The Secret Ingredient For A Creamy No-Bake Cheesecake

When you're whipping up a cheesecake, there are two different standard preparation methods. Some classic cheesecake recipes call for the dessert to be baked in the oven, giving the top of the filling a smooth, golden color. Others, however, don't require any heat to finish off the dessert. Instead, the cheesecake is allowed to set up by being chilled in the fridge.

If you opt to make your cheesecake without turning the oven on, there's one easy ingredient that could make your dessert a little extra creamy: instant pudding mix. Start with your favorite no-bake cheesecake recipe, and begin preparing it according to the instructions. Once you start preparing the filling, pour in a package of instant pudding powder. As the instant pudding mix starts to set up in the cheesecake batter, it can absorb a little extra liquid from the other ingredients. As this happens, the cheesecake filling will take on a smoother, creamier texture thanks to the pudding mix.

Once the mix is ready, it can be poured into your prepared crust. A graham cracker crust is typical for cheesecakes, but there are plenty of other cheesecake crusts that can make for a delicious base for your no-bake cheesecake. Smooth out your filling once it's been poured into your mold, then allow it to set up in the fridge. After a few hours, you can slice up your dessert and serve it. Yes, it's as easy as that.

While the instant pudding powder adds a little extra creamy sweetness to your no-bake cheesecake, it can also help the structure of the dessert, too. Most instant pudding mixes contain modified cornstarch, which can act as a thickening agent in the dessert. While standard cornstarch can act as a great thickener in warm dishes like soup, modified cornstarch can be used in cooler foods, like no-bake cheesecake.

The recommendation was even endorsed by the Jell-O company, which produces quite a few flavors of instant pudding mix. The brand even ran a print advertisement in 1972 for a Jell-O no-bake cheesecake recipe.

If you don't want to alter the cream cheese-forward flavor, vanilla instant pudding is mild enough in flavor that it won't alter the taste of your no-bake cheesecake — it'll just add in a little bit of extra sweetness. But if you're really concerned about flavor deviation, some brands even sell cheesecake-flavored instant pudding that you can add instead to help enhance the tangy flavor of cheesecake.

If you want to change the taste, you can use a fruity-flavored pudding mix to take your cheesecake in a different direction. This can work especially well if you're already planning on topping off your cheesecake with fresh fruits, a fruit coulis, or sauce. Try mixing in some strawberry pudding mix with fresh strawberry topping or strawberry coulis. Try lemon pudding mix and top your cheesecake with mascarpone-lemon cream. Or mix in cherry pudding mix and spread some cherry preserves on top. With so many pudding mix flavors, you can get creative with your toppings.

The next time you're mixing up some no-bake cheesecake, try pouring in a package of instant pudding. The dessert powder makes your cheesecake creamier, while adding some additional structure and flavor to the cheesecake, too.