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–+ servings
Square image of cheesecake garnished on white plate.
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Lemon Cheesecake

Love delicious, creamy and citrusy desserts? You need to whip up this Lemon Cheesecake right! Easy, tasty, and absolutely a irresistible! One dessert no one will turn down.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Chilling Time:8 hours
Total Time9 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 Slices
Calories: 690kcal
Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted

For the cheesecake:

  • 32 ounces cream cheese softened (4 8 ounce packages)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 10 ounces lemon curd
  • Whipped cream for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set in the refrigerator while making the filling.
  • In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth with no lumps. Slowly add in the sugar, scrape down the sides.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, stirring the first one in completely before adding the next. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, stir to combine. Scrape down the sides, and mix for 5 more seconds.
  • Wrap your pan with heavy duty foil. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth out the top.
  • Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water from the tap halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Place the cheesecake in the roasting pan into the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 1 hour until the center is set. It will still be very slightly jiggly right in the center, that’s perfect.
  • Take the cheesecake out of the oven and out of the roasting pan. Let cool on the counter to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight is best.
  • Remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Smooth lemon curd over the top of the cheesecake. You may need to microwave the curd until it is spreadable, do this in 20 second intervals, stirring in between.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

Notes

  1. Adding in eggs one at a time ensures that will be evenly distributed.
  2. Beat your cream cheese really well before adding in any other ingredients. This helps get the lumps out.
  3. Scrape down the sides of your bowl periodically when mixing, this will also help with keeping lumps out of your cheesecake.
  4. DO NOT SKIP the water bath! If you cannot find a pan large enough to fit your springform pan in, place a pan filled with water on the rack underneath your cheesecake instead.
  5. Make sure to let the pan cool in the oven after the cheesecake is done baking, this is an essential part of the cooking step.
  6. Want the perfect cut slice of cheesecake? Warm-up a knife with hot water, wipe off and then slice cheesecake.
  7. Use store-bought or homemade lemon curd or use none at all.
  8. This can be frozen, see my tips above
  9. Although this Lemon Cheesecake Recipe is time-consuming, cheesecake is always worth it in the end. 
  10. We top this specific one with lemon curd, you can buy store-bought (which we did) or make your own homemade version as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 1598IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg