No-Bake Tahini Cheesecake

A creamy and light no-bake cheesecake with the addition of tahini, which adds a slightly nutty flavor that is rich and delicious!

I don't know when I turned the corner on cheesecake and became a No-Bake enthusiast. I have always loved "regular" cheesecake.

When I lived in St. Paul, MN. there was an incredible restaurant & bakery nearby called Cafe Latté that made the most delicious cheesecakes. My roommate and I would go there whenever we felt like indulging.

At some point I realized I should probably learn how to make cheesecake. And that's when I learned that cheesecake can be a bit fussy and tricky to perfect.

But no-bake cheesecakes are easy enough for anyone to make! No need to make a water bath, etc. All you need is an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to make a super light and fluffy cheesecake.

Prep time is just 20 minutes and then you place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight (or at least 8 hours). It's rich and creamy, and has a slightly nutty flavor from the tahini. The graham cracker crust is rich and buttery, and provides a slightly crunchy contrast to our airy cheesecake.

As summer approaches and people start having gatherings again, this would be a perfect summer dessert to serve to guests. You can even place a few slices in the freezer for later!

Who wants to turn the oven on in the summer? Make it a day ahead of time, so it's all ready to go when folks arrive. All you have to do is dig in and listen to the sounds of delight from your guests!

Jump to:

• What Is the Difference Between Baked and No-Bake Cheesecake?
• What is Tahini?
• Expert Tips
• Ingredients Needed
• Recipe Instructions
• No Bake Tahini Cheesecake Recipe

What Is the Difference Between Baked and No-Bake Cheesecake?

Baked cheesecake, as we all know, is quite dense and heavy, whereas no-bake cheesecake has a light and airy, whipped texture that is similar to icebox pies, like Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse Pie.

The baked variety can be made either New York-style (with cream cheese) or Italian-style (with ricotta or mascarpone). I enjoy both techniques, with the latter being a bit lighter and drier than the former.

No-bake cheesecake is typically made with a combination of cream cheese and whipped cream, which gives it a fluffy texture. And lastly, no-bake does not contain eggs and is simply chilled in the refrigerator to set, so it is a much simpler preparation. No-bake cheesecake couldn't be easier!

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a delicious Middle Eastern condiment made from sesame seeds. I liken it to peanut butter, but with sesame seeds instead of peanuts.

It can be used in savory or sweet applications, and is delicious in everything from grain bowls, roasted eggplant dip, and hummus, to brownies and cookies. In fact, halva, a soft and fudge-like Middle Eastern candy, is made with tahini. If you've never tried this delicacy, you are missing out!

Expert Tips

• Storage: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How to freeze: Wrap individual slices in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
• Use room temperature cream cheese. One of the key factors in making a successful cheesecake is ensuring that your cream cheese is room temperature. If it is still cold, you will end up with lumps in your batter (this might have happened to me years ago, but we all change and grow 🙂 ).
• Stop mixer halfway through and scrape down the bowl. This makes certain that all of the components are thoroughly combined.
• When folding in the whipped cream, be very gentle. You have just whipped a bunch of air into your heavy cream, making a light and fluffy whipped cream, and you don't want to deflate it.
• Chill your cheesecake for a minimum of eight hours to make sure that it is completely set.
• Make a chocolate crust. Mix it up by making a no bake chocolate cookie crust!

Ingredients Needed

For Graham Cracker Crust

• Graham cracker crumbs
• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar

For Cheesecake Filling

• Heavy cream
• Cream cheese
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon juice
• Tahini
• Dark chocolate

Recipe Instructions

*See recipe card below for printable instructions.

Make Crust

Mix the graham cracker crust ingredients together.

Place ingredients into an 8-or 9-inch springform pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press mixture into the bottom of pan and up the sides. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Make Cheesecake Filling

Pour heavy cream into the bowl of a large stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat for several minutes on high speed until stiff peaks form, around 5 minutes. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer or large stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and tahini and beat on medium-high until smooth. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Mix for an additional minute.

Gently fold in the whipped cream.

Pour cheesecake filling into the chilled graham cracker crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To remove cheesecake, run a knife around the edge to loosen, and slowly open latch to remove sides of pan.

Using spoon or butter knife, drizzle melted chocolate over top of cheesecake (this step is optional).

Serve immediately or cover and store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.