Cheap Cheesecake

Since tomorrow is the 4th, I thought I’d share with you my favorite (ok, only) cheesecake recipe. I have been making this cheesecake for years, and it never disappoints. It’s totally nonbake, and just about the easiest thing you can throw together. If you need an easy, take-along dessert, this one is the best.

I got this recipe many years ago in high-school. One of the required classes was Speech, and one of the required speeches was a demonstration. One of the students used this recipe as her inspiration. I’m sure she got an A+ on it. I didn’t even need to write this down; I remembered it then, and I’ve remembered it all these years - it’s that easy!

Here goes:

1 pkg cream cheese

1 tub Cool Whip

1 graham cracker crust

Let cream cheese soften up a bit on the counter (maybe 30 minutes). Mix softened cream cheese and tub of Cool Whip together. Put this mixture in graham cracker crust. Chill in fridge until nice and cool and firm. Enjoy!

You can make this festive enough for the Fourth by pouring a can of cherry-pie filling on top, and adding a border of fresh blueberries (which also adds considerably to the cost). But it is pretty darn good just plain, too.

Now, this is not the cheapest cake recipe around. This week at Kroger, Philadelphia Cream Cheese can be had for 4 for $5 ($1.25 ea.) and at Tom Thumb, Cool Whip topping is available for 4 for $5 as well. (I can’t find any graham cracker crusts on sale). However, I know that store brands of these ingredients are available, and they work just fine.

You can always go the “made from scratch” route, too. For instance:

I found this recipe for Whipped Topping on the back of my Dry Milk box. Here it is:

Mix 1/2 cup Instant Nonfat Dry Milk with 1/2 cup cold water. Beat to soft peak stage - about 4 minutes at medium-high speed on electric mixer. Ad 1/2 tsp lemon or vanilla extract and beat 6 to 7 minutes at same speed. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat 1 minute at same speed.

I estimate that a standard tub of Cool Whip is about 2 cups, so I would probably double or triple this recipe for a sufficient quantity to make a cheesecake.

I’ve never made this version of Whipped Topping before, but I think it’s worth a try. Wouldn’t we all like to be freed from the tyranny of Cool Whip? You know what I mean - every holiday you only use half the container, and the rest ends up becoming a mold experiment. Plus, this recipe is pretty healthy, if that’s a consideration for you.

Here is what Miss Betty Crocker says about Graham Cracker Crusts: Mix 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 20 squares), 1/3 cup butter or stick margarine, and 3 TBS sugar. Press mixture firmly against bottom and side of pie plate. Bake 10 minutes or until light brown in a 350 oven. Let cool.

I have no idea how to make a cream cheese equivalent. I think you would need to own a cow, which is not very practical or economical for most of us in the suburbs. Most likely you will just have to bite the bullet and buy it.

So if you had the ingredients on hand for the Whipped Topping and the graham cracker crust (which is very easy to make), you could make this cheesecake quite economically. In my experience, cheesecake is one of the pricier desserts, so even if you buy all the ingredients I think that you will still come out ahead.

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!