So it was like 4:30 on Saturday and I was desperately trying to think of something extremely easy to make. The recipe that failed (twice) that day was originally supposed to be no-bake. But then I decided to do a baked version, and it was just a mess. So I stuck with the no-bake theme and the outcome was MUCH better. So so so much better.
And I didn’t have to turn my oven on! I know everyone says that, but in Alabama…I have to set up fans and stuff in the kitchen. It gets so hot. So after a day of frustration, it was really nice to have a cool and creamy treat to help me cope with the gigantic mountain of dishes overflowing in the sink. #thestruggle
Everyone needs a creative outlet, though! And I just feel so frustrated when I don’t get to let that out. Or when I do, but everything is so rushed because I’m trying to fit so many things into Saturday and Sunday. Any advice you have is more than welcome!
Although if you’re really into this cheesecake, opening the freezer every now and then and prying off a bite with a fork is totally possible.
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 full sheets of graham crackers)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 3.5oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 8oz block of cream cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree (about 1 cup of strawberries)
- 1 8ox container of Cool Whip (I used lite)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- More strawberries for garnish
instructions
- Lightly spray the bottom of a springform pan with nonstick spray. Then wipe with a paper towel to make sure the bottom is evenly coated and all the access nonstick spray is wiped away.
- Add the chocolate graham cracker crumbs to a bowl. Measure out the coconut oil and microwave it for 10 seconds. Add the coconut oil to the graham cracker crumbs and mix until all the crumbs are coated and hold their shape when pressed together.
- Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and pop it in the freezer while you prepare the strawberry filling.
- In one bowl, add the vanilla pudding mix and milk. (This is not the same amount of milk as on the pudding instructions. It's a little less.) Whisk together the pudding and let it sit in the fridge to thicken.
- In another bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed with an electronic mixer until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Then add the strawberry puree and mix until combined.
- Take the pudding out of the fridge and stir it into the strawberry mixture. Then fold in the Cool Whip.
- Remove the springform pan from the freezer and pour the strawberry cheesecake filling on top. Return the pan to the freezer and freeze for 5-6 hours, or overnight.
- Add the chocolate chips to a heat-proof bowl and set aside.
- Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, but not a boil. Stir often! Let the cream simmer for about a minute and then remove from heat.
- Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for about five minutes. Then whisk the mixture until smooth. Let it sit for a few minutes and it will thicken slightly.
- You can add the ganache to the cheesecake once it's frozen, or just before you're ready to serve it. Either works!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a small/medium-sized bowl with an electric hand-held mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe whipped cream around the edges, or dollop on top of cheesecake just before serving.
- (You can use Cool Whip or Reddi Whip if you don't want to make your own, but Reddi Whip and homemade whipped cream don't last very long at room temperature, and will melt within a few minutes. So if you don't want to make whipped cream, I'd go with Cool Whip.)
- Let this pie sit out for about five minutes before you cut into. Then add some whipped cream and some more strawberries and you're good to go!
Recipe from bethcakes. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without permission. If you would like to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.
The moral of this story: No bake = no problem. And Malibu rum is tasty.
That looks amazing! Love that it is no bake too, perfect for summer. 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks so much & thanks for pinning! 🙂
This is absolutely beautiful Beth!!! Love those chocolate drizzles, and you know I’m always down for a good no-bake cheesecake 🙂 Also, I totally understand your lack-of-time struggles. I felt like I had so much more time during the school year vs. working full time (even though it’s only for the summer for me..). I’ve been doing a lot of baking on the weekends, because if I bake after work the lightings not good enough for me to photograph and there’s no way of holding off my housemates for a full 24 hours! It definitely does get to be a little much sometimes though!
Thanks so much, Rachel! I was soo drooling at all the stuff your posted on Instagram over the weekend! I can’t take photos during the week either. :/ There just aren’t enough hours in a day sometimes. 🙂
I love this no bake cheesecake Beth! And I understand ya with the time managent! Its hard. I’m working and going to school and I use my weekends for recipes as well. What helps me is thinking about all my ideas throughout the week so I’m ready once the weekend comes. Sometimes it means getting up really early on a precious Saturday morning. But like you said, its our creative outlet! And we make time because its something we love to do!
