Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon cheesecake is sweet & tart, creamy texture with a graham cracker crust, topped with lemon pastry cream.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Refrigeration 5

Total Time 6 50

Servings people

Calories 675kcal

Author Jessica Robinson

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

2 sleeves graham crackers
25 vanilla wafer cookies
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) salted butter, melted

Cheesecake (10-inch springform pan)

3 (8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs room temperature
2 cups full-fat sour cream
½ cup heavy cream or buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure lemon oil
¼ cup lemon juice
A few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

Lemon Cream Topping

1 (3.4-ounce package) Lemon Jell-O
1 teaspoon pure lemon oil (optional)
1 cup whole milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers and vanilla wafers until they are fine crumbs. You could also put them into a large zip-style freezer bag and use a rolling pin to make fine crumbs.
Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl. Mix in sugar and combine with melted butter. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to stir and combine well.

Cheesecake

Add a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil under and around the sides of a 10-inch springform baking pan. Be sure and wrap the springform pan very well.
Line a 10-inch springform pan with a parchment round. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumb mixture flat and slightly up the sides of the pan.
In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a beater or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, cream together cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
With the mixer on low/medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and combine. Add vanilla extract, lemon oil, lemon juice, sour cream and heavy cream.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined. (Don’t beat on too high of speed or you will add air bubbles to the cheesecake!)
Pour the cheesecake batter into a prepared springform pan. Place the pan on a half sheet pan or into a roasting pan. Pour about 4 cups of hot or boiling water around the cheesecake. Be very careful not to get any water into the cheesecake!
Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 90-95 minutes. Turn the oven off but DO NOT open the oven! Set your timer for another 2 hours. (This will help the cheesecake further cook and cool down gradually to prevent cracks.)
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, lift from the pan with water. Discard the water. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a wire rack to cool. Let it cool for 1-2 hours.
Put toothpicks into the cheesecake top and wrap with a layer of plastic wrap. The toothpicks will help prevent the plastic wrap from sticking to the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight. Use a butter knife or a thin, sharp knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan. Remove from the springform pan prior to slicing.
While the cheesecake is cooling, prepare your lemon pastry cream.

Lemon Pastry Cream

In a large bowl add the lemon pudding, lemon oil and milk; blend together with a whisk for 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator to set. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1-hour.
Add the heavy cream to a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip to stiff peaks. Fold the pudding mixture and whipped cream together using a spatula.
Top the cheesecake with lemon pastry filling before serving. Serve immediately and refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes

Graham cracker crust

If you don't have vanilla wafer cookies, you can use 3 sleeves of graham crackers instead.

Nutrition