Potluck Cheesecake Dessert – The Perfect Party Cheesecake Recipe

This Potluck Cheesecake Dessert is an easy cheesecake recipe with a no bake cheesecake filling on top of a Nilla Wafer crust. It’s creamy, quick, with crushed pineapple to give it an extra fruity sweetness!

This nostalgic cheesecake dessert is a family favorite! It’s called Potluck Cheesecake Dessert because it’s perfect for Potlucks and BBQs…anywhere you need to bring a dessert, this one is going to be a fast favorite. The crust is made with Nilla Wafers and the filling is a quick and easy no bake cheesecake, with crushed pineapple to make it extra delicious.

I have a fantastic No Bake Cheesecake Recipe her eon my site, if you’re looking for something classic, but this is a great recipe when you want something a little different, but one that everyone will love!

This recipe was originally published in 2014 and was recently updated with new photos and new tips in 2019.

What Exactly IS a Potluck Cheesecake Dessert?

I recently pulled out an old school cookbook from my cabinet…the kind that was a school fundraiser where all the moms submitted their favorite recipes and they were all printed in a book. Aren’t those the best? Everyone’s signature recipes all combined into one neat little book…a treasure trove of lost desserts from my childhood.

And this Potluck Cheesecake Recipe came straight from one of these books

It has a thick Nilla Wafer crust..buttery and delicious…and it’s topped with a creamy, yet surprisingly light layer of cream cheese, crushed pineapple and Cool Whip.

It’s one of those desserts that you could eat 17 slices of and never be full…because you just need ONE MORE BITE.

How Do You Make Potluck Cheesecake?

The steps for this recipe are un-suprisingly easy.

1. The crust is made from a whole box of Nilla Wafers, which you will completely crush. you can do this with a rolling pin and a zip-top bag, a food processor or a blender.
2. I like a pinch of salt added to the crust as well for a little balance. You have a lot of sweet ingredients in this cheesecake recipe, so a small amount of salt is a nice addition. You could also certainly use graham crackers if you prefer!
3. You do bake the crust for this recipe, so it’s a half no-bake recipe. I like the crunch a baked crust gives as opposed to an unbaked crust. But the good news is it only takes 5-ish minutes in the oven.
4. While the crust is cooking, you can make your filling. You can even pop the crust in the fridge to cool a little faster!
5. The filling is easy as the ingredients are only cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, Cool Whip, and crushed pineapple. Make sure to drain the pineapple super well before adding it.
6. Once you’ve mixed all your filling ingredients just spread it on top of the cooled crust and that’s it! Let it chill for at least 3 hours and you’re all set!

Can You make This Cheesecake In Advance?

Yes, absolutely! If you’re serving this for a party, this recipe is a great way to get your dessert made ahead of time. The longer it chills, the better it will be!

you can even just make the crust the day ahead, cover it and store it at room temperature. make the filling the day you’re going to serve it if you would like, just make sure you allow at least 3 hours of chill time.

Can You Freeze This Cheesecake?

Indeed you can! Make sure to cover it airtight before popping it in the freezer for up to 30 days. You can even enjoy this dessert recipe frozen if you would like!

How To Thaw Cheesecake

The best way to thaw cheesecake out if you freeze it, is in the refrigerator. This will take a few hours at least, but it’s the best way. I don’t recommend thawing this at room temperature, as it won’t thaw evenly.

Looking for More Cheesecake Recipes? Try These:

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