No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake

No bake black forest cheesecake is a dazzling dessert with layers of velvety cream cheese, whipped cream, tart cherry pie filling, and rich chocolate curls.

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Velvety and rich, this no-bake black forest cheesecake is an easy and impressive dessert. This yummy cheesecake has layers of fluffy cream cheese filling, rich chocolate cookie crust, and tart cherry topping.

MORE RECIPES: No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake | Mint Chocolate Cheesecake | No-Bake Lemon Pie

This gorgeous cheesecake requires no baking. While it looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, this cheesecake can be assembled in just 15 minutes. 

Impressive enough for holiday guests, this layered no-bake black forest cheesecake is easy enough to make for any occasion. Serve your cheesecake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate. 

Chocolate and cherry lovers will go crazy for this rich cheesecake. With a dreamy mousse-like texture, no-bake black forest cheesecake features layers of velvety cream cheese, whipped cream, sweet cherry pie filling, and rich chocolate curls.

No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake Ingredients

• Pie crust - pre-made Oreo pie crust
• Cream cheese
• Sugar - granulated sugar
• Sour cream - full-fat sour cream
• Vanilla extract
• Baking bar - semi-sweet baking bar
• Whipped topping
• Pie filling - canned cherry pie filling 
• Vegetable shortening - for optional chocolate curls garnish

You’ll want to use a good quality semi-sweet chocolate baking bar for this no-bake cheesecake recipe. They melt much more consistently, and since this is a very quick and easy dessert with very few ingredients, you want to use good-quality ingredients. Ghirardelli, Baker’s, Lindt, and Guittard all have good-quality chocolate baking bars. 

For this recipe, we prefer using a brand of canned fruit pie filling that tends to have more fruit and less of a jellied coating over the cherries. If you cannot find a brand like this, you can get two cans and just use a slotted spoon to scoop out only the cherries, leaving most of the jellied coating in the can. Any remaining pie filling can be added to individual slices if desired and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, so you don’t have lumps in your cheesecake mixture. We recommend using full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, and even whipped topping as they tend to produce much tastier results and a better texture with the final product.

How to Make No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake

FIRST STEP: Remove the plastic cover for the pre-made Oreo pie crust and set it aside. 

SECOND STEP: In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.

THIRD STEP: Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 30 seconds until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

FOURTH STEP: Transfer half of the cream cheese mixture to another large mixing bowl. Set both bowls aside.

FIFTH STEP: Add the chopped semi-sweet baking bar to a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute at 60% power. Stir, then heat again for another 30 seconds to 1 minute at 60% power. Stir until smooth.

SIXTH STEP: To one of the bowls with the cream cheese mixture, fold in the melted semi-sweet chocolate until fully incorporated. Set aside.

SEVENTH STEP: Divide the thawed whipped topping equally between the chocolate cream cheese bowl and the plain cream cheese bowl.

EIGHTH STEP: Fold the whipped topping gently into each of the mixtures. These will be the black and white layers of your pie.

NINTH STEP: Spread your chocolate cream cheese mixture into an even layer onto the bottom of your pre-made Oreo cookie crust.

TENTH STEP: Top that with the plain cream cheese mixture and spread it into an even layer as well.

ELEVENTH STEP: Cover your pie with the plastic piece that came with the crust (you will just flip it over, and it creates a lid for your pie) and refrigerate your no-bake black forest pie for 8 hours to overnight.

TWELFTH STEP: Once your pie has chilled and fully firmed up, you will top it with the canned cherry pie filling. I used a heaping cup of the cherry pie filling (I made sure it was mostly cherries and not the sauce) and mounded them in the center of the no-bake black forest cheesecake, making sure to leave 1 to 2 inches around the edge for the optional chocolate curls.

Chocolate curls

THIRTEENTH STEP: Add the semi-sweet chocolate pieces and vegetable shortening to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until the chocolate is melted. Stir to make sure the chocolate is smooth.

FOURTEENTH STEP: Pour the melted chocolate onto a rimmed baking tray that has been flipped upside down.

FIFTEENTH STEP: Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate into a very thin, even layer.

