5 Simple Cheesecakes To Make

For most of us, cheesecake stands out as a dessert that is solely the purview of pastry chefs. We love to order it in restaurants and bring it ready-made to parties. But would you spend the time to make it at home? Not likely. That’s because the mythos surrounding this decadent dessert says cheesecake is too hard for the home cook. And yet nothing could be further from the truth. Like anything else that comes out of a kitchen, there are the complicated cheesecakes best left to the experts and the cheesecake recipes for the rest of us.

Soon enough you’ll not only be bringing cheesecakes to parties, but homemade cheesecakes. Don’t be surprised when your friends are seriously impressed, and feel free not to spill the secret of how easy cheesecakes like these can be.

No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

Classic New York style cheesecake is not only within reach – it doesn’t even require turning on the oven! The no-bake cherry cheesecake is easy, impressive and healthier than the average dessert thanks to omega-3-rich walnuts and Greek yogurt. Yes, you’re making cherry filling from scratch, but it takes minutes and the results are all the more extraordinary thanks to that and the (ridiculously easy) homemade crust.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

The flavors of autumn are gorgeous year-round in this easy pumpkin cheesecake recipe, which arrives at the table looking labor intensive. The secret? It comes in a can. While homemade pumpkin puree may be the delight of purists, easy pumpkin cheesecake should not be a multi-day, multi-dish affair. Luckily you can find a truly creamy and sweet pumpkin puree on supermarket shelves all year long.

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

If your love of Oreo cookies is only eclipsed by your love of cheesecake, expect heaven. You can make these Oreo cheesecake bites with just nine ingredients – seven without the chocolate drizzle – and takes less than an hour total to put together. The end result is delightfully rich, kid friendly, super portable and perfect for parties. What else can you expect? Accolades from people who assume you must have slaved away.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Citrus is always in for summer but bottled key lime juice means there’s never a wrong time for a treat like tart and tangy cheesecake. Even if you decide to make your own graham cracker crust this key lime cheesecake hardly requires any actual prep time. Letting it sit overnight while the creamy cheesecake flavor melds with the tang of the lime is the hardest part!

Cheesecake Tarts

A mere five ingredients are transformed into a cheesecake dessert that’s sophisticated enough for a dessert buffet in these cheesecake tarts. How does that work? The no-bake ingredients (which most people already have on hand) are spooned into mini waffle bowls and topped with fresh cut fruit or shaved chocolate. They’re every bit as at home on a casual summer BBQ table as they are on an elegant tea tray.

The perfect cheesecake will always be sinfully rich, but only you have to know how simple it can be.