Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
I was raised by my grandparents on a farm in the Texas panhandle near the small town of Nazareth. We worked hard and we ate hearty, but cheesecake was not something that ever appeared on our table.
It was not until I was engaged to my husband that I actually tasted cheesecake, and this is the recipe that I am sharing with you now. It would be many years later before I tasted the "real" thing, but by then I was hooked by the taste and ease of this recipe. Although this recipe does not duplicate the taste of a "real" cheesecake, it is very delicious. It never fails to delight my guests.
My mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe in 1979, about a year before my husband and I were married. I found out at that time just how important this recipe would become. You could almost say it was a required element for a successful marriage.
You see, the cherry cheesecake that you see here is the birthday cake that my husband chooses to have served on his special day. And I am more than happy to oblige as it is the easiest recipe that I know, and the taste .... well ... let's just say, you will not be disappointed!
Assemble the Ingredients for Cherry Cheesecake
One of the reasons the No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake is so easy to make is because it requires very few ingredients. The ingredient list includes:
- Ready Made Graham Cracker Crust - This recipe works much better in a larger crust; therefore, I like to purchase the larger (2 Extra Servings) pie crust
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 21 ounce can cherry pie crust filling
- graham cracker crumbs - optional
Although not required, allow cream cheese to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften. Cream with mixer as shown in picture above.
Next, add the 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk and mix until smooth. See above.
Prepare crust to receive filling by removing wrapping.
Add 1/3 cup lemon juice to the cream cheese and condensed milk mixture and mix with blender. The lemon juice will cause the mixture to thicken. Pour into crust immediately. See above. Smooth with spatula being careful not to knock down edges of crust.
Pour 21 ounce can cherry pie crust filling over cream cheese filling. Gently spread and smooth.
To add more visual appeal to your dessert, sprinkle with additional graham cracker crumbs. These can be purchased already crushed, or you may crush a cracker and sprinkle around the cheesecake.
Cover and chill for a couple hours, and enjoy!
Variations: Any pie filling, such as apple, blueberry or blackberry, can be used in place of the cherry pie filling. Glazed strawberries also work well, as do sliced strawberries or fresh blackberries.
A plain cheesecake can be made in a normal size crust and drizzled with chocolate or caramel and sprinkled with chopped pecans or sliced almonds.
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Copyright © 2012 Cindy Murdoch (homesteadbound)
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