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Lemon Cheesecake is a creamy, delicious cheesecake recipe with lemon flavor in every bite! The rich lemon cheesecake is on top a thick graham cracker crust and topped with tart and sweet lemon curd – the perfect baked cheesecake recipe!
I love lemon and I love a good baked cheesecake, so I figured – why not combine them? Lemon Cheesecake has amazing layers of graham cracker crust, smooth lemon cheesecake with the best texture, and lemon curd on top. It is a soft, creamy, and delicious recipe with the best sweetness. If you love lemon, this is the recipe to try!
Ingredients Needed
- Graham Crackers: Or graham cracker crumbs for the crust, along with unsalted melted butter.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar goes in both the crust and the cheesecake.
- Cream Cheese: It MUST be room temperature to avoid lumps.
- Lemon: This recipe used lemon slices for garnish with lemon juice and lemon zest in the cheesecake itself.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Helps the cheesecake be nice and smooth and creamy.
- Eggs: Large eggs should be room temperature.
- Topping: I used my homemade lemon curd recipe to top the cheesecake. It is the perfect topping for so many lemon recipes – especially this cheesecake, but you can definitely buy a jar or leave it off.
How to make Lemon Cheesecake
1. Prepare the pan: Wrap the bottom and up the sides of a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. Wrap the pan in a slow cooker bag or oven bag. This is preparing your pan for a water bath – springform pans are not sealed and you do not want your cheesecake to get water inside.
2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into pan.
3. Pulse granulated sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. This will ensure there is lemon in every single bite!
4. Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth, then mix in lemon sugar.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, then add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt.
6. Slowly pour heavy cream into the mixture while mixing.
7. Add cheesecake batter to prepared pan.
Baking and Cooling Cheesecake
Baking and cooling a lemon cheesecake is a labor of love but worth every step. You’ll bake it a long time in the oven using a water bath (about 50-60 minutes). Then you’ll need to prop open the oven door for an hour – this is to let the cheesecake set before moving it. If you move it too quickly it can fall or crack. Once it’s set, let it cool on the counter to room temperature. Then you need to wrap it loosely with plastic wrap and chill it several hours or overnight.
Expert Tips
- Cheesecake is done when it’s slightly puffed and no longer looks wet. When the pan is tapped it will jiggly slightly (but not roll).
- I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this recipe, but a hand mixer may be used.
- It is VERY IMPORTANT that the cream cheese and eggs be room temperature to avoid lumps in your finished cheesecake.
- Only use fresh lemon juice and zest.
FAQs
I love topping this recipe with my homemade lemon curd, but you can use store bought. Or skip the lemon curd and just use whipped cream and raspberries or even raspberry jam.
Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust (see note):
- 2 cups (175g) graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake:
- 1 ⅓ cups (267g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 (8 ounce/226g) each packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (59ml) lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Toppings:
- Lemon Curd see note
- Whipped Cream
- Lemon Slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare the pan: lay out two or three long strips of foil. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with the foil making sure that the foil comes up at least halfway all the way around.
Crust:
- Make the crust: stir together the graham cracker crumbs and ⅓ cup sugar, then stir in the melted butter. I like stirring this with a fork so it doesn’t get clumpy. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Chill while you make the filling.
Cheesecake:
- Place 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar and lemon zest in a small food processor and run to incorporate the zest into the sugar. This can also be done with a fork or whisk if you don't have a processor. This is to get lemon flavor into every bite of the sugar.
- Beat cream cheese with a stand mixer until smooth. Beat in lemon sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract just until smooth, then add heavy cream and mix about 5 seconds. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl throughout the mixing process to get any clumps of cream cheese stuck to the sides or bottom. Pour into crust.
- Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Place pan in the center of your preheated oven. Pour the boiling water carefully in one corner of the pan, until it reaches about a third to halfway up the cheesecake.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake is just slightly jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven, prop open the oven door, and let it sit for one hour. Remove from oven and remove from water bath, then let it cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Cream cheese and eggs MUST be room temperature to avoid lumps!
- Making the lemon sugar is an extra step but so worth it.
- My lemon curd recipe is perfect for topping – or you can use store bought.
- Learn how to use a water bath if you need a visual.
Best Lemon cheesecake ever due to the lemon custard topping with whipped cream.
I will share my delightful dessert during the holidays.