Lemon Curd Cheesecake
(This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you. This is my way to keep this site afloat and free of ads. Read my full disclosure here.)
This is simply the best lemon curd cheesecake recipe! The aromatic sweet notes of lemon and the tanginess of the cream cheese make a beautiful flavor combination really hard to beat. The classic buttery graham cracker crust is the perfect base for this cheesecake. You leave it just with the lemon curd topping or you can crown it with a tall and fluffy Italian meringue, which contrasts perfectly with the creamy texture of the cheesecake. You need to taste it for yourself understand how delicious really is this cheesecake. It’s the creamiest, silkiest and most decadent cheesecake recipe you’ll find!
I can’t believe I’m publishing this recipe now. I developed this recipe a long time ago for a family lunch and is the inspiration for my Lemon Curd Brownie Cheesecake Bars and my Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart. But time went by and I never get to publish the original recipe that started it all. Now my friends you have a true classic in front of you!
This cheesecake recipe has been on my side for so long and I wouldn't change it for anything. If you have ever make one of my cheesecakes, you know how creamy and silky they are. There’s nothing like a good creamy cheesecake that make you smile bite after bite. Try it once and it will be on your side forever too!
The highlight of this cheesecake is the fresh and sweet citrus notes from the lemons. Who lemon lover doesn't love that in every bite? I rubbed the sugar for the cheesecake with some lemon zest and let it sit while I prepared the other ingredients, then pass it through a sieve to remove the zest. This is completely optional but a detail that adds more citrusy notes to this beautiful cheesecake recipe.
The amazing flavor and creamy, dense and luscious texture of this cheesecake is thanks to using the best ingredients and attention to many details. Read below where I share as many details as possible of all the process so your cheesecake end up being a total success!
3 keys to prevent a cheesecake from getting cracked, deflated or burnt spots
Having room temperature ingredients is super important!! Do not underestimate the importance of this.
Never over mix and incorporate the less possible amount of air to the cheesecake batter. That’s why you need room temperature ingredients. They’ll incorporate better and faster preventing over mixing.
If you love silkier and creamier cheesecakes, bake them always in a “bain-marie”.
How to make a creamy lemon curd cheesecake
Start by taking out the cream cheese from the fridge. When they are a bit soft, use a table knife to flatten them out, about half as high, so they get softer faster. If you need a shortcut, warm them in the microwave only for 10 seconds at the beginning. You don’t want separated cream cheese in your cheesecake batter.
Prepare the springform pan. I learned this tip about wrapping the cheesecake with an oven turkey bag for baking, which I think is so clever!! I still wrapped it tightly with aluminum foil before placing inside the roasting plastic bag. I used metal clips to secure the bag around the edges. It worked like a charm! No water ran into the crust. You can make this after baking the crust as well. Just make sure the pan is not hot.
Make the crust and bake according to recipe below. Remember to increase oven temperature to 425° when you take the crust out and fill the baking sheet with water a bit more than half.
Next make the cheesecake batter, remembering to not over mix through any of the steps. Also keep scraping the wall and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any large lumps of cheese. Do this several times through the mixing process, it makes all the difference.
If not doing the meringue, place the egg whites in freezer plastic bags and freeze. Use them to make my Angel Food Cake with Blackberry Whipped Cream.
Pour batter over crust. Bake for exactly 7 minutes and then decrease oven temperature to 275°. The cheesecake is done when the border looks set and glossy and the center is a bit wobbly.
To prevent shrinking, let the cheesecake start the cooling down process inside the oven by letting it in with the door open. After 20 minutes take it out to let it cool down.
Place cheesecake in the fridge while you make the lemon curd to chill its surface a little bit. This will help setting the curd faster. Pour curd on top and let it cool down completely. When it isn’t releasing steam anymore, cover it tightly for chilling overnight.
When ready to serve, make Italian meringue according to the recipe below and smear over cheesecake. If using fresh frozen egg whites, