No Bake Pineapple Cheesecake
This no bake Pineapple Cheesecake is a creamy dessert with a hint of freshness from the pineapples. It is a simple, tasty treat nestled on a buttery graham crust.
This pineapple cheesecake is a dessert that is special to me because it is a staple dessert served almost yearly during Christmas parties at our work.
You see, during my whole stay here in Canada, I have only worked for one company full time (although I have had some short, part time works in between) . This company took me in when I was young, a newcomer and the only experience I had was the few years I worked in the Philippines as a fresh graduate from university.
I stayed with them and didn’t look to move elsewhere. I would have stayed there forever but when I had my first child, I had to decide to change our life set up to accommodate the changes. Even then, they were still graceful enough to take my flexible, unpredictable schedules.
On Christmas parties, or if there was any cause for a celebration, me and my colleagues enjoyed a bountiful feast provided by the company and this pineapple cheesecake was a regular at the desserts table.
I was instantly amazed by its simple decadence. There was that soft, creamy, white cloud of cheese that is beautifully contrasted by the freshness of the pineapples. The bright, fruity Jello delivers a great flavor contrast that is so visually appealing too.
I immediately fell in love with this dessert because anything that is creamy and cheesy is a winner to me.
This pineapple cheesecake has been gracing the taste buds of all the people at work for years, especially those who have been there way longer than me.
It is like a heritage. A tradition.
The recipe is a no bake, and it sets by the use of Knox unflavored gelatin. This dessert is easy to pull off and if there is anything difficult about it, its the waiting time for the cheesecake to set. Other than that, its pretty simple.
I can still remember when I was handed the recipe for this. I was not really baking yet so much that time but I went home with glee with all the ingredients at hand. I made this and devoured it happily, being able to enjoy this well loved treat at home.
aaaaah, those were the days when I would make something in the kitchen carelessly and playfully without the aim for perfection every time.
All that mattered then was to satisfy my cravings. Nowadays, its different.
Although I love blogging so much, making a recipe can be intimidating sometimes. Even nerve-wracking, if you will, as I know now that people are actually looking at the recipes, trying them and can actually spot your mistakes. The fear is real.
But that is also the joy of it. Just imagining that well-loved recipes such as this pineapple cheesecake can be shared and made by people from all over the world. Or like when somebody blogs about their family’s favorite banana cake, the love and tradition moves from one part of the world to another, and that is so amazing about blogging.
It is spreading joy and goodness. And that matters.
Enjoy!
p.s. Also check this another great pineapple dessert, Pineapple Chiffon Cake.
No Bake Pineapple Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 250 grams softened cream cheese 1 block
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 sachet Knox unflavoured gelatin
- 1 cup crushed pineapples drained well from the can
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 1 85 grams packet Jello Strawberry
For the Crust
- 1 and ½ cup graham crumbs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Combine melted butter and graham crumbs in a bowl and dump to a 9 x 13 dish. Spread the mixture across the base of the dish and using the base of a measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly against the surface of the dish to form a crust. Refrigerate.
Make the Pineapple Cheesecake Filling
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat together cream cheese and whipping cream stirring often until cream cheese softens and melts. Add the crushed pineapples and sugar and continue to stir mixture until smooth. Mixture should be ready before it reaches the boiling point. Turn off heat.
- Sprinkle knox gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water and let stand for about 3 minutes. The mixture should look thick and grainy. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and stir mixture until the grains are dissolved. Stir gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Let mixture cool to lukewarm and spoon on top of the prepared graham crust in the baking dish. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or until set.
- Prepare the strawberry Jello according to package directions and gently pour over the set cheesecake gelatin. Refrigerate until set. Serve cold.
I love food with a story behind it! We also had a famous jello & cream cheese dessert that would appear at our yearly office parties… but I have to say yours looks a lot tastier 😉
Hi Megan! Thanks for dropping by! I hope you try and enjoy this Pineapple cheesecake 🙂