5/31

Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

Cheesecake, Desserts, Food, Sponsored, Sweet
By Emma Chapman

Summer calls for a lot of things. Longer sunlight hours, which literally makes me happier. Ha! And lazy weekends hopefully spent outside. And even though I will turn on my oven in the summer, I really prefer not to. And that’s where this easy no-bake cherry cheesecake comes in! This post is sponsored by Frito-Lay, and you’ll see I used their classic potato chips as one of the ingredients that makes up the crust. It’s delicious! Salty, crunchy, and there’s another key ingredient that adds a little sweetness but keeps this crust no-bake friendly (meaning you just press it in place and you’re good to go!).

And I don’t know about you but I am STOKED for cherry season! I love sweet cherries (like Bing or Rainier) and they make the perfect compliment to this creamy no-bake cheesecake. Plus, major bonus points as it is SUPER easy to make, and I’ve even got a serving tip for you at the end of this post.

This photo pretty much sums up what you need to know about making the filling. There are basically two steps and blending is one of them. Ha! This cheesecake is just too easy to make.

In addition to the Lay’s® Classic Potato Chips, I used almond flour for this crust. Almond flour is widely available at most grocery stores, but if you have a hard time finding it, you can always make your own by simply grinding up (in a food processor) raw almonds. That’s it! I really like the contrast of the almond flour and potato chips here because one is salty and one is sweet, so they make a good balance. And since this is a no-bake crust, you’ll want to avoid all-purpose flour since it’s better in recipes when you will be baking with it.

I love this easy no-bake cherry cheesecake served in bars, as you can just make it in an 8×8-inch square pan. But if you don’t want to mess with cutting the chilled cheesecake into squares, you could also divide the ingredients among individual serving cups or wine glasses (like in the photo above). These would be perfect for a summer get-together because you could just pop the glasses out of the refrigerator onto a serving tray and carry them out to your back patio where everyone is hanging out under the twinkle lights.

Can you tell I have PLANS this summer? Ha! I’m already daydreaming about hosting on my back patio. Enjoy! xo. Emma

Print

No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

Servings 16

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cherries pitted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces Lay's® Classic Potato Chips
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 3 8- ounce packages cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized pot, combine 10 ounces of cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Cook over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir to help the sugar dissolve and then use the side of your spoon to smash the cherries some, releasing more of their juices. Allow to cool. Strain the cherry mixture through a fine mesh sieve and reserve the liquid.* You should have around 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid. 

    *You can skip straining the cherry mixture if you like, this step is optional. I like the smooth texture it produces in the cheesecake filling, but it's not 100% necessary and either way this will make a delicious cheesecake. It just depends on your texture preferences.

  2. For the crust, in a food processor grind the potato chips until they are a fine meal similar in size/texture to the almond flour. Combine the chips, almond flour, and melted butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring well so everything gets combined. Press into a square baking pan lined with parchment paper, or individual serving glasses.

  3. In a blender, combine the cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup of the cherry juice, and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Blend until well combined. Pour over the crust. Allow to chill overnight or freeze for at least 2 hours.

  4. Last, in a small pot add the remaining cherry juice and whisk in the cornstarch or arrow root powder over medium heat. Then stir in the remaining 6 ounces of cherries. Allow to cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens into a glaze. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When you're ready to serve, add the cherry glaze to the top.

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with the ACS for Desktop actions.

14 Comments

  • Emma, you are adorable! Love this recipe, can’t wait to try! 🙂

    Reply

  • Back when I was at school there was the most delicious cherry cheesecake. I used to get my friends to get me a slice so I’d end up with about 5! I’ve never found a recipe for anything that looks like it but this seems perfect! I cannot wait to try it!

    Reply

  • this is so much fun, Lays potato chips are my downfall though, I think they’re designed to make you finish the whole bag no matter what sized bag you open up! Also great to feature fresh cherries, yea, and no bake, perfect, thank you for this perfect fun recipe

    Reply

  • I know this one is going to:sound weird, but it’s delicious. Use the wavy lays- spread on baking sheet with parchment paper.,Melt I pkg caramel bits with a little cream-sorry I can remember the exact amount. Spread it on the chips. Then melt a pkg of milk choc chips – use a little bit of shortening when melting.,Spread on top of the caramel layer. Then sprinkle some pecan pieces on top and let harden..You might need to put in the fridge for awhile to get to harden. The original recipe for this is called The cure-all chips. I ve made this for our family a few times and it was a big hit.

    Reply

  • 5 stars
    Made these for a 4th of July party and everyone LOVED them. A total hit. Thanks! xox

    Reply

  • 4 stars
    good, someone that knows its only ‘cherry topped cheesecake’ unless you put the cherry juice into the cake/pie filling.

    Reply

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