No-bake cherry cheesecake recipe step-by-step: A pretty & easy homemade cream cheese pie from the 1970s

How to make this retro no-bake cherry cheesecake

Imagine the scene: soft cream cheese, a can of sweetened condensed milk, a hint of lemon juice and a dash of vanilla all waiting on your kitchen counter, ready to become the dreamy filling of a no-bake cherry cheesecake.

Cheesecake ingredients

Clockwise from upper left: sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cherry pie filling, pre-made graham cracker pie crust, cream cheese, and lemon juice

Step 1: Prepare the filling

The first step? Beat the cream cheese until it’s light and fluffy. The goal is to get it airy and smooth — think of a cloud, but edible and absolutely delicious.

Once you’ve achieved the right consistency with the cream cheese, it’s time to blend in the sweetened condensed milk.

Mix the two until they’re thoroughly combined, ensuring that every bite of your cheesecake has the sweet, tangy taste of cream cheese and the velvety sweet texture of condensed milk.

Next up, add the lemon juice and vanilla to the mix. It might seem like a small step, but don’t underestimate it. These two ingredients add depth to your cheesecake, providing that tangy kick and a gentle hint of sweetness.

Then, the fun part: pour this luscious filling into the ready-made graham cracker crust. It’s so rewarding watching that creamy filling settle smoothly into the pie crust, like a soft blanket covering a bed.

Step 2: The critical chilling out period

Now, patience is key. Chill the cheesecake for at least 3 hours, allowing it to set properly. The waiting might be tough, but trust us — it’ll be worth it.

Step 3: Add the cherry pie filling & serve!

Once your cheesecake is well set, top it off with a generous amount of chilled cherry pie filling. The cherries not only add a burst of color, but their sweet-tart flavor perfectly complements the creamy cheesecake. (Not a big cherry fan? We can’t think of another fruit pie filling that wouldn’t work! Raspberry filling would be a great one to try.)

And that’s it! Your no-bake cherry cheesecake is ready to delight everyone at your table. Remember, any leftovers (though we doubt there will be) should be refrigerated to maintain that perfect cheesecake texture.

Happy no-baking! If you make the pie, let us know in the comments section below how it went — and any changes or improvements you came up with. 

Cheery, cherry and easy as pie

Because you don’t have to bake it to make it. Company coming, so of course, dessert just has to be homemade cherry cheesecake pie. So elegant… and so delicious.

Here’s the classic cheery cherry cheese pie recipe

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No-bake cherry cheesecake

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 oz) Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup ReaLemon lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Johnston's graham cracker Ready-Crust pie crust
• 1 16-ounce can cherry pie filling, chilled

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, beat cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Add sweetened condensed milk; blend thoroughly.
3. Stir in ReaLemon and vanilla.
4. Pour into pie crust. Chill at least 3 hours or until well set.
5. Top with the desired amount of pie filling before serving.
6. Refrigerate leftovers.

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  Anchor Hocking Oven Basics 9.5-Inch Deep Pie Plate, Clear, 1 Piece
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  Amish Pie Filling Cherry - TWO 32 Oz Jars
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  KooK Color Ceramic Mixing/Serving Bowls, Large, Medium, Small, Nesting, Set of 3

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 140mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g

Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.

Cheery cherry cheese pie recipe card

Cherry Breeze cheesecake pie recipe (1974)

Here’s a similar recipe from 1974, made instead with a cornflake crust.

ALSO TRY THIS: Blueberry cheesecake pie (1991)