These no bake lemon cheesecake bars don’t require any baking or cooking. The bars need just 4 ingredients. They can be made ahead of time. They are a cool, creamy, refreshing dessert that is easy to make for upcoming gatherings and events.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars on small white plates
These creamy cheesecake bars are easy to prepare. I love that there is no cooking or baking required.

Ingredients

  • Cream cheese
  • Condensed milk
  • Lemon juice
  • Graham crackers

Cream cheese: This recipe uses regular block-style cream cheese. The cheese will need to be brought to room temperature before using.

Condensed milk: Full fat sweetened condensed milk is used to sweeten the cheesecake filling and to help it set. When the condensed milk is mixed with the lemon juice, it will thicken it, creating a custard-like texture.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice is added for lemon flavor and to thicken the filling.

Graham crackers: Graham crackers are used for the graham cracker crust. The graham crackers line the bottom of the pan.

How to Make No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars

  • Line the bottom of your prepared pan with a layer of graham crackers.Graham crackers on the bottom of a square baking pan
  • The cream cheese is beaten until light and creamy. The condensed milk and lemon juice are added in and mixed until smooth.
  • If doing a double crust layer, add a thin layer of filling across the first layer of graham crackers. Then add a second layer of crackers. Pour the rest of the filling on top of the layer of graham crackers and use a spatula to spread it evenly across.
  • Place into the fridge for several hours or overnight to set. If desired, you can also garnish with whipped cream and lemon wedges before serving.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars garnished with whipped cream and lemon wedges

Expert Tips

  • You can adjust the lemon juice amount a little and 1-2 tbsp more if you prefer more lemon flavor. You can also add lemon zest to the filling.
  • You can also use lime juice for a lime version.
  • You can do a single layer of crust, but your crust may break more easily when cutting up the bars.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars cut into squares

More No Bake Cheesecake Recipes

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4.50 from 2 votes

4 Ingredient No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These creamy lemon cheesecake bars don't require any cooking or baking. They are just 4 ingredients and easy to prepare for gatherings and events.
Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 36 graham crackers, see note before starting
  • 1 (8oz/226g) block full fat cream cheese , softened
  • 1 (14oz/397g) can sweetened full fat condensed milk
  • 5 tbsp (2.5 fl oz/74 ml) lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Line a 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on top to act as handles so you can lift the bars out of the baking pan later.
  • Line the bottom of your prepared pan with graham crackers. You want to do your best to cover the bottom of the pan with crackers with no gaps, so you may need to cut some of them to fit. I used about 18 crackers.
  • Add cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed with the wire whisk attachment until it is light and creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl a few times as needed to make sure all the cream cheese gets beaten.
  • Add in the condensed milk. Beat on medium speed until you have a smooth batter. Add in the lemon juice. Mix on low speed until the lemon juice is evenly incorporated. Scoop about 2 tbsp of filling out. Allow the rest of the mixture to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  • Thinly spread the scooped 2 tbsp of filling across the graham crackers in your baking pan, just covering the surface of them. This will act as a glue for the second layer of graham crackers. Add a second layer of graham crackers on top of the first.
  • Transfer the filling to your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth and level the surface. Place into the fridge for about 3 hours or overnight to firm up. Keep bars in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • When ready to serve, remove the bars from the baking pan. Cut the bars with a large sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Use a cookie spatula to lift the bars onto plates. You can also garnish the tops with whipped cream and lemon slices. Store any uneaten bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Graham cracker note: Graham crackers usually come in sheets that can be broken into smaller individual crackers (usually 4 to a sheet). 36 crackers refers to the individual crackers. You can do just a single layer of crackers if you prefer less crust or think your crackers are thick enough. I like doing a double layer for a thicker crust.
  • I used La Lechera condensed milk,* Philadelphia cream cheese,* and Amazon Grocery Graham Crackers.*
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • I piped a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on the bars and added small lemon slices for garnish.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 227kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 154mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 22g, NET CARBS: 26
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!