised on top.
  6. Centre will wobble significantly โ€” this is correct.
  7. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.
โœ“ Pro Tip: The Basque cheesecake should look dramatically overbaked โ€” the top should be dark amber to almost black. This caramelisation is not a mistake; it is the entire character of the dessert. A pale Basque cheesecake is an undercooked Basque cheesecake.

8. Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

The Japanese souffle cheesecake โ€” lighter than air, with a cottony texture achieved by folding whipped egg whites into a light cream cheese batter. Completely different from Western cheesecake in texture but equally extraordinary.

โฑ 1 hr๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.80
Ingredients
  • 250g cream cheese, softened
  • 50g butter
  • 100ml milk
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 60g cake flour
  • 20g cornflour
  • ยฝ tsp cream of tartar
  • 150g sugar
Instructions
  1. Melt cream cheese, butter, and milk over low heat. Cool.
  2. Stir in flour, cornflour, and egg yolks.
  3. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add sugar gradually to stiff peaks.
  4. Fold whites into cheese mixture in 3 additions.
  5. Pour into lined tin. Bake in water bath at 160ยฐC for 50 minutes.
  6. Cool in oven 30 minutes door ajar.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Fold the egg whites in very gently in 3 additions โ€” the volume of the beaten whites is what produces the cotton-like texture. Aggressive mixing deflates them and produces a dense result.

9. Nutella Cheesecake

A no-bake cheesecake with Nutella swirled through the cream cheese filling in an Oreo crust โ€” the dessert that requires no justification, only a fork.

โฑ 20 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.00
Ingredients
  • Oreo crust: 300g Oreos crushed + 80g melted butter
  • Filling: 500g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 4 tbsp Nutella + 300ml double cream, whipped
  • Top: 4 tbsp Nutella warmed, hazelnuts
Instructions
  1. Make Oreo crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese and icing sugar.
  3. Add Nutella โ€” mix partially, leaving swirls.
  4. Fold in whipped cream.
  5. Pour over crust. Swirl top with extra Nutella.
  6. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  7. Top with hazelnuts.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Do not fully mix the Nutella into the filling โ€” deliberate swirls of Nutella through the cream cheese create a marbled effect that is visually striking and produces pockets of intense chocolate-hazelnut flavour throughout.

10. Baked Raspberry Cheesecake

A baked cheesecake with a layer of raspberry compote baked into the top โ€” the fruit sinks slightly into the filling during baking and creates an appealing rippled surface. Baked cheesecakes have a firmer, richer texture than no-bake versions.

โฑ 1 hr + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 12 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.40
Ingredients
  • Crust: 200g digestives + 80g butter
  • Filling: 700g cream cheese + 180g sugar + 3 eggs + 200ml sour cream + 1 tsp vanilla
  • Raspberry layer: 200g raspberries + 2 tbsp sugar โ€” simmered and cooled
Instructions
  1. Press crust into greased 23cm tin.
  2. Beat cream cheese, sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and vanilla.
  3. Pour over crust.
  4. Spoon raspberry compote over filling. Swirl gently.
  5. Bake in water bath at 160ยฐC for 55 minutes.
  6. Cool. Refrigerate overnight.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Swirl the raspberry compote through the top of the filling before baking โ€” a skewer drawn through in figure-8 patterns creates a marbled surface. Do not overmix or the filling turns uniformly pink.

11. Speculoos (Lotus Biscoff) Cheesecake

A no-bake cheesecake with Biscoff spread folded through the filling in a Lotus biscuit base โ€” the viral cheesecake that tastes like concentrated caramel and warm spice.

โฑ 20 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.80
Ingredients
  • Lotus biscuit base: 300g Lotus Biscoff biscuits crushed + 80g melted butter
  • Filling: 600g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 6 tbsp Biscoff spread + 300ml double cream, whipped
  • Topping: Biscoff spread (warmed) + crushed biscuits
Instructions
  1. Make Lotus biscuit crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, and Biscoff spread.
  3. Fold in whipped cream.
  4. Pour over crust. Smooth top.
  5. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  6. Top with warmed Biscoff spread and crushed biscuits.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Warm the Biscoff spread topping in the microwave for 20 seconds until pourable โ€” cold Biscoff is too thick to spread evenly. Pour while warm and tilt the cheesecake to coat the surface evenly.

12. Mango Cheesecake

A tropical no-bake cheesecake with fresh or tinned mango folded into the filling and a mango jelly topping โ€” bright, fruity, and visually stunning.

โฑ 20 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.00
Ingredients
  • Crust: 250g digestives + 100g butter
  • Filling: 600g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 200g mango puree + 300ml double cream, whipped + juice of ยฝ lime
  • Topping: 200ml mango juice + 1 tbsp gelatine powder โ€” dissolved in hot juice, cooled
Instructions
  1. Make crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, lime juice.
  3. Fold in mango puree and whipped cream.
  4. Pour over crust. Refrigerate 4 hours.
  5. Pour cooled mango jelly over set cheesecake. Refrigerate 2 more hours.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Allow the mango jelly topping to cool to room temperature โ€” not set, just cool โ€” before pouring over the cheesecake. Hot liquid melts the cream cheese filling underneath and the layers mix.

