Description
This No-Bake Cotton Candy Cheesecake is a quick, creamy, and colorful dessert that blends a whimsical cotton candy flavor with a smooth and luscious cheesecake texture. Perfect for any occasion, it requires no oven baking and features a buttery, crunchy crust paired with a light, airy filling, making it a delightful treat for kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
- 200g Digestive Biscuits or Graham Crackers, finely crushed
- 100g Butter, melted
For the Filling
- 400g Cream Cheese, softened
- 300ml Whipped Cream
- 2–3 tsp Cotton Candy Flavoring
- 5g Gelatin Sheets or 1 tbsp Gelatin Powder
- 80g Powdered Sugar
- Food Coloring (optional), a few drops of pastel pink or blue
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Finely crush the digestive biscuits or graham crackers and mix them with the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly into the base of your cheesecake pan to form an even layer. Refrigerate to chill while preparing the filling.
- Soften and Beat the Cream Cheese: Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature for a smooth batter. Beat it in a large bowl until creamy and free of lumps to create the base of your cheesecake filling.
- Dissolve Gelatin: Soften gelatin sheets in cold water or dissolve powdered gelatin in a small amount of warm water as per package instructions to prepare it for mixing.
- Whip the Cream and Incorporate Sugar: Whip the cream to soft peaks and gently fold in powdered sugar to your preferred sweetness, achieving a light and fluffy texture.
- Combine Cotton Candy Flavor and Color: Add cotton candy flavoring and, if desired, a few drops of pastel food coloring to the cream cheese mixture. Blend well for even distribution and festive color.
- Mix Gelatin into Cream Cheese Mixture: Carefully stir the dissolved gelatin into the cream cheese mixture to help the cheesecake set uniformly.
- Fold in the Whipped Cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to maintain a light, airy texture without deflating it.
- Assemble and Chill: Pour the filling over the prepared crust, smooth the top with a spatula, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until fully set.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to achieve a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Gelatin is essential for the cheesecake to set properly without baking.
- Chilling overnight yields the best firmness and flavor.
- Adjust sweetness by tasting the filling before setting and adding more powdered sugar if needed.
- Press the crust firmly into the pan to avoid crumbling when serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of cheesecake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg