No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake

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This smooth and creamy No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake is a festive make-ahead dessert for the holidays! It has a vanilla cookie crust, a pepperminty filling with crushed peppermint and a light whipped cream on top.

An Easy No Bake Cheesecake for the Holidays!

This easy homemade cheesecake is the perfect Christmas dessert. The crunchy peppermint pieces and creamy cheesecake are the perfect holiday combination. For the crust, I used vanilla wafers because I love the sweetness they give, but graham crackers would also work well. And a fun touch in this cheesecake is the white chocolate in the filling. It adds some nice flavor and helps to firm up the cheesecake. It also really compliments the peppermint!

Plus, since it’s no-bake, it won’t have to compete against your meal for oven time. And I love a good cheesecake that I can make the day before serving, but you can even make this one a couple days ahead.

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe calls for basic cheesecake ingredients. If you don’t have pre-made peppermint pieces, you can crush up some candy canes or other peppermint candies. I also like coloring my whipped topping to give this cake even more Christmas cheer!

For the Crust

• Vanilla Wafer Crumbs: You can also use crushed graham crackers, if desired.
• Sugar
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter: Melt your butter completely.

For the Filling

• Cream Cheese: Bring your cream cheese to room temperature.
• Sugar
• White chocolate: Melt your white chocolate and let it cool down slightly. If it’s too warm, it’ll harden when you add it to the filling and you may end up with chunks in your cheesecake.
• Peppermint extract
• Vanilla extract:This helps soften the peppermint flavor so that it doesn’t taste like toothpaste. Don’t leave it out.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Use cold heavy whipping cream for this recipe.
• Powdered Sugar
• Crushed Peppermint Candies

For the Whipped Cream

• Heavy Whipping Cream: Make sure the whipping cream is cold.
• Powdered Sugar:This not only sweetens the whipped cream, it also helps keep it stable so that it doesn’t wilt.
• Vanilla Extract
• Peppermint Extract
• Red Gel Icing Color: This is optional, but it really adds to the cake if you’re making it for the holidays!
• Crushed Peppermint Candies

How to Make Peppermint Cheesecake

This cheesecake may have a lot of different elements, but it’s really easy to throw together. The fridge really does most of the work! And the finished product is always beautiful.

1. Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients and mix well to combine completely.
2. Assemble Crust in Pan: Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set in the fridge to chill.
3. Combine Cream Cheese & Sugar: In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well combined and smooth.
4. Add Chocolate: Add the melted and slightly cooled white chocolate in three parts and mix until well combined and smooth after each addition.
5. Add Extracts: Add the peppermint and vanilla extract and mix until well combined and smooth. Set the mixture aside.
6. Whip Cream & Sugar: In another large mixer bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
7. Combine: Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two parts until well combined.
8. Add Peppermint: Gently fold in the crushed peppermint.
9. Chill: Add the filling to the crust and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate the cheesecake until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
10. Remove From Pan: To finish off the cheesecake, remove it from the springform pan and set it on a plate or serving platter.
11. Make Whipped Topping: Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and peppermint extract for the whipped cream topping to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the red gel icing color and gently stir together until combined.
12. Garnish: Pipe shells of whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Top the cheesecake off with additional peppermint candy pieces. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

Tips for Perfect Cheesecake

• Use Peppermint & Vanilla Extract: Be sure to use both peppermint extract and vanilla extract in the filling and whipped cream. Peppermint things can sometimes taste kind of toothpaste-like, but the addition of the vanilla cuts down on that so it tastes sweet and flavorful – not like you’re at the dentist.
• Use Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Unlike the heavy whipping cream, which should be cold, you want your cream cheese to be at room temperature. This will help your cheesecake get the silkiest texture.
• Chill Until Firm: As tempting as it can be to cheat on the chill time, you definitely need to let this cheesecake sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours. It needs time to set and come to the right consistency.
• Pipe on Whipped Cream: Piping on your whipped topping is a great way to keep your cheesecake looking beautiful. I like to pipe it in a rim and fill the center of the cake with crushed peppermint!

How to Store This Cheesecake

Store your cheesecake in a covered cake container in the fridge. It’s best if eaten within 4-5 days. This cake is great for making ahead of time, and you can freeze it for even longer storage if you’d like.

If you want to freeze your cheesecake, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic wrap. Frozen peppermint cheesecake lasts for up to 2 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight before enjoying!

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More Christmas Desserts to Try

• For another minty and delicious treat, try my Peppermint Chip Layer Cake.
• These Peppermint Sugar Cookies are super fun for the holiday season and any other time of year!
• My easy Candy Cane Cookies are such a cute and yummy Christmas treat.

More No Bake Cheesecakes to Try:

• No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Classic No Bake Cheesecake
• No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake