This No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake is an easy dessert that is made with fresh cherries. It serves 8 and costs $13.72 to make. That’s just $1.72 per serving! 

Finished cheesecake with text overlay for social media.

Do you love cheesecake? Me too! But you don’t have the time it takes to bake it? Me neither! Do you want to add a little flavor to a plain old’ cheesecake? Then you’re in the right place! 

I’ve got an easy cheesecake recipe for you today folks. And the best part? It is a no-bake cheesecake! When I say it’s no-bake, what I mean is that the cheesecake portion is no-bake. You will have to bake the crust, but that will take just 15 minutes.

Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake

This Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake makes the perfect treat for Valentine’s day. I love making it for friends or dessert for family dinner. 

The chocolate ganache topping makes it extremely rich and puts it over the top. And is it just me or does adding cherries to something instantly make it better? 

Think about it. Having a Coke, add cherry flavoring. An ice cream sundae is not complete without a cherry on top, right? Having a ham? Make a cherry glaze to put it over the top (P.S. I have a recipe for Ham with Cherry Glaze). 

See what I mean? It only makes sense to add cherry flavor to a cheesecake. This no-bake cherry cheesecake will not disappoint! The chocolate and cherry flavors together are what your cheesecake dreams are made of! 

If you’ve been a follower of my website for a while now you know that I’m not exactly a fan of chocolate, so I wasn’t expecting to love my recipe creation.

When I served this for dessert I sliced a very small piece for myself…and then went back for a more…and then a little more. The chocolate ganache topping makes this recipe super-rich but that didn’t seem to bother my little family. In fact, we loved it.

Close up picture of the finished recipe.

Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake Questions Answered:

Why is it called cheesecake?

It is called cheesecake because it is typically made with cream cheese, here in the United States anyways. It has a crust of some sort such as graham crackers on the bottom so it is actually more like a pie than a cake! 

How long does chocolate cheesecake last in the fridge?

A cheesecake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to store the cheesecake in an airtight container. 

Overhead picture of a slice of cheesecake.

How much will this No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake recipe cost?

RECIPE COST: $13.73

PER SERVING COST: $1.72

NOTE: The recipe prices are used calculating name brand products from Walmart’s website. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what your pantry is already stocked with and current grocery prices. 

  • 2 Cups crushed graham crackers – $1.32
  • 2 tablespoon granulated sugar – $0.04
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter – $0.40
  • 2 Cups cherries fresh or frozen – $2.32
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice – $0.04
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch – $0.03
  • 2 teaspoons cold water – $0.00
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips – $1.47
  • 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese – $3.92
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar – $0.14
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – $0.68
  • 1 ⅓ cup whipping cream – $1.29
  • 1/2 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chopped fine  – $2.08

Cook’s Note:

  • This recipe takes time. Not time to make, but time to set. I suggest making it the day before you plan on serving it.

Picture collage finished recipe for Pinterest.

The finished cheesecake on a white serving platter.
5 from 6 votes

No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake

Author Adapted from Raspberri Cupcakes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
8 people
This No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake is a decadent cherry cheesecake studded with chocolate chips and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. It serves 8 and costs $13.72 to make.

Equipment

  • 9x5-inch loaf pan
  • parchment paper or foil
  • mixing bowl
  • cooling rack
  • medium saucepan
  • handheld electric mixer
  • small spatula
  • rubber scraper

Ingredients
 
 

FOR THE CRUST:

  • 2 cups crushed graham crackers
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 2 cups cherries fresh or frozen
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons cold water
  • ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
  • 16 ounces packages cream cheese
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whipping cream

FOR THE TOPPING:

  • cup whipping cream
  • ½ cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chopped fine
  • fresh cherries

Instructions

MAKE THE CRUST:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment or foil (make sure to leave overhang for lifting the cheesecake out of the pan) and grease lightly.
  • Mix together the crushed graham crackers and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined.
    Stir together the crust ingredients.
  • Spread the mixture in an even layer in the pan, use your hands to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is set and golden. Place on a wire rack and cool.
    Press crumb mixture into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

MAKE THE FILLING:

  • In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water. Stir until combined and until there are no more clumps. Set aside.
  • Over medium-low heat, add the cherries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and stir until the mixture starts to thicken. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
    Cook the cherries in a medium sauce.
  • Add the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Reduce to low, and slowly add in the mini chocolate chips and mix until combined. Fold in the cherry mixture until just combined.
    Mix together the cheesecake layer.
  • In a separate mixing bowl beat the heavy cream to stiff peaks, and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and spread evenly. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight before adding the topping.
    Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan and chill for 3 hours.

MAKE THE TOPPING:

  • Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a slow boil. Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave it for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth. Pour chocolate over the top of the cheesecake. Top with additional cherries (optional) and chill for at least an hour before serving.
    Spread ganache on top of cheesecake layer, dot with cherries, and chill for an hour.

FINISH:

  • Lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the overhang and peel your parchment paper/foil away from the sides of the cheesecake. Use a spatula to place the cheesecake on a platter. Serve and enjoy.
    A slice of cherry chocolate cheesecake on a white plate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 850IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 275mg | Iron: 2mg

did you love this recipe?

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This post first appeared on Food Folks and Fun on July 10, 2013. I have since updated the photos and post content. Some of the original photos are below. 

No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake-fg

Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake

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15 Comments

  1. This looks just scrumptious! I love a good no-bake cheesecake, and the ganache and the cherries make it even more incredible.

    1. Thanks, Marcie. I love making no-bake cheesecakes in the summer…no need to worry about environmental factors like humidity. Enjoy!

  2. sounds yummy and it’s cute too.

  3. This sounds absolutely delicious and perfect for the summer! Love all the layers! looks beautiful, too! 🙂

  4. This looks so pretty and yummy!

  5. It’s a beautiful cheesecake! It looks really delicious 🙂

  6. I came by to endorse you on sverve and just couldn’t help but stay! I love your blog! All the colors are super adorable and I must say this recipe looks amazing 🙂 Think I’ll pin it for later!

    1. Thanks, Allie! It’s an awesome recipe.

  7. christina p says:

    This looks really good! I’m looking for a valentine’s dessert, and I think I have found a winner!

  8. chocolate and cherries are so great together! Love that this a no bake dessert!

  9. This is heavenly! Such a fun treat for everyone!

  10. This sounds great! No bake is the best!