My Easy No Bake Orange Cheesecake is a deliciously rich yet light and refreshing dessert, great for last minute entertaining. I’ve been making my Easy No Bake Lime Cheesecake for years but I found myself considering a variation on my usual theme when I saw this year’s crop of blood oranges.
Of course, you don’t have to use blood oranges for this recipe, ordinary oranges work really well too. Mascarpone cheese, a key ingredient in Tiramisu, is a thick, creamy, soft, Italian cheese which lends itself really well to desserts. It keeps well in the fridge and is great to have on hand.
Lots of Orange Flavour
Orange blossom water is a flavouring used in French and Middle Eastern cuisines. Quite simply water distilled with the essence of orange blossoms, it lends a distinct and aromatic flavour to both savoury and sweet dishes. Available in North America as well as in Europe, you can find out more about orange blossom water here.
The addition of liqueur gives my no-bake cheesecakes a lovely flavour kick but if you’d rather keep things alcohol free, just add an extra tablespoon of orange juice and bump up the orange blossom water to 2 teaspoons.
Love easy desserts, including some no-bake treats? Don’t miss these Easy Dessert Recipes!
A Quick and Easy Recipe
My Easy No Bake Orange Cheesecake is literally the work of moments. The only real effort you need to exert is a bit of cookie crushing. You could use a food processor, but there’s something so therapeutic about sealing the cookies in a ziplock bag and bashing the daylights out of them with a rolling pin. Then all you need to do is mix the crumbs with the melted butter, stir them together with a fork and then press them into a loose-bottomed cake pan.
While the crust chills in the fridge, you can get on with making the filling. Simply whip all the remaining ingredients together in an electric mixer and spread them over the chilled crust. After at least an hour – or preferably a bit longer in the fridge – you have dessert!
No Bake Orange Cheesecake is easy to dress up. Go elegant with a simple slice of orange or scatter the whole cheesecake with grated dark chocolate and top with sliced strawberries. Serve the cheesecake in small slices as it really is very rich and eat within 24 hours to enjoy at its best.
Is This No Bake Orange Cheesecake Gluten-Free?
If you use gluten-free ginger cookies, or another gluten-free cookie such as gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free shortbread, the recipe can be gluten free.
Easy No Bake Orange Cheesecake – Printable Recipe
Easy No Bake Orange Cheesecake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 package ginger cookies, crushed I use an 8 ounce (200 gram) package of ginger cookies. That is about 20 medium cookies.
- 2 cups mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup icing sugar Icing sugar is also known as confectioners sugar.
- the grated rind of one orange
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1½ teaspoons orange blossom water
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Instructions
- To make the crust, mix the melted butter with the crushed cookies and press firmly into the base of a 7 inch (18 cm) loose bottomed cake tin. Put the crust in the fridge for 15 to 20 to set up a little.
- To make the filling, beat together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner’s sugar, orange rind, orange juice, orange blossom water and Grand Marnier in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Remove the cookie base from the fridge and spread the filling carefully over top.
- Chill in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 16 hours.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cake tin and carefully remove the sides.
- Garnish the cheesecake as desired.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Equipment
- 1 plastic bag
- 1 wooden spoon or fork
- 1 set of measuring cups or a kitchen scale
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
More Easy Desserts
Blood Orange No Churn Ice Cream
Raspberry and Rose Jelly and Cream
Easy Individual Almond Trifles
Comments & Reviews
Winnie says
Lookds FANTASTIC ! rich and seems like super tasty cake 🙂
Orange is definitely THE fruit here (especially during winter) and my family actually have an orchard.
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Winnie! How wonderful to have an orange orchard – there’s nothing like freshly picked oranges!
Shirley @ gluten free easily (gfe) says
This would be super easy to make gluten free. Love the inclusion of Grand Marnier!
Shirley
April Harris says
Thank you, Shirley. And yes, it really would as you can make the crust from any kind of crumbled cookies 🙂 Please let me know if you try it!
Hadia says
The cheesecake looks so good, April. I love that you added orange blossom water. I so love its scent and flavor. Pinning to try later.
April Harris says
Thank you, Hadia, and thank you for pinning too 🙂
Velva says
This looks beautiful. Love the citrus and the simplicity.
Thanks for sharing.
Velva
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Velva!
swathi says
orange cheesecake looks delicious April, I need to try it,
April Harris says
Thank you, Swathi! I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
Ashleigh says
Oh yes! My boyfriend loves everything orange so he will be thrilled for this! How tasty!
