Supremely creamy chocolate cheesecake and rich chocolate ganache nestled in a crisp graham cracker crust and finished with a fluffy crown of toasted Swiss meringue!
Camping season has just begun! And as far as I’m concerned, it might as well be s’more season too. I don’t think I’ll ever be too old to indulge in one of these classic campfire treats.
Seriously though, what’s NOT to love about ooey gooey toasted marshmallow and melty milk chocolate SMOOSHED between two crispy graham crackers?
Absolutely nothing.
So in the spirit of S’MOREific s’more season, I thought I’d unveil this holy hunk of heavenliness…
This No-Bake S’more Cheesecake is a stunner, isn’t it?? With the most blissfully creamy chocolate filling, smooth chocolate ganache, crispy graham cracker crust, and exceptionally fluffy Swiss meringue, every single forkful is guaranteed to make you “ooh” and “aahhh” with delight. Even though I absolutely adore a classic messylicious s’more, I’d choose a slice of this cheesecake ANY day. No questions asked.
Why You MUST Make This No-Bake S’more Cheesecake
Heavenly Beyond Belief: Whether it’s the unbelievably creamy chocolate filling or the toasted Swiss meringue, you’ll feel like you’re on cloud nine with every bite you take. (Cue music for “Every Breath You Take”.)
A Crowd Pleaser: Not only is this cheesecake simply gorgeous, but it’s a shoo-in to become a favorite among your guests. Even the biggest s’more hater (if they even exist) will be asking for seconds after licking their plate completely clean.
No-Bake Means No-Fuss: Standard baked cheesecakes require an hour plus in the oven, pesky water baths, and LOTS of cooling time. This cheesecake on the other hand, doesn’t require any of that! And although the crust does bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, that step is totally optional. I do, however, recommend it for a crisper crust!
Tips You NEED TO KNOW To Make The Best S’more Cheesecake
Do NOT over-beat the filling: The more you beat cream cheese, the runnier it gets, which can ruin the firmness of the cheesecake. The key is to beat the ingredients until they’re just combined. Doing so will help achieve the perfect creamy texture.
Use milk AND semi-sweet chocolate: Instead of using just semi-sweet chocolate, I did a mix of half milk and half semi-sweet chocolate. The milk adds extra sweetness, while the semi-sweet lends a deeper, richer flavor.
Melt the chocolate into the heavy cream: Rather than simply melting the chocolate and incorporating it into the filling, I melted it in warm heavy cream first. This not only thins out the chocolate, making it easier to incorporate into the filling, but it also creates a much creamier filling. You also avoid the risk of your chocolate hardening and sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Add a little instant espresso powder: I promise you won’t taste it at all! The espresso powder simply brings out the flavor of the chocolate. I do this for almost all of the my chocolate recipes because of how well it enhances the chocolate. Trust me, instant espresso powder should be a staple in your pantry for this reason alone.
Bake the crust: I know this technically doesn’t make the cheesecake COMPLETELY no-bake, but it’s a necessary step. The moisture from the filling has a tendency to seep into the crust, the longer it sits. By baking the crust first (and allowing it to cool completely), you create a sort of barrier between the crust and the filling. This not only ensures a non-soggy crust, but a crispier one too!
Add a dash of cinnamon to the crust: To me, graham cracker crusts can taste pretty plain. So to counter that ho-hum flavor, I like to add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the crust. It adds a nice warmth to the crust, while enhancing the flavor of the graham crackers.
Chill ganache layer completely: Once the ganache is spread evenly on top of the crust, place the pan in the freezer until the ganache is completely firm. This should take anywhere between 30-40 minutes. You want the layer of ganache to be firm and somewhat hard, so that it stays in place when you spread the filling on top of it.
Without a doubt, this No-Bake S’more Cheesecake is destined to wow ANYone who’s fortunate enough to taste it. Whether it’s the silky smooth chocolate filling, the rich chocolate ganache, or the light-as-air toasted Swiss meringue, every single aspect of this cheesecake screams heavenly. It’s truly the most elegant way to enjoy a s’more!
No-Bake S'more Cheesecake
Supremely creamy chocolate cheesecake and rich chocolate ganache nestled in a crisp graham cracker crust and finished with a fluffy crown of toasted Swiss meringue!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole crackers)
- 6 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 7 Tablespoons butter, melted
Chocolate Ganache:
- 6 ounces milk chocolate, chips or chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Chocolate Filling:
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chips or chopped
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chips or chopped
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, divided
- ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
Swiss Meringue:
- 3 large egg whites
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
To Decorate:
- Teddy Grahams or graham crackers
- Hershey chocolate segments
Instructions
Make the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Make the Ganache:
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a glass measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until it just begins to simmer. Pour hot cream over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and stir until smooth. Pour the ganache into the crust, smoothing out evenly. Place in the freezer to allow ganache to firm and set up.
Make the Filling:
Place both chocolates into a medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the heavy cream into a glass measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until it just begins to simmer. Pour hot cream over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, add the espresso powder, and stir until smooth. Set aside.
In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl and keep in the refrigerator.
Switch whisk attachment out for the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese on high until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt, and continue beating until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate-cream mixture, beating until combined. Fold in the whipped cream until just combined.
Pour filling into the crust, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula or a butterknife. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the Meringue:
Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a large mixing bowl and a beater), and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Pour the sugar and water into a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat, without stirring, until it reaches 240ºF. This usually takes about 5 to 6 minutes from the time it begins to boil. Immediately pour the hot sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream into the egg whites, with the mixer running on medium speed; try to avoid hitting the whisk.
Once all the sugar syrup has been added, add the cream of tartar and vanilla. Continue beating the meringue on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes, or until it’s cooled to room temperature and glossy peaks form.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the meringue on top of the cheesecake. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. Decorate with Teddy Grahams and Hershey chocolates.
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