Make this luscious no bake cheesecake with condensed milk for a super easy but really tasty dessert. Make it as a pie or in individual jars for a fun single serve dessert. Then add your favorite toppings to make it an extra special treat.
If you enjoy easy to make creamy desserts, you are in the right place. This no bake cheesecake recipe takes only a few minutes to put together and it tastes amazing.
My family loves no bake cheesecakes. They like the lighter softer creamy texture and all of the cream cheese flavor.
There are tons of recipes on the site for different no bake cheesecake varieties, but I didn’t have a recipe for a classic vanilla flavor. So I though it was time to fix that!
Because of the popularity of my condensed milk cheesecake recipe, I figured a no bake cheesecake made with condensed milk would be perfect. After a little tinkering, I can tell you it really is!
The filling only takes three ingredients. The fluffy texture is soft and delicious, but it is solid enough to serve as a nice slice.
It is sweet enough, but not too sweet. And the tang of the cream cheese really comes through.
Making this Easy No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Start by getting your crust together. There is no shame in picking up a premade crust from the grocery store if you want to.
Otherwise, you can make a crust from cookie or graham cracker crumbs and melted butter if you prefer. Biscoff cookies would be good, or make a no bake Oreo crust if you want something chocolaty.
For the best results, make sure the cream cheese is good and softened before you get started. That is key to getting the smoothest filling.
Make sure the cream cheese is good and smooth before you add the condensed milk. This is your chance to get really silky smooth filling.
Now slowly add a can of sweetened condensed milk, mixing on low until each addition is incorporated. Again, make sure stop and scrape the bowl and beater a couple of times.
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Adding sour cream adds the acid you need to set the cheesecake without watering it down. Just a tiny bit of lemon juice will help to set it further if you want nice slices. So stir that in and scoop the cream cheese filling into your crust.
Now chill your pie for several hours. It will take at least three or four hours to cut a decent slice. Overnight is even better if you have the chance to make the cheesecake a day in advance.
To make serving your cheesecake even easier and reduce the chill time, make mini cheesecakes in jars. Just layer the crumb mixture, cheesecake batter and any topping you would like in small 4 oz. jars.
You get the perfect texture in a fraction of the time. Then you can easily serve the cheesecake by just passing out a jar and a spoon.
Serve with fresh fruit, a simple strawberry sauce, blackberry sauce, peach vanilla sauce, a drizzle of chocolate, whipped cream or whatever your heart and taste buds desire.
How do you keep a no-bake cheesecake from being runny?
Some recipes use gelatin to keep the filling from being runny. This easy recipe uses acidity from sour cream to set the filling.
It does require several hours in the refrigerator to set, but it takes almost no effort to put together. After testing, I have discovered that beating the filling too much can also keep the filling from setting.
Keeping the mixer on low and mixing only as much as is needed to incorporate everything will help to ensure a firmer texture.
Carlee’s Tips & Tricks
After some experimenting, I have found that beating the filling too much can keep it from setting properly.
The pictures below are two cheesecakes made using this recipe. Both used the exact same ingredients.
They were store brand, full fat cream cheese, and sour cream. Plus the same brand of condensed milk.
While both are delicious, you can see there are several differences between the two. The pie with the filling that was beaten on high for a longer period of time is fluffier and the crust is more full.
That filling has a nice smooth texture, but it is also softer and the piece didn’t hold its shape when it was cut and served, even after chilling overnight. So if you want to beat the filling longer for that fluffier filling, I would suggest adding a teaspoon or two of lemon juice to help set the filling a little bit more.
No Bake Cheesecake With Condensed Milk
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crust
- 16 oz. cream cheese softened
- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix 16 oz. cream cheese on low speed until it is creamy and lump free. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and the beater a few times along the way.
- Slowly add the 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, mixing on low after each addition until it is incorporated fully.
- Mix in ⅓ cup sour cream until incorporated. If using 2 teaspoons lemon juice, add now.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the prepared Graham cracker crust.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, though longer is better, before serving.
