This highly requested Lemon Cheesecake uses homemade lemon curd for a bright and sunny flavor. My recipe is simple and uses NO water bath with beautiful, smooth results. Watch the how-to video before baking for best results!
Lovely & Oh So Lemony Cheesecake
This lemon cheesecake has a sunny, perfectly tart flavor and a smooth, sweet custard filling set without a water bath (the only way we do cheesecake around here!). It’s accented by a crisp graham cracker crust and lush homemade whipped cream for a beautifully balanced dessert any cheesecake lover will absolutely adore.
I’ve received a lot of requests for a lemon version of my classic cheesecake. I tried many methods to achieve this, like adding lemon juice, zest, and even extract to the batter–but everything yielded flat-tasting, so-so results.
Finally, I had a breakthrough while making my lemon frosting; perhaps the best way to make lemon cheesecake was to build it on a lemon curd base! That method was a clear winner, and it’s the one I’m sharing with you today. It produces a brightly flavored lemon cheesecake with the perfect level of tartness and sweetness–exactly what I was looking for, and hopefully what you’re looking for too!
What You Need
Even with the extra step of making your own lemon curd, there are not many ingredients needed to make this lemon cheesecake; here are a few of the important ones:
- Lemon juice. Fresh squeezed is best. I typically need about three lemons, but you may need more or less depending on the size of yours.
- Egg yolks. You’ll need only the yolks for your lemon curd, so save your egg whites for Oreo cupcakes or confetti cupcakes–both use exactly three egg whites!
- Light brown sugar. I use a blend of granulated and light brown sugar in my crust for a richer flavor. You can use dark-brown sugar in a pinch (or homemade brown sugar), but just know it will impart a stronger flavor.
- Cream cheese. I only recommend using full-fat, brick style cream cheese. Anything else (tub-style, low-fat, etc.) won’t work the same and your cheesecake may not set properly.
One ingredient you’ll notice we’re not using today is vanilla extract. It subdued the lemon flavor of the cheesecake too much, so we’ll leave it out!
SAM’S TIP: You may notice the crust I’m using today has a little bit less butter than usual. This is intentional! The batter for this lemon cheesecake is somewhat wetter than the one for my classic cheesecake, so I reduced the butter in the crust just a tad to prevent a soggy crust and any leaks while in the oven.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Lemon Cheesecake
- Combine all lemon curd ingredients in a pot and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until just beginning to thicken.
- Pour the curd through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-proof bowl and let cool completely.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugars, then add your melted butter and toss with a fork.
- Press the crumbs into a springform pan, making sure to go up the sides of the pan at least ⅔ of the way.
- Combine the cream cheese and sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Scrape the bowl, then slowly drizzle in the cooled lemon curd with the mixer on low speed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then scrape the bowl and stir again until smooth.
- Pour the batter into your prepared crust and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then chill completely before decorating, slicing, and serving.
SAM’S TIPS FOR AVOIDING CRACKS: Since we aren’t using a water bath today, make sure you’re taking precautions to avoid cracks, like not over-beating the batter (incorporating too much air) and not over-beating the eggs (can make the texture of the cheesecake funny). I’ve also learned that if you press the crust up higher than the cheesecake batter will reach, the crust will shrink with the cheesecake as it cools and will keep your cheesecake from cracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
While making your own lemon curd is an extra step, it adds the proper flavor and texture to the cheesecake that can’t be guaranteed with store-bought. I highly suggest you make your own for the best lemon cheesecake!
If you’re persistent and still want to try substituting store-bought, you’ll need about ½ cup.
I never use a water bath when making my cheesecakes and have found it to be unnecessary. As long as you follow my tips to prevent cracks, you should be fine!
If you’d like to garnish your lemon cheesecake with some freshly grated lemon zest or fold it into the batter, that’s totally fine.
Yes! Chill your cheesecake in the fridge as instructed, then thoroughly wrap it in plastic wrap and a final layer of foil before freezing. Your cheesecake will keep in the freezer for several months this way. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
I know so many of you have been anticipating this one, and I hope it exceeds your expectations. 💛
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
For Curd
- ½ cup (118 ml) lemon juice fresh-squeezed is best!
