No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars

square of no bake lemon cheesecake on plate with whipped cream and strawberry on top

These 5-ingredient thick & creamy lemon cheesecake bars are no-bake and easy to whip up in a 9x13 pan! With a thick lemon filling & a moist graham cracker base, these decadent bars are the perfect summer dessert!

Cut into 12-24 squares and serve chilled!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon cheesecake, no bake cheesecake cups

Prep Time 15

Chill time: 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings -24 squares

Calories 680kcal

Author Melissa Rose

Ingredients

32 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (4) 8-ounce packs
28 ounces sweetened condensed milk (2) 14-ounce cans
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice I recommend getting at 4 large lemons to get enough juice & zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
3 cups finely crushed graham crackers (this is roughly 24 rectangles or 48 square graham crackers, so one 14-ounce box is enough)
1 cup unsalted butter (i.e. 2 sticks) melted

Instructions

Grease and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on each side so that you can lift them out later. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups finely crushed graham crackers and melted 1 cup unsalted butter (i.e. 2 sticks). Press firmly into the prepared pan to create the crust.
In a separate large bowl, add 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (i.e. four 8-ounce packs), 28 ounces sweetened condensed milk (two 14-ounce cans), ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest. Use an handheld or stand mixer to beat mixture for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Pour filling on top of the graham cracker crust and smooth with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Cover and refrigerate (or freeze) for 4-6 hours, or until firm (overnight is even better!). If it is still not firm after that time in the refrigerator, pop it in the freezer. Starting with the bars really cold will ultimately give you the cleanest cuts, so I recommend popping it into the freezer for the last hour of chilling to really firm things up!
When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator or freezer and top with extra lemon zest, if desired. Cut into 12-24 squares.
Tip: To get clean slices, use your parchment overhang to lift the chilled bars out of the pan. Dip a large straight-edged knife into a tall cup of hot water then wipe it off between each cut. When cutting, press the knife down and then slide it out the side, rather than lifting it back up.
For added decoration, top each square with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh strawberries, or a lemon slice right before serving. Serve chilled.

Notes

Serving tip: this cheesecake will soften the longer it sits out, so I recommend waiting to cut it until you're ready to serve.

Storage & Freezing: Cover and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If making this that far ahead, be sure to thoroughly wrap the pan in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Allow to thaw and soften for 20-30 minutes in the fridge before serving, otherwise the texture straight from the freezer will be a little icey.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Nutrition information is based off of 12 servings.

Nutrition