No-Bake Tiramisu Cheesecake

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This tiramisu no-bake cheesecake brings together the rich flavors of tiramisu with the creamy texture of cheesecake. It’s perfect for when you want a decadent dessert without turning on the oven.

Recipe At a Glance

This tiramisu no-bake cheesecake is easy to make, but it’s not a quick one. Preparing and assembling everything takes over an hour, and it needs at least 6 hours in the fridge before it’s ready to serve.

The setup for this cheesecake is simple:

• Crust: crushed graham crackers mixed with melted butter
• Cream: classic tiramisu cream made of heavy cream, mascarpone, egg yolks, and a touch of marsala wine, mixed with plenty of cream cheese
• In-between: a layer of ladyfingers soaked in coffee
• Topping: a dusting of cocoa powder

This setup covers all the tiramisu essentials: coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and a bit of cocoa powder to balance the sweetness. There’s also a little marsala wine, though you can leave it out if you prefer no alcohol.

Let’s go over the ingredients and possible substitutions.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutes

Crust

• Graham crackers. You can swap these for digestive biscuits, Biscoff cookies, or any similar type of cookie.
• Unsalted butter.

Mascarpone Cream

• Cream cheese. The base of all no-bake cheesecakes, and this one is no exception.
• Mascarpone cheese. Tiramisu needs mascarpone, so don’t substitute it with more cream cheese.
• Heavy cream. Lightens the mascarpone cream and gives it an airy texture. Use whatever brand you usually whip.
• Powdered sugar. We use powdered sugar to sweeten the heavy cream. If you don’t have any on hand, skip it, and instead increase the amount of regular sugar you add to egg yolks by the same weight.
• (Optional) Vanilla extract. It adds flavor to the cream, but it’s not essential.
• Sugar.
• Egg yolks.
• Marsala wine. Marsala and the mascarpone give the cream its classic Italian flavor. If you can’t find Marsala, try another sweet fortified wine like Port, which might be easier to get. Substitute with water if you don’t want alcohol in it.

Soaked Ladyfingers (The In-Between Layer)

• Ladyfingers: Any brand will work as long as they soak up the liquid.
• Strong coffee: Freshly brewed espresso is ideal, but any coffee will do. If your ladyfingers aren’t sweet, consider adding sugar to the coffee. If coffee’s not your thing, hot chocolate works great, too.
• (Optional) Coffee liqueur: Add a teaspoon of coffee liqueur like Kahlua to the soaking liquid to boost the coffee flavor.

How to Make Tiramisu No-Bake Cheesecake

Here’s the game plan:

1. Prep. Cut the ladyfingers to fit your pan, and make the crust.
2. Cream. Prepare the tiramisu cream, which is the most time-consuming part.
3. Combine. Assemble the crust, cream, and ladyfinger layer.
4. Rest. Let it chill for at least 6 hours before cutting.
5. Serve. Dust with cocoa powder, and you’re good to go.

Step 1: Crust & Ladyfinger Prep

1. Cut & arrange ladyfingers. In your springform pan, arrange the ladyfingers, trimming as needed. Once you’re happy with the layout, move them to a plate while keeping the arrangement intact. This will make it easier to layer them later.

2. Prep. Melt the butter and crush the graham crackers in a food processor or blender. If needed, use a mesh strainer to catch any large pieces. You can line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper for easier removal and cleaner edges, though it’s not a must.

3. Make the crust. In a mixing bowl, stir the crushed graham crackers with melted butter until you have a slightly wet, coarse mixture. Pour it into the pan and press it down firmly with a flat measuring cup or the bottom of a glass to create an even layer. The firmer you pack it, the better it will hold together when cut.

4. Chill. Refrigerate or freeze the pan while you prepare the filling.

Step 2: Tiramisu Cream

(Check out my guide to whipping cream for tips.)

1. Cook yolks and Marsala in a double boiler. Fill a pot with about 2 inches of water, ensuring the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl when seated on top. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. In the heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and marsala wine. Place the bowl over the simmering pot of water, ensuring that the bowl fits snugly and the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the egg mixture continuously so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. First, the mixture should become paler and more airy. After a couple of minutes, it should noticeably thicken. Once thickened, turn off the heat (but keep the double boiler intact), and continue whisking for another minute. This way, the mixture should reach at least 160°F (71°C) to ensure the yolks are safe to eat, which is slightly warmer than needed for the yolk to thicken. Check the temperature of the mixture with an instant-read thermometer if possible. Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and set it in cold water to cool. Avoid scraping the bottom to leave any burned bits behind. If you see cooked egg pieces, strain the mixture.

2. Whip mascarpone and heavy cream. Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a cold bowl. Whip until the volume doubles. Add cold mascarpone and whip on lowest until smooth, then switch to medium and whip until firm peaks form. Refrigerate.

3. Whip cream cheese and yolks. In a large bowl, beat room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the cooled egg yolk mixture and beat until combined.

4. Combine. Add the whipped mascarpone and cream to the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low speed until everything is combined, scraping down the sides and bottom to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Taste and add more powdered sugar if need be. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Step 3: Combine.

1. Make the first layer. Pour about half the mascarpone cream over the crust and spread it evenly.

2. Add ladyfingers. You can dip each ladyfinger in coffee and place it in the pan, or arrange them in the pan first and brush with coffee. I prefer the brushing method, as it gives more control over how much coffee each ladyfinger absorbs (and needs much less coffee). Brush each one twice or until they’re slightly wet.

3. Add remaining cream. Spread the rest of the mascarpone cream evenly on top. Use an offset spatula for a smooth finish.

4. Refrigerate. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight for best results.
5. Dust. Right before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder. If you do this ahead of time, the powder will absorb moisture and darken, losing its texture.
6. Serve.

Recipe Adjustments

Here are a few ways you can tweak the recipe:

• Try a different crust. Got a favorite crust for no-bake cakes? Use it instead.
• Skip the ladyfingers. The ladyfingers add texture and flavor, but the cheesecake will still be delicious without them. It’ll be more like a standard no-bake cheesecake, is all.
• Simplify the mascarpone cream. To save time, skip cooking the egg yolks. Instead, whip the cream cheese with Marsala, fold in the mascarpone and whipped cream, and briefly mix. You’ll lose a bit of flavor complexity from the yolks, but it greatly simplifies the process.

Storage

Store the cheesecake tightly covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If it’s already dusted with cocoa powder, the powder will darken as it absorbs moisture, which can slightly affect the appearance and taste.

If you’ll be eating the cake over several days, consider dusting each piece with cocoa powder right before serving instead of the whole cake.

Love Tiramisu?

Check out the following recipes:

• Tiramisu for two. A small batch tiramisu you can put together in 15 minutes. Or 30, if you want to be a bit fancier.
• Tiramisu cream puffs. Tiramisu-flavored cream puffs is another optiona worth trying. The whole recipe is pretty time-consuming (and totally worth it), but I show you ways to simplify if you’re short one time.

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