No-Bake Sugar-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Is Light, Creamy and Delicious

Photo byHappy Homeschool Nest

This no-bake strawberry cheesecake is a deliciously light alternative to the usual calorie-laden stuff (which I admit I do love). The creamy filling contrasts wonderfully with the crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust and the layers of fresh, sliced strawberries. It also looks gorgeous.

Best of all: a slice is only about 300 calories and the total amount of sugar comes in at 12 grams. If you're baking for someone diabetic or want to watch your sugar content, this is a perfect summer dessert.

The recipe is also easy, inexpensive and requires just a few simple ingredients: milk, cream cheese, fresh strawberries, graham cracker crumbs and a package of sugar-free cheesecake instant pudding mix. A dash of cinnamon and nutmeg gives the crust a warmth that makes up for the lack of added sugar.

You can vary this recipe as you please. If you don't mind a little sugar, you can make this with a premade graham cracker pie crust. For a heavier texture, you can buy the regular instant cheesecake pudding mix (3 ounces) and replace the whole milk with heavy cream. Or, to go in the opposite direction and cut calories even further, you can use low-fat cream cheese (though the cheesecake will be less creamy).

No-Bake Sugar-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups milk

1 (1-ounce) package cheesecake flavor sugar-free instant pudding mix

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced

Instructions

1. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Press the mixture into an 8- or 9-inch pie dish and refrigerate.

2. Beat the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's light and creamy.

3. Reduce the speed and slowly beat in the milk. Scrape the cream cheese from the sides of the bowl and beat in pudding mix until the filling is thick and smooth.

4. Spoon 1/2 of the cream cheese filling onto the bottom of the prepared crust. Spread 1/2 of the strawberries onto the filling. Repeat with second half of the filling and the rest of the strawberries.

5. Refrigerate the pie for about 2 hours, until it sets.

312 calories

Sugar: 12 grams

Notes

Let the mixer run for several minutes on medium-medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light and creamy as the pudding forms.

Be sure your cream cheese is softened before mixing it.

This really does need a full two hours in the refrigerator. The filling is less solid than regular cheesecake filling so give it time to set. I also considered skipping the middle layer of strawberries but it adds solidity (and flavor) to the cheesecake.

I bought a 16-ounce carton of strawberries and had enough for both layers. If you want more strawberries, you can go with the full 2 pints.

I don't know why I thought sugar-free cheesecake flavor instant pudding mix would be hard to find. There were two brands available, both priced at about $1.50 each.