Dive into this original no-bake Cream Cheese Pie made with fluffy Cool Whip and without sweetened condensed milk. This easy recipe is delicious and makes the perfect pie you can pair with almost any fruit topping, or even chocolate.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This Cream Cheese Pie is a hidden gem for the holidays! It's easy to make ahead, which is a game-changer during busy seasons like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. The smooth, tangy filling pairs perfectly with any topping-fresh strawberries, juicy blueberries, or even a drizzle of chocolate. Our family couldn't get enough of it, and it's become a fun way to let everyone customize their own slice. It's creamy, crowd-pleasing, and just different enough to stand out on any dessert table.
We'll have you all set for any special occasion with our amazing pies. Try our tasty turtle pie, chocolate cream pie, and of course, our traditional banana cream pie.
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Key Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for the best results.
- Cream Cheese- As always with cream cheese, we suggest using Philadelphia because it has the best texture and quality. Make sure it's softened before making the pie.
- Cool Whip- A quick and easy whipping cream. Make sure to thaw before mixing with the cream cheese.
- Melted Butter- Use melted butter to mix with the crushed graham crackers to hold it together and give a savory taste with the sweetness.
How to Make Cream Cheese Pie
Use these process shots to help get the results you want. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for the best results.
- Make one graham cracker crust with crushed graham crackers and melted butter.
- Beat softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.
- Fold in the Cool Whip until an even mixture is formed.
- Spoon the mixture into the graham cracker crust and cool in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before serving.
Hint: We highly recommend the use of Philadelphia cream cheese. It will produce a smoother pie with a better consistency than any other brand.
Common Mistakes
The first time I made this, I didn't have the cream cheese softened enough, and had little tiny lumps of cream cheese in my pie. To prevent this, fully soften your cream cheese.
We first started recipe testing we used sweetened condensed milk. It came out runnier than we'd like, and it didn't set like we felt like a cream cheese pie should. This recipe uses fluffy Cool Whip and cream cheese to make a light-textured pie.
Top tip
Don't overmix once you've added the Cool Whip! If you overmix, it will be runny instead of fluffy.
Recipe
Cream Cheese Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 package graham crackers from a 14 oz. box, 9-10 sheets in a package
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- ⅓ cup salted butter melted
For the Filling:
- 12 ounce cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounce Cool Whip
Instructions
- Place crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and use a fork to combine. Pour into a 9" pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides using the bottom of a measuring cup (see pictures above).
- In a medium/ large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese on medium high 2-3 minutes, until perfectly smooth (see picture above). Beat in the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until well combined, and sugar is mostly dissolved, about 30-60 seconds. Add in the Cool Whip using a folding motion, being very careful not to over mix. Using a folding motion will keep it light and fluffy, but may take a couple of minutes to fully incorporate. Be patient!
- Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for 2 or more hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
- Take the time to beat the cream cheese until it is perfectly smooth. This will produce the smoothest, creamiest pie.
- Do not stir in the Cool Whip, make sure to use a folding motion. It takes a little longer, but will ensure your pie is nice and fluffy instead of goopy.
- Check out our Strawberry Compote, and Blueberry Compote for easy, yummy toppings!
- Don't feel like making a topping? Simply top with caramel or fresh fruit or canned pie filling.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pie will still be good after 3 days, but the crust and filling will begin to separate and weep.
- To freeze: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before serving
- You may want to pre-slice the pie before freezing, if you don't want to defrost it all at once.
Nutrition
Substitutions and Variations
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- Pumpkin- Stir in ⅔ cup pumpkin puree plus 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning after the sugar and before folding in the cool whip.
- Lemon/lemonade-Increase to 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest after adding the sugar.
- Chocolate-stir in 4 oz semi-sweet melted baking chocolate after adding the sugar.
- Chocolate pudding- Make a small box of Jell-O instant chocolate pudding and make according to package directions. Fold in the Jell-O pudding at the same time as folding in the Cool Whip.
- Oreo- Make this in an Oreo crust, or make a small box of Oreo pudding and fold in with the cool whip.
- Coconut- Mix in ⅔ cups of shredded coconut when folding in the Cool Whip.
Helpful Hints
Use a spatula and a folding motion to add the Cool Whip. Be patient. This is what keeps the pie filling light and fluffy. It took me about 3-4 minutes of folding to fully incorporate the Cool Whip.
Make sure to take the time to beat the cream cheese until smooth. This will help the cream cheese incorporate into the other ingredients without getting lumpy.
Fruit Toppings
This pie tastes even better when you add a tasty fruit topping. Try it with Strawberry, like our Strawberry Compote, Blueberry Compote, Cherry pie filling, fresh blackberries, pineapple, or even apples. You could even serve it side by side with our Strawberry Pie.
Storing Cream Cheese Pie
Store the pie covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure not to have it out of the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours before returning it to a cold location.
You can freeze this recipe for up to 2 months in the freezer in a freezer-friendly container or bag. When you're ready to serve, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator. Pre-slice before freezing for easy serving.
FAQ
Cream cheese pie is made with softened cream cheese, Cool Whip, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sugar, all in a graham cracker crust.
A no-bake pie made out of Cool Whip and softened cream cheese in a graham cracker crust.
Yes! This pie is a great dessert to make ahead of time during the busy holidays. You can freeze it up to a month in advance. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator and enjoy.
Chances are, you used a recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk. That version of this pie doesn't set properly and tends to be on the runny side. This version of pie uses cream cheese and Cool Whip and has a stiff yet fluffy texture.
Andrea says
This was just what I was looking for, this no-bake cream cheese pie has a great creamy texture and I made the strawberry compote you suggested. SO GOOD! I'll make this again for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Kellie erwin tn says
When I make this, I use equal amounts of cream cheese and cool whip. The woman that gave me her recipe, used these measurements. When I made mine, I didn’t pay attention and used equal amounts, I took it to work for her to try and she stated it tasted a lot better than hers, and she asked what I did differently that’s when I noticed the measurements. She’s has since used equal amounts. I also crumble up some graham crackers to put on top for looks, so it doesn’t look plain