Creamy and rich, this Lemon Cheesecake has a cookie crust and is topped with a tart lemon curd. If you are a lemon lover, this will be your favorite cheesecake recipe!
My love for anything lemon is strong! Some other lemon favorites include Lemon Ice Cream, Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Cream Pie, and Lemon Bars.
The Best Lemon Cheesecake
I have waxed poetic about my love of lemon for years and years now. If I had my choice between lemon or chocolate, I would choose lemon every time. Sweet or savory – lemon is just my favorite.
So I think I don’t even have to tell you about my love for this Lemon Cheesecake. I first posted this cheesecake back in 2008, then again in 2014. And yes – it totally deserves to be updated yet again.
This Lemon Cheesecake starts off with an animal cracker base versus a graham cracker base. And while I do think a graham cracker crust would be delicious, this animal cracker base totally sets this cheesecake apart from others. That is followed by a creamy lemon cheesecake. Once the cheesecake is baked and cooled, you add a homemade lemon curd to the top. Seriously – all of your lemon dreams coming true.
This cheesecake recipe is the perfect mix of sweet and tart and creamy. It’s perfect for entertaining, and perfect for holidays. I’m not kidding when I say this will be a new favorite – just read some of the comments below and you’ll see many others that agree with me!!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
Like I said above, the crust of this cheesecake is made with animal crackers instead of graham crackers. I really love this crust because it compliments the lemon well. You’ll need 5 ounces of the crackers, sugar, and melted butter. If you prefer a graham cracker crust, you can use that instead.
For the Cheesecake:
The cheesecake is made from lots of cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, salt, and cream. I would not suggest using low fat ingredients here. You’ll want fresh squeezed lemon juice, so don’t use the juice from a jar.
For the Lemon Curd:
The recipe for this topping is a little different from my go-to lemon curd (which would also work) but I think this version is perfect for this cheesecake. You’ll need lemon juice (again – use freshly squeezed), eggs and an egg yolk, sugar, butter, cream, vanilla and salt.
How to Make a Lemon Cheesecake
Start with your crust: Process the animal crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the crackers in a bag, but you probably won’t be able to get them as fine. Add the sugar to the mixture, then stream in the butter.
Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. I have tried putting the crumbs halfway up the sides, but I didn’t like the texture, so now I just keep them just on the bottom. Bake this for 13-15 minutes, then remove it from the oven and let it cool.
Once the crust is cool, you will wrap your pan. Scroll down below for a few different methods to do this.
Next we are onto the filling. Get the food processor out again and pulse part of the sugar with the lemon zest. If you don’t have a food processor, use your fingers to rub the sugar and zest together. Stir in the rest of the sugar.
In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese for a few seconds. Then add in the lemon sugar, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix to combine.
Give the batter one last stir on the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything has been incorporated.
Pour this into the crust. Now this goes into the oven to bake until it is just slightly jiggly in the middle, but the surface is no longer shiny. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with a towel or a wooden spoon and let the cheesecake sit in the oven to gradually cool for 1 hour.
While the cheesecake is baking, make your lemon curd. Heat the lemon juice until it is warm. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk with the sugar. Then whisk the warm lemon juice into the egg mixture. (Make sure to whisk constantly so that you don’t scramble your eggs and end up with clumps.) Pour this mixture back into the pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter, cream, vanilla, and salt.
Refrigerate this until you need it.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife around the edge. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 2 hours to cool completely.
Once cool, top the cheesecake with the lemon curd, then refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours, but 24 hours is even better!
How to Create a Leak-Proof Water Bath for Cheesecake
I am a firm believer in a water bath. Not only is it the best way to avoid cracks in your cheesecake, but it helps to give you the best texture.
But I know many people curse them because sometimes water can leak in and ruin your whole cheesecake.
I have learned 2 different techniques to help you avoid that!
- The first is to use the wide heavy duty foil. Normal foil is 12″ wide, while the wide heavy duty foil is 18″ wide. The 18 inches makes it so that you only have to use one sheet which means the water doesn’t have anywhere to sneak in.
- The second technique, shown above, is actually something that I learned from one of you! Wrap your springform pan in a slow cooker liner, then add the foil to the outside of that to hold the bag in place. I was worried about oven temperatures at first, but the slow cooker bags are safe up to 400ºF. And it worked like a charm!
