A Slice of Summertime Heaven…
This No-Bake Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart is pretty much all I want out of life from now ’til September. Can you blame me? Cool & creamy cheesecake filling spread over a salty-sweet graham cracker crust & topped with juicy summer berries…what’s not to love about that?!
So here’s the deal. I’m pretty passionate about weeknight dinners, which is why you see mostly savory recipes shared here on PWWB. But – & there’s a major buuuuut! here! – I absolutely love sharing a special seasonal sweet every now & then. This easy berry tart recipe totally fits the bill. The inspiration came straight from the Queen herself, Ina Garten. When Ina posted this photo on Instagram back in March, I immediately knew I wanted to create something similar for summer festivities this year.
While Queen Ina’s berry tart is probably fabulous, no doubt about it, I think this easy cheesecake tart just might give it a run for its money. It’s essentially a cross between a summer fruit berry tart & no-bake cheesecake, & it has so many fun flavors & textures. The addition of pretzels adds a salty-sweet element to the graham cracker crust & freshly whipped cream helps a light & creamy cheesecake filling. Best of all, it’s completely no-bake, you can enjoy the ultimate summer dessert without even turning on the oven.
No-Bake Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart Recipe Highlights
This Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart is…
- SO SIMPLE. You need less than 10 ingredients to throw it together (most of them are baking staples that are probably already in your pantry!) & you can prep it in less than 30 minutes.
- NO-BAKE! My most important summertime dessert criteria, this cheesecake tart is a completely no-bake dessert! You get the satisfaction of a festive summer sweet without even turning on the oven.
- A SLICE OF SUMMERTIME HEAVEN. A salty-sweet graham cracker crust & creamy dreamy cheesecake filling topped with juicy summer berries…what’s not to love about that?!
Queen Ina would be pretty impressed, don’t you think?! ♡ Read on to learn more about this No-Bake Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart, or jump straight to the recipe & get (no-)baking!
First, Graham Cracker Crust (with a Twist!):
One of the things that makes this cheesecake tart really special is its crust. It’s not cheesecake without a graham cracker crust, so that’s exactly what we have here. Straying from a classic graham cracker crust just a little bit, I add some pretzels for a fun twist (literally!). The pretzels make this graham cracker crust perfectly salty-sweet, with a hint of summertime nostalgia.
How to Make this Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust ⇢ Use of a food processor makes for a seriously easy tart crust. Blitz up the pretzels quickly to give them a nice rough chop, then add in some graham crackers & brown sugar. Once the mixture is broken down into fine crumbs, pulse in some melted butter to bring it all together.
Cheesecake tart crust tip! ⇢ Because this is a no-bake graham cracker crust, it’s important to pack it into the tart pan really firmly. The flat bottom of a measuring cup is perfect for pressing the pretzel-graham cracker crumbs down into a tight crust.
No-Bake Cheesecake Tart Filling:
The other thing that makes this no-bake fruit tart really special is the cheesecake filling. It’s completely no-bake, so no eggs or water baths required! Instead, the cream cheese is stabilized with freshly whipped cream, creating the most perfectly light & airy cheesecake filling.
Note: full Recipe Directions provided in the Recipe Card, below.
Here’s what you’ll do:
- First, make the whipped cream: Add heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer & use the whisk attachment to beat to medium peaks, a sturdy yet light & fluffy whipped cream. Transfer to a mixing bowl & set aside. Quick Tip! ⇢ When it comes to homemade whipped cream, temperature matters! For best results, use cold heavy cream straight from the refrigerator, which whips up into a lighter, fluffier whipped cream.
- Next, beat cream cheese: Add room temperature cream cheese to the same bowl used to whip the heavy cream. Use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese with sugar & vanilla until it’s completely creamy & smooth. Lumps & bumps? ⇢ The only way to eliminate small lumps of cream cheese in your cheesecake tart is to thoroughly beat the cream cheese. This takes a good 3-4 minutes, so be patient & stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed – the cream cheese will smooth out!
- Fold it all together: Add the cream cheese mixture to the freshly whipped cream. Use a spatula to fold it all together. Quick Tip! ⇢ Their airiness in both the cream cheese mixture & whipped cream is what creates a dreamily light & fluffy no-bake cheesecake tart filling, so work gently to avoid deflating the filling!
- Assemble! Use a spatula to spread the no-bake cheesecake filling into a smooth layer over the pretzel graham cracker crust. Cover with plastic wrap & transfer to the refrigerator to set for 8 hours or overnight. Make-Ahead Cheese Tart! ⇢ You can prep your cheesecake tart up to this point up to 5 days in advance, so it’s perfect for summer party prep!
