Forget recipes you have to bake this summer, and make this delicious and festive No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake instead! It’s super easy to make and the perfect cool dessert for a hot summer holiday!

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We are big on holiday themed desserts around here. My husband’s all time favorite dessert is cheesecake, so I come up with as many excuses to make it as I can. This No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake is perfect for the summer, because I don’t have to use my oven in the summer, plus these are themed and adorable.

How do you make cheesecake without baking it?

Basically this cheesecake utilizes cream cheese and whipped cream to make a perfectly blended consistency. These set up in the freezer, and are cold and creamy for guests when they’re eaten. They don’t have any ingredients like eggs or flour that need to be baked before they can be consumed, so they’re a perfect warm-weather dessert option.

If you like desserts you don’t have to bake, but that still turn out terrific, you can make this 4 ingredient Kool-Aid pie. It’s great for summer, and literally comes together in 5 minutes. We make it for summer family get-togethers often.

How to make No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake

First you will need to crush up your shortbread cookies for the crust. You can use whatever brand you think is best or is easiest to find, but I had the best success when I used Keebler brand. You can use a food processor or just a rolling pin (you can put the cookies in a gallon size ziploc bag before smashing), but I used a food processor. The butter  is what will bind the cookies together to make the perfect crust. I stick it in with the cookies in my food processor and let them blend at the same time.

Next, you will need to mix and make your batter for your No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake. Mix your batter together in a large bowl (if it’s super runny, it’s okay, it works out, just trust me) and then split it into three bowls. One you will leave white, one you will add red gel food coloring to, and the other you will add blue gel food coloring to. 

Pour your batter into the silicone molds (keep in mind this recipe is designed specifically using THIS PAN I got on Amazon HERE) one color at a time. Use about a third of each color. I started with red, put white in the middle, and finished with blue on top. 

After you’ve left these to freeze for 2-4 hours uncovered, you can remove them from their molds. You will want to literally turn your mold inside out to get each little no bake cheesecake out of the mold. Put them in a sealed container and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. They keep in the fridge for up to a week.

No Bake Cheesecake success tips:

1. Use room temperature creams for the best results.
2. Make sure your shortbread cookies are crushed into a consistent size so they stay in the crust form.
3. Put your silicone tray on a cookie sheet before filling it with batter, or you will regret it.
4. Place that cookie sheet in the freezer in a very level place to keep them from freezing crooked.
5. Remember that the colors will only show on the edge of the no bake cheesecakes, so don’t just pour the batter in the middle of the mold, but be sure it touches the edges too.
6. Use concentrated gel frosting food dye for the best results. Using liquid will make it too runny and it won’t set up correctly. You can get that on Amazon HERE.

Check out my other no bake cheesecake recipes:

• Rainbow No Bake Cheesecake
• St. Patrick’s Day No Bake Cheesecake
• Christmas No Bake Cheesecake
• Valentine’s Day No Bake Cheesecake
• Winter No Bake Cheesecake 

Yield: 8

No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Freeze Time: 4 hours

Rest Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours45 minutes

Forget baking, and make this delicious and festive No Bake Patriotic Cheesecake this year! It’s perfect for all those warm summer holidays.

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Ingredients

• 12 Shortbread Cookies (I used Keebler brand)
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 2 Tablespoons of cold water
• (2) 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• ½ cup Sweet Cream Creamer, at room temperature
• Concentrated Gel Food Coloring
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Use a food processor to turn your shortbread cookies into crumbs.
2. In a large bowl, mix the butter and shortbread crumbs together with a fork.
3. Place your silicone baking dish on a cookie sheet and then spoon the crumb mixture into the six silicone cups. Spoon it in evenly and then smash it down firmly with your fingers.
4. In a separate bowl, pour in the packet of gelatin.
5. Add the cold water to the gelatin and whisk until mixed thoroughly.
6. Set the bowl aside and let the gel harden (this will take a few minutes)
7. Use an electric mixer and beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until it’s smooth.
8. Add in the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix until well combined.
9. Microwave the hardened gelatin for about ten seconds.
10. Slowly add in the room temperature creams into the cream cheese mixture while your electric mixer is running.
11. Finally pour the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture and use the electric mixture to mix it in.
12. Divide your cream cheese mixture into three bowls.
13. Use a concentrated gel food coloring to achieve the color you want. Do not use liquid. I simply dipped my mixing fork just into the tip of the food dye mixture to achieve the colors pictured.
14. Pour the cream cheese mixture in, one color at a time, on top of the crusts in the silicone pan. Remember the edges are what’s going to show the color, so don’t just pour into the middle.
15. Fill each mold to the top.
16. Place on a flat surface in the freezer uncovered for 2-4 hours.
17. Remove from the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.
18. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles to finish.

Notes

1. Use room temperature creams for the best results.
2. Make sure your shortbread cookies are crushed into a consistent size so they stay in the crust form.
3. Put your silicone tray on a cookie sheet before filling it with batter, or you will regret it.
4. Place that cookie sheet in the freezer in a very level place to keep them from freezing crooked.
5. Remember that the colors will only show on the edge of the no bake cheesecakes, so don’t just pour the batter in the middle of the mold, but be sure it touches the edges too.
6. Use concentrated gel frosting food dye for the best results. Using liquid will make it too runny and it won’t set up correctly. You can get that on Amazon HERE.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 362Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 223mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 0gSugar: 19gProtein: 5g