Rhubarb Cheesecake

Rhubarb Cheesecake is super easy to make. This loaf pan no bake cheesecake is made with a graham cracker crust and a smooth rhubarb cheesecake topping. It is topped with swirls of rhubarb puree then chilled and cut into rhubarb cheesecake bars. This no bake cheesecake recipe is super versatile and can easily be adapted to use other fruit puree.

Rhubarb No Bake Cheesecake

Hi hi! Just popping in here to share this recipe for Rhubarb No Bake Cheesecake with you. I know we are getting right toward the tail end of Rhubarb in the US, but this small batch cheesecake recipe is just too good to wait a whole year for.

Rhubarb is still in full swing in NZ (it grows year round here), so I am looking forward to making this one for my family now we are back home, along with a whole bunch of other rhubarb recipes.

This Rhubarb Cheesecake is super easy to make, and is small batch so works perfectly in a loaf pan. It cuts into perfect no bake cheesecake bars, and to me, is the perfect amount of cheesecake for a small group. The recipe is also very scaleable if needed.

I love making homemade cheesecake - the best part about it is that it is a super versatile base - i'll tell you all about how to adapt it to suit whatever fruit you have on hand! I also have a passionfruit cheesecake recipe and a super easy berry cheesecake recipe if you are looking for other options!

• 

• 

How to make No Bake Cheesecake

The steps for making these Rhubarb cheesecake bars are super simple. It can be easily done ahead of time (in fact make sure you give it at least 3 hours to set).

• Make the rhubarb puree / rhubarb compote - this needs time to cool, so do this ahead of time if you can. If you ever need to cool something down fast, you can either put it into a shallow pan like a sheet pan, or it works for this to pop the bowl into the freezer and stir every few minutes until it starts to cool.
• Make the no bake cheesecake base by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and a wee bit of melted butter. Mix it all together and press down into a lined pan.
• Make the cheesecake filling. This is a standard no bake cheesecake recipe so is set with gelatine. Whip the cream cheese and sugar together then fold through the cream and the rhubarb.
• Add the swirl. This is optional but gives a lovely burst of rhubarb flavour on the top of the no bake cheesecake. I just blob on the top and swirl with a knife.
• Chill - This takes at least a few hours, but you can chill this overnight if you like too.

How to make cheesecake with other fruit

This recipe is a super versatile base, so can be made with any sort of fruit curd or puree - you just need about 200g of it. Add 150g to the base of the cheesecake after you fold in the whipped cream, and the rest swirled on the top. Here are some options:

• Lemon curd - a jar of lemon or passionfruit curd would work great here, or you can make homemade lemon curd
• Peach - Roast sliced peaches with a little sugar. About 600g peeled sliced peaches tossed with 70g sugar and roasted at 425 until cooked and bubbly. Then puree and use. This would also work super well with apricot or nectarine. Alternatively you could cook the fruit down on the stove and then puree.
• Any sort of berry coulis would work swirled on the top - I a berry coulis recipe on my berry no bake cheesecake bars!
• You could also add in some strawberry with the rhubarb - just replace it 1:1 by weight.

Use this as a base and just go for it with whatever you feel like!

• 

• 

Substitute for Graham Crackers in Cheesecake

I get asked this often - what is a substitute for graham crackers in a cheesecake? While I haven't tested any of these myself (this will likely change now that I am in New Zealand), anything that's fairly neutral will work great. I often recommend ground up digestives as they have that same whole wheat texture as graham crackers do.

Something like a vanilla biscuit or a malt biscuit or a mix of the two would work great too. You could also use a gingersnap or something simlar.

The only important thing to note when using a different biscuit or cookie for a no bake cheesecake crumb crust is that you may have to change the quantity of butter that you use. You want the consistency to be like wet sand. Hold off a little when you add in the melted butter, then mix it and see how it holds together.

This also applies to a graham cracker crust. Different brands absorb different amounts of butter, so you need to just have a careful look when mixing up your crumb crust and adjust your butter quantity as needed.

Note: I tested this in NZ with digestive biscuits. They are a little sweeter than Graham crackers so you can leave out the sugar in the crust. They are also a little less absorbent than grahams so start with 60g butter first and go from there.

FAQ for Rhubarb No Bake Cheesecake

Can this cheesecake be made without gelatine?
I haven't tried it without it sorry - this recipe relies on the gelatine to set. I have only made this cheesecake using powdered gelatine so I am not sure of the conversion if you want to use something like gelatine leaves.

What loaf pan did you use?
I used this pan! This recipe would also work just fine in a 9"x5" (23x13cm) loaf pan too.

Can this recipe be scaled?
Yes! You can use my brand new pan conversion calculator, or you can follow the format of this passionfruit no bake cheesecake too.

Why isn't my rhubarb super pink like yours?
Different varieties of rhubarb look different - so some is more green than others. If yours isn't super pink then that's just fine too!

Do I have to puree the rhubarb?
I tried without and it's stringy and weird. I would highly recommend pureeing it.

Why is my cheesecake crust crumbly?
Different graham crackers / biscuit crumbs require different amounts of butter. You want it to look like wet sand. Melt a little more and add in if you need.

Can I use frozen rhubarb for the puree?
Yes, that's absolutely fine - just cook it down from frozen.

How do you store cheesecake?
Store this rhubarb cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge - it will keep for up to four days. It doesn't freeze well unfortunately as cream cheese doesn't hold up well in the freezer!

For more rhubarb recipes, check out:

Recipe For Rhubarb Cheesecake

Print