- 3 large egg yolks discard egg whites or save for meringues
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
For Crust
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar firmly packed
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For Cheesecake
- 24 oz (680 g) cream cheese softened (use brick-style, full-fat cream cheese)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ batch homemade whipped cream for topping (optional)
Recommended Equipment
- Small saucepan Use a non-reactive material, such as stainless steel
Instructions
Curd
- Prepare curd first so it has time to cool. In a small stainless steel saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, 3 egg yolks, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, and salt until combined.½ cup (118 ml) lemon juice, 3 large egg yolks, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Add butter and transfer saucepan to stovetop over medium-low heat. Stir or whisk constantly until butter is completely melted.4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
- Once butter is melted, continue to stir constantly and watch the mixture until it thickens slightly and becomes more opaque. The mixture will also likely begin to simmer just below the surface once ready. Remove from heat and immediately pour curd through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl.
- Allow curd to cool completely before adding to cheesecake batter (detailed below). To speed up the process, you can place a piece of wax paper against the surface of the curd (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate, this typically takes about 30 minutes to cool. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325F (160C) and prepare crust.
Crust
- In a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar.1 ½ cups (170 g) graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- Add melted butter and use your fork to toss everything together until all the crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan (as high as you can, this crust should reach at least ⅔ way up the sides of the pan). I like to use a measuring cup or clean glass to press the crumbs into the pan. Set aside and prepare cheesecake filling.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Cheesecake batter
- (Note that your oven should be preheating to 325F/160C at this point) In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine softened cream cheese and ¾ cup (150g) sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually drizzle in lemon curd and stir until completely combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring until just-combined after each addition.2 large eggs
- Scrape sides and bottom of bowl again and stir until batter is uniform and smooth and pour cheesecake batter into prepared crust.
- Transfer to center rack of 325F/165C preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. The center of the cheesecake should be almost set but will still slightly jiggle in the center when jostled once the cheesecake is finished baking.
- Allow to cool to room temperature for 30-60 minutes then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 5-6 hours before serving (I do not remove the collar from the springform pan until I am ready to serve).
- Serve topped with homemade whipped cream, if desired. I made a half batch of my homemade whipped cream and used an Ateco 848 piping tip to pipe around the edge of the lemon cheesecake.½ batch homemade whipped cream
Notes
Saucepan
When making the curd use a non-reactive saucepan, such as one made of stainless steel, glass, or enameled cast iron. Avoid using aluminum, copper, or iron (such as non-enameled cast iron) pans, which can react with the lemon and cause a metallic taste.Substituting store bought curd
I don’t really recommend substituting store bought lemon curd as it may contain different ingredients or more sugar and the taste and outcome may not be quite the same. However, if you are determined to try you will need about ½ cup of curd.Storing
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I store my cheesecake in the springform pan it was baked in and cover with foil or plastic wrap.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Farah
I love this recipe and have made it several times over—always a hit. I am wondering if I could keep the recipe the same BUT substitute out the lemon curd for pineapple curd?
Sam
Hi Farah! That should work just fine. 🙂
Becky
The lemon curd for this recipe appears to be about a half batch of your just lemon curd recipe but still uses 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Why is that?
Sam
Hi Becky! It is because the curd for this recipe was specially customized to meet the needs of the cheesecake. It was meant to not be as thick as traditional curd and needed to be more potent in lemon flavor.
Martha J Fisher
I made this cheesecake and it is so good! It has just the right amount of lemon flavor and the texture is velvety smooth. We call these recipes “keepers” in our home!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Martha! 🙂
Mindy
I knocked off a couple stars because recipe doesn’t mention that you aren’t supposed to use metal when cooking the curd & I learned that the hard way! I literally googled why does my curd taste like metal in and got my answer 😆 I already used my only lemons, and just hoped that it would taste better once it cooked.. One commenter said theirs had a metallic taste as well but that it tasted fine once cooked and chilled.. Well mine still had a metallic taste once cooked and chilled. I will say however what saved the cheesecake to be edible was once we served my huckleberry syrup and whip cream on top, it helped mask the bad taste quite a lot but not 100%.