Notes
Video
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Humidity matters especially in Texas, crank up your ac to help pull moisture from the air and dont open the fridge over and over again checking it, it adds moisture to your fridge every time you open it.
That is a good point. We live in a pretty humid area too, and that affects a lot of different recipes.
First time I made super I made a lime lemon flavor juice of 2 small limes and zest and 1/2 of large lemon also in the Graham cracker crust I added 2 tablespoons vanilla came out like out like key lime pie. Set up tall and smooth. My husband does not like cheese cake he was eating it. Next one will be lemon with lemon curd and blue berry topping. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I noticed where it didn’t set up I wonder if they used canned milk instead of condensed
That’s an interesting thought. Using canned milk would definitely cause it to not set up. I am so glad you liked it and your husband did too!
Like others, my pie didn’t set up at all. I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese and full fat Daisy sour cream and a hand mixer. It is the same consistency after 24 hours as I poured it in as. I had to put in freezer and eat as a frozen pie. =( Carlee what brands did you use? There has to be a reason some people’s sets up and many others don’t. So weird. Hmmm…
I wish I had a good answer for why it works sometimes and not others. I have tried a variety of brands, everything from name brands to Aldi brands. I don’t have a solid answer as to what the difference is. I am sorry it didn’t set for you. I hope you enjoyed it frozen.
I am wondering if maybe over-mixing the filling results in it not setting up. I will try to do an experiment on that soon and see if there is any merit to that hypothesis.
I did do an experiment this weekend, and it turns out that whipping extra air into the filling does make it softer. Which is a shame because the fluffier texture is really nice. A little lemon juice can help to set it. Otherwise, serve it in jars and it won’t matter 😉
@Carlee, I over whipped my second cheesecake filling and it took about 3 hours more to set. I live in Texas and me and my family love love love your cheesecake! Thank you for sharing! It is delicious! Also I am wondering if maybe the ratio of cream cheese to the sweetened condensed milk has anything to do with those not setting? Or maybe not adding the sour cream.
I am glad it did set for you! It really is perplexing why it doesn’t set for everyone. I wish there was a clearcut answer.
I Loved the recipe! The only thing I added was maybe a 1/4 cup of whipping cream and a blueberry compote for the topping. I found it started setting up in the bowl before I could get it in the crust. It was so creamy. Although it was a no bake, it was easy and delicious. Thank you, my family raves.
I make this all the time and have never had issues with it firming up. Sometimes instead of a graham cracker crust, I use crushed Pecan Sandies or lemon cookies. Fantastic dessert !
They both sound like great crust options! I am so glad you like it.
I have made this several times using all ingredients, using less milk, adding lemon juice, not adding lemon juice, with sour cream and without. Let it set for 6, 8, 24 hours. Have never seen it set up. Always a runny mess. Love the taste but slicing it up is not even possible. Wish I had the answer or a recipe that would actually resemble cheesecake.
A surefire way is to add some gelatin. Have you tried a recipe that uses heavy cream? I make them that way as well, like the base of the orange creamsicle cheesecake. Maybe you would have better luck with that method?
@Carlee, how much gelatin?
A teaspoon of gelatin dissolved in a couple of tablespoons of water should be enough to firm a cheesecake this size right up. It doesn’t take much.
This no bake cheesecake recipe makes the perfect dip for fresh fruit and as a crepe filling. I made it for the holidays and continue to absolutely love it with grapes, bananas or even apple slices! Thank you for this recipe. My mom used to make a grape salad with a cream cheese/sour cream dressing but it called for powdered sugar instead of the sweetened condensed milk and it was often difficult to get the right level of sweetness. Your recipe is perfect! I highly recommend people try it as a fruit dip, it’s fabulous!
This is delicious and one I remember from years ago using lemon juice. I used Greek yogurt for the sour cream and it set up just like it was supposed to. We love it and am already making a 2nd one.
You only need a half can of the milk. A whole can will make it runny and not set properly my granny used to make this when i was a kid.
It will definitely set with a whole can, but I am glad you like it with half a can.
I made and I added the vanilla and added a little fresh lemon was suggested if there was concern about not setting up. It still did not set up.