No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake Bars
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No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake Bars are creamy, easy to make, and give you a simple cheesecake dessert without the complex process that traditional cheesecakes require. Made with fresh blackberries, a thick cheesecake filling, and delicious graham cracker crust this blackberry cream cheese dessert will definitely become a favorite.
No-bake blackberry cheesecake bars are perfect for serving a crowd, or as family dessert. Just prepare and chill for a few hours, and they are ready to enjoy. You can make them as a sliceable bar like we did, or in individual cups for easy serving at an event. They can even be frozen and served as a refreshing replacement for ice cream.
If blackberries are hard to come by you can easily swap out the fruit and still enjoy this tasty cheesecake treat. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries would be fantastic toppings. If berries aren’t your thing try a peach, apple, or cherry compote and top with homemade whipped cream.
We have a large selection of cheesecake on the blog, anything from crustless and sugar free to decadent and indulgent. Here are a few of our favorites. Click on any of the images to explore these recipes.
Is baked cheesecake better than no baked cheesecake?
When comparing a traditional baked cheesecake to the more modern no baked cheesecakes, there really are very few differences, and it truly comes down to personal opinion on which is superior. Baked cheesecakes will forever reign supreme for their thick, silky texture. Recipes for no bake cheesecakes will have a softer, lighter texture that is scoopable and less formal.
The ease of no-bake cheesecakes is where a lot of the appeal is. They are approachable and less formidable than traditional cheesecakes, making them great for beginner bakers and a fantastic option for a dessert at an event, which is why we love these easy blackberry cheesecake bars.
Blackberries provide excellent health benefits. Go here to check out the health benefits of these beneficial fruits. In summary, they are incredible allies against Alzheimer’s disease and cancer according to recent research.
Blackberry Pie, Blackberry Cobbler and Sugar Free Blackberry Cheesecake Cups are a few reasons we pick blackberries every summer. All bramble berries are excellent for your health. However, blackberries have the highest level of cancer fighting antioxidants of all berries.
If you have blackberries and want some different recipes try our Blackberry Coconut Oil Crumble Bars, and Blackberry Barbecue Sauce.
Should you bake the crust of no-bake blackberry desserts?
No bake really does mean no bake. For no-bake cheesecake bars the crust does not need to be baked. Simply prepare, press it into your pan or cups, and fill with the cheesecake. Most often no bake crusts have a higher amount of fat, so if they are baked it can lead to a soggy crust.
How can I serve no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars?
Our no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars recipe works best when prepared in a baking dish and cut into individual bars. The other option that we recommend is to serve them in individual cups as a scoopable cheesecake dessert. If you would like to prepare these no bake blackberry cheesecake bars as a traditional cheesecake, you can use a small spring form pan. Chill overnight to ensure it is firm and set completely before removing.
No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Substitutions for special diets
You can substitute the topping with other berry sauces if you want to play with new version of this dessert. Homemade raspberry sauce and blueberry sauce sweetened with maple syrup make great toppings. Just add more cornstarch if you want the topping thicker.
If you choose to accommodate special diets with these no bake blackberry cheesecake bars , here are some suggestions
- Coconut oil is excellent in these bars. It’s a great butter and replacement for baked goods. The coconut oil adds a nice flavor component we really enjoy.
- If you’re not a fan of the slight coconut flavor, you can use melted butter one to one in this recipe. Or use refined coconut oil to avoid the flavor.
- Neufchatel Cheese is what we use to cut on fat and calories, but full fat cream cheese will give a richer flavor and thicker, creamier texture.
- Use a sugar substitute to replace the sugar in this dessert to lower the carbs and calories. You could also use raw honey or pure maple syrup.
- If you need gluten free or low carb check out the crust in our sugar free pumpkin cheesecake. The crust is delicious, low carb, and gluten free.
NOTES: It’s best to let these no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars chill several hours in the fridge to set properly. However, this dessert can absolutely be prepared in cups which does not require a long chill time, and will give you a simple easy serve treat.
How do I get a stiff blackberry topping?
Our no bake blackberry cheesecake bars are wonderfully versatile and can be made with a blackberry sauce, or as a thicker blackberry jelly that will hold its shape and create a beautiful top that you can garnish.
To achieve the thicker jelly like topping, increase the amount of cornstarch used. The recipe is written to give a softer topping, so add more cornstarch if you want a stiffer topping. Both version have been well received and it only comes down to personal preference. The softer more sauce like version will have a less chewy texture and present a silky consistency if you strain out the seeds.
Other tips for no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars
- This recipe easily doubles to a 9 x 13 inch pan or more single serve cups for a large crowd.
- Use parchment paper in the bottom of your pan for easy removal.
- For best results use room temperature cream cheese.
- The longer it chills the stiffer it will become making it easier to serve if you are needing to cut into it.
How can I garnish no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars?
These no-bake blackberry cheesecake bars can be served in a variety of ways and garnished as simple or decadent as you desire. Here are some ideas that you can try.
- Top with a simple homemade whipped cream
- Place fresh berries on top to let people know what it is made of
- Sprinkle crumbles of the crust over the fruit topping
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves or rosemary sprigs
- Finish with sugared berries for a decadent vibe
- Place small fresh flower on top for a summer event (remove before eating)
Printable Recipe For Blackberry Cheesecake No Bake Bars
No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake Bars
No-bake blackberry cheesecake bars from Summer’s delicious bounty. Yum! Don’t turn on the oven. Enjoy this creamy, cold refreshment!
