Everybody loves an easy no bake cheesecake! Add Twinkie and vanilla wafers and you’ve got yourself a favorite, everyone will be asking for again and again!
Easy no bake cheesecake
Talk about the best of both worlds! If you love cheesecake and Twinkie, you’re going to love this easy no bake cheesecake! This will become your new favorite dessert as it’s really easy to make and everyone will love it! It’s a wonderful dessert to serve, and adds a special touch to any table or buffet. Make sure you put this one in your favorites.
This easy no bake cheesecake recipe combines all the best parts of a no bake vanilla cheesecake, Twinkies, and then some! With a flavorful crispy vanilla wafer crust, Twinkies lining the pan, and perfectly fluffy and rich buttercream frosting to top it off, this cheesecake is simply irresistible.
Other cake recipes you will love:
- Instant Pot Oreo cheesecake
- Creme de menthe cheesecake
- Blueberry lemon cake
- Blood orange bundt cake
- Root beer cheesecake
- Pineapple whip cheesecake
How do you make the crust for this easy no bake cheesecake?
For this no bake cheesecake, you’ll want to start with one of the most important components of any good cheesecake, the crust! Making your own crust for a cheesecake may seem like a daunting task but it’s incredibly simple and once you start, you’ll never want to buy a store-bought crust again.
This homemade Twinkie cheesecake crust is so much more flavorful than store-bought crust and will add a much more pleasant texture to this easy no bake cheesecake. Simply blend the vanilla wafers in a food processor or blender until they’ve turned into crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor or blender on hand, or you want to keep this recipe more kid friendly and stay away from sharp appliances you can place them into a zipper storage bag and smash them up with the back of a large wooden or metal spoon.
Once the vanilla wafers are crumbled all you’ll have to do is add your sugar and butter until they come together. I can always tell my crust is ready to use when I squeeze a bit in my hand and it stays formed together rather than falling apart.
What other cookies I can use?
There are tons of different types of cookies you can use for this no bake vanilla cheesecake crust as well if you’re looking for something other than vanilla wafers.
Try a classic graham cracker crust, ginger snap cookies, chocolate cookies, or even a mix of graham cracker and toasted pecans can make a beautiful crunchy crust for any easy no bake cheesecake! If using graham crackers or ginger snap cookies try substituting the regular sugar for brown sugar to get a flavor that’s a bit richer.
What are the ingredients in this no bake cheesecake?
For the crust you’ll need:
- Twinkies
- Vanilla Wafer crumbs
- Butter – melted
- Sugar
For the cheesecake filling you’ll need:
- Cream Cheese – softened
- Heavy Cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla
For the buttercream frosting you need:
- Butter – softened
- Cream Cheese – softened
- Powdered Sugar
To decorate the cake:
- Marshmallow Creme – to top – in center
- Crumbled and sliced Twinkies – to decorate the top
How to diversify this recipe?
There are tons of different ways you can change up this no bake cheesecake base as well. Try adding a little pumpkin puree and some pumpkin pie spices for a perfect cheesecake for autumn, or even sprinkle a little extra sugar and cocoa powder to make a chocolate cheesecake base. The possibilities with this recipe are endless!
What is the best pan to use for this twinkie cheesecake?
I like to use a spring form pan for this buttercream cheesecake. This way when it’s finished and everything has set, the side of the pan can lift right off and you can see the Twinkies lining the outside. It certainly adds to the decorative aspect of this easy no bake cheesecake!
Though, if you do not have a spring form pan you can make it work just as well in a regular pie pan. The twinkies may not necessarily be on full display this way but your cheesecake will taste just as delicious. When lining the pan with the twinkies I recommend putting them as close together as possible, the filling will fall into the gaps which is good but the gaps shouldn’t be too big.
What other tools do you need?
- Parchment paper
- Stand Mixer
- Spatulas
- Pastry bag
- Frosting tip
Recipe tips for the best results
After lining your pan with the crust and Twinkies you’re ready to make the cheesecake filling! This is just a standard filling so you can easily incorporate it into other no bake cheesecake recipes, or even come up with your own if you’re feeling inspired. The cream cheese will be easiest to work with if it is at room temperature so if you have enough time, you can let it sit on your counter for an hour or two before you being to work with it.
