No Bake Cream Cheese Pie with Cool Whip
This No Bake Cream Cheese Pie with Cool Whip is so delicious and super easy to make! Made without condensed milk, this pie is light, fluffy, and beautiful to boot! It requires no baking and is perfect for a quick, easy dessert, and always crowd-pleasing at a potluck!
Need other easy desserts?? Try my No Bake Chocolate Peppermint Pie, this incredible No Bake Hot Chocolate Pie, and my Oreo Peppermint Brownies! Don’t want to turn up the oven? Try my perfect Rice Krispie Treats with Marshmallow Fluff and this crowd-pleasing Cherry Fluff Salad!
Easy, no-bake, or semi-homemade desserts are the name of the game around here at Get On My Plate! I am not a huge baker–I think mostly because of the “preciseness” that is involved. So I stick to simple, yet irresistible desserts like my Oreo Blondies, Easy Granny Cake or my Air Fryer Biscuit Doughnuts (uses canned biscuit dough).
And of course, this easy cream cheese pie does not disappoint! It truly is the easiest way to enjoy the classic flavors of cheesecake — but is a lot lighter, fluffier, and sooooo much easier to make! Plus, it’s a total crowd-pleaser!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this No Bake Cream Cheese Pie with Cool Whip:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Cream Cheese: Full fat to produce the best, creamy, silky texture. I love Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but your favorite brand will work just fine.
Whipped Topping: Cool Whip or store brand is fine. If you’re adventurous, feel free to make your own whipped cream using heavy whipping cream.
Lemon Juice: This is optional but I just like the subtle tartness that a little bit of lemon juice brings. Fresh lemon juice works best.
Pre-made Graham Cracker Crust: Use your favorite store-bought crust or go all out and use homemade crust. Either will work but to keep things simple, I prefer a store-bought graham cracker crust that already comes in a pie pan.
HOW TO MAKE NO BAKE CREAM CHEESE PIE: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Gently fold in whipped topping and stir until combined.
Step 3: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into a pre-made crust. Chill pie for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Before serving, top with cherry pie filling.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Use softened cream cheese: Pull it out of the fridge and keep it at room temperature for a few hours to soften. You don’t want it warm, just soft enough to whip easily.
- Chill well: For best results, chill the pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Add pie filling last: Add it on top of the pie before serving to keep nice, clean layers.
Confidence Tip
This cherry cream cheese pie is excellent for entertaining large crowds. Double or triple the recipe and whip up the cream cheese filling in a stand mixer to make it fuss-free. Top with cherry pie filling just before serving.
STORAGE
- Storage: Tightly cover any leftover pie (if you have any leftovers!) with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This pie is very freezer-friendly! I recommend not adding the pie filling to the top before freezing the pie. To freeze, wrap the pie tightly in both foil and plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy again, thaw pie at room temperature for a few hours, top with pie filling, slice, and serve!
Easy Variations
ADDITIONS:
- Citrus aroma: In addition to lemon juice, add some lemon zest to add some bright flavor.
- Toasted coconut: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top of the pie for a tropical punch.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Plain: Don’t want the extra sugar from the pie filling? Just add a dollop of whipped cream on top to enjoy it plain.
- Chocolate or Caramel: Swap the pie filling with a drizzle of caramel or chocolate syrup.
- Fresh berries: Instead of the pie filling, use fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Try other flavored pie filling: Apple or blueberry pie filling are both delish!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The biggest difference between cream cheese pie and cheesecake is that cream cheese pie requires no baking while traditional cheesecake typically includes eggs that require it to be baked.
In addition, cream cheese pie can be made in a pie dish or any baking dish but cheesecake is typically molded into a round, spring-form pan. One thing they both have in common is that they are super delish!
Absolutely! While crunchy graham cracker crust is a classic choice, you can experiment with chocolate cookie crust, nut crusts, or even shortbread crust for a different flavor profile.
To thicken a no-bake cream cheese pie, it’s important that you refrigerate it for an extended period of time. Because it’s made with cream cheese, it will solidify and set when kept at cold temperatures. Make sure you chill the pie for at least an hour or two before adding the pie filling.
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I hope you love this No Bake Cream Cheese Pie! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
No Bake Cream Cheese Pie with Cool Whip
Ingredients
- 1 pre-baked graham cracker crust
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened (See Note 1)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional
- 1 8 oz. tub whipped topping such as Cool Whip
- 1 20 oz. can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice (optional) and vanilla until light and fluffy (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes).
- Gently fold in whipped topping and stir well until combined.
- Spread mixture evenly into prepared graham cracker crust. Chill 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, top pie with cherry pie filling and serve immediately!
I make this pie for every get together and holiday! It’s so easy to make and everyone always loves it!
This was so easy and the flavors were amazing. My family loved it!
Incredible! So easy to make. My guests gobbled this up! Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh my goodness this pie was to die for! I actually had some homemade cherry jam on hand that I needed to use so I substituted that for the pie filling. Definitely one of my all time favorite desserts.
This is definitely a 5 star recipe. I love how quick it is to make and how good it tastes. It really hits the spot.
Made this pie, very easy, cooked my own blueberries, excellent.
Thank you for sharing..
This pie is pure perfection! I love that it’s so simple to make. I’ll surely try this soon very soon. Thank you for sharing this kind of recipe.
No bake pies are my go to during the spring and summer months. They are always so cool and refreshing. This pie did not disappoint. Delish!
Love the recipe!!! Will make it really soon for the family and me. It looks delicious 🙂
Simple, classic, and so delicious. Gobbled it up!
I love quick desserts! I’m sure this is a crowd pleaser!! Thanks for sharing such an amazing recipe.