You'll love this vintage, no-bake dessert with its simple graham cracker crust. It's SO easy to make at home! Get out your mixer - we're about to make some memories!
Table of Contents
- My boyfriend’s only complaint was that it was “too light and fluffy”...
- 🗝️ Key takeaways
- 🧾 Ingredients
- 📖 Variations
- 🔪 Instructions
- 🍴 Equipment
- 🎥 Video
- 🥫 How to store Woolworth's lemon cheesecake
- Marye's Tip -
- 💭 Things to know
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes for lemon lovers
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Pin for later
- 💬 Comments
🗝️ Key takeaways
- No baking
- Tangy lemon flavor
- Tried and true vintage recipe
Easy no-bake lemon cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert! It's light and creamy -- not dense and rich like a baked lemon cheesecake filling.
This light lemon dessert is definitely on my favorite recipe list because it's the perfect addition to summer get-togethers! Best of all you can make it ahead of time and freeze it for up to three months!
Try this no-bake lemon icebox cake, too.
🧾 Ingredients
Nothing unusual here! You could try using 'Nilla Wafers instead of the graham crackers. Be sure you're using evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk.
📖 Variations
I remember this cheesecake as having just a crumbly, classic graham cracker crust but someone I was talking to the other day swears that it was a firm graham cracker crust.
If you'd like the firm graham cracker crust then follow these directions:
Mix 3 cups graham cracker crumbs with ¾ cup powdered sugar and 8 tablespoons melted butter. Press into the bottom of the 13x9 inch pan and freeze before filling with the lemon cheesecake.
- Use a vanilla wafer crust.
- Use shortbread cookies for the crust.
- Try lemon cookies for a lemon cheesecake your lemon lovers won't be able to resist.
- Add ½ teaspoon lemon extract for more lemony flavor.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to soften the lemon flavor.
- Add some lemon zest in with the graham crackers for the topping.
- Switch it up and use lime Jello and lime juice.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below. Click on the image to see it full size.
This no-bake, lemon cheesecake recipe is one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make but you will need to start a day ahead of time. Make sure the evaporated milk, large
Step one
- Add lemon Jello to a medium size bowl
- Stir boiling water into Lemon Jello, stirring until it's dissolved.
- Refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to thicken.
Step two
- Chill a large bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Pour chilled evaporated milk into the bowl and beat until fluffy - stiff peaks won't form but it will be like soft, whipped cream. I can't stress this enough - the evaporated milk must be freezing cold or it won't whip.
- Blend the softened cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Stir in the thickened gelatin.
- Beat on low speed until smooth.
- Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped evaporated milk very gently.
Step three
- Line bottom of 13x9 inch pan with graham cracker crumbs or other cookie crumbs. Add lemon zest to the crumbs for even more lemon flavor.
- Spoon in the lemon cheesecake mixture.
- Top with more graham cracker crumbs and lemon zest, cover, and chill overnight.
🍴 Equipment
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- Large
mixing bowl - Medium
mixing bowl - Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
- Rubber spatula
🎥 Video
Hey y'all! Don't forget to check out my latest video where I guide you through each step of this delicious recipe. It's always great to have a visual guide, right? And as always, my cooking show, Restless Chipotle Kitchen, has got your back. If you're looking for more yummy ideas, dive into our full recipe collection on YouTube. You're gonna love it!
🥫 How to store Woolworth's lemon cheesecake
This is a great make-ahead recipe!
You can safely store the cheesecake in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
Just make sure it's tightly covered and you aren't storing fish or onions in the same space.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure it's well covered. When you're ready to serve let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 to 20 minutes before eating it.
But can you freeze cheesecake slices?
Yes!! You can slice this cake into servings. It makes it easy to have some whenever you want - and that's probably going to be often.
Add parchment paper strips between the squares to make it a snap to remove one without disturbing the others.
Marye's Tip -
The evaporated milk, beaters, and bowl have to be VERY cold to whip up right.
💭 Things to know
My favorite item on the Woolworth's menu was this icebox cheesecake, cut in thick, yellow squares with a graham cracker crust and more graham crackers crumbled on the top.
