Cherry O'Cream Pie (Easy, No-Bake Cheesecake)
Level 1: About as easy as this kind of recipe gets. Few ingredients, minimal cleanup, forgiving timing – a good way in if this type of recipe usually feels intimidating.
Level 2: Easier than most recipes of this type. Some technique, but nothing tricky. Minimal cleanup, forgiving timing. Think weeknights, a quick meal, or the easy version.
Level 3: About average for its category. Real judgment calls – tasting, timing, multiple components. Not a beginner recipe, but doesn't need to take over your afternoon or feel impossible for a decently quick dinner.
Level 4: More involved than the average recipe of its type. Multiple stages, careful timing, technique that matters. Worth setting aside the time and clearing the kitchen.
Level 5: The most involved this category gets here. Lots of components, real attention start-to-finish, multiple skills in play. The "I'm cooking today – bring me snacks but no questions" tier.
A nostalgic no-bake cheesecake that sets in the fridge with no oven and no gelatin – just whipped cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and a little lemon juice, spread into graham crusts and crowned with cherry pie filling. Five ingredients, about 15 minutes of hands-on work, and a couple of hours to chill yield two full pies (sixteen slices).
My grandmother made this cream cheese pie for every family gathering, always setting aside an extra slice just for me. Years later, when I needed to bring dessert to my husband's family dinner, I asked for her recipe and couldn't believe something so effortless could be so impressive – just 5 mandatory ingredients, no heat required, and only minutes of hands-on time. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any occasion when you're juggling multiple dishes, this nostalgic dessert never fails to earn compliments.
This is one of the few recipes in my repertoire where I prefer very specific brands which are included in the ingredient notes – I have tried cheaper brands or other variations and found that this is the best combination (although I might be biased!). Of course, you may use your own favorites.
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dry brine time:
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marinade time:
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hands-on time:
15 minutes
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rise time:
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cook time:
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rest time:
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chill time:
1 hour
total time:
1 hour 15 minutes
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reset to default # of servings
slices (at 8 slices per pie)
! see scaling note !
ingredients
Item
Quantity
Mise en Place / Notes
| cream cheese | 1½ | pounds |
softened to room temperature (three 8-ounce blocks, Philadelphia brand) |
| sweetened condensed milk | 1 | 14-ounce can |
(Eagle brand) |
| freshly squeezed lemon juice | ⅜ | cup |
juice ≈2½ lemons |
| 9-inch pre-made graham cracker crusts | 2 |
(Keebler brand) |
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| cherry pie filling/topping | 1 | 21-ounce can |
≈2 cups |
ingredients
subRecipeName
Item
Quantity
Mise en Place / Notes
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process
In Advance – 1 to 2 Hours
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1.
Soften the cream cheese. Remove 24 ounces cream cheese from the fridge, unwrap, and place in a large mixing bowl to soften.
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Mise en Place
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2.
Juice 3 lemons. Roll 3 lemons on the counter, pushing gently as you roll for about 15 seconds per lemon (until slightly squishy). Cut each lemon in half horizontally and remove seeds. Using a juicer, tongs, or just your hands, squeeze each lemon as much as possible to extract 6 tablespoons lemon juice.
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Preparation
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3.
Whip the cream cheese. Once the cream cheese is softened (easily spreadable), beat it in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
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4.
Complete the cream cheese mixture. Add 6 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk to the cream cheese. Mix until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.
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5.
Assemble the pies. Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly among 2 9-inch pre-made graham cracker crusts, spreading it in an even layer all the way to the edges.
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6.
Chill. Cover each pie and refrigerate until set, usually 1 to 2 hours. Open the can of cherry pie filling and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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7.
Test for “doneness”. After at least 1 hour, check to see if the cheesecake layer is set. It should barely jiggle, and a knife or toothpick inserted into the center should leave a clean line (the cheesecake does not flow back to cover the mark).
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Serve
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8.
Add fruit & enjoy the compliments. Right before serving, remove the pies from the refrigerator and top each one with about 1 cup of cherry topping. Slice, enjoy, and be ready for a lot of compliments!
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if you have the thyme...
Here's where extra "thyme" pays off – layer in technique or ingredients to take this from "really good" to "wait, did you make this?" Pick one, stack a few, or save for next time.
