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Rich & Creamy Lemon Cheesecake

My favorite cheesecake with a buttery cookie crust and tangy lemon curd topping. Perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a texture that’s both rich and light. Tim loved this too, even thought it is not chocolate cake!

Servings: 12-16 slices
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour plus cooling
Total Time: 6-24 hours (including chilling)

Ingredients

Cookie Crust

  • 1 cup finely crushed plain cookies (like animal crackers or tea biscuits) (5 ounces/142 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter, kept warm

Cheesecake Filling

  • 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (1½ pounds/680 grams total), cut into 1-inch chunks and softened at room temperature for 30-45 minutes
  • 1¼ cups sugar (8¾ ounces/248 grams)
  • 1 large lemon (for zest and ¼ cup juice)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon Curd Topping

  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 whole eggs plus 1 yolk
  • ½ cup sugar (3½ ounces/99 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla
  • Tiny pinch salt

Instructions

Prepare the Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Adjust rack to lower-middle position.
  2. In food processor, pulse cookies until very finely ground (about 30 seconds), yielding about 1 cup of crumbs.
  3. Add sugar to processor and pulse 2-3 times to combine.
  4. With processor running, slowly pour in warm melted butter in a steady stream. Pulse about ten 1-second pulses until mixture resembles wet sand.
  5. Transfer to 9-inch springform pan. Using flat bottom of a measuring cup or ramekin, press firmly and evenly into pan bottom, keeping sides clean.
  6. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
  7. Once cool, wrap outside of pan with two 18-inch squares of heavy-duty foil. Place in roasting pan.

Make the Filling

  1. While crust cools, make lemon sugar: In food processor, process ¼ cup sugar with lemon zest for about 15 seconds until sugar turns yellow and zest is finely ground. Transfer to bowl and stir in remaining sugar.
  2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low speed for about 5 seconds to break up.
  3. With mixer running, slowly stream in sugar mixture. Increase to medium speed and beat until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
  4. Reduce to medium-low. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom thoroughly between additions.
  5. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and salt – mix just 5 seconds.
  6. Add heavy cream – mix just 5 seconds more.
  7. Final scrape and stir by hand, then pour into prepared pan.

Baking Method

  1. Fill roasting pan with hot tap water halfway up sides of springform.
  2. Bake at 325°F for 55-60 minutes. Cheesecake is done when:
    • Center still jiggles slightly
    • Sides just start to puff
    • Surface is no longer shiny
    • Center registers 150°F on instant-read thermometer
  3. Turn off oven and prop door open with wooden spoon. Let cake cool in water bath in oven for 1 hour.
  4. Remove springform (without foil) to wire rack. Run small knife around edge to loosen.
  5. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Lemon Curd Topping

  1. While cheesecake bakes, heat lemon juice in nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
  2. Whisk eggs, yolk, and sugar in medium nonreactive bowl.
  3. Whisking constantly, slowly stream hot juice into egg mixture.
  4. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until mixture:
    • Registers 170°F
    • Is thick enough to coat spoon
    • Takes about 3 minutes
  5. Immediately remove from heat. Stir in cold butter pieces until melted.
  6. Stir in cream, vanilla, and salt.
  7. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into nonreactive bowl.
  8. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Assembly

  1. Spread chilled lemon curd evenly over cooled cheesecake using offset spatula.
  2. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-24 hours.
  3. To serve, remove springform sides and cut into wedges.

Recipe Notes

  • Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a smooth filling
  • Water bath prevents cracks and ensures even baking
  • Curd can be made ahead and stored separately
  • Cheesecake keeps well refrigerated for up to 5 days
  • Using a kitchen scale for ingredients, especially the cream cheese and sugar, will give you the most consistent results

Source

Deborah Mundorff adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Lemon Cheesecake