Each bite was decadently creamy and mouth-puckeringly tart. Refrigerator cheesecakes are light and fluffy, not dense like a traditional baked cheesecake.
Here are some tips to ensure you get that same texture and flavor in your own version of this no-bake lemon cheesecake recipe!
- You'll need to start this at least a day ahead of time. The gelatin needs time to start to thicken which can take an hour... and the cheesecake needs to chill overnight.
- Use lemon Jello. It's how they did it at Woolworths, and making it any other way just won't be the same.
- Use room temperature, full-fat cream cheese.
- Make sure you are getting evaporated milk, not condensed milk.
- Don't whip the filling! Fold in by hand with a rubber spatula.
- 8 ounces of graham crackers is about 1-½ packs, 2 cups of crumbs.
- Freeze the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the dish before adding the filling.
- Chill overnight, and don't hurry the chilling process.
- The cheesecake should be shiny and firm to the touch when you're ready to serve.
- Once this lemon cheesecake is chilled overnight and set, you can freeze it for later. Wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
This no-bake, lemon cheesecake doesn't have eggs but it uses gelatin, in the form of lemon Jello, to keep it firm.
A no-bake cheesecake does not contain eggs, but it thickens in the refrigerator. A baked cheesecake has eggs, and its texture is more dense.
📚 Related recipes for lemon lovers
- Grandma's Lemon Ice Box Pie is a tangy and creamy, lemony dessert. You can serve it frozen or just chilled and it's so handy to have in the freezer for unexpected company!
- Lemon Meringue Pie is always a good choice!
- Feel like lemon for breakfast? Try this Starbuck's Copycat Lemon Loaf.
Classic Cheesecake Recipes
You'll find even more recipes in this Cheesecake Collection!
📞 The last word
Some things to consider -
- Make sure the evaporated milk is super cold and the cream cheese is room temperature. The first time I made this I had trouble getting the milk to whip because it wasn't cold enough.
- My family liked this plain but you could put a little whipped cream or Cool Whip on top.
- I have accidentally let the Jello get too thick before I added it. If that happens to you just carefully mix until all the Jello is broken up. There may be little shreds of Jello in the filling but it will taste fine.
Back when I was little you dressed up to go shopping - even if it was just to Woolworth's for some hair curlers!
Gloves, dresses, frilly ankle socks, and white patent leather shoes were always ready in the closet for those well-planned "errand days." Women in the 1960s lived by the calendar and the clock and ran their households with military precision.
The best thing about those trips to the store were the lunches -- sitting on the twirly, red vinyl-topped chrome stools at the counter.
Try as I might to sit still (my little hands grasping the edge of the counter to keep them still and willing the rest of my body to follow suit) my lower body invariably began to twist one way then the other.
Until I got the look.
You can bet I settled down pretty fast because I knew dessert depended on it!
Pineapple fluff is another easy dessert from my childhood - only my mom considered it a side dish!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 3 ounces lemon Jello, unprepared - just the powder.
- 1 cup water, boiling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 12 ounces evaporated milk, well chilled
- 8 ounces graham crackers, crushed
Instructions
- Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
- Let cool in the refrigerator until it starts to thicken, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice on low speed of an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add thickened gelatin; beat until well blended.
- In another bowl, beat chilled evaporated milk until fluffy like whipped cream.
- Carefully fold in the cream cheese mixture and blend well with a rubber spatula.
- Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan with crushed graham crackers.
- Spoon the filling into pan gently, spreading evenly with a spoon.
- Top with more crushed graham crackers, cover, and chill overnight.
- Cut in squares to serve.
Notes
- Use lemon Jello. It’s how they did it at Woolworths and making it any other way just won’t be the same.
- The evaporated milk needs to be really cold to whip up properly.
- Use room temperature cream cheese.
- Don’t whip the filling! Mix everything in on low speed or fold in by hand.
- Chill overnight and don’t hurry the chilling process.
- The cheesecake should be shiny and firm to the touch when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Originally published February 25, 2020. Last updated April 6, 2024 for minor editorial fixes.
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Pin for later
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Rosanna Greene says
I followed the recipe to the letter and it was soup. I have it in the freezer but I don't think it stands a chance. I'm totally bummed, I was taking it to a party tomorrow and won't have time to make something else.
