This delicious and creamy Lemon Cheesecake combines the rich cheesecake with the zesty, citrusy lemon flavors, resulting in an indulgent and refreshing dessert!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesecake, lemon
Prep Time 40 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour45 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Calories 340kcal
Author Camila Hurst
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2cupgraham cracker crumbs180 grams, or 12 full sheets of graham cracker
1/4cupgranulated sugar50 grams
6tbspunsalted buttermelted (84 grams)
Lemon Cheesecake
1 1/3cupgranulated sugar266 grams
2tbsplemon zest2 lemons
4 8ozblocks of cream cheeseroom temperature (904 grams)
If using whole sheets of graham cracker, you will need about 12 full sheets. Process the graham crackers in a food processor until a fine crumb.
Mix the sugar with the graham cracker crumbs and add the butter. Mix to combine.
Pour the graham cracker crust on the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch springform pan.
Use a cup to press the crust down the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
Remove from the oven and let it cool down.
Lemon Cheesecake
Add the sugar and the lemon zest to the bowl of a mixer.
Mix for a couple of minutes on low. The crystals in the sugar will help extract the oils in the zest, and the sugar will become infused with the lemon taste.
Add the softened cream cheese blocks to the bowl of the mixer with the lemon sugar, and start beating the mixture together on medium speed for a few minutes, until the cream cheese is light and fluffy.
Scrape the bowl, and mix for another minute.
Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and sour cream to the bowl. Mix to combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium-low. Mix each egg just until incorporated, then add the next egg. Scrape the bowl after adding the second egg, to make sure everything is getting incorporated together.
When making cheesecake, I like to scrape the bowl several times, this will help prevent lumps in the cheesecake, because it will better incorporate all the cream cheese with the other ingredients.
Scrape the bowl one final time once all the eggs have been incorporated, and then mix briefly.
After the eggs have been added, avoid over mixing the batter to prevent cracks in the cheesecake, because if the eggs mix too much, they will make the batter expand and deflate as the cheesecake bakes, causing cracks.
Pour the batter over the cooled crust.
Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of foil.
Water bath
Place the cheesecake pan in a larger roasting pan, and add water to the bottom of the roasting pan to form a water bath.
Place the pans in the 350ºF oven and bake the cheesecake for about 65 to 70 minutes.
How to know when the cheesecake is done baking
The cheesecake is done baking when it looks set on top and around the edges. Wiggle the pan around and the center of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly, but shouldn’t appear to be wet.
Turn the oven off and open the door just a little bit. Leave the door open and let the cheesecake sit in there for another hour before removing.
If you remove the cheesecake immediately, it will crack.
Let the cheesecake cool down, and place it in the fridge overnight or for 6 hours before serving.
Whipped cream
Beat the heavy cream with the sugar and the vanilla with a mixer at medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until it forms peaks.
To decorate
Before serving, top the cheesecake with the whipped cream. I added the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a 4B piping tip.
Top the whipped cream with lemon zest and sliced lemon triangles.
Storage
Store the cheesecake in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
Lemon Curd: find the lemon curd recipe here.Cracking: To avoid cracking, don't over mix the eggs once they are added to the batter. Don't skip the water bath. Leave the cheesecake in the oven once it's done baking, so it cools down slowly. And before opening the springform pan, run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake to ensure it won't be stuck to the sides and make the cheesecake split.Room temperature ingredients: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, to ensure they get nicely incorporated together.Alternative citrus: feel free to use meyer lemons, limes, or oranges instead.Digestive biscuits: You can use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers if you can't find them where you are.To freeze: To freeze the cheesecake, bake it and let it cool down. Don't decorate it with whipped cream. Use a cake or bench scraper to remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, place it on top of a piece of parchment paper, and place it on top of a baking sheet. Place the cheesecake in the oven until it freezer, for about 2 hours. Once the cheesecake is frozen, wrap it with plastic wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.