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Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
5 from 12 votes

Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

This lemon cheesecake features a graham cracker crust and a creamy filling made from cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, eggs, and heavy cream. The top is adorned with lemon curd and optional whipped cream, offering bright citrus notes and smooth texture that balances sweetness with tanginess, ideal as a refreshing dessert.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Additional Time
6 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 9 -inch cheesecake (about 8 slices)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Australian, International

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Crust:
  • 2 cups (240g) graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7 Tablespoons (98g) butter melted, unsalted
For the Lemon Cheesecake:
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (299g) granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon (14g) lemon finely grated, packed, zest
  • 5 ounce bricks (1130g) full-fat cream cheese
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
  • 4 large egg room temperature
  • 3 large egg room temperature, yolk
  • 2/3 cup (151ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup (57ml) heavy cream room temperature
For the Topping:
  • 3/4 cup (171g) lemon curd homemade or store-bought
  • Whipped Cream optional
  • lemon optional, slices
  • mint optional, sprigs

Instructions

For the Graham Cracker Crust:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick baking spray. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with heavy duty extra wide aluminum foil. I recommend doing several diligent layers here to ensure no water creeps through when you place the pan in the water bath. Set the pan aside. 
  2. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Mix well. 
  3. Press the crust into the prepared pan, pressing the crust down firmly and slightly up the sides. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place partially baked crust on a cooling rack and set aside while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven to 300 degrees (F).
For the Lemon Cheesecake:
  1. In the bowl of a large food processor, beat sugar and lemon zest until well combined. 
  2. Add in the cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
  3. On the lowest speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 
  4. Beat in the lemon juice, mixing until just combined. Beat in the heavy cream, mixing just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to ensure the batter is smooth and all of the ingredients have been evenly combined. 
  5. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and, using a silicone spatula, smooth the top. Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan with 3-inches of hot water. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.
  6. Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the oven door just slightly. Let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, in the oven in the water bath for 45 minutes as it cools down. 
  7. Remove cake from the oven and lift out of the water bath. Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack and cool completely, then chill for at least 6 hours. Do not remove the pan until completely cooled! 
For the Topping:
  1. Using a small offset spatula, spread the lemon curd on top of the cooled cheesecake. Spread it to the edge of the cheesecake, but don’t spread it so far it spills over the side. Top with swirls of whipped cream, lemon slices, and mint sprigs. Slice and serve. 
  2. Top with swirls of whipped cream, lemon slices, and mint sprigs. Slice and serve.