By Lindy Van Schalkwyk, last updated on December 29, 2021
How long does no-bake cheesecake last in the fridge? We have the best guide to help extend the shelf life of your homemade no-bake cheesecake!
Today, we have made you the ultimate guide that will give you a better indication of how long cheesecake will last in the fridge, regardless of it is homemade or store-bought. We even have a helpful guideline for how long does no-bake cheesecake lasts in the freezer! We’ve also included very useful instructions on how to correctly store it for the best results!
What Is A No-bake Cheesecake?
No-bake cheesecakes are exactly what the name says; a cheesecake that doesn’t get baked. It differs in many ways from traditional baked cheesecakes. These differences are what change the shelf life of a no-bake cheesecake and make it considerably shorter compared to that of baked cheesecakes’.
Baked Cheesecake Characteristics
First, let’s look at traditional baked cheesecakes. These cheesecakes are made with a combination of fresh cheese, eggs, and sugar. There are some other ingredients that can be added for flavor and to alter the texture of the cheesecake.
Once the ingredients are placed inside the cake pan, they are placed in a water bath and baked inside the oven. When it has been fully baked, the cheesecake is first allowed to cool in a switched-off oven, then at room temperature, and finally, it is set inside the fridge. This cooling process takes a ton of time (at least 4 hours), which is arguably why no-bake cheesecakes were invented.
No-bake Cheesecake Characteristics
A no-bake cheesecake doesn’t contain any eggs. Makes sense considering raw eggs aren’t safe to consume and should be baked to help them set. No-bake cheesecakes only contain fresh cheese (like cream cheese or cottage cheese) and a sweetener (like sugar or condensed milk). You can have a look at our famous no-bake cheesecake recipe to get a better idea.
Once the ingredients are mixed and poured into a cake pan, the mixture is placed inside of a fridge to help it set and to help prevent the highly perishable ingredients from going off.
Should Cheesecake Be Kept Inside The Fridge?
There are no exceptions to this rule; cheesecake has to be stored inside of the fridge to preserve its shelf life. It contains highly perishable ingredients that cannot be kept inside the temperature danger zone for very long. However, there are also other reasons.
With both baked and no-bake cheesecakes, storing the cheesecake in the fridge helps set the filling. Without the fridge, a baked cheesecake would crack. And a no-bake cheesecake wouldn’t be able to set at all!
How Long Does Cheesecake Last In The Fridge?
There are a few factors that affect the shelf life of cheesecake, even if it is inside the fridge. First, cheesecake and no-bake cheesecake are structurally different and will age differently.
Commercially bought baked cheesecake will last inside the fridge for up to a week. This is mainly because of all the preservatives and stabilizers their cheesecake mixes contain.
Freshly baked homemade cheesecake won’t last as long and you can expect it to go bad around 5 days (after being baked).
How Long Does No-bake Cheesecake Last In The Fridge?
A no-bake cheesecake will naturally have a shorter shelf life compared to a baked cheesecake. Store-bought or commercially made cheesecakes (even if they aren’t baked) still contain stabilizers and preservatives. They will last around 5 days at most inside of the fridge.
How Long Does Homemade No-bake Cheesecake Last in the fridge?
If you are trying to figure out exactly how long does homemade no-bake cheesecake lasts in the fridge, first look at the fresh cheese that you used.
If you used fresh cheese (like cream cheese) that is very close or within a couple of days of expiring, then the shelf life of your homemade cheesecake will be that short. Also, if you are using expired fresh cheese (even if it is only by a day), it will translate directly into the shelf life of cheesecake, especially because it hasn’t been baked.
Homemade no-bake cheesecake is only good for about 4 days. After that, the texture changes and the flavor dilutes.
How Long Does No-bake Cheesecake Last In The Freezer?
Believe it or not, but no-bake cheesecake actually freezes quite well – at least the recipes that we have frozen before. When stored correctly, no-bake cheesecake can last inside of the freezer for up to 3 months! Here is the best way to store it and some other tips to keep in mind.
How to Freeze No-bake Cheesecake
Once the no-bake cheesecake has fully set inside of the fridge, you should wrap it with plastic or saran wrap. You can remove the cheesecake from the pan if you’d like, but you don’t have to. We would say that you should if you know you will be using the pan soon, otherwise, it provides excellent support and protection to the cheesecake as it freezer.
Once you have wrapped it in plastic wrap, wrap it in a layer of foil. The foil helps insulate the cheesecake further, protects it from freezer burn, and makes it easy to label.
Always, especially when freezing perishable items, label your frozen cheesecake. You can write the information directly on the foil. You should always include what the item is (you can be as specific as you’d like), the date it was made, and the date you froze it. If you really want to, you can even write the “best-by date” on the cheesecake too (we would say about 2 months after the freezing date).
One thing to keep in mind when freezing (and storing) cheesecake is that it is very porous. This means it can very easily absorb strong aromas inside the fridge or freezer which will translate into its flavor.
How To Correctly Store No-bake Cheesecake
You should try to wrap your no-bake cheesecake with saran or plastic wrap as tightly as you can. Storing it inside of a cake pan will help prevent it from disfiguring as you wrap it.
You can also store it inside of an airtight container. Anything will work that will prevent it from absorbing odors and from drying out inside of the fridge.
Final Thoughts – How Long Does No-bake Cheesecake Last In The Fridge?
Despite being incredibly perishable and not having that long shelf life, cheesecake is definitely still worth making! If you found this article helpful, please share it with your family, friends, and the baking community!
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.