- Beat the cream cheese smooth first. Whip the softened cream cheese on its own until light and fluffy before you add any liquid – this is the single best insurance against a lumpy filling. Once the condensed milk and lemon go in, mix just until smooth and combined.
- Pile on the fruit. The recipe tops each pie with about a cup of cherry filling for a clean, classic look, but there is no rule against more. Use a full can per pie for a lavish, bakery-style mound, or go past cherry entirely with fresh berries, sliced peaches, or a mix – the creamy base welcomes almost any fruit.
- Chill it longer than you think. An hour gets it sliceable, but an overnight chill firms the filling into clean, sharp wedges and lets the flavor settle. If you are after picture-perfect slices, make it the day before.
- Add a little something extra. A half-teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract, or the zest of the lemon you just juiced, stirred into the filling adds a layer of warmth the five-ingredient version leaves out. It is the easiest way to make it taste like yours.
- Slice clean. For tidy servings, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts – the warm blade glides through the cream layer without dragging, and the cherry topping stays put.
notes
Serving Suggestions
This is a classic dessert for holiday meals or other large gatherings such as summer barbeques.
Substitutions & Variations
This is so important – sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are NOT the same thing! Make sure that you are using sweetened condensed milk for this recipe. If you do not have any on hand – no worries – you can make a homemade version with evaporated milk (this also adds other opportunities to tinker with flavors).
Add tang to your cheesecake: ½ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt mixed into the cream cheese can create more complex flavors – just blend it in with the lemon juice and milk.
This pie is very adaptable, and the opportunities to create your own version are nearly endless. A few ideas:
Topping options are limited only by your imagination – chocolate chips, caramel sauce, nuts, fresh fruit, other fruit fillings, coconut, and just about anything else can replace the cherries.
The cheesecake mixture can be modified by mixing in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, spices, crushed cookies, peanut butter, coconut, pudding mix, other extracts, or more lemon juice – really anything that doesn't affect the pie's ability to set properly.
Creative or individual presentation: Don't feel limited to the usual round pies – individual servings, loaf pans, mason jars, mini cocottes, or a tart pan all make for a fun presentation. The crust may need to be crumbled, or you can make your own.
Substitutions & Variations – Shelf-Stable & Frozen Ingredients
The cream cheese and lemons can be frozen, just make sure to give both the time to thaw properly (see the Troubleshooting section).
Substitutions & Variations – Keto-Friendly
Replace the sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup of heavy cream plus your favorite keto sweetener, use a nut-based crust, and top with fresh berries or a sugar-free cherry topping.
Substitutions & Variations – Gluten-Free
A gluten-free version may be made by alternating the crust with your favorite gluten-fee version. Make sure that the fruit topping qualifies as gluten-free because some may use thickeners with gluten.
Substitutions & Variations – Vegan & Dairy-Free
Use your favorite vegan cream cheese in place of the cream cheese, and the thick part of full-fat coconut milk in place of the sweetened condensed milk.
Make It Ahead
The pie can be made 1 or 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just wait to add the cherry topping until it is close to time to serve or transport.
Troubleshooting
Grainy cheesecake layer: This may be avoided by ensuring the cream cheese has had time to soften and resemble the temperature of the lemon juice and milk. If the mixture is grainy, you may be able to improve the texture by gently reheating the cream cheese mixture for a little time – but really, I wouldn’t bother unless you are trying to win a contest or something – the taste will be the same, the texture just won’t be super smooth when eating.
Cheesecake layer won’t set well (is still too soft and/or somewhat liquidy):
If you are serving the pie in warm weather, the filling may benefit from gelatin to maintain the structure. 1) Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it absorbs the water and becomes spongy. 2) Gently heat the bloomed gelatin until fully melted, either in a microwave (5 to 10 seconds) or over a double boiler. Stir until smooth and no granules remain. 3) Let the melted gelatin cool slightly (but not set), then whisk it into your cream cheese mixture alongside the lemon juice and milk. This ensures even distribution and proper setting.
Storage & Leftovers
Don’t throw away the lid to the graham cracker crust! This is handy for storage and won’t smear the topping if reused upside down.
The pie (with the cherries on top) will last 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator and maintain its quality. After a couple of days, the pie will still taste great, but the crust will get soggy.
