No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake
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No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake is rich and creamy with a subtle tangy blackberry flavor on top of buttery graham cracker crust.
No-bake cheesecakes are such an easy, no fuss cheesecake recipe made from scratch. They are one of my favorite things to make during any type of celebration. It is perfect when you need something quick and easy, anywhere in any kitchen although you do not have an oven available.
As far as the recipe is concerned, No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake is merely a slightly altered version from my previous cheesecake recipe, No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake. I just replace the avocado with blackberry juice to give the subtle berry flavor and nice bright purple color.
This No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake is one of those desserts that you will want to make in spring or summer. The creamy cheesecake rests on top of a buttery graham cracker crust. While the filling is made with blackberries, cream cheese, and heavy ingredients as the main ingredients. Gelatin is added to make the cheesecake firm up but remains smooth and creamy. The hardest part of making this cheesecake is probably just waiting for them to set before digging in.
Tips on Making No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake
1. Add gelatin
Gelatin is used to help the filling set up when the cake is refrigerated. This transparent substance is sold as either powder or in sheets. I am used to using gelatin leaves
. Just soak the gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes until soft. Then, gently squeeze the gelatin to remove excess water and add it to warm liquid to dissolve (do not boil or gelatin will not set).
You can also substitute 4 gelatin sheets with 1 tablespoon of gelatin powder. Just place cold water in a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle with gelatin powder and stir until the gelatin is fully incorporated. Place the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool slightly, before adding to the cheesecake mixture.
2. Remove blackberry seeds for smooth filling
If you do not enjoy the crunchy seeds in blackberry cheesecake, then try removing them with a sieve. The sieve will catch most of the seeds, and allow the rest of the pulp and juice to pass through.
3. Substitute blackberries with other berries
This cheesecake contains a lot of blackberries, but you can substitute them with other fresh or frozen berries that are in season. If you are using frozen berries, do not forget to defrost them before using them.
4. Do not over-mix the batter
Cream cheese is very dense. By whipping the heavy cream separately, it traps air into the cheesecake filling. It is easy to over-mix whipped cream. When this happens, the fat solids will begin to separate, creating lumps and giving the whipped cream a granular texture. In addition, over-mixing will deflate the air trapped in the filling. That is why I recommend to add the whipped cream at the end of the process of making filling to avoid over-mixing and prevent dense cheesecake.
4. Choose the right cream cheese
Let’s talk for a minute about the cream cheese. It is a very important ingredient to make a tasty cheesecake. Choose a cream cheese brand that you are perfectly happy with. And no matter what, buy full-fat cream cheese. Do not skimp on cream cheese as sometimes I find cheaper cream cheese is a bit looser. It is also important to use room temperature cream cheese because whipping cold cream cheese into the filling will result in little lumps.
More Cheesecake Recipes
If you love cheesecake, don’t forget to check out these delicious recipes!
- Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
- No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake
- No-Bake Thai Tea Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake
- Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups (200 gr) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Blackberry Cheesecake
- 2 cup (480 ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 sheets gelatin
- 16 oz (450 gr) cream cheese, softened
- 2 1/2 cups (250 gr) fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Fresh or frozen blackberries, for topping
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Grease a 10-inch/25 cm springform pan. Line the sides of the pan with baking paper or transparent cake side membrane.
- In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Pour the mixture into the pan. Spread into an even layer, then press until the crumbs are compact. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The crust can be made ahead) Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
Blackberry Cheesecake
- In a small bowl, soak gelatin sheets in cold water. Set aside.
- Heat 1 cup of heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear around edges. Remove from heat. Squeeze out excess water from softened gelatin and stir it into the mixture until gelatin dissolves. Set aside and let the mixture cool completely.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, blend cream cheese and cooled cream mixture until well combined.
- Juice the blackberries by pressing them through a sieve in order to remove the seeds. Leave 1 tbsp of the juice in a separate small bowl (for swirl). Set aside. Pour the remaining blackberry juice into the cream cheese mixture.
- Whip the remaining heavy cream (1 cup) with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peak.
- Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and beat until well combined.
- To make blackberry swirl, put 4-5 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture into a small bowl containing 1 tbsp blackberry juice. Mix until well combined. (optional)
Assemble
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into prepared crust and spread into an even layer. Spoon the blackberry swirl mixture in different spots on top of the cheesecake filling and gently swirl with a knife or toothpick.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is firm for 6 hours or overnight.
- To serve, remove the sides of springform pan and top with blackberries.