A few more tips when it comes to water baths:
- Be careful when adding the water. You will need a baking dish or roasting pan that fits your springform pan and is at least 2 inches in depth. Even if you think you can walk the pan with the cheesecake and water in it to the oven without spilling or splashing, I still recommend taking the cheesecake and placing it in the baking dish, placing that in the oven and then carefully adding hot water to the dish.
- If you are scared of the water bath or if you are too afraid of the water seeping into your cheesecake, I have heard of others who have had luck placing a pan of water on the rack under the cheesecake. I still think the actual water bath makes for a better cheesecake, but this method is a good alternate.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
- If your lemons are hard, you can roll them on a countertop, pressing them with the heel of your hand to loosen them up. Or pop them into the microwave for a few seconds.
- Always zest the lemon before you juice it. It’s not easy to zest a lemon that has already been juiced!
- The cheesecake needs to be fully chilled before serving.
Storing, Freezing, and Making Ahead
FREEZE: I have not personally ever frozen cheesecake, but research says it can be done. You’ll want to wrap it in both plastic wrap and foil, and then freeze it for only up to a month.
STORE: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it covered so that it will not dry out. The crust will get soggier the longer you keep it, but it will still be good.
MAKE AHEAD: I love that this cheesecake can be made ahead of time, which makes it perfect for holidays. It is actually best when it has been in the refrigerator for a day, so it’s ideal to make it ahead! The original recipe says you can make it up to one day in advance, but I have successfully made it 2 days in advance without any issues.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Sour Cream Cheesecake
White Chocolate Cheesecake with Macadamia Nuts and Caramel
Snickers Cheesecake
Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake
Cranberry Orange Cheesecake
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Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 5 ounces animal crackers
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and kept warm
Filling
- 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 oz.) sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1-2 lemons
- 1 1/2 pounds (3-8-oz. packages) cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Lemon Curd
- 1/3 cup juice from about 2 lemons
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz.) sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place the oven rack in the lower half of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
- Place the animal crackers in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Add in the sugar and pulse again. Add the butter in a steady stream and continue to pulse until the mixture starts to come together, about 10 1-second pulses.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until it is golden brown, about 13-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, wrap the pan with 2 18-inch pieces of foil. Set in a roasting pan and set aside.
- To make the filling, place 1/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor and process until the sugar turns yellow and fragrant. Add in the remaining sugar and pulse a few times to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 5 seconds. With the mixer on low, add in the lemon sugar in a steady stream, then switch to medium and beat until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, 2 at a time, scraping down the bowl in between additions. Add in the lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix to combine. Add in the cream and beat to combine, another 5 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to make sure everything has been incorporated and pour into the springform pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and carefully add enough water to the roasting pan to make it halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center is slightly jiggly and the sides start to puff and the surface is no longer shiny, about 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a towel or wooden spoon. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the roasting pan, remove the foil, and transfer to a wire rack. Run a small paring knife around the edges of the cake and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
- While the cheesecake is baking, make the lemon curd. Heat the lemon juice in a small pan over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, then pour the mixture back into the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170°F, or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt. (If you have lumps in the curd, pour through a fine mesh strainer to strain any lumps.) Pour the curd into a small nonreactive bowl. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- When the cheesecake is cool, top it with the lemon curd while still in the springform pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, but 24 hours is better.
Eden passante says
LOVE lemon everything, especially cheesecake! This looks amazing!
Christa says
This is an amazing recipe! I made this in a mini cupcake tin for a birthday party, and they turned out so cute! For the small cakes, I baked them at the same temp for 30 minutes and let them cool in the oven for 30 more. I set my tin in a jelly roll pan so I could still add water to the half way point. They came out perfect. I can’t wait to bring these to the party, I just have to remember to keep my hands it off then in the meantime!
Sandra says
I just ran across your site this past week and I made this cheesecake, well, sort of. I had some left over lemon glaze frosting, and needed to use it. I saw this cheesecake and knew this was what i needed to make. I made a graham cracker crust, followed your cream cheese filling recipe to the letter, and used my lemon glaze on top. It was PERFECT !! My very first cheesecake !! I am so happy, and a few pounds heavier now. lol. The cheesecake filling was best on the 3rd day. The lemon had had time to blend with the cream cheese and it was AWESOME ! the texture was perfect. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with us. It is a Keeper in my book !!
Maria says
Hi, If this lemon cheesecake tastes as amazing as it looks, my waistline will be in big trouble!! I plan to freeze this cheesecake once I make it for a gathering at the end of the month. Should I freeze it without the lemon curd and then add it the day of the event, or is it okay to freeze the curd with the cheesecake? Thanks.
