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Easy Lemon Cheesecake
Easy lemon cheesecake is a sweet and lemony dessert that’s a delightful combination of velvety cream cheese, sweet vanilla crust, and tart lemon curd.
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Sweet and lemony, this rich lemon cheesecake is the perfect dessert for any gathering. With a sweet vanilla wafer crust, this easy lemon cheesecake is topped with lemon curd for an even tangier lemon flavor.
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Easy Lemon Cheesecake
Creamy and bright, lemon cheesecake is a decadent dessert that will melt in your mouth. The velvety cream cheese, sweet vanilla crust, and tart lemon curd combine to create a delightful dessert that tastes like a bite of summer with every mouthful.
Anyone who loves lemon desserts will adore this lemon cheesecake. This refreshing dessert is beautifully garnished with whipped topping and citrus slices. Serve your cheesecake with a tall glass of raspberry iced tea or a cup of coffee.
Perfect for entertaining, this cheesecake needs time to chill and set, so it’s best to make it ahead of time. You can serve guests this easy lemon cheesecake any time of the year when you want a mouth-watering dessert to enjoy.
Easy Lemon Cheesecake Ingredients
- Vanilla wafers - Vanilla wafer crumbs, the contents of 1 box of cookies
- Flour - all-purpose flour
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Salt - kosher salt
- Butter - unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Lemon - lemon zest
- Lemon - lemon juice
- Lemon curd
- Whip cream - extra creamy whip cream spray topping
If your vanilla wafers don’t come pre-crushed, you can crush them yourself by using a food processor or by placing them in a Ziploc bag and using a rolling pin to crush them. You can also substitute boxed graham cracker crumbs in the crust.
Change up the flavor of your cheesecake by using different citrus flavors. Either lime or orange would be delicious options to use for this easy cheesecake recipe.
For swoon-worthy slices, slice the cheesecake while it is cold. Dip a knife in hot water, dry the blade, and then slice, cleaning and rewarming the knife after each cut. Garnish your cheesecake with whipped topping, citrus slices, fresh berries, a mint leaf, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
How to Make Easy Lemon Cheesecake
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
SECOND STEP: Make the crust by combining the vanilla wafer crumbs, flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter in a medium-sized bowl.
THIRD STEP: Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan so that it is tightly packed and goes up the side of the pan about 1 inch. Set aside.
FOURTH STEP: To make the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time until each egg is incorporated. Do this at low speed so that you do not incorporate too much air into the batter.
FIFTH STEP: Add the vanilla, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix the batter just until all the ingredients are incorporated, and the batter is smooth.
SIXTH STEP: Pour the batter over the crust and bake your cheesecake for 60 minutes, or until the top looks set but slightly jiggly. Do not let the top brown.
SEVENTH STEP: Turn off your oven and crack your oven door open, about 2 inches, and allow your cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After that, you can remove your cheesecake and place it on a cooling rack on your kitchen counter until it cools completely for another hour. This helps keep your cheesecake from cracking.
EIGHTH STEP: After your cheesecake has cooled on the counter, spread the lemon curd in a thin, even layer over the top of your cheesecake. This will cover any cracks your cheesecake may have gotten while cooling.
NINTH STEP: Refrigerate your cheesecake for at least 2-4 hours.
Can this cheesecake be made ahead of time?
Since this cheesecake needs time to chill and set, it is actually best to make it ahead of time. Make it 24 hours in advance of serving for the best results.
Can I substitute lemon extract for lemon juice?
Yes, lemon extract can be substituted for lemon juice. However, the lemon extract is more concentrated than lemon juice, so you will only need a couple of drops of the extract to replace the lemon juice.
How do you prevent cheesecake from cracking?
To prevent your cheesecake from cracking, you want to start with room-temperature cream cheese and eggs. You also want to make sure that you don’t overmix your batter as it will cause bubbles that will burst during baking. Also, don’t over bake your cheesecake and once your cheesecake is finished baking, let it sit cooling in the oven for an hour.
How to Store Easy Lemon Cheesecake
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Before adding the top layer of lemon curd, cooled cheesecake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then top with lemon curd and garnishes.
Easy Lemon Cheesecake
Easy lemon cheesecake is a sweet and lemony dessert that’s a delightful combination of velvety cream cheese, sweet vanilla crust, and tart lemon curd.
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Ingredients
Crust:
- 2½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs (the contents of 1 (11-ounce) box of cookies, ground)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
Filling:
- 3 (8-ounces) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from the 1 large lemon that was zested)
Garnish
- 1 (10 ounce) jar lemon curd (good quality)
- 1 (6.5 ounce) can extra creamy whip (cream spray topping)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Make the crust by combining the vanilla wafer crumbs, flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter in a medium-sized bowl.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan so that it is tightly packed and goes up the side of the pan about 1 inch. Set aside.
- To make the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time until each egg is incorporated. Do this at low speed so that you do not incorporate too much air into the batter.
- Add the vanilla, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix the batter just until all the ingredients are incorporated, and the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter over the crust and bake your cheesecake for 60 minutes, or until the top looks set but slightly jiggly. Do not let the top brown.
- Turn off your oven and crack your oven door open, about 2 inches, and allow your cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After that, you can remove your cheesecake and place it on a cooling rack on your kitchen counter until it cools completely for another hour. This helps keep your cheesecake from cracking.
- After your cheesecake has cooled on the counter, spread the lemon curd in a thin, even layer over the top of your cheesecake. This will cover any cracks your cheesecake may have gotten while cooling.
- Refrigerate your cheesecake for at least 2-4 hours.
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Notes
Pro Tip: Make sure your cream cheese and sour cream are the full-fat versions to ensure your cake is as creamy as it can be.
Pro Tip: If your wafers do not come pre-crushed, either place them in a Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them quickly and mess-free, or use a food processor to turn them into crumbs.
Pro Tip: Slice the cheesecake while it is cold to avoid a messy cut. Dip a knife in hot water, dry the blade and then slice. Clean and rewarm the knife after each cut.
Nutrition
Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 263IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
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