Lemon cheesecake is one of the most popular cheesecake recipes. This cheesecake recipe is a creamy and flavorful dessert with a sour and tangy lemon flavor. This recipe will show you how to make lemon cheesecake from scratch with a buttery graham cracker crust.
I love all kinds of cheesecake. From super-fancy cheesecakes topped with fruits and frosting, swirled or layered, to simple varieties that are nothing more than a crust and cheesecake topping, I love all varieties of this classic dessert. When I want something simple and delicious, I opt for this incredibly easy cheesecake recipe. Every bite is full of zesty lemon flavor, and it’s super easy to make. It’s the best of both worlds, and it’s the perfect dessert for everything from weeknight dinners to potlucks and holiday gatherings. Its simplicity makes it the perfect choice for any occasion!
Lemon Cheesecake
This delicious cheesecake starts with a simple graham cracker crust. Then I top it with a lemon cheesecake batter that’s super rich and creamy and cooks up to perfectly dense perfection. Finally, I finish it off with dollops of whipped cream around the edge – not much, just enough. What I end up with is a marvel of simple perfection that is absolutely delicious from the first bite to the last.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
- It’s creamy, delicious, and always a favorite cheesecake recipe.
- It’s made completely from scratch – even the homemade whipped cream.
- It is easy to make, and it’s the perfect spring and summer dessert.
Lemon Cheesecake Ingredients
You’ll only need a few basic ingredients to make this recipe. You probably have most of them in your kitchen right now, and the ones you don’t have are easily found at your local grocery store. The actual measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Remember, you can click the “jump to recipe” button at the of the post if you ever want to head right to the recipe.
- Graham crackers
- Melted butter
- Full fat cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- All purpose flour
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon extract
- Large eggs
- Yellow food coloring, if desired
How to Make Lemon Cheesecake
Making this cheesecake is relatively easy. Although it is homemade, the only special approach you need to take is using a water bath, which is incredibly simple in and of itself. Follow the directions, and you’ll be totally fine!
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Then, spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Make the Graham Cracker Crust
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Then, add the mixture to the bottom of the springform pan, spreading it evenly on the bottom and up the sides.
Step 3: Make the Cheesecake Batter
Beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Then, add the sugar and beat again. scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest, and flour into the mixture and beat until combined. Finally, add the eggs and beat until just combined, and pour the batter over the crust. Gently tap on counter to remove any air bubbles.
Step 4: Bake
Place the pan on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap it up the sides of the entire pan. Then, place the pan in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for 65 to 75 minutes until the center is just a little jiggly.
Step 5: Cool
Remove the cheesecake and let it cool in the roasting pan for about an hour. Then, remove the pan from the roasting pan and set it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Finally, chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 6: Decorate and Serve
When ready to serve, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. Then, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and decorate the top edge of the cheesecake with dollops of whipped cream. Slice and enjoy!
How to Prepare a Water Bath for Cheesecake
Water baths sound fancy but they’re actually not. Simply place the aluminum foil wrapped springform pan in a larger roasting pan. Then, add boiling water to the roasting pan until the water level reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan. That’s it!
What to Serve with Lemon Cheesecake
Cheesecake is perfect with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. It’s also wonderful as part of a larger dessert table with cupcakes, pies, cakes, and the like at potlucks or parties. This classic dessert is also a great finisher to a rustic comfort food meal of roast, steak, chicken, or pork.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to spray the springform pan AND the top of the parchment paper you line it with. This ensures that your cheesecake releases.
- Use fully-softened cream cheese and room-temperature eggs for the best cheesecake texture.
- Stop whipping the heavy cream AS SOON as stiff peaks form. If you overwhip whipped cream, it deflates.
- Always let your cheesecake cool in the water bath for an hour to ensure it cools slowly enough.
Variations
- Use orange juice, zest, and extract to make orange cheesecake.
- Omit the lemon for plain cheesecake.
- Top the cheesecake with blueberries for a classic lemon and blueberry combination.
Recipe FAQ
What is the most common type of cheesecake?
The most common and popular type of cheesecake is New York-style cheesecake.
What is a good substitute for heavy cream?
Milk and butter is the classic combination to approximate the fat, liquid, and protein ratio of heavy cream. Depending on what you’re using the heavy cream for, other substitutions include:
- Soy milk and olive oil
- Milk and cornstarch
- Half-and-Half and butter
- Silken tofu and soy milk
- Greek yogurt and milk
- Evaporated milk
- Cottage cheese and milk
Why do people add sour cream to cheesecake?
Sour cream tempers the cream cheese in cheesecake, resulting in a softer texture. It also adds a more tangy flavor.
How long will lemon cheesecake last in the fridge?
Homemade cheesecake will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze lemon cheesecake?
Yes. Cheesecake freezes well and will last for up to 1 month in the freezer.
How to Store Lemon Cheesecake
Store this cheesecake in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 1 month in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Try This Delicious Lemon Cheesecake Recipe Today
This lemon cheesecake recipe is so much easier to make than you think and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s the perfect combination for a classic dessert that everyone will love and that you’ll love to make. Whip up this cheesecake for your next dessert or get-together and watch it disappear. You’re going to love it, and so will your friends and family.
More Delicious Lemon Dessert Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Lemon Cheesecake Squares – These delicious cheesecake squares are packed with delicious lemony flavor in every bite along with a homemade blueberry topping.
Mini Lemon Cheesecakes – These mini cheesecakes are full of zesty and tart lemon flavor and are topped with a lemon glaze. The perfect size dessert that satisfies those cheesecake cravings.
Cream Cheese Lemonade Pie – This delicious lemonade pie recipe is creamy, lemony, and the most popular dessert recipe on the blog. Almost 2 million shares, it’s that good!
And, here is a Lemon Pretzel Dessert, from Deliciously Seasoned, that you’ll enjoy as well.
Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 ⅔ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup melted butter
Lemon Cheesecake
- (4) 8 ounce full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract
- 5 large eggs, room temperature, lightly whisked
- 3 drops yellow food coloring, if desired
- Boiling water, enough to go up halfway on the side of the roasting pan.
Homemade Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° and spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper and lightly spray again. Set aside.
Graham Cracker Crust
- In a medium bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Stir until combined.
- Add graham cracker mixture into the prepared springform pan and press on the bottom and up the sides.
Lemon Cheesecake
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until smooth.
- Pour heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest and flour into cream cheese mixture and beat until combined.
- Beat eggs on low just until combined and pour into the prepared crust.
- Place the springform pan on aluminum foil and wrap the foil up around the sides. Make sure to cover all the way up so no water can get between the aluminum foil and the pan.
- Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan or shallow pan.
- Add boiling hot water halfway up the springform pan (this helps the cheesecake from cracking).
- Bake for 65 -75 minutes or until the center is almost set and still a little jiggly.
- Carefully remove from the oven and let the water cool enough then remove cheesecake from the roasting pan and set on a wire rack to cool. Once cool enough, place in the refrigerator and chill for 4+ hours or overnight then remove cheesecake from the springform pan, top with homemade whipped cream and lemon slices, if desired, and enjoy.
Homemade Whipped Cream
- In a small bowl, beat heavy cream, sugar and vanilla on high until stiff peaks form.
- Garnish on completely cooled cheesecake before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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