Jennifer says
I made this cheesecake last Easter and have to say it was the best, smoothest textured, creamy cheesecake I have ever made. I love using animal crackers for the crust. The flavor doesn’t overpower like graham crackers can. It was a big hit and I’m glad I found the recipe so I can make it again this year for Easter. I think it will be one of our Easter dinner traditions.
Deborah says
I’m so glad that it has become a favorite – it’s one of mine, too!
Celeste says
Made this today but used a 9×11 glass pan for bars. I also picked up the Meyer Lemon Thin cookies at Trader Joes for the cookie crust and also their lemon curd for the topping. I used Meyer lemons in the cheesecake batter as well, and it is simply delicious. Thank you
Farrel says
I made this cheesecake the other day. It is incredibly good and well worth the time and effort. It was also a great way to use a few of the tons of lemons on my lemon tree! My only comment is that the recipe doesn’t address when to take off the foil that you wrap around the springform pan, or if it did, I didn’t notice it. I left the foil on until we ate it, which wasn’t a great idea as there was a small amount of water still contained in the foil. When I make it again, I will take the foil off before I place the cheesecake on a rack to cool.
This is a wonderful recipe that I will most definitely make again. Not overly sweet, very creamy and rich. Perfection.
Deborah says
Thanks for your feedback! Sometimes there are steps that I don’t think about including, like when to remove the foil. I have added it to the instructions. I’m glad you enjoyed the cheesecake!
Sue says
He you tried to make these an individual cheesecakes in muffin tins?
Deborah says
I haven’t – I’ve only done the full cheesecake. Let me know if you try!
janel bell says
Made this today. the flavor is light and not overly sweet. I would say perfect except for one thing….It took longer to bake …I will add one or two tablespoons of flour.
Jessica says
i was up all night making this! I am so excited to eat it after dinner tonight! I had to threaten my boyfriend not to touch it!! Haha I’m worried the whole thing will be gone by the time I get home. I used a regular pie pan with wax paper so I hope it comes out ok
Deborah says
I hope you love it!!
Helen says
I have May many cheesecakes in my time and this has to be the best . My guests said that it was as good as any they had eaten so thank you
Ingrid Wilson says
Your cheesecake recipe looks divine, but I just wanted to ask a question-would it make a huge difference if one omitted the lemon curd on top? ( just being lazy!)
Deborah says
I definitely think the final cheesecake would taste different without the curd. There is some lemon in the cheesecake, but most of the lemon flavor comes from the curd. I still think it would be good, but just missing the big lemon element. You can always use premade curd as well, if you don’t feel like making it from scratch.
Cat says
Looks so beautiful! I love the idea for an Easter dessert.
Angella says
I have made this cheesecake twice, once in Canada and now in Jamaica. I did not use a water bath for either cake…too lazy
Sarah says
This was fabulous. I made it for Christmas day dessert and have to make it again for New Year’s Eve! I made a gluten free crust using crushed almond flour lemon shortbread cookies (a failed homemade recipe put to good use) plus 1 cup ground oats and the melted butter and sugar called for in this recipe. I had to bake this crust a bit longer, but it turned out great and didn’t get soggy which I was worried about. I did not do a water bath, but I did put a pan of water in the oven. My cheesecake did crack, but that could be due to several reasons besides not using a water bath (my 1 year old turned the oven off during baking so I had to guess at the baking time, I couldn’t leave the oven door open during cooling with my son around and I ended up forgetting about the cheesecake and letting it cool completely in the oven). Regardless, the crack really didn’t matter because the lemon curd covered it up and no one knew. I love that this recipe doesn’t call for sour cream and it comes out as the more dense, cream-cheesy style cheesecake that is my favorite. Also, even my non-lemon loving sister-in-law enjoyed this because although the lemon flavor is great, it’s not overwhelming.
Deborah says
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!!
Lori Kilmer says
I just made a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving and the recipe I used just told me to put a pan of water about a half inch full of water at the bottom of the oven. I used a 9X11 pan for this purpose. My cheesecake didn’t crack. I think I will use that technique with your recipe. I don’t want leaks of water into the pan. I will let you know how it turn out. That technique worked great with my othe cheesecake. No cracks.
Deborah says
I have actually been hearing about that technique a lot lately. I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to because many people swear by it!