This easy no bake lemon cheesecake is perfect for those hot summer days where you want a fabulous dessert without having to turn on your oven.
This is a sponsored post for Aurora Importing. All opinions are my own, as always. Thanks to all the companies, and readers, who help support Cravings of a Lunatic.
I love no bake recipes for summer. It's an obsession really. I want to take every recipe in the world and turn it into a no bake recipe for the hot summer months.
This lemon cheesecake recipe is one of those recipes. My cheesecake cravings are out of control lately. I have also been craving lemon pie. So much so that I've started dreaming about ways to combine the two things.
I wanted to do something a bit different with the base for this cheesecake. Fate intervened in the way of some broken cannoli shells. Â I'm not going to lie I tend to be a bit of a cheapskate. So my frugality paid off in spades for this one.
My delivery dude tripped on the way up our stairs recently. The poor guy must have been having a bad day. If I was a delivery person they would have to wrap me in bubble wrap to keep me safe going up and down stairs all the live long day. I'm a klutz.
When I grabbed the huge package off the porch I was a tad worried about the contents. Thankfully nothing broke but a few cannoli shells.
Being ever the graceful flower that I am I was chirping about how the delivery dude fell on my package when I realized I had butter fingers. Literally. I had butter on my fingers because I was baking when the delivery arrived. I pulled the cannoli package out of the box, it flew out my hands, and sailed across the kitchen like something out of a cartoon. It finally landed with a thump. On the tile floor. So we went from 3 broken cannoli shells to 8 . I was crushed, much like my cannoli shells.
Since the package was sealed and I hate wasting anything I knew I could make this work in my favour. Crushed cannoli shells for a cheesecake base? Sheer genius, if I do say so myself. And I think I just did. Â Just hand me the award for creativity right now folks. I'd like to thank my delivery dude, myself and my two left feet for this award.
I'd also like to thank Aurora Importing for sending me a huge box of goodies to play with. I think I'm living the dream. I get to make things like lemon cheesecake, and then taste test them until I perfect them. Not a bad gig.
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No Bake Lemon Cheesecake with Cannoli Crust
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 2 cups crushed cannoli shells
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
For Garnish:
- Crushed cannoli shells
- Confectioners sugar
Instructions
For the Base:
- Toss the cannoli shells and sugar in a food processor and pulse until they combine and the cannoli shells become the texture of fine crumbs.
- Add the melted butter to the food processor and pulse until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Press the crumbs into 6 mini springform pans that you've sprayed with non-stick spray. You can use the bottom of a glass or the blunt edge of a honey dripped to tamp down the crumbs to form the crust. I love using my honey dripper for this. Gets into the corners really well.
- Set the pans aside.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- Make sure you put one can of lemon pie filling aside. You will be using one inside the cheesecake filling, and then another to top the cheesecake.
- In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream and sugar. Turn the mixer on low speed, then gradually increase to high speed. You want to mix the heavy cream until it's fluffy. It helps to make sure the bowl, whisk attachment and measuring cup are super cold before mixing if it's hot in your house. This will ensure fluffy whipped cream.
- In a separate bowl combine the cream cheese, and vanilla. Mix until the cream cheese is fluffy and free of any clumps. Then add 1 can of the lemon pie filling. Mix until well combined.
- Now combine the lemon cheesecake portion with the whipped cream portion, mix until it's perfectly combined.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake filling into the mini springform pans, over top of the crumb base. Pour an equal amount into each one and smooth the top with a spoon.
- Now spread the other can of lemon pie filling evenly over each pan. Spread with a spoon.
- Place in the fridge for about 4 hours, or overnight for the best results. You want it to have enough time to firm up.
- When you remove them from the fridge run a knife around the inside edges of all the pans before releasing them. This will help keep them pretty.
- Top with crushed cannoli shells and then sprinkle some confectioners sugar over top.
- Serve with a big old lemon-loving smile!
I find it funny how I grew up with my dad always telling me not to play with my food. Who knew I would grow up and get to play with food for a living? It's the dream job for a gal like me. I'm quite certain my dad always knew I would end up working in the food world. We could talk food for hours, chatting about food we loved, recipes we wanted to try, and brands we liked.
I dig Aurora Importing and the peeps who run the company. They have been amazing supporters of my blog. I use their products constantly, and swear by their olive oils and flours.
They sent me to Miami for Blogher Food last month. I had brunch with some gal pals at a fabulous restaurant, did lots of shopping, and even attended some conference sessions. So much fun was had! Thanks Aurora Importing.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Pizza with Arugula, Peaches, and Hazelnuts
Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
I've worked with this company on many occasions and I've enjoyed myself immensely each time. It's cool to work with a company you trust and believe in. If you get a chance please check out some of my recipes featured above. My favourite is probably the Bolognese, it's my go to recipe every time.
For those of you who follow me on Facebook you may know the last week has been a bit of a whirlwind. My daughter had her wisdom teeth pulled. She's been a trouper through the whole thing. She was eating the first day, she did not nap once the entire week, she's only taking the mild pain medication and she has not had any bruising or swelling.