Ingredients
For the topping
- 2 cups fresh washed blackberries
- 1/8 Cup water (omit if using frozen berries)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water
For the crust
- 1 1/2 Cup graham crackers-crushed
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 Cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup coconut oil-melted (or regular butter)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
For the filling
- 12 ounces Neufchatel cheese- room temperature
- 1/4 Cup Greek yogurt
- 3/4 Cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
Make the Topping
- Put the blackberries, water and sugar into a 2 quart pot. Stir often. Bring to a boil.
- While the blackberries are heating put the cornstarch in a small cup and add 2 tablespoons water. mix well.
- Add the cornstarch to the berries and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and set in the fridge or freezer to cool until needed.
Make the crust
- Pulse the graham crackers with the walnuts and vanilla and sugar in a food processor until they make crumbs.
- Pour the coconut oil in a stream into the crumbs and pulse until it's well mixed.
- Press the crust into the bottom only of an oiled 8 x 8 pan. Set in the fridge.
Make the filling
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar and beat on low speed until mixed.
- Mix with an electric mixer until the mixture is perfectly smooth and blended.
Assemble the Layers
- Pour the filling over the crust and smooth it into an even layer.
- Pour the cooled blackberries over the cream cheese layer.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until set enough to serve.
Notes
Variations:
-I have used cinnamon graham crackers with good results for this crust. They are sweetened so you can reduce or omit the sugar if you use them.
-If you use regular graham crackers try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon.
-This recipe works great with regular cream cheese in place of the neufchatel cheese.
FRESH OR FROZEN BERRY NOTE:
You may use either fresh or frozen blackberries in this recipe, HOWEVER, drain the water from washing the fresh berries or defrosting them frozen. Otherwise the topping will be VERY loose.
Nutrition Information
Yield
9Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 470Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 28mgSodium 194mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 2gSugar 48gProtein 6g
These bars can served smaller since this is a rich dessert. For a potluck cut the bars into one inch by 2 inch size. This will impact the number of servings and calories.
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Hi this recipe is quick & easy. I found the crust to be dry, so I added more butter, & about 1/8 cup of sugar. Also in the list of ingredients, it called for 1/2 tsp of vanilla. But in th instructions it nnever mentioned it. Otherwise love this, it is in my frig, setting. Will try it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lisa, Thanks for the feedback on this recipe. I’ll update it to fix those issues. Please let us know how you like the finished results. All the best!
This recipe needs some tweaking. First off, the crust (as this recipes calls for) is as dry as a desert. You can not spread the cheesecake mixture over a graham cracker crust that is this dry. 1/3 cup oil is not enough. Not even close. I added an additional 1/2 stick of butter and it was still too dry. You need less graham crackers or more oil. Not to mention a little sugar in the crust. Second, you say to put the “blackberries, water, and sugar into a saucepan”. But you make no mention of how much water to use. However, since your recipe DOES call for four T’s of water and you mention mixing TWO of those tablespoons of water with the cornstarch, I just assumed the other two T’s go in with the berries. But I don’t really think that was enough. In addition, you make no mention of how much sugar to mix in with the berries in the saucepan. So I just added sugar until it was as sweet as I wanted. And a little lemon juice. You do mention putting 3/4 cup sugar in with the cheesecake part, but again, no mention of how much to mix with the berries. Because of this I give the recipe a generous 2 out of 5 stars.
Hi J,
Thank you for your input on this recipe. I have reviewed it and agree with some of your suggestions. I have updated the recipe and hope you feel it is easier for you to understand and work with. Have a great day!
I love this desert , I was looking something fast and easy and boy was it. My wife and I agreed that we defiantly have this again. thanks
Hi Mark, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe for us. This is one of our favorites too. Who wants to cook in mid summer? So happy you enjoyed this recipe. Have a great day!
I love it, a true “farm to table” experience. These Blackberry Cheesecake Bars look amazing!
Thank you Jillian
Oh my word these look great! I adore blackberries!
These are a favorite at every party I’ve taken them to, Debi. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I have lots of blackberries in my house in Italy, I love to eat them when they are still green ! 🙂 This cheesecake looks amazing!
Elena you have try this dessert! It’s easy, tasty and uses up those lovely, fresh blackberries!
You are so lucky to have these fruits growing in your yard! This is a totally decadent and delicious dessert!
We feel lucky at harvest time. Not so much when we are battling them back from taking over our property!
I am completely jealous of your harvest. When we were young, we had a blackberry tree and it was so awesome. We would get great blackberries and just eat them right of the tree.
Thank you Rini. We have a love hate relationship going with our blackberries. I think they have a plot to take over our world. But we do love to eat them by the mega tons!
I wish we had blackberry bushes around. It sounds like so much fun to go pick them. These bars look wonderful!
Thank you Sandi!
How wonderful to be able to harvest your own fruits and use them for making your favorite food! I wish I can do that someday but in the meantime, I can enjoy this delicious sweet treat! I love that it’s no bake, too! Pinned. 🙂
Thank you Abigail!
I’m so envious of your home grown blackberries. You’ve done them proud in this delish recipe!
Thank you KC!
Oh yes, this does look delicious. I enjoyed your meandering to pick the blackberries. It brought back a childhood memory of the summers spent in the “country” with my great grandmother and picking the blackberries with my cousins. I’ll definitely be trying your “no bake” recipe, I know we’ll enjoy it.
Thank you, Joanne. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. I’ve made it several times and it always disappears quickly!
This treat looks almost too good to share photos without passing some around! Lovely job here!
Thank you Dan. This is a family favorite. We really LOVE this no bake dessert!
Blackberries are so underrated! these look divine.
They are SO good and healthy Justine!
I love blackberries and I love a no-bake dessert, I have to try this, it looks amazing.
You will love it Janette!