How to Make No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake – Quick and Creamy Dessert

Sue Maree P -

This no-bake cheesecake is light, tangy, creamy, and incredibly easy to whip up—perfect for those hot days when you’d rather not turn on the oven. With just six simple ingredients, you can create a delicious dessert in no time.

For the base: All you need are crushed biscuits, melted butter, and a touch of honey for sweetness.
For the filling: The magic comes from mascarpone cream cheese, fresh lemon juice (and zest, if desired), and sugar. That’s it!

The result is a beautifully smooth and zesty cheesecake that feels indulgent without the effort of baking. Want to make it gluten-free? Just swap in gluten-free biscuits for the base, and you're good to go.

Serve it chilled, topped with fresh berries or a drizzle of lemon syrup for an extra burst of flavour. Simple, versatile, and perfect for any occasion!

This no-bake cheesecake is a lighter twist on a classic James Martin recipe from the UK. I’ve halved the sugar content because I prefer my desserts less sweet, and it still delivers a perfectly balanced flavour.

The recipe serves 8–10 and is wonderfully simple to make. With just 30 minutes of preparation, you’ll have a creamy, tangy cheesecake ready to chill for about 3 hours until set.

It’s best served with fresh berries, cream, or even a scoop of ice cream for an indulgent treat. While filming this recipe, we were lucky to have fresh mulberries from our garden, which added a delicious and vibrant touch to the final dish.

Perfect for any occasion, this cheesecake is as effortless as it is impressive!

Takes: 30 minutes to prep.
Makes: 8-10
Bakes: no oven only 2/3 hours or overnight in the fridge

3 Ingredients for the base

  • Crushed Digestive Biscuits (UK) or similar; Graham biscuits US; Arnott's Granita*– 10 / about 1.5 cups / 150g
  • Clear Honey – 1 tbsp
  • Melted butter – 75g / about 1/3 cup

3 Ingredients for the filling

  • Mascarpone Cream Cheese (room temperature) – 700g
  • Lemons juice & zest – 2
  • Castor Sugar* – 100g / about 1/2 cup

Topping

  • Icing Sugar – 3 tbsp
  • Fresh or Frozen Berries (thawed) – 225g to 450g (about 1 to 2 cups)

Method

  1. BRUSH bottom of a 23cm / 9-inch springform cake tin with some melted butter and place a round piece of baking paper.
  2. CRUSH the biscuits by hand (I use my potato masher) or use a food processor and tip them into a large bowl, add the melted butter, then the honey and stir until the biscuit mixture is well combined.
  3. TIP the mixture into the bottom of the cake tin. Using the back of a spoon, gently press the crumbs from the centre outward, until the base is level and smooth. This will be the base of your cheesecake.
  4. CHILL in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
  5. MIX – mascarpone cheese, lemon juice and zest and castor sugar together in a bowl and combine well. Do not over mix as this will cause the cheesecake to crack or split. Taste and add more sugar if preferred. I have reduced the sugar by half from the original recipe.
  6. SPOON the mixture into the tin and top of the chilled biscuit mixture and set aside to chill for at least 2 hours.
  7. SERVE – run a hot cloth around the outside edge of your cake tin and ease the cheesecake out.
  8. SAUCE – blend the berries with some icing sugar in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pass the sauce through a sieve. Place another 1/2 cup in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp of icing sugar and gently heat up. Ensure the berries are coated with the syrup.
  9. PLACE the cheesecake onto a plate and decorate with a spoonful sauce and a decorate with the remaining berries.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

  • Gluten-free: use gluten-free digestives
  • Make 1-2 days in advance