Description
These No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake Bars combine a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy, fluffy cream cheese filling and a sweet cherry topping. Perfectly chilled and easy to prepare without any baking, these bars make a delightful dessert for gatherings or a simple treat at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole crackers)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip
Topping
- 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Melt Butter: Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds or until completely melted.
- Make Crust Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and granulated sugar. Mix until the texture resembles wet sand.
- Form Crust: Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the dish to form the crust.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Sweeten Filling: Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined and smooth.
- Fold in Cool Whip: Gently fold in the Cool Whip, keeping the mixture light and fluffy.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the graham cracker crust.
- Add Cherry Topping: Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Chill: Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to set.
- Serve: After chilling, slice into squares and serve cold.
Notes
- For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld and bars to set firmly.
- You can substitute cherry pie filling with other fruit pie fillings like blueberry or strawberry for variations.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture.
- If Cool Whip is unavailable, whipped cream can be used but may alter stability slightly.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