Marye says
It sounds like the evaporated milk wasn't whipped and folded in properly.
Aane says
I love it, to boost the lemon I put half water and half frozen lemonade concentrate right out of the can...lemony!
Eileen king says
When I go to ST. Louis,MO, I always stop in Woolworth, to eat lunch are have there cheesecake for my dessert, I live in East St Louis, and I would take the Bus to go over to St Louis to shopped. I'am so glad that I can copy there Woolworth cheesecake recipes, so I can make there cheesecake , soon.
Terri Novak says
My mom worked for Woolworth Store in Roger’s Park, Illinois on Clark St ! She made this recipe every week! It was the top dessert they sold. Easy to make and delicious!!! TMN
Melissa D says
Love this!! I'm hosting the 1960's chunk of a progressive party so appetizers, a cocktail, and a dessert all have to be from the decade. This recipe was on cue! Not too lemony, but amazing creamy and fluffy texture and not too sour. I have fond memories of Woolworths in the 80's so this gave me and will give my guests, a taste of Woolworths from the 60's! Thank you for sharing and explaining all the tips.
Sandy Stephens says
Hi Mary!
I’m doubling this recipe to put in a jelly roll pan. I also did the thicker graham cracker crust and freezing it u til tomorrow when I actually get to make this. My question: do I spray the bottom of my pan to help it come out of the pan by a spatula? I remember this as well at Woolworths! Best dessert ever!!
Marye says
Probably a good idea. 🙂
Janet A says
This is the same recipe my Grandma used back in the 60's. She put the evaporated milk in an ice cube tray (minus the dividers) and froze it until ice crystals started to form. Then she whipped it. Delicious recipe.
Marye says
It's so good!
Rebecca says
Never having tasted this before, I got excited when the nonfat condensed milk I purchased whipped up like whipped cream, and left the KitchenAid blender on too long. My boyfriend’s only complaint was that it was “too light and fluffy”, but “tastes just like mom’s.
dolores V robinson says
dear marye I worked at woolworth five and dime in the 1950's after school and all day sat always loved that pie but lost it moving for my husbands work bummer but I made yours it was as I remenber thank you for the memores and all the great recipes you send me so heres a big hug from a 89 year old cook
Rinki French says
Im 74 yrs old and this brings back fond memories of my Mother . She made this recipe often in the summer months when I was a child . Still as delicious as ever !! 😋
Belinda says
Hi, haven't made yet but planning to. The name of the spatula that you used with the no bake Woolworth lemon cheese cake dessert and where could I possibly find one. Thank you sincerely.
Marye says
It's just a plain rubber spatula. You can get them on Amazon.
LINA E PRIEST says
Found this recipe on the label of a can of Milnot evaporated milk many years ago(early 70's!) Has been a family ever since never any leftovers!
Janet V Ross says
I made this recipe with Milnot for years because Mom said so. When I lived in Michigan I would "bootleg" Milnot with every visit home since they didn't sell it there.
Elsa Winsett says
Can a sugarfee Jello be used? because it is less powder but it makes the same amount of Jello as the regular one.
Marye says
Elsa I've never tried.
Robin says
A friend gave me this recipe in Texas in the 60's - I am 80 now and still LOVE this summery, cool lemon Jello cheesecake. It really is easy - and oh, what compliments you will get!
PJ says
This brought back so many memories! Absolutely LOVED Woolworth's Lemon Ice Box Cheesecake. I could almost taste it as you were taking a bite and was getting a little jealous. You had some and I didn't. This is going to be my next desert and I'll probably make it once a week (joking). Now that things are opening again, I'm sure our church will be hosting potlucks again and this is what I'm going to bring! Thank you so much for sharing this! <3 And then it will be going to my office for any party we may have (once we are able to go BACK into the office. Then again, I could just make it for myself, right? 🙂
Marye says
You could always make two... and keep one!
Mary says
Woolworth's Ice Box Cheesecake was the absolute best! I can't wait to try this recipe.
Marye says
Mary - I totally agree. Come back and let me know what you think!