Berry Tart Assembly & Serving Suggestions:
Once chilled, simply garnish, slice, & enjoy – easy as that!
You can garnish your no-bake fruit tart with whatever fruit you like. For a perfectly festive summer dessert, I opt for summer berries – strawberries, blueberries, & raspberries. In terms of decoration, I keep things really simple, creating a border with sliced strawberries & filling in the center with blueberries & raspberries, though you can get as elaborate as you’d like. Have fun with it!
When you’re ready to serve, simply pop the tart from the tin & slice into individual pieces. Because it’s a no-bake cheesecake tart, it’s best served cold, straight out of the fridge.
I like finishing it off with a light dusting of powdered sugar, but you can never go wrong with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, too!
I can’t wait for you to try this No-Bake Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart! It’s a slice of summertime heaven, & I know you’ll love it just as much as we do! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Love summer desserts? What’s not to love, right?! Try these Gooey S’mores Crumble Bars, these Tahini Scotheroos, or these Frozen Yogurt Bites next! Happy (no!) baking! ♡
Print
No-Bake Summer Berry Cheesecake Tart with Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Chill Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Desserts, Tart
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
A cross between a summer berry tart & no-bake cheesecake, this No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Tart boasts a salty-sweet pretzel graham cracker crust & a light cream cheese filling. Topped with festive summer berries & freshly whipped cream, this berry cheesecake tart is a slice of heaven. The perfect summer dessert (…& you didn’t even have to turn on the oven!).
Ingredients
for the pretzel graham cracker crust:
- 1 1/2 cups pretzel twists (150 grams)
- 4 full graham cracker sheets (slightly less than 1/2 sleeve, about 50 grams)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
for the berry tart filling & topping:
- 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 ounces fresh berries, for topping
Instructions
- Prep & form the pretzel graham cracker crust: Add the pretzels to the bowl of a food processor. Cover & pulse, roughly chopping the pretzels down into small pieces. Add in the graham crackers & brown sugar. Cover & pulse to combine, breaking down the pretzels & graham crackers into crumbs. While pulsing continuously, slowly stream in the butter. Continue to pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer the mixture to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press down into the pan, forming a tight crust. Set the tart pan on a small plate or baking sheet. Transfer to the freezer to set while you prep the no-bake cheesecake filling.
- Prep the no-bake cheesecake filling: Meanwhile, as the pretzel graham cracker crust sets, prep the no-bake cheesecake filling. Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixture. Using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed to medium peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a large mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese to the stand mixer & use the paddle attachment to beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until it is completely creamy & smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Once smooth, add in the sugar, vanilla, & salt. Mix another minute or two, just until combined. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to the bowl with the whipped cream. Use a spatula to fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.
- Assemble the cheesecake tart: Transfer the no-bake cheesecake filling to the prepared pretzel graham cracker crust, using a spatula to spread the filling in a smooth layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator to set for 8 hours or overnight.
- Serving the no-bake berry tart: Just before serving, remove the no-bake cheesecake tart from the refrigerator & top with your berries of choice. I like using a combination of sliced strawberries, raspberries, & blueberries for to create a festive Americana look for summer holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, & Labor Day. Slice & serve. If desired, top with freshly whipped cream or powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Once assembled (through Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above), the no-bake cheesecake tart will keep, stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To serve, finish the tart by continuing with Step 4 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Storage: Once topped with berries, this no-bake cheesecake tart is best served immediately, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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I made this for a family get together on for the Fourth of July long weekend and everyone loved it – especially the crust. It was so easy to make and looked so festive. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy the tart was a hit with your family! Hope you had a great day celebrating 🙂
Jess,
My husband recently challenged me to up my culinary game, and I responded by making Playswellwithbutter my go to for new recipes, and we both love the new taste sensations we’ve found there!—So far, I’ve made the no-bake cheesecake, the salmon & veggies (one pan), skirt steak fajitas, chicken thighs with peach BBQ sauce, and shrimp pesto dishes —All so delish!—Thank you!!!
Hi Shawn! So glad you both loved all these recipes – such a great line up of summer dishes & the cheesecake is easily one of our favorite summer desserts. We’re so glad you found PWWB! Thank you so much for taking the time to share 🙂
So yummy and easy to make. Everyone loved the sweet and salty combo
I made this for a small 4th of July BBQ with my family and it was a huge hit. My toddler “helped” me crush the ingredients for the crust since we don’t have a food processor and it turned out beautifully! I used the make-ahead tips to prep the majority of the cheesecake the day before, and the only thing I had to do that morning was slice and arrange the fruit! Super easy and stunning to look at. My sister, who is not big on sweets, asked me for the recipe because her family devoured their take-home portions in one night!