The key to getting this easy no bake cheesecake filling right is to take your time between adding ingredients so everything is as smooth as possible, so don’t rush this process! Be sure to scrape down the edges of your bowl and especially the bottom. I find that the ingredients can get stuck to the bottom of the mixing bowl. Especially when using a stand mixer so take extra care to scrape all the way down to the bottom to get everything incorporated evenly.
Just like with the cream cheese for the filling you’ll also want your butter and the cream cheese for your buttercream frosting at room temperature. This will allow everything to mix together evenly without getting chunks of butter or cream cheese in your icing. You can also play with different flavors here if you wanted too! You can add a little citrus juice, like lemon or orange, to brighten it up or try different extract flavorings in addition to the vanilla.
How do you assemble this cheesecake?
Now that you’ve got your smooth easy cheesecake filling made you can assemble your Twinkie cheesecake. Gently pour the filling into the pan with the crust and Twinkies, allowing it to run over the Twinkies lining the pan, this will help them to stay together once everything is set and the side comes off your spring form pan.
The most difficult part of this cheesecake is waiting for it to set! Just throw it in the refrigerator or freezer and let it do its thing. All while you make the luscious buttercream frosting to finish the Twinkie cheesecake.
After your cheesecake has fully set its time to decorate! Spread the buttercream frosting right over top and sprinkle with crumbled vanilla wafers for a more rustic look, or try your hand at piping the icing on top with Twinkie slices and whole vanilla wafers to make this easy no bake cheesecake look just as beautiful as it tastes!
No matter how you decide to decorate this easy no bake cheesecake I promise it will keep everyone coming back for more! And there are so many different ways you can alter this Twinkie cheesecake you won’t need any other recipe!
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Easy no bake cheesecake with Twinkies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 box Twinkies 10 count box
- 2 cups Vanilla wafer crumbs
- 6 tbsp Butter melted
- 1 tbsp Sugar
For the filling
- 4 x 8 ounce packages of cream cheese sOftened
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 1/ 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream frosting
- 4 tbsp Butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
To decorate
- 1 jar Marshmallow creme to top - in center
- Crumbled and sliced Twinkies to decorate the top
Instructions
To make the crust
- Place the wafers in a food processor or blender and pulse until you have crumbs. You'll need about 3/4 (or possibly more) of a box of wafers to equal 2 cups. Add the sugar and stir well.
- Melt the butter in the microwave, and add to the crumbs/sugar, and stir well to mix, and coat crumbs. Line the bottom of a spring-form pan with parchment paper, and pour the crumbs into the pan .
- Press the crumbs evenly in the pan. Unwrap 5 of the Twinkies, and cut them in half. Stand the Twinkies around the edge of the spring-form pan with the rounded side facing the outside of the pan. Place the pan in the freezer. (If you don't have enough Twinkie halves to go around the edge of the pan, cut another one or two Twinkies in half, until the edge of the pan has been filled).
To make the filling
- In the mixing bowl of the stand mixer, place the 4 packages of softened cream cheese, and the cup of heavy cream, and mix until well blended, smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix on low until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and turn the mixer to medium high/high and blend until smooth and thick.
- Remove the pan from the freezer, and pour the cheesecake into the pan, allowing the cheesecake to spill over between the Twinkies. Place the pan back in the freezer, overnight for best results.
To make the frosting
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the softened butter and cream cheese, and mix with the whisk attachment until smooth and creamy. Stop the mixer, and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and add powdered sugar a little at a time, blending between additions, until the frosting is thick and creamy.
To decorate
- When you're ready to serve the cheesecake, you can decorate it just before serving, or ahead of time. Place the cheesecake on the counter, and remove the spring-form from the pan. Open the marshmallow creme and dollop in the center of the cheesecake. Place the butter cream frosting in a pastry bag, with the large star tip and pipe in dollops all around the edge of the cheesecake. Sprinkle Twinkie crumbs on top of the marshmallow creme, in the center of the cheesecake. Slice Twinkie's in small bite size pieces, and place the slices on the frosting.
Rebecca says
I made this as a birthday treat for one of our nieces and it was such a huge hit! It’s whimsical and delicious and everyone just raved about it. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Ramona says
Wow, this looks insanely good! I am definitely making it this coming weekend for my guests – it looks lush! Thank you so much for sharing!