***I would attempt this recipe again, as I believe it has great potential to be yummy! I just needed readers to know the importance of understanding there is a reaction that happens with metal. AVOID it. it will make your curd taste like a tin can lol.***
Miriam Rose Blanar
If I wanted to make this in a 9 inch pie pan, would a half recipe work?
Sam
Hi Miriam! I haven’t personally tried it, but I think half the batter should fill a 9 inch pie pan. 🙂
Michelle
No sour cream in this one?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Michelle! With the flavor from the lemon curd, we didn’t find it necessary here. Hope that helps 😊
Camille
Hi! I am looking forward to trying this recipe. How can I reduce to fit a 6 inch springform pan?
Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Camille! Cutting the recipe in half will make slightly more than will fit into a 6 inch springform pan. Just be sure not to overfill or over-bake (you will have a new bake time!), and you should be good. Hope this is helpful 🙂
Lisa Cece
In the oven now. Says to cook for 45-60 minutes, but on recipe card says 45? What’s the best way to check? Also, do we ket it rest 10 minutes before using knife around edge or us that only for your regular cheesecake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Lisa! We’re so sorry for the mix-up–that was definitely a typo on our end. Always follow the recipe card in this case! Step #5 in the recipe card addresses both of your concerns. And yes, loosening the edge with a knife after 10 minutes or so is a great way to prevent cracks, so feel free to do that here too 😊
sms
I recently tried this recipe for my sister’s birthday and it was absolutely delish! I added more lemon curd on top (for that extra tartness) with some whipped cream. This will be my go-to lemon cheesecake recipe from now on ^___^
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Love that idea! We’re so happy it was such a hit ❤️
Samantha
I made this for my New Year’s Eve get-together and it was a hit. My curd had a metallic aftertaste on it’s own but once the cheesecake was baked and chilled you couldn’t taste anything but tart, creamy deliciousness. I added around 2 tbsp of lemon zest and didn’t add the white sugar to the crust.
Jeanne
Next time I make it, I would do 1/2 more of the gram cracker crust.
Alisha
Hi! I’m a fan of this recipe and I love your instructions– I was just wondering if you have some advice for me. I was wanting to mix this with a raspberry or strawberry puree on the top, what are your opinions on this addition? Will I need to adjust the amount of lemon to stop it from being too overpowering, will the added puree affect the bake time or cause cracks? Thanks so much!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Alisha! The puree could affect the consistency, and without trying it we can’t say for sure how it would go. 🙁 You could always top the cheesecake with strawberry sauce or raspberry sauce! Sounds yummy 🙂
Pam H
Easy and so tasty!
Marlene
I seemed to have missed size of spring from pan. 9″ or 8″ can’t find size. Thank you.
Sam
I’m so sorry for the confusion, Marlene! I use a 9 inch pan here. 🙂
Ginger Hackney
Could I use a 9 x 13 inch pan?
Sam
Hi Ginger! It will bake in a 9 x 13, although it may end up being pretty thin. I’m not sure on a bake time either. You may need to increase the crust as well as the actual recipe, but without having tried it I can’t say for sure exactly how to do it.
Jodi
Hi! I was wondering if you could add some lemon zest to this at some point in the recipe? Not sure if its best to add to the cheesecake before baking or add on top as a garnish. Any thoughts?
Sam
Hi Jodi! That will work just fine. I would mix it in when you add the curd. 🙂
Gale.
Easy to make. Creamy texture. Lemon not overpowering. Delicious.
Simcha
Can I make this in a regular pie dish because I don’t have a springform pan?
Sam
Hi Simcha! A regular pie dish will be a bit too shallow for all of the batter so you will have to discard some (or bake in a second pie pan or bake as mini cheesecakes in a cupcake tin). The bake time will also be much reduced (can’t say for sure as it depends on the size of the tin and I haven’t tried it in different tins).