This Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake is an easy no-bake cheesecake recipe that can be prepped in under 30 minutes. It’s bursting with the classic creamy vanilla and zesty orange flavors of the beloved ice cream treat, all inside a buttery graham cracker crust.
No-Bake Orange Cheesecake
There is an ice cream truck that drives by our house in the summer months, and every now and then the kids and I will enjoy a little ice cream treat. I decided to get a Dreamsicle one day. I hadn’t had one in forever! But, with every bite, I was reminded of just how delicious they are. So, I knew I wanted to make a recipe bursting with creamsicle flavor.
Why not combine this classic ice cream treat with cheesecake? It’s genius. This simple no-bake cheesecake recipe tastes just like the ice cream snack we all know and love. It’s so easy to make in just 30 minutes. Then, let it chill in the fridge, (I’ve found it’s best if left overnight) and enjoy!
Why We Love This Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Recipe
- Easy, no bake recipe
- Quick and simple to make
- Prepped in just 30 minutes
- Can be made ahead and left in the fridge overnight
- Delicious orange dessert
- Classic creamsicle flavors
- Light and refreshing dessert
- Homemade graham cracker crust
Ingredients/Shopping List
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Butter
- Orange jello
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Greek yogurt
- Heavy cream
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- Whipped topping
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How to Make This Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Recipe
Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and salted butter. Press the mixture into your springform pan and refrigerate.
Whisk together orange jello and boiling water until jello dissolves. In separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, orange juice and zest.
Fold in whipped topping. Divide cream cheese into thirds. Whisk ⅓ into the cooled jello mixture.
Spread ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture on top of the graham cracker crust.
Dot the jello with the remaining ⅓ of cream cheese and use a butter knife to marble it.
Pro-tip: Make sure that your cream cheese is soft when you add it to the top of the jello layer and marble it! If it’s too hard it can totally ruin the jello layer.
Allow cheesecake to set in the fridge for 4-8 hours or overnight.
Pro-tip: I have found that this recipe is best if it is able to sit overnight.
Variations / Options / Add-ins
- GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS: You can buy boxes of graham cracker crumbs, which is the much easier route to take. However, you can run graham crackers through a food processor or blender to crush. You could also buy a store-bought graham cracker crust.
- SALTED BUTTER: If you prefer to use unsalted butter, feel free. You can also use melted coconut oil and it will give the same effect with the crumbs, but it won’t provide as much flavor.
- BOX ORANGE JELLO: If you like the idea of this cheesecake, but don’t want to do orange, you could conceivably also make a lemon or lime version. Or really, any type of flavor jello you want.
- CREAM CHEESE: Make sure your cream cheese is nice and soft before using it.
- PLAIN GREEK YOGURT: Switch this out for some vanilla Greek yogurt for a little extra sweetness.
- FRESH ORANGES: You will need fresh oranges for the zesting, but you can use fresh or from concentrate orange juice. You can also grab a couple extra to use as an optional garnish!
Frequently Asked Questions
To store cheesecake, place in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it, then thaw it in the refrigerator when ready to eat. Make sure to keep this in the fridge in between servings! If it sits out too long it will get soft and begin to lose its shape.
There’s a few different things I like to do when making this recipe. I like to add a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the graham cracker crust. This adds a nice extra bit of flavor. Sometimes, when I’m feeling extra summer-y, I’ll add even more orange zest for a stronger orange flavor. If you want to make this more simple, just combine the orange jello with the entire cream cheese mixture, and don’t worry about the layers. Or, just change the flavor entirely and do this all with lemon or lime jello. Just have fun!
Creamsicle and dreamsicle are basically the same thing, but technically a creamsicle uses an ice cream center and a dreamsicle has an ice milk center!
Other Easy Cheesecake Recipes
No-Bake Cheesecake Bites | Mini Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes Bites | Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes | Lemon Cheesecake Bars | Cheesecake Brownies | Reese’s Cheesecake | Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries | Classic Cheesecake | Pecan Pie Cheesecake | Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars
Recipe inspired by Love Bakes Good Cakes!! Check her out – she has amazing recipes!!
Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 7 tbsp salted butter melted
Orange Creamsicle Filling:
- 1 3 ounce box orange jello
- 1 cup boiling hot water
- 2 8 ounce boxes cream cheese softened
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp orange juice (about half an orange)
- 1 tbsp orange zest (about half an orange)
- 1½ cups whipped topping plus more for garnish
- Fresh orange slices optional garnish
Instructions
- To make the crust, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and salted butter until combined.
- Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan to create a crust. Refrigerate until ready for use.
- In a medium sized bowl prepare the orange jello by whisking together orange jello mix with boiling water until the jello dissolves. Do not chill. Set aside for now.
- In a mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is completely smooth.
- Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, orange juice, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
- Fold in whipped topping until combined.
- Divide cream cheese mixture into thirds.
- Take ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture and whisk or beat it into the cooled jello mixture until combined. Set aside.
- Spread ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture carefully and evenly into the bottom of the graham cracker crust, making sure not to disturb the crust.
- Then pour the jello mixture on the top to create another layer. Dot the jello with spoonfuls of the last ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture and carefully move a butter knife or palette knife through the mixture to create a marbling effect.
- Set into the refrigerator to chill for 4-8 hours. It’s best when left overnight to chill.
- Plate and serve with a dollop of whipped topping and an orange wedge.
Jenn’s Notes
- Make sure that your cream cheese is soft when you add it to the top of the jello layer and marble it! If it’s too hard it can totally ruin the jello layer.
- I have found that this recipe is best if it is able to sit overnight.
