Anna Louise A strawberry cheesecake that requires no baking, no gelatine, and no technical skill beyond whipping cream and pressing a biscuit base — and produces something that looks genuinely beautiful and tastes completely wonderful. That is what this recipe delivers.
Mary Berry’s no bake strawberry cheesecake uses fresh strawberries in two ways — folded through the cream cheese filling for flavour and colour, and piled on top as decoration.
The result is a cheesecake that tastes deeply, authentically of real strawberries rather than artificial flavouring, with a vivid pink tint to the filling that makes it look spectacular even before it is decorated.
The technique is the same as all no-bake cheesecakes on this site — full-fat cream cheese, cold double cream whipped to soft peaks, overnight refrigeration. The strawberries make it specific, seasonal, and completely its own thing.
Two Ways to Use Strawberries
In the filling. A small quantity of fresh strawberries blended to a smooth purée and folded through the cream cheese gives the filling its pink colour, its strawberry flavour, and a slight sharpness that balances the sweetness of the cream cheese beautifully.
On top. Fresh halved strawberries arranged over the set cheesecake give it its visual character — vivid red berries against the pale pink filling against the golden biscuit edge. Use the best, most fragrant strawberries you can find for the top.
Ingredients for Mary Berry No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
For the Biscuit Base
- 300g digestive biscuits, crushed to fine crumbs
- 150g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
For the Strawberry Filling
- 150g fresh strawberries, hulled (for the purée)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 150g icing sugar, sifted
- 300ml double cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Juice of ½ lemon
For the Topping
- 400g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam, warmed and sieved (for glazing — optional but beautiful)
- A dusting of icing sugar
How to Make Mary Berry No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake — Step by Step
Step 1 — Make the Base
Combine the crushed biscuits, melted butter, and caster sugar. Press very firmly into a 23cm loose-bottomed springform tin using the base of a flat glass. Press particularly firmly around the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2 — Make the Strawberry Purée
Blend the 150g of hulled strawberries with the tablespoon of icing sugar until completely smooth. Press through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and any fibrous pieces. You should have approximately 100ml of vivid, smooth strawberry purée. Set aside.
Step 3 — Make the Filling
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and sifted icing sugar together until completely smooth — two to three minutes with an electric hand whisk. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat briefly to combine.
Pour in the strawberry purée and fold through until evenly coloured — the filling should be a uniform pale pink.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold double cream to soft peaks. Fold into the cream cheese mixture in two additions using a large spatula and gentle folding motions. Stop the moment no white streaks remain.
Step 4 — Fill and Chill
Spoon the filling onto the chilled biscuit base. Spread evenly and smooth the surface with a palette knife dipped in hot water.
Cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate overnight — eight hours minimum, twelve is better. The cheesecake must be completely set before removing from the tin.
Step 5 — Remove and Decorate
Run a thin palette knife carefully all the way around the edge. Release the springform sides slowly. Slide onto a serving plate.
Arrange the halved strawberries over the top. For a professional finish, brush the strawberries with the warmed, sieved strawberry jam — this gives them a beautiful glossy glaze. Dust the edges lightly with icing sugar. Serve immediately.
My Top Tips For Mary Berry No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Sieve the strawberry purée. The seeds of a strawberry are small enough to create an unpleasant grainy texture in a smooth cheesecake filling. Always sieve the purée completely before adding to the cream cheese.
Use fresh strawberries — never frozen — for the purée. Frozen strawberries release too much water when blended, making the purée too liquid. Excess liquid prevents the cheesecake from setting. Fresh only.
Do not add too much purée. One hundred millilitres is enough to flavour and colour the filling without adding too much liquid. More purée makes the filling too loose and prevents it from setting properly.
Refrigerate overnight without exception. A strawberry cheesecake has more moisture in the filling than a plain lemon cheesecake because of the strawberry purée. It needs the full overnight set — eight hours minimum — to firm up properly.
Glaze the strawberry topping. A thin brush of warmed, sieved strawberry jam over the fresh strawberries gives them a beautiful glossy finish that makes the cheesecake look genuinely professional. It takes two minutes and makes a noticeable difference to the appearance.
Serving Suggestions
Cold from the fridge, sliced at the table. At a summer celebration — it looks spectacular and is completely make-ahead. As a birthday dessert in June or July when British strawberries are at their best. With extra strawberries served alongside in a small bowl.
How to Store Mary Berry No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. The strawberry filling stays creamy and the topping stays fresh.
In the freezer: Freeze without the fresh strawberry topping for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in cling film and foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge and add the strawberry topping fresh before serving.
Mary Berry No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Press biscuit base firmly into a 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Blend 150g strawberries with 1 tbsp icing sugar until smooth. Sieve completely. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in strawberry purée until evenly pink.
- Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture in two additions.
- Spoon onto base. Spread and smooth. Cover loosely. Refrigerate overnight minimum.
- Release tin. Arrange strawberries on top. Brush with warmed jam if using. Dust edges with icing sugar. Serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries for the purée?
No — frozen strawberries release too much water and the purée will be too liquid. This excess liquid prevents the cheesecake from setting. Fresh only for the purée. Frozen strawberries can be used in the coulis garnish if needed.
Can I use strawberry jam instead of a fresh purée?
You can — three tablespoons of good quality strawberry jam stirred into the cream cheese in place of the purée gives a pleasant result. The flavour will be sweeter and slightly less fresh than the purée version.
Why has my cheesecake not set properly?
Almost certainly because low-fat cream cheese was used, the cream was not whipped to the right consistency, too much purée was added, or it was not refrigerated for long enough. Check all four.
Can I make this with raspberries instead?
Yes — raspberry cheesecake made with the same method is exceptional. Use 150g fresh raspberries for the purée (no need to sieve as raspberries purée more smoothly) and fresh raspberries on top.
How do I get clean slices?
Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped completely dry between every cut. This is the only way to slice through a creamy no-bake cheesecake cleanly.
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