No-Bake Melon Cheesecake Bars

By Eric Kim

Updated Jan. 25, 2022

No-Bake Melon Cheesecake Bars
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes, plus 6 hours’ chilling
Rating
4(771)
Comments
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Reminiscent of honeydew-scented Korean ice cream bars, this no-bake cheesecake leans into a fruit flavor that hasn’t had enough time in the sun: melon. Here, fresh cantaloupe purées into a smooth, fluffy pulp that sets into cheesecake, thanks to gelatin. Where the thick, salty-sweet base layer of buttery crackers will satisfy the crust lovers out there, the soft-set filling will change minds about what melon can truly do. Though the final drizzle of honey is optional, its floral taste works beautifully with the cantaloupe.

Featured in: This No-Bake Cheesecake Is Devastatingly Good

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Ingredients

Yield:16 bars

    For the Crust

    • 9½ounces/269 grams graham crackers (about 18 whole crackers)
    • ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter, melted
    • 2tablespoons granulated sugar
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

    For the Filling

    • 2(¼-ounce/7-gram) packets powdered gelatin (about 5 teaspoons)
    • 1¼pounds/566 grams peeled cantaloupe, diced (about 3 cups)
    • 1(8-ounce/226-gram) package cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
    • ¼teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
    • ½cup/120 milliliters heavy whipping cream
    • Honey, for drizzling (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)

242 calories; 15 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 196 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the crust: Place the graham crackers in a resealable plastic bag. Close the bag and, using a rolling pin, heavy can or other blunt object, crush the graham crackers into a coarse rubble. To the bag, add the melted butter, sugar and salt, and mix thoroughly.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer the crumbs to an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan and press into the bottom of the pan with your hands, forming a thick, sturdy base. Place in the freezer to set while you make the filling.

  3. Step 3

    Make the filling: In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together ¼ cup cold tap water and the gelatin. Let sit to bloom. Meanwhile, use a blender to purée the cantaloupe, cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth.

  4. Step 4

    Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium until simmering at the edges or in a small bowl in the microwave until hot to the touch, 45 to 60 seconds on high. Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot cream and stir vigorously until smooth. Transfer the cream to the blender and blend with the cantaloupe until smooth.

  5. Step 5

    Take the pan out of the freezer and pour the filling over the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Cut into bars and serve, drizzled with honey, if you like.

Ratings

4 out of 5
771 user ratings
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Comments

Buckaroo

From Nik Sharma's No-Bake Mango Lime Cheesecake, which also relies on gelatin for the set, description: "Avoid using fresh mango pulp here: An enzyme in raw mango can prevent the gelatin from setting. (Canned mangoes don’t have that enzyme; it’s destroyed when they’re heated to high temperatures to be preserved.) If you must use fresh mangoes, purée the pulp, then bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cool before using."

Patti

Could I use any melon (watermelon or honeydew or other) or is there a chemical ratio thing that I might not get a good set?

Ellen S

Make the crust in your food processor. No need to waste a plastic bag.

Bill

This was really good: like a cantaloupe creamsicle! I will make again and serve on a hot summer day. Mine did not appear as Eric's: it looked more creamy and homogenized. I like Eric's marble form.

Bill

The marble is the honey on top which I did not use. Mine was sweet enough. This is a great summer go to.

Emily

I made with cantaloupe and it was great! But then tried it with honeydew same amount and it didn’t set.

Pat in NSB

Since cantaloupe has been exceptional this summer, I looked for a dessert recipe with it for our monthly card party. Voila! Although I barely had 5 hours for it to set, it was a big hit and my card pals were surprised by using cantaloupe this way. More surprising was after I took the leftovers out of the fridge the next day. All of the flavors had coalesced overnight into a truly delicious, creamy confection. I've made it 2 more times by popular demand of hubby! (Using half the sugar) 5 stars!

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