1 Lemon Fridge Cheesecake

There are so many different versions of this recipe and, in my experience, they’re all very manageable. Fridge cheesecakes are invariably easier than their baked counterparts because they don't require the precision of an oven. For the best results, look for a variation that combines mascarpone with fresh lemon. The soft, velvety cheese and the sweet, sharp acidity of the fruit makes for a fabulous combination that feels light and refreshing after a heavy meal.

If you enjoy these citrus notes, you'll love how easy it is to prepare these summer treats in advance.

2 All Biscuit Based Cheesecakes

This isn’t so much a specific kind of cheesecake as it is a brilliant tip to reduce your prep time. It has become very popular to use a crumbled biscuit and butter base instead of baking your own shortcrust pie-shell, and for me, this is definitely a step in the right direction. If you’re looking to minimize effort, I highly recommend breaking out the cookie jar. Making pastry requires quite a bit of work and involves several steps, including both resting time and blind baking, whereas a biscuit base is ready in minutes.

3 Straightforward New York Cheesecake

This is pretty much everyone’s go-to variety: it’s simple, clean, and incredibly easy to make. Essentially, it is your average baked vanilla cheesecake but with a layer of creamy topping spread over the surface. There are literally myriad recipes out there, but I’ve found the best ones use crème fraiche or sour cream for both the filling and the topping. This prevents the cake from becoming too sweet and makes for a slightly more sophisticated dessert that pairs perfectly with a no-bake dessert spread if you're serving a variety.

4 Baked Peanut Brittle Cheesecake

If you’re keen to serve a dish that’s a little different, but you really don’t want to complicate things in the kitchen, this is a fantastic way of turning a simple baked vanilla cheesecake into something special. Simply bake your dessert as per your favorite recipe and layer high-quality peanut brittle over the top. If you’re feeling bold, you can bash up a few peanuts and add them to the biscuit base for extra crunch. Serve the cake drizzled in caramel; shop-bought toffee sauce will work just as well!

5 Cheese Cake Brownies

If you’re keen on baking, you’ll doubtless have come across a variety of recipes which combine dark chocolate brownies with a sharp cream cheese topping. Usually, this simply involves laying slices of cold Philadelphia onto the mixture in your brownie pan before you put it in the oven to bake. However, one great variation asks you to whip your cream cheese with eggs and sugar before spreading it over the chocolatey layer. The result is a heavenly cross between a brownie and a cheesecake, and best of all, it is incredibly simple to execute.

Common Cheesecake Base Options

6 Basic Blueberry Cheesecake

Another very simple variation on the standard vanilla version, this simply requires that you add a blueberry compote to either your baked or fridge cheesecake. If you’d like to get a little more technical, you certainly can. Whizz up a handful of blueberries in a blender and stir these very gently through your cold cheesecake mixture before putting it in the refrigerator or oven. This should give you a beautiful swirl effect that looks professional with very little effort.

7 Creamy Banana Pie

This is basically a fridge cheesecake and needs no baking at all. It’s also extremely easy to make and involves blending together mascarpone, double cream, and sugar, then thinly slicing a couple of bananas and adding these to the mixture. In the past, I’ve given it a "banoffee" twist and stirred in a dollop of caramel as well, which is absolutely delicious. You can use either a biscuit base and a springform tin or, if you prefer a more traditional pie feel, you can pour the whole thing into a ready-made short-crust case.

Once you’ve mastered the basic vanilla variation, cheesecake is a very easy dessert to dress up by adding various compotes, nuts, fruit, and chocolate... or whatever you feel like! What are your favorites? Do you have any suggestions to add to my list of 7 easy cheesecakes?