Freezing is an option; however, the cream cheese may take on a grainier texture. At least partially thaw prior to serving.
scaling
Scaling a recipe up or down significantly? The recipe ingredients, process, cost, and nutrition scale (notes and faqs do not). Check yourself before you wreck yourself:
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Tiny amounts get tricky. Very small quantities of yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and spices are easier to measure by volume (teaspoons) than by weight – your average kitchen scale can't reliably read tenths of an ounce.
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Check your equipment. Make sure your bowls, pans, and mixer can handle the scaled volume. Dough typically needs 2 to 3 times its starting volume of space to rise comfortably.
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Cook times don't always scale. Some steps – like cooking pieces one at a time in a skillet – take proportionally longer with a bigger batch. Others, like oven baking, usually stay about the same.
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Hydration can drift. Flour absorbency varies, so very small or very large batches may need a splash more or less water than the math suggests.
Scaling Tips Specific to This Recipe
This recipe is written for two pies (sixteen slices). To make a single pie, use the servings control to halve it – the only catch is the canned ingredients: you will use about half of a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and roughly half a can of cherry pie filling, so plan to refrigerate the leftovers (both keep for a week or two covered in the fridge). Scaling up to three or four pies works cleanly, since the cans then divide into whole units. Whatever size you make, the servings control keeps the lemon-to-condensed-milk ratio intact for you – that acid is what sets the filling, so it is worth leaving as written.
faqs
Why is this recipe called Cherry O’Cream Pie?
I really don’t know! This is simply how my grandma named it, and I’ve kept her wording straight from that classic index card – her legacy lives on in the title.
Do I have to bring the cream cheese to room temperature?
You kind of don’t have to – I’ve made many a pie with cream cheese straight from the fridge, and the taste isn’t affected. The catch is that cold cream cheese is much more likely to leave the filling grainy or lumpy. If you’re short on time and end up with lumps, see the Troubleshooting note for how to smooth things out.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
Yes. Fresh tastes a touch brighter, which is why I call for it, but bottled lemon juice works perfectly well – the original Borden recipe this came from used exactly that. You’ll need about 6 tablespoons for the full two-pie batch. Either way, don’t skip or cut it back: the lemon’s acid is what thickens and sets the filling, so it’s structural, not just for flavor.
Can I make just one pie instead of two?
Absolutely. Use the servings control to halve the recipe and you’ll get a single pie (eight slices). The only thing to watch is the canned ingredients – you’ll use about half a can each of sweetened condensed milk and cherry pie filling, so cover and refrigerate the rest. See the Scaling Tips for more.
What can I use instead of the cherry topping?
Almost anything. Any flavor of canned pie filling works (blueberry and strawberry are favorites), or skip the can entirely and pile on fresh berries, sliced peaches, or a mix. The creamy base is a blank canvas – see the Level Up Tips and the Substitutions and Variations notes for more ideas.
How far ahead can I make it, and how do I store leftovers?
This is a great make-ahead dessert – it needs at least an hour to set, and it actually slices best after a full overnight chill. You can assemble the pies a day or two ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator; for the cleanest look, add the cherry topping just before serving so it stays glossy. Leftovers keep well, covered, in the fridge – see the Make It Ahead and Storage notes for timing.
cost
16 slices (at 8 slices per pie)
| Ingredient | Per Serving | Total | |||
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| cream cheese | $ | 0.65 | $ | 10.47 | |
| sweetened condensed milk | 0.23 | 3.69 | |||
| lemon juice | 0.03 | 0.45 | |||
| graham cracker crust | 0.37 | 5.98 | |||
| cherry pie filling | 0.31 | 4.99 | |||
| Total | $ | 1.60 | $ | 25.58 |
At around $1.60 per slice, this is an easy dessert to bring to a crowd without spending much. The full batch makes two pies – sixteen slices – for under $26, which is a friendly price for a homemade dessert that looks and tastes far fancier than it is.
Where the money goes:
- Cream cheese is the biggest line, at roughly 40 percent of the total – you are using three blocks across the two pies, and it is what gives the filling its body.
- The graham cracker crusts and cherry topping come next, at around a quarter and a fifth of the cost respectively. The pre-made shells buy you convenience, and the cherry filling is the showpiece on top.
- Sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice round out the rest, with the lemon barely registering – a couple of lemons (or a splash of bottled juice) is all it takes to set the filling.
If you want to bring the cost down further:
- Shop the holidays. Cream cheese, condensed milk, crusts, and pie filling all go on sale around the big baking holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas) – stock up then and this gets noticeably cheaper.
