The Recipe Rebel / Desserts
written by Ashley Fehr
5 from 20 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Servings 12 slices
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Last updated on March 19, 2024
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This No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake has all of the familiar flavors of the classic Nanaimo bar but in an easy no bake cheesecake! The perfect Christmas dessert (but I won’t tell if you indulge year round!). Includes step by step recipe video.
Table of Contents
- Tips and Tricks for Making this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake:
- No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake Recipe + VIDEO Recipe
Happy December friends! I am continuing on my quest to turn all of my favorite Christmas treats into a cheesecake with this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake — maybe my favorite so far (although this No Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Square Cheesecake is equally as delicious!).
Naniamo Bars are just one of my favorite classic Canadian treats (friends, we have some incredible eats up here!) and they originated in Nanaimo, B.C.. Makes sense, right??
For this cheesecake, I have borrowed the base for this cheesecake from the Nanaimo Bar recipe on Nanaimo’s web site, although I have simplified the method a little to suit my lazy girl baking style.
On top of that, we have a silky smooth no bake cheesecake, with a good amount of Bird’s Custard Powder(affiliate link) for that classic flavor. I honestly don’t even know what you would use for a substitute if you couldn’t find it — it’s so readily available here that it’s not an issue! I supposed you could swap it for an equal amount of instant vanilla pudding mix, just don’t tell any self-respecting Canadian you did so.
And on top of that? A silky smooth dark chocolate ganache.
If there is one dessert you need to make this holiday season, this is it friends. It comes together so easily and will totally wow your guests!
Tips and Tricks for Making this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake:
- If you can’t find Bird’s Custard Powder in stores, you can order it on Amazon here (and I get a few pennies for telling you that).
- Let it chill overnight if you can, so that it is firm and slices perfectly!
- Want to add a little garnish? Sprinkle some toasted coconut and almonds on top after pouring on the chocolate.
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Pin this recipe to your favorite boardNo Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake Recipe + VIDEO
written by Ashley Fehr
5 from 20 votes
This No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake has all of the familiar flavors of the classic Nanaimo bar but in an easy no bake cheesecake! The perfect Christmas dessert (but I won’t tell if you indulge year round!). Includes step by step recipe video.
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ReviewPrep Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Servings 12 slices
Calories 624cal
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup butter
- ½1/2 cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup finely chopped almonds
- 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
Filling:
- 3 packages cream cheese (24 oz or 750 grams total) room temperature
- ½ cup Bird’s custard powder
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 35%
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Ganache
- ¾ cup finely chopped dark chocolate 1 100g bar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Nanaimo Bar Crust
In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and cocoa.
Gradually whisk in egg, stirring constantly. The heat from the pan and the butter will cook the egg as you stir (no raw eggs!).
Stir in graham crumbs, almonds, and coconut until combined. Press firmly into a 9″ Springform pan.
Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add custard powder and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whip cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add to cream cheese mixture in two batches, beating on low to combine after each addition.
Ganache
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and cream in 15-20 second intervals, stirring well each time, until smooth (be careful NOT to overheat the chocolate or it will seize!) — I only had to do this twice. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Remove cheesecake from the fridge or freezer and pour over top, smoothing to the edges. Refrigerate until completely set, at least 8hours or overnight, before serving. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Crust: I cannot recommend any crust substitutions as I have not tested them, but you are welcome to experiment with more or less of the dry ingredients if need be.
- Cream cheese: because this is a pretty thick cheesecake, you can get away with using light cream cheese if you desire.
- Bird’s Custard Powder: sorry, there isn’t a subtitute for this or it wouldn’t be Nanaimo Bar! If you know, you know 😉
Nutrition Information
Calories: 624cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Keywords nanaimo bar cheesecake
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Meet Ashley
My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Cathy Clemmons says
Is there a substitute for the custard powder??
Reply
Janice Gavin says
Do you bring the cream cheese to room temperature before incorporating other ingredients?
Reply
Patti says
I made this for a Christmas party and it was delicious! My family has requested it for Christmas dessert. One of the very best cheesecakes I have made!
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Patti! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this review!
Reply
Gillian Weppler says
This was delicious!
I followed the recipe pretty closely; however, I used semi-sweet chocolate for the top layer , instead of dark chocolate and I had to double the amount of top layer ( I used 200g chocolate and 2/3 cup cream).
Delish!Reply
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad!
Reply
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