SIXTEENTH STEP: Place the tray into the freezer for 3 to 5 minutes. You should be able to leave a fingerprint in the chocolate when touched but not a dent.

SEVENTEENTH STEP: Using a sharp, straight-edged spatula push up from the bottom of the chocolate in small sections to create the curls. If your chocolate is too hard, you will just get broken pieces and not curls. You can let it sit at room temperature for just a minute or so to soften up enough to create your curls.

EIGHTEENTH STEP: Once you have made your curls place them on a freezer-safe plate and place them into the freezer until ready to garnish your no-bake black forest cheesecake.

Can I use homemade whipped topping? 

For this no-bake pie, we found that a premade whipped topping, like Cool Whip, set up better than using a homemade version. However, you can make your own sweetened whipped cream topping by whipping 8 ounces of very cold heavy cream with ¼ cup sifted powdered sugar until soft peaks form.

Could I use a graham cracker crust for this no-bake cheesecake? 

You could substitute a graham cracker crust, chocolate graham cracker crust, or Nilla wafer crust in this black forest no-bake cheesecake pie recipe.

Can I freeze this black forest no bake cheesecake? 

The cheesecake can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month. You can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How to Store No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake 

IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The plastic cover from the pre-made pie crust is perfect to use for storage. Flip it over and use it to cover your pie before you put it in the fridge.

IN THE FREEZER: This creamy chocolate cheesecake can be stored in  the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving. 

No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake

5 from 7 votes

Author: Shauna

No bake black forest cheesecake is a dazzling dessert with layers of velvety cream cheese, whipped cream, tart cherry pie filling, and rich chocolate curls.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 ounces pre-made Oreo pie crust
• 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 ounces semi-sweet baking bar chopped (I used Ghirardelli brand)
• 8 ounces tub whipped topping thawed
• 1 cup canned cherry pie filling I used Duncan Hines/Comstock more fruit
• Chocolate curls optional garnish

For the Chocolate Curls

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar broken into small pieces (I used Ghirardelli brand)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening I used Crisco

Instructions

 

• Remove the plastic cover for the pre-made Oreo pie crust and set it aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
• Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 30 seconds until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Transfer half of the cream cheese mixture to another large mixing bowl. Set both bowls aside.
• Add the chopped semi-sweet baking bar to a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute at 60% power. Stir, then heat again for another 30 seconds to 1 minute at 60% power. Stir until smooth.
• To one of the bowls with the cream cheese mixture, fold in the melted semi-sweet chocolate until fully incorporated. Set aside.
• Divide the thawed whipped topping equally between the chocolate cream cheese bowl and the plain cream cheese bowl.
• Fold the whipped topping gently into each of the mixtures. These will be the black and white layers of your pie.
• Spread your chocolate cream cheese mixture into an even layer onto the bottom of your pre-made Oreo cookie crust.
• Top that with the plain cream cheese mixture and spread it into an even layer as well.
• Cover your pie with the plastic piece that came with the crust (you will just flip it over, and it creates a lid for your pie) and refrigerate your no-bake black forest pie for 8 hours to overnight.
• Once your pie has chilled and fully firmed up, you will top it with the canned cherry pie filling. I used a heaping cup of the cherry pie filling (I made sure it was mostly cherries and not the sauce) and mounded them in the center of the no-bake black forest cheesecake, making sure to leave 1 to 2 inches around the edge for the optional chocolate curls.

Chocolate curls

• Add the semi-sweet chocolate pieces and vegetable shortening to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until the chocolate is melted. Stir to make sure the chocolate is smooth.
• Pour the melted chocolate onto a rimmed baking tray that has been flipped upside down.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate into a very thin, even layer.
• Place the tray into the freezer for 3 to 5 minutes. You should be able to leave a fingerprint in the chocolate when touched but not a dent.
• Using a sharp, straight-edged spatula push up from the bottom of the chocolate in small sections to create the curls. If your chocolate is too hard, you will just get broken pieces and not curls. You can let it sit at room temperature for just a minute or so to soften up enough to create your curls.
• Once you have made your curls place them on a freezer-safe plate and place them into the freezer until ready to garnish your no-bake black forest cheesecake.

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 787IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 5mg

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