- Make your own crust. A homemade graham crust costs a fraction of two pre-made shells if you already keep graham crackers and butter on hand.
- Make just one pie. Halving the recipe (see the Scaling Tips) gives you a single pie for about half the cost when you do not need to feed a crowd.
Even at full price, it is hard to beat a from-scratch dessert that feeds a crowd of sixteen for this little per slice.
nutrition information
serving size: 1 slice (⅛ of a pie)
| calories | 357 |
% daily value*
| total fat | 21.1 g | 27% |
| saturated fat | 10.5 g | 53% |
| trans fat | 0.1 g | - |
| polyunsaturated fat | 1.9 g | - |
| monounsaturated fat | 6.8 g | - |
| cholesterol | 55.2 mg | 18% |
| sodium | 274.1 mg | 12% |
| total carbohydrates | 37.8 g | 14% |
| dietary fiber | 0.6 g | 2% |
| sugars | 26.3 g | - |
| protein | 5.7 g | 11% |
micronutrients
| vitamin a | 216.7 mcg | 24% |
| vitamin c | 3.5 mg | 4% |
| calcium | 113.9 mg | 9% |
| iron | 1.0 mg | 6% |
| vitamin d | 0.4 mcg | 2% |
| magnesium | 17.7 mg | 4% |
| potassium | 208.6 mg | 4% |
| zinc | 0.6 mg | 6% |
| phosphorus | 130.5 mg | 10% |
| thiamin (b1) | 0.1 mg | 8% |
| riboflavin (b2) | 0.2 mg | 15% |
| niacin (b3) | 0.9 mg | 6% |
| vitamin b6 | 0.1 mg | 4% |
| folic acid (b9) | 20.6 mcg | 5% |
| vitamin b12 | 0.2 mcg | 8% |
| vitamin e | 0.8 mg | 5% |
| vitamin k | 3.5 mcg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet; your needs may differ.
Nutrition information is estimated using USDA databases and may vary based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
The 2,000-calorie reference is used as a general guide. Individual calorie needs typically range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day for adult men, depending on age, activity level, and other factors.
A slice lands at about 357 calories, which is reasonable for a rich, creamy dessert. This is a treat and it eats like one – most of those calories come from the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and graham crust, so there is no pretending it is health food. For a special-occasion slice, though, the numbers are not extreme.
- Fat: ≈21g per slice, around half of it saturated (≈10.5g), almost entirely from the cream cheese. This is the single biggest thing to be aware of nutritionally.
- Sugar: ≈26g per slice, split between the condensed milk and the cherry topping. It is a dessert built on sweetened condensed milk, so the sugar is doing a lot of the work.
- Protein: ≈6g per slice – a nice little bonus from all that cream cheese, more than most fruit-topped desserts deliver.
- Sodium: ≈274mg per slice, mostly from the cream cheese and crust – moderate, and easy to overlook in something this sweet.
If you want to lighten it up:
- Cut smaller slices. This pie is rich; ten or twelve slices per pie instead of eight gives you a more modest portion that still satisfies.
- Use reduced-fat cream cheese. Neufchâtel (⅓-less-fat cream cheese) swaps in cleanly and trims the fat and calories without much change to texture. See the Substitutions notes.
- Go lighter on top. Fresh fruit in place of some or all of the canned cherry filling cuts the added sugar while keeping the fruit-and-cream finish.
Cooked the Cherry O'Cream Pie?
Tell me about it. The good, the weird, the “I bring this to every holiday and it disappears before the other desserts even get sliced – the cherry on top seals it.” Comments help me figure out which recipes are landing, give other home cooks a real sense of what to expect, and – not gonna lie – they make my whole day. It helps a lot.
MAKE IT A MEAL
Some of my other nostalgic favorites...
SIMILAR RECIPES
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KITCHENARY
Learn the lingo...
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Mise en Place
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Beat
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Sweetened Condensed Milk
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the bright, balancing flavor lever
Acid
dessert · no-cook · easy · minimal hands-on · make-ahead · comfort food · kid-friendly · vegetarian · holiday · party · potluck · year-round
Edits to the Site (just in case you want to know)
June 9, 2026 – Expanded the page with cost and nutrition breakdowns, Level Up and Scaling tips, a larger FAQ, and a full equipment list.
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