Blue Plate Special: No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe

I am really feelin’ the summer vibes now, after the long weekend, and wanted to kick off the week with something that fits with the upcoming season. So, after a little thinking, I settled on a no-bake blueberry cheesecake.

Which is kind of perfect because today just so happens to be National Blueberry Cheesecake Day. Yay! Don’t you love how specific this food holiday is? It’s intense.

So let’s just get right to it before I start drooling on my keyboard…

Ingredients for No-Bake Filling:

– 2 tsp unflavored gelatin (1 packet)
– 2/3 cup blueberry juice
– juice and zest from 1 large lemon
– 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature (2 packages)
– 2 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted
– 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
– 1/2 tsp vanilla
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 1/2 cup whipped topping (like Cool Whip)

Ingredients for the Crust (optional):

– 9 graham crackers, crushed (approx 1 cup)
– 6 tbsp butter, melted
– 4 tbsp light brown sugar
– pinch of salt

Youll also need:

9″ Springform pan // Mixer or whisk & large bowl // Small bowl // Rubber spatula

Instructions:

1. The crust for this recipe is optional. If using a store-bought crust, the filling will yield two cheesecakes. If making the crust, it will make one cheesecake. I like a thick crust, what can I say.

2. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the graham crackers, butter, sugar, and salt. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan and bake it for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool.

4. In the prep bowl, combine the blueberry juice and lemon juice. Sprinkle the gelatin onto the cold juice. Stir and break up any lumps with your fingers. Let the mixture sit so that the gelatin can bloom while you prep the rest of the filling.

5. With the mixer or whisk, whip the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes. Add in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt and whip for about 3 minutes. Add in the gelatin mixture and lemon zest and whip for another 3 minutes. Finally, gently fold in the whipped topping with a rubbery spatula until no streaks remain.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust(s) and lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Refrigerate overnight and enjoy! This cheesecake will keep for about 5 days covered in the refrigerator.

This cheesecake is perfect for early summer, since blueberry season is at its peak right now. AND it’s a little lighter / not quite as rich as traditional cheesecake. So it feels like the perfect fit for the upcoming season.

Recipe by Linda Jednaszewski
Photography and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff

How are you feeling about summer? Think you’ll give this cheesecake recipe a try?