April Harris says
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Ashleigh! I hope you and your boyfriend enjoy it 🙂
Leslie says
Thank you April for demystifying cheesecake! You make it sound so easy and delicious! I will give it a try.
April Harris says
Baked versions of cheesecake are more complicated, Leslie, but my no bake cheesecakes have all the flavour without any of the fuss. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do.
Natalie says
All cheesecake in England is no-bake (baked is really rare!) so I was surprised when I moved to America that it’s the opposite here lol! I miss a good no-bake cheesecake though and this looks delicious 🙂 I’ll definitely be making it!
http://natalieslife.com/2016/05/slow-cooked-asian-pulled-pork
April Harris says
We are finally getting a bit more baked cheesecake here in the UK, Natalie. When I first arrived years ago I hardly ever saw it! I like the no bake versions as they are quicker and easier but I like baked too 🙂 Let me know what you think when you make it! I also blogged a no bake lime cheesecake a few years ago that you might like 🙂
Cristina says
What an interesting combination of cheese and orange. Pinning this 🙂
April Harris says
Thank you, Cris, and thank you so much for pinning too!
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond says
Looks fabulous and I like the idea of lime flavour. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at #overthemoon. I’m pinning and sharing. 🙂
April Harris says
Thank you, Sue, and thank you for pinning and sharing too 🙂
Linda (Meal Planning Maven) says
I love finding new cheesecake recipes as they are a favorite indulgence of ours and this one looks divine!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Linda 🙂
Pauline Wiles says
April, it’s way too long since I ate cheesecake, let alone made it. Thank you for the delicious-looking reminder!
April Harris says
Thank you, Pauline. It’s good to treat yourself from time to time 🙂
Miz Helen says
What a beautiful Cheesecake, looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and sure hope you have a great week!
Miz Helen
April Harris says
I’m so glad you like it, Miz Helen. I hope your week is wonderful too!
Angela Johnson says
YUM! I can not wait to try this. It looks delicious!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Angela!
Karren~#OMHGFF Bloghop says
Thank you for stopping by to share last week and this week, your cake looks amazing, I like that is is a little smaller (one layer) I am featuring your post and I have it Pinned, stop by and check it out and share other links!!
Have a great weekend!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Karren! I really appreciate the feature <3
Claire Justine says
I love cheesecake and could just eat a slice of this one April for breakfast 🙂 Looks so yummy. Thanks for joining us at The weekend blog hop.
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Claire! I hope your week has started off well.
Leslie says
What a gorgeous cheesecake April! I love all things Orange! And Cheesecake! Looks like I can make this gluten free too, with just a swap of the cookies for gluten free.
April Harris says
Thank you, Leslie! And yes, the recipe is gluten free provided you use gluten free cookies for the base 🙂 Please let me know what you think if you try it. Take care and have a lovely week.
Allyson says
Interesting to learn about orange blossom water. Your cheesecake looks delish! Pinned.
April Harris says
I was so pleased to discover it, Allyson. It really does add a wonderful flavour.
Miz Helen says
Hi April,
We will just love your No Bake Orange Cheesecake Recipe, it looks delicious! I just pinned them to our features board. I am very excited to feature your post on Full Plate Thursday,541 this week. Thanks so much for sharing with us and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Miz Helen! I really appreciate you featuring my recipe, that is so kind of you! Thank you for pinning too 🙂 I’m on my way over for a visit now!
Create With Joy says
April I fell in love with this recipe the moment I saw it and can’t wait to try it!
CONGRATS for being featured at this week’s Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy party!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Ramona! I am so glad you like it, and I am thrilled to be featured. What a lovely way to start the week! Hope your week is off to a good start too 🙂
Holly / Wholeness Haven says
Oh my goodness, April! This looks divine!! 🤤 My husband’s birthday is soon coming up and we love citrus cakes and cheesecake. To combine those two loves sounds amazing. Most of all, I love that you have kept this so simple and it isn’t loaded with sugar. Some cheesecakes use confectioner’s sugar and granulated sugar in high amounts making it one very unhealthy treat. (sigh)
We will be trying this soon. Thank you so much for sharing! It will make his birthday that much sweeter! I’ve pinned and shared.
April Harris says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Holly, and also for pinning and sharing! I’m so glad you like the recipe and I hope your husband really enjoys his birthday treat!
Leslie says
Orange and Cheesecake are two of my favorite things April! I have been admiring this cake all week!