Fastest Cheesecake

Written by
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Linda Larsen
Updated 10/23/20
Cheesecake with berries

Arx0nt / Getty Images
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Chill: 60 mins
  • Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
468 Calories
25g Fat
54g Carbs
9g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 468
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 13g 63%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 315mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 42g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 235mg 18%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 336mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This super quick and easy cheesecake will give you the texture and flavor you're looking for without a big investment in time and effort. It only requires a few simple ingredients, so it's best use the best quality items you can find. For best results, it's important that you use full-fat cream cheese and full-fat sweetened condensed milk. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, too—the stuff from the fake lemons doesn't have enough acid.

This cheesecake can be topped with any flavor of canned pie filling for a finishing touch or try fresh raspberries or strawberries. From start to serving time, it takes a little over an hour. The texture is perfectly light and fluffy, making it a great warm-weather dessert. Plus, you never have to turn on the oven!

This is a soft-set cheesecake, so the finished product won't have the texture of a baked cheesecake if that's what you're looking for. If, in spite of everything, it doesn't set, simply freeze it. If you have time, make your own cookie crust. You can swap the standard graham crackers for gingersnaps or crispy chocolate cookies for a different flavor.

Ingredients

  • 11 ounces cream cheese, softened (not low-fat)

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

  • 1 (9-inch) graham cracker pie crust 

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Make sure you take the time to do this properly since the cream cheese has to blend thoroughly with the sweetened condensed milk to set up properly.

  3. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, beating constantly, adding the fresh lemon juice halfway through. Add the remaining sweetened condensed milk and beat until the mixture is smooth.

  4. Pour into a graham cracker or cookie crust and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe Variations

  • Add some lemon zest along with the lemon juice for a citrus flavor.
  • Top with chocolate or caramel sauce, cherry or other fruit pie filling, or fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Tips

  • Please make sure you are using sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk, in this recipe. It should set up perfectly with sweetened condensed milk. The mixture should already be thick when you pour it into the crust; if it is thin at this point, you used the wrong kind of milk.
  • Do not use low-fat or nonfat cream cheese or low-fat or nonfat sweetened condensed milk; the recipe will not work with those ingredients. Make sure you use real freshly squeezed lemon juice, too; the bottled lemon is not as acidic and won't thicken the mixture as well.
  • Similarly, don't try to use vegan cream cheese, since the cheesecake won't set up.