This classic baked cheesecake made with homemade lemon curd is nothing short of perfection for lemon lovers! One of the best things about this rich cheesecake is the perfect texture! Perfectly creamy and never dry!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A creamy cheesecake bursting with lemon flavor!
- Shortbread cookie crust instead of a graham cracker crust!
- No water bath!
Ingredient Notes
- Lemons - Fresh lemons are used for this recipe. Lemon juice cannot be substituted without altering the end result flavor-wise. Fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest are essential.
- Cream Cheese - Regular full-fat cream cheese is best. Results may vary when subbing reduced-fat cream cheese.
- Sour Cream - Full-fat sour cream is best.
- Shortbread Cookies - I used the Keebler brand, but any brand of shortbread cookies will work.
Couple Things You'll Need
Step by Step Instructions
- We're going to start with the lemon curd.
- In a small pot, bring ⅔ Cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, lemon zest from 2 medium-sized lemons, ½ Cup lemon juice, and 6 Tbs. butter just to a boil.
- While waiting for the contents in the pot to boil, soften the unflavored gelatin in the cold water in a small bowl.
- Whisk it into the boiling lemon liquid in the pot until dissolved.
- Crack the 2 eggs into a small deep bowl or a 4-cup measuring cup.
- Whisk them well.
- Once the gelatin in the pot is dissolved, slowly drizzle the hot lemon liquid into the eggs while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
- After you've whisked all the hot liquid into the eggs, pour it back into the pot and place it back on the stove over medium heat.
- Continue to whisk until the lemon curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat.
- It's best if the lemon curd is not super hot when it's used in this cheesecake.
- Cool it down quickly by setting the pot of lemon curd over a container filled with ice.
- Stir it once in a while to help it cool faster.
- Crush the shortbread cookies into fine crumbs and incorporate the sugar and butter into them.
- Press into a 9-inch spring form pan.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the ⅔ Cup sour cream and ¾ Cup lemon curd until smooth.
- Beat in ⅔ Cup sugar.
- This is the time to make sure your mixture is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so there are no cream cheese lumps in the cheesecake batter.
- Add 2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 Tbs. flour. Beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs and only beat until the 3 eggs are incorporated.
- NOTE - The eggs must be the last ingredient mixed in, and after they are added, only mix until the eggs are incorporated. The eggs hold air bubbles. Overmixing after adding them will add too much air, which will cause your cheesecake to collapse in the center upon cooling.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake filling over the crust in the spring form pan.
- Spoon ½ cup lemon curd into 3 or 4 strips across the top of the cheesecake.
- Move a knife in Figure 8-type motions through the lemon curd and cheesecake filling to swirl it.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. For best results, resist the urge to open the oven door and peek during the baking time.
- The center 2-3 inches should still be jiggly.
- Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then place it in the fridge overnight to cool and chill completely before removing the sides of the springform pan.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the outer ring of the spring form pan.
- Slice your cheesecake and serve.
- Store leftover cheesecake in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent it drying out.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
No water bath?
Nope, this baked cheesecake does not need to be baked in a water bath. There isn't any advantage in doing so. As long as only bake until the center 2 to 3 inches of the cheesecake is still jiggly when the cheesecake is done rather than solid, you'll be just fine.
Do I have to use fresh lemons?
Yes, ALWAYS use fresh lemons for this recipe. You just can't get a good lemony flavor without fresh lemons.
How do I avoid the cheesecake cracking?
Cheesecake cracks from over-baking. Don't bake until the entire cheesecake is solidly set. You're going to do a jiggle test before taking it out of the oven. Slightly jiggle the cheesecake. The center 2-3 inches should still jiggle.
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Lemon Swirl Cheesecake
This classic baked cheesecake made with homemade lemon curd is nothing short of perfection for lemon lovers! One of the best things about this rich cheesecake is the perfect texture! Perfectly creamy and never dry!
Ingredients
Lemon Curd:
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- Zest of 2 medium sized Lemons
- ½ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 6 Tbs. Butter
- 1 Tbs. Cold Water
- 1 teaspoon Unflavored Gelatin
- 2 Eggs
Crust:
- 15 Keebler Sandies Classic Shortbread Cookies
- 3 Tbs. Sugar
- ½ Tbs. Butter
Filling:
- 32 oz Cream Cheese (room temp) 4 x 8 oz packages
- ⅔ Cup Sour Cream
- ¾ Cup Lemon Curd
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 3 Tbs. Flour
- 3 Eggs
Swirl:
- ½ Cup Lemon Curd
Instructions
Lemon Curd:
- In a small pot, bring ⅔ Cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, zest of 2 lemons, ½ Cup lemon juice and 6 Tbs. butter just to a boil.
- While you are watching for that to boil, soften the unflavored gelatin in the cold water.
- Add the softened gelatin to the boiling contents of the pot and whisk until dissolved.
- Crack the 2 eggs into a small deep bowl or a 4-cup measuring cup.
- Whisk them well.
- Slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the eggs while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
- After you've whisked all the hot liquid into the eggs, pour it back into the pot and place it back on the stove over medium heat.
- Continue to whisk until the lemon curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat.
- It's best if the lemon curd is not super hot when it's used in this cheesecake. To cool it down quickly, put the pot over a container filled with ice. Whisk it here and there as you continue to work on the rest of the cheesecake.
Shortbread Crust:
- Crush the shortbread cookies into fine crumbs and incorporate the sugar and butter into them.
- Press into a 9-inch springform pan.
Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the ⅔ Cup sour cream and ¾ Cup lemon curd until smooth.
- Beat in ⅔ Cup sugar. This is the time to make sure your mixture is completely smooth. No cream cheese lumps.
- Add 2 teaspoon vanilla and 3 Tbs. of flour. Beat until smooth.
- Add the mix and only beat until the 3 eggs are incorporated.
- Pour over the crust in the springform pan.
- Spoon ½ cup lemon curd into 3 or 4 strips across the top of the filling.
- Move a knife in Figure 8-type motions through the lemon curd and cheesecake filling to swirl it.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. The center 2-3 inches should still be jiggly.
- Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, then place it in the fridge overnight to cool and chill completely.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the outer ring of the spring form pan.
- Slice your cheesecake and serve.
Notes
- Lemon juice must be fresh
- No, you don't need a water bath.
- Cheesecake is done when the center 2-3 inches is still jiggly.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 6gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 123mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 949IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Candice Minello
I'm going to make this for Christmas. Question on the crust. Only 1/2 tablespoon of butter? Also, can I make this in a 9 x 13 pan? I do not have a springform pan. Thank you.
Mindee
Yes, you can make this in a 9x13. Also yes, just 1/2 Tbs. of butter. In testing for this recipe I found the shortbread cookies to be on the greasy side so if I added more butter than that the crust ended up really oily. If you get it mixed up and you feel like you need to add more butter to the crust I would do so in 1/2 Tbs increments just to be safe.
Liat
My sister made this for a family birthday and it was hands down the best cheese cake I've ever had! Just delicious!
mindeescookingobsession
Thank you so much!!!