Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake (No Bake)

Valentine’s Day Cheesecake Recipe

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and this cheesecake recipe is one of my favorites! It’s easy to make, our whole family loves it, and it’s a combination of two of my favorite treats – huge bonus!

Making the Crust

The graham cracker crust is a wonderful base for this recipe because while it gives the crunch you are looking for in a cheesecake, it’s not too sweet…just incredibly delicious!

The Nutella is my “secret” ingredient that people always ask about, so I wanted to share it with you as well!

Be sure to use an 8-inch springform pan for this recipe so that the crust doesn’t turn out too thin. You’ll also want to be sure to press the crust down firmly into the pan or else it could crumble!

Strawberry Topping Tips

The strawberry topping is simple to make and only calls for a few ingredients. I had my daughter help me make it, and she enjoyed running the blender for this step!

This strawberry topping is going to be used in the cheesecake layer of this recipe (shown below) and as the topping for the cheesecake, so be sure to set aside a full cup of it before moving on.

Cheesecake Filling

See that beautiful strawberry cheesecake layer in the image above? It’s deliciously fruity and creamy! Once you finish making and pouring it over your crust, let it set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once it’s set to the touch, pour that cup of strawberry topping you set aside earlier on top, like so:

The Finishing Touches

At this point, you’re almost done! Let that topping set in the fridge, and then all that’s left to do is some optional decorating.

Before that though, you’ll need to remove the cake from the springform pan. Be sure to run a knife along the edges first to loosen the it!

After your beautiful Valentine’s Day cheesecake has been released from the pan, you can top it with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and even some chocolate chips! Do as you desire 🙂

Final Thoughts

You will want to give yourself a little bit of time to make this strawberry cheesecake (even though it’s simple) just because it needs at least 30 minutes to chill in the refrigerator. This is one you wouldn’t want to be whipping up after dinner. Plan ahead and make it the night before or in the afternoon on Valentine’s Day (or any time of the year really!!).

Don’t forget the last step of slicing a few strawberries for the top as a garnish! It’s a perfect finish to a treat everyone will enjoy!

More Valentine’s Day Ideas:

If you love this recipe idea, you’ll want to take a few minutes to look at all of the other Valentine’s Day projects and menu ideas we have been working on for this year’s celebration:

• Valentine’s Day Recipes
• Homemade Crafts & DIY Projects for Valentine’s Day
• Candy Free Valentine’s Day Ideas for the Kids
• 25 Funny Valentine’s Day Cards You’ll LOL At
• 20 Valentines Day Gift Ideas & Homemade Cards

Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake (No Bake)

This is one of my favorite cheesecakes, especially for Valentine’s Day. It is so full of flavor and just enough sweetness to share with those you love.

4.67 / 5 ( 3 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Serves: 12

Adjust Servings: 12

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Blender
• 8-inch springform pan
• Saucepan
• Small bowl
• Stand mixer
• Medium bowl

Ingredients

CRUST:

• 7 whole graham crackers
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 tablespoons Nutella
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon

STRAWBERRY TOPPING:

• 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries washed and stemmed
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

CHEESECAKE:

• 16 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• strawberry topping see above, divided
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Fresh strawberries for garnish

Instructions

CRUST

• In a food processor or blender, grind the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs.
• Add the butter, Nutella, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder and process until thoroughly mixed. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl/blender a few times.
• Firmly press the crust evenly into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. It should come up the sides slightly.

STRAWBERRY TOPPING

• In a saucepan, heat the strawberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat, until the strawberries are soft.
• Use a blender to puree the fruit mixture, then return to the saucepan.
• In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water. Allow it to sit for about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the gelatin to the berry mixture and gently cook over low heat, whisking just until the gelatin is completely dissolved, then remove pan from heat.
• Reserve 1 cup of the strawberry mixture for the top layer of the cake.

CHEESECAKE:

• In a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth.
• Add the vanilla extract and the strawberry topping (except the 1 cup you have reserved for the top layer).
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until medium peaks. Fold the heavy whipped cream into the strawberry cheesecake batter, gently folding until just combined.
• Pour the cheesecake into the prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, or until it is set to the touch.
• Once the cheesecake is set, pour the remaining 1 cup strawberry topping over it. If the topping has set in the pan, gently heat it for a minute, just until it is pourable (or heat in microwave for 30 seconds).
• Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the topping is set.
• At this point, it is ready to serve or you can cover the cheesecake with plastic and it can sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Before unlocking the Springform Pan, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it. Top with the fresh strawberries.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g