No oven is needed for this delicious recipe!
This strawberry lemon cheesecake doesn’t need an oven to turn out delicious. My family has had this cheesecake base written down for a very long time.
The cheesecake base paired with the light citrus flavor of the lemon Oreos and my quick strawberry compote is the perfect combination of flavors.
With only 10-12 Oreos, you can make 12 of these aesthetically pleasing mini cheesecakes that last 4-5 days in the fridge. Although adding the strawberry compote is optional, it really takes the flavor over the top and turns regular lemon cheesecakes into strawberry lemon cheesecakes, the perfect summer dessert.
One problem that most people run into is that their cheesecake mixture doesn’t firm up after the required 3-5 hours in the fridge. Here’s how to fix that: Firstly, one of the most important ingredients in this recipe is lemon juice.
Although this is a lemon cheesecake, its flavor doesn’t come from the lemon juice, despite what you may think. You can’t really taste the lemon juice; the lemon Oreos give it the lemon flavor. The lemon juice is needed in order to cause a chemical reaction that causes the mixture to become firm.
However, if you really don’t want to use lemon juice, you can find a recipe with gelatin. Next, make sure you don’t over-mix the cheesecake base. Only mix it until everything is smooth. If all else fails, pop your cheesecakes into the freezer for an hour to troubleshoot.
Here's what you will need:
12-15 lemon Oreo cookies, crushed - I tend to use one oreo per cheesecake I am making. But, sometimes I like a thicker crust and use a few extra.
3 tbsp melted butter - add the butter a little at a time, until you get the right consistency. It should hold it's shape when pressed but not be soggy. I like to look for a wet sand texture.
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
14 oz can of condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract - make sure to use REAL vanilla extract, if you can. I usually reserve my best vanilla extract for things that are NOT going to be baked. If it will be baked, you can use whatever you have on hand typically. At least that is my method in the kitchen.
1/4 cup lemon juice - I recommend you use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Also adding a little lest will make the flavor pop even
Tips for the perfect no-bake cheesecake
Be sure to not overmix, otherwise your cheesecakes could not set. However, if you do run into that issue, just pop them in the freezer until you can easily remove them from their wrappers and leave to thaw for a bit before serving. I promise it will still be delicous!
If you want to cut the prep time, just place a full oreo in the bottom of your cupcake liners. I prefer the texture of the butter/oreo crust, but it honestly tastes amazing either way.
You can substitute any berry into this recipe. Most of them go beautifully with lemon.
I recommend you make these the evening before serving, so they have adequate time to set. 6-8 hours seems to be the sweet spot, if they are made properly.
The cheesecakes should be eaten within 3 days of being made for optimal freshness. Good luck getting them to last that long though!
Now that you are prepared....just follow the instructions below on the printable recipe card and leave a comment letting me know how you enjoyed them. Hopefully it will become a staple recipe for your family too!
Happy no-baking!
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