Fastest Cheesecake

By
Linda Larsen
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
Updated on 01/15/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Fastest cheesecake on a wooden board with berries

The Spruce Eats / Rachel Riesgraf

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
566 Calories
30g Fat
65g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 566
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 39%
Saturated Fat 14g 72%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 405mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 24%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 6mg 28%
Calcium 239mg 18%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 358mg 8%
*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 highest 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 even 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.

"This cheesecake was delicious and perfectly smooth and creamy, and it sliced nicely. I used a store-bought graham cracker crust, and it took no more than 10 minutes to mix the ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, or the cheesecake might not set properly and will be lumpy." —Diana Rattray

Slice of fastest cheesecake with cherries on top
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for fastest cheesecake gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Rachel Riesgraf

  2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. 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.

    Cream cheese beat with a hand mixer in a bowl until smooth

    The Spruce Eats / Rachel Riesgraf

  3. Gradually add most of the sweetened condensed milk while beating constantly. Add the lemon juice and continue to beat. Add the remaining sweetened condensed milk and beat until the mixture is smooth. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

    Cream cheese beat together with sweetened condensed milk in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Rachel Riesgraf

  4. Pour the filling into the crust and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

    Fastest cheesecake filling poured into the crust in baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Rachel Riesgraf

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, because the cheesecake won't set up.
  • Avoid overmixing the cheesecake filling—beat just until the mixture is smooth.

Recipe Variations

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

How to Store a No-Bake Cheesecake

  • Cover and refrigerate leftover no-bake cheesecake and consume within 4 to 5 days.
  • To freeze the cheesecake, cover it and freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight.
  • To freeze individual slices, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Wrap the frozen slices in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer container. Label with the name and date and freeze for up to 3 months.