Then things fell apart and she started to have intense pain. She can't sleep, can't eat, and one side of face is sore like crazy. I've been spending all my free time with her. Even though she's older I still like being around when things like this go on. She sees her oral surgeon tomorrow so hopefully he can fix her up and she's on her way to a speedy recovery.
Quite honestly I was starting to think she was a mutant because she's done so well coping with it all. I'll let you know how things turn out. Thanks to everyone who sent notes and well wishes. She says thanks too, and she really appreciates me sharing every intimate detail of her life online. Kidding. She says thanks.
Disclosure Mumbo Jumbo:Â This post is a thank you to Aurora Importing for sponsoring me for Blogher Food. As my readers know I only work with companies I trust and use on a regular basis. All opinions are my own. Aurora Importing paid for me to attend Blogher Food. I am eternally grateful.Â
Toodles and smoochies! xx
Lauren Kelly Nutrition
KIM! This looks fantastic!! I love lemon 🙂
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks Lauren. I am a huge lemon girl too. I love meyers when they are in season.
I forgot to ask if you're doing Food & Wine in July. I get in Friday and head out Tuesday. Trying to get all my ducks in a row. So behind in planning.
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
Now *that* is inventive and frugal, too! Using broken cannoli shells for your base...who'd have thought!?!
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks. I hate wasting food. I'm always trying to stretch things, or use them for other purposes. Probably comes from going through money issues years ago. I do crust with cookies all the time so it occurred to me this would be really similar. The crust was amazing.
Angie
This cheesecake is to die for! I actually prefer cheesecakes over cake, especially for birthdays, I should get hubs to make it this year for my b-day!
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks. Me too Angie, we actually had cheesecake for our wedding cake. I just love it.
Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled
Love anything no bake, especially in the summer! And this lemon cheesecake looks delicious! 🙂
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks so much Jenn. I love keeping my house cool so no bake is the way to go right now. It's a gazillion degrees here right now.
foodwanderings
Ooh I made a no-bake cheesecake earlier this season. I love your version, completely different then mine. I also love your cannoli crust!
Kim Beaulieu
They are so good. I get carried away and go no bake nuts. Thanks so much. Glad you like it.
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos
Now THIS is a cheesecake I would love!!! Fate has a funny way of surprising peeps and I think Fate wanted you to make this crust with the cannoli shells 🙂 I need to head over to their site and order some pantry supplies ASAP!
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks. It never occurred to me to crush cannoli shells, but it makes perfect sense considering how many of us crush cookies for bases. It takes the crust to the next level. So good.
You must. I love their Frantoi Cutrera oils, and their pizza flour is off the hook. I also love their jarred stuff, like peppers and tomatoes, I keep tons of that stuff on hand for pastas. Wait till you see what I did with some peppers they sent me. Coming up next week on kiss. It got nuts on the grill recently.
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
What a dreamy creamy cheesecake. Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. I have to limit myself. This one is a little too easy. But I can see that it would be a very popular one. I pinned it.
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks so much Carol. I'm all for easy. After the flu from hell and a kid with sore teeth this is about all I can muster these days. Been a wild ride. Thanks for pinning.
Jessica (Savory Experiments)
AH-mazing! But what else would I expect from you?? I love this recipe!
Kim Beaulieu
Awe, you are too sweet. Thanks for that Jessica.
Are you doing food and wine? I cannot remember if you're going. I'm sure we talked about it but it's been a whirlwind month. Hope you're going. I'll be at IFBC too and possibly FBC. Trying to get my conference ducks in a row.
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)
Omg, cannoli crust. I love love love that! Fantastic!
Kim Beaulieu
Thanks Kim. I had ah ha moment and rolled with it.
Choc Chip Uru
The cannoli crust is a wonderful idea, it looks so inviting 😀
And the colour - sunshine in cake form!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Kim Beaulieu
Awe, thank Uru. Hubs totally demolished these. I got half a mini one and that's it. He went nuts for these. He's a lemon fanatic.
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
Hahaha! Totally cracking up at the visual of you & your butter fingers launching the canoli shells across the room. Alls well that ends delicious, right?
Kim Beaulieu
As you know from FB I am a serious klutz. Today's toe event was not fun, I still can't believe I did that. Arg.
I loved these. Not that I got to eat much of it. Hubs got carried away and forgot to share. Apparently it's payback for all the times I've hogged stuff.
Amanda ( The Kitcheneer)
This looks absolutely delicious!!! Yum! I'll have a slice now please!
Kim Beaulieu
You can have two. I'll make some more. Because my husband ate them all. So rude right. lol
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
THIS, this makes me SO happy! I LOVE it!
Kim Beaulieu
Me too. So much so I sang around singing that song. My daughter hates that song so she was not impressed.
Ramona
I love cheesecake and it's one dessert I can try to make low-carb. Mmm... love the lemon on the top. 🙂
Kim Beaulieu
Me too. You should totally try this low carb. I bet it would rock.
Kristen
Excellent use of broken cookies. Those cheesecakes are awesome!
Roz
Lemons and no-bake cheesecake recipes in summer? PERFECTION! Thanks for sharing this recipe, Kim!
Roz