I am always in love with no bake desserts. This cheesecake looks amazing!! And oh I understand the recipe fails…so frustrating. I am sharing one tomorrow loL!
Lol, Zainab! I love that you’re sharing a fail though. I think I might save some up and share a bunch at one time. 🙂
Beth, I am SO for no bake desserts and this looks like bliss! As for balancing job + blogging, I think it will always be a juggling act. Especially if some recipe tests are major fails. When that happens and I’m busy, I don’t stress too much about posting content. And sometimes there’s work + a week of gorgeous summer weather so that means I’m not in my kitchen at all and the blog just takes a little break 🙂
Sorry about the recipe fails. That’s the worst! This cheesecake looks stunning though! Certainly the opposite of a fail!
Delicious – and beautiful!
What a stunning cheesecake! Love the height and lovely pale pink colour. I would cut myself a big slice if it was in front of me!
Looks yummy and love that pink fork.
These photos are stunning! And I love that this is no-bake 🙂
Love this cake Beth and especially the photos! Pinned! I need all the no-bake recipes I can get since my apartment is way too hot in the summer to turn on the oven. In terms of blogging & jobs, I had to go down from 3 posts/week to one post/week a while back. I really struggled with it since I love posting as much as I can but now I’m okay with it and I know it’s what people expect of me, so it takes off a ton of the stress and I can focus on quality over quantity! And if it turns out I have a super non-busy week (rarely) I can squeeze in an extra post, but most often it will be a round-up or link share post where I don’t do a new recipe. Good luck with the life-balancing, you’ll figure it out 🙂
Cheesecake is on my food bucket list so a no bake one would be a great way to start it! Once you figure out the blogging/job thing let me know! I am fortunate for the next couple of months to stay at home with the baby but it is a lot harder to cook with a crying baby than I imagined.
Balancing work with life and blogging is really difficult for me too. You’re not alone 🙂 Some weeks I do great at it, some weeks is a constant struggle. Sometimes I’m really into it, sometimes I feel a bit burnt out. If you find the secret, let me know 🙂 Something that helps me, though, is to remember that in the grand scheme of things spending time with family and friends is more important than sitting in front of a computer. If I only post once during a given week, I need to be okay with that. It still gives me anxiety when that happens, but I’m getting better at it 🙂
I love cheesecake – and I love that this is no bake. Especially in the hot summer months. 🙂
What a gorgeous cheesecake! Pinning!
Great minds think alike! I have a no bake cheesecake going up on the blog tomorrow AND next week for Kraft. 😀 Because dude it’s entirely too hot to bake. Also yay for easy recipes! I’m glad this one turned out well in the end. It looks spectacular, Beth!!
Oh my gosh I hate recipe fails. They’re the worst – especially on a deadline. I am so in love with this cheesecake – and the photos are so pretty!
Beth you take the prettiest photos of pies/cakes! This no bake strawberry cheesecake looks divine!! And I love how you did that chocolate sauce 🙂 If it makes you feel any better, I had quite a few recipes fail this week – it’s the worst! Pinned 🙂
this looks so delicious and so beautifully photographed too.. definitely want to devour a slice right now!
You have seriously been wow-ing me lately with your creativity and photography lately. This is simply GORGEOUS!
A very nice dessert on a hot summer day.
The cheesecake will be gone in a day at my place! This looks amazing!
Thank heavens for no-bake recipes. Honestly, no-bake cheesecake is where it’s at. It tastes just as good as its baked counterpart but comes together in half the time. Sold! Love this recipe. Pinned.
This is one of the prettiest cheesecakes I’ve ever seen! 🙂 I can only imagine how amazing it tasted!
I love no-bake recipes – they’re so easy! This cheesecake looks so colorful and delicious!
This cake looks absolutely beautiful! Pinned and I want to make it! I have one question, after freezing for 5-6 hours or overnight, then putting the whipped cream and ganache on, would you put it back in the freezer or the fridge if it will not be eaten right away? My schedule is crazy as well and I would love to finish it in the morning and bring somewhere to serve in the afternoon.
Thank you!
Trisha