Lemon Cheesecake
This cheesecake is creamy, lemony, summery perfection! A buttery graham cracker crust filled with tangy lemon cheesecake and topped with lemon curd.
Tips for the Best Lemon Cheesecake
Take your ingredients out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking: Make sure your cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream are at room temperature before starting. This helps everything blend easily, giving you a smooth batter with no lumps.
Don’t overmix after adding the eggs: Overmixing incorporates air into the batter so it’s important to stop mixing once you can’t see anymore egg streaks.
Wrap the pan in foil: Tightly wrap the outside of your springform pan with foil to keep water from seeping in while baking.
Tap it on the counter: Once your cheesecake batter is in the pan, give it a few taps on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
Don’t overbake: Bake at 325°F for 55-60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.
Cool it in the oven: When the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven and leave the door slightly cracked open for 1 hour. This allows the cheesecake to slowly cool down to room temperature and helps prevent cracks.
Chill overnight: Refrigerate your cheesecake overnight to let it fully set. It’s worth the wait!
Baking cheesecake in a Water Bath
When you bake a cheesecake in a water bath, the steam from the hot water surrounds the pan and keeps the oven environment extra humid. This keeps the edges from drying out, prevents cracks, and allows the cheesecake to set slowly, giving it that creamy texture throughout. Here’s how to do it:
- Wrap the outside of your springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up the sides. This is a super important step to make sure the water doesn’t leak into the crust.
- Place the springform pan in a large baking dish. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish filling it halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- The steam from the water helps the cheesecake bake slowly and evenly!
Watch how we made it:
Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake
- 32 oz softened cream cheese (4, 8 oz blocks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup heavy cream room temperature*
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup store-bought lemon curd
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up the sides.
- Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325℉.
For the Cheesecake
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Using your fingers, rub together the sugar and lemon zest until fragrant.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld electric mixer, add the cream cheese to the lemon sugar. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking between each addition. Mix just until no egg streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath by placing the pan in a large baking dish. Carefully pour hot water into the baking dish filling it halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Once the cheesecake is done baking, don't take it out of the oven! Turn off the oven and crack the door open slightly (you can use a wooden spoon to prop it). Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
- After that, take it out and let it sit at room temperature for another hour. Then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best for a fully set texture. Make sure the cheesecake has fully cooled to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
- When ready to serve, spread a thin layer of lemon curd on top of the cheesecake. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy!
