Delightful No-bake Peppermint Cheesecake for Holiday Celebrations Recipe
This delightful no-bake peppermint cheesecake is a creamy, festive dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. With a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth peppermint-infused cream cheese filling, and topped with crushed peppermint candy, it’s an easy yet elegant treat that requires no baking. Cool and refreshing, this cheesecake is ideal for sharing with family and friends during the festive season.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Garnish
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candy
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are well coated and resemble wet sand.
- Form the crust: Press the graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to form the crust. Make sure it is tightly packed down for a firm base.
- Mix cream cheese and sugar: In another mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer or whisk to blend until smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Add flavor extracts: Stir in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract into the cream cheese mixture, mixing until well combined and fragrant.
- Whip cream: In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, indicating it holds shape well.
- Fold whipped cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber scraper, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream to keep the filling light and airy.
- Assemble cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake filling over the prepared crust in the springform pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula for a smooth top.
- Chill: Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is set and firm.
- Garnish and serve: Before serving, sprinkle the top with crushed peppermint candy for added flavor and festive decoration.
Notes
- For an extra festive touch, add a few drops of red or green food coloring to the cheesecake filling before folding in the whipped cream.
- You can substitute crushed Oreo cookies for graham cracker crumbs for a chocolate twist on the crust.
- This cheesecake can be made up to two days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator to enhance the flavors.
- Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing to make cutting easier and prevent cracking.
Keywords: no-bake cheesecake, peppermint cheesecake, holiday dessert, Christmas cheesecake, no-bake dessert, peppermint candy