13. Individual Jar Cheesecakes

No-bake cheesecake assembled in individual glasses or jam jars โ€” the most portable and most giftable cheesecake format. No springform required, no serving anxiety.

โฑ 15 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 6 jars๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.60
Ingredients
  • Crust: 150g digestives + 60g butter โ€” divided between 6 jars
  • Filling: 400g cream cheese + 100g icing sugar + 200ml double cream whipped + 1 tsp vanilla
  • Topping: fresh berries, jam, or lemon curd
Instructions
  1. Crush biscuits. Mix with butter.
  2. Divide between 6 jars. Press flat.
  3. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla.
  4. Fold in whipped cream.
  5. Divide between jars. Smooth top.
  6. Refrigerate 4 hours.
  7. Top with berries before serving.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Serve these directly in the jar โ€” the layers visible through glass are part of the presentation. Choose clear glass jars or glasses to show off the distinct biscuit and cream layers.

14. Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Cream cheese with natural peanut butter folded through the filling in an Oreo crust, topped with chocolate ganache. The combination of peanut butter and cream cheese is extraordinarily rich and satisfying.

โฑ 20 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$1.80
Ingredients
  • Oreo crust: 300g Oreos + 80g butter
  • Filling: 500g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 200g natural peanut butter + 300ml double cream, whipped
  • Ganache: 100g dark chocolate + 100ml cream
Instructions
  1. Make Oreo crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, peanut butter.
  3. Fold in whipped cream.
  4. Pour over crust. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  5. Make ganache. Pour over. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  6. Top with chopped peanuts.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Use natural peanut butter (peanuts only) โ€” the stabilised commercial varieties have a slightly waxy quality that does not blend as smoothly into the cream cheese.

15. White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

White chocolate melted into the cream cheese filling with fresh raspberries folded through โ€” one of the most elegant flavour combinations in dessert making. The white chocolate adds richness and sweetness while the raspberries provide sharp contrast.

โฑ 25 min + chill๐Ÿ‘ค 10 slices๐Ÿ’ฐ ~$2.40
Ingredients
  • Crust: 250g digestives + 100g butter
  • Filling: 500g cream cheese + 150g icing sugar + 200g white chocolate, melted and cooled + 300ml double cream, whipped + 150g raspberries
  • Topping: 100g raspberries + 50g white chocolate, shaved
Instructions
  1. Make crust. Refrigerate.
  2. Beat cream cheese and icing sugar.
  3. Add cooled white chocolate. Mix.
  4. Fold in whipped cream.
  5. Fold in raspberries gently โ€” leave some whole.
  6. Pour over crust. Refrigerate 6 hours.
  7. Top with raspberries and white chocolate shavings.
โœ“ Pro Tip: Fold the raspberries in last and very gently โ€” the goal is intact raspberries distributed through the filling rather than a pink-streaked mixture. A few broken ones are fine; completely crushed raspberries lose their visual and textural contribution.
๐Ÿ’ก

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my cheesecake cracking?

Three causes of cracking: overbaking (remove when the centre still wobbles), cooling too fast (leave in the oven with the door ajar for 1 hour after turning off), or overmixing the batter (which incorporates too much air that expands and cracks during baking). A water bath during baking eliminates cracking by providing gentle, even heat. No-bake cheesecakes never crack.

Why is chicken thigh better than breast for most recipes?

Chicken thigh has 2โ€“3 times more fat than breast. This fat melts during cooking and bastes the meat from within, producing consistent juiciness even if slightly overcooked. Breast meat has almost no intramuscular fat and dries out quickly when overcooked. For slow cooking, braising, curries, and high-heat searing, thigh is categorically superior. Breast is better only when a very lean protein with neutral flavour is specifically required.

Can cheesecake be frozen?

Yes โ€” both baked and no-bake cheesecakes freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze without toppings. Wrap in cling film then foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator โ€” never at room temperature, as the exterior becomes warm before the interior thaws and the texture suffers. Add fresh toppings after thawing completely.

How long do chicken thighs take to cook?

Bone-in, skin-on thighs: 35โ€“40 minutes at 220ยฐC (baked), or 6 minutes per side in a pan plus 12 minutes in the oven. Boneless thighs: 4โ€“5 minutes per side in a hot pan. Slow cooker: 6โ€“8 hours on low. Internal temperature for safety: 74ยฐC (165ยฐF) at the thickest point, not touching bone. Chicken thighs can safely be cooked to 80โ€“85ยฐC without drying out โ€” the fat prevents this.

How do I know when a baked cheesecake is done?

The edges should be set and the centre should wobble like set jelly โ€” a 5cm circle in the very centre should move when you gently shake the pan. This is 60ยฐC internal temperature. The cheesecake sets completely during the overnight refrigeration. If the entire surface is set and firm when you remove it from the oven, it is overcooked and will be dense and dry after cooling.

More Tested Recipes Every Week

Food Recipes Deal publishes new kitchen-tested recipes weekly. From chicken to cheesecake โ€” real food, real results.

foodrecipesdeal.com

Written by Moiz Dotani ยท Food Recipes Deal ยท foodrecipesdeal.com ยท May 2026

100% original content. All recipes kitchen-tested.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *