What to Make When You Don't Feel Like Baking

I am writing this from my parents’ home in the Basque Country where we are in the middle of an oppressive heatwave that is affecting many parts of Europe. There comes a point every summer when I simply refuse to turn on the oven. We don’t have air conditioning here or in Seattle so turning on the oven—or sometimes just the gas stove—feels like a commitment to a restless night.

I made this no-bake cheesecake right before we left for our trip. It’s creamy and light without feeling heavy, plus it takes advantage of all the abundant berries we have at our farmers markets and the Graham Cracker recipe I shared earlier this week. It’s also completely gluten-free and dairy-free, made with vegan cream cheese and coconut cream (although you could make it dairy-full) for a rich, silky filling that sets beautifully in the refrigerator.

This no-bake berry cheesecake is inspired by a very special friendship that spans continents and decades. Right now, my American “host sister”, Jill, is visiting us in the Basque Country with her family. Having her here has brought back so many memories of the year I spent as an exchange student in Colorado as a teenager. One of my favorite desserts from that time was a no-bake cheesecake that her mom, Robyn, used to make. Until then, I had never tasted a no-bake cheesecake. It had a graham cracker crust, a creamy filling made with cream cheese, whipped cream, set with gelatin, and it was topped with canned blueberry pie filling. I had also never seen canned pie filling before, but I absolutely loved it.

I find this recipe satisfies the same craving, but dare I say much better-for-you way.

And that is it for now. I have been trying to be offline as much as possible so I might be a bit slow at responding to your comments or messages. Scroll down for recipe and I’ll be back soon.

This is a light and creamy dessert that’s as easy to make as it is beautiful to serve. A buttery gluten-free graham cracker crust is topped with a luscious filling made from cream cheese, coconut cream, honey, and fragrant vanilla bean, then finished with a colorful mix of fresh berries. With no oven required, it’s the perfect make-ahead treat for warm days, celebrations, or anytime you’re craving a simple yet elegant dessert.

A few notes about this recipe:

- I used the GF Graham Cracker recipe I shared a few days ago. I haven’t tested it with storebought ones, but I imagine it will work well.

- You can make this recipe with all the dairy you like. Use regular cream cheese and then heavy cream in place of the coconut cream.

- I used Violife cream cheese. If the cream cheese you have seems a bit soft, you can add a tablespoon or two of nut butter (raw cashew butter or even almond butter if you don’t mind a darker color) to add some fat and to thicken it.

- I used Thai Kitchen coconut cream. Put the cans of coconut cream in the fridge for at least 2 hours. When you open the cans, scoop the cream that sits on top and discard the water that remains on the bottom. You can save that water for smoothies.

- You can replace the vanilla bean with some vanilla paste, a tablespoon or so.

- I used a 1.75 qt gratin dish. I think a 10-inch deep pie pan would work or any glass or ceramic shallow dish.

-It is best served on the same day as graham crackers do get a bit soft after a day, but we ate leftovers on day 2 and they were really good.

Serves 8

6 ounces (180 g) Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

6 tablespoons (80 g) unsalted butter or vegan butter, melted

1 pound (450 g) cream cheese (regular or vegan)

1 pound (450 g) coconut cream (from 2 cans – see headnote)

1/4 cup (80 g) honey

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

3 pints (400 g) mixed berries

2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar

1. Crumble the graham crackers in a large bowl. Leave some pieces larger than others for texture. Pour in the melted butter and toss to coat. Spread in the bottom of a gratin dish and lightly press down. Set aside.

2. Combine the cream cheese, coconut cream, honey, and vanilla seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the whip attachment until you have a thick cream, about 2 minutes. If the cream seems soft and doesn’t hold peaks, add some nut butter (see headnote).

3. Spread the cream over the graham crackers. Chill until ready to serve.

4. When ready to serve, toss the berries and sugar together and let macerate for 15 minutes or until fruit releases juices. Pour over the chilled cream and serve. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Hope you will try it this summer.

As always, make it and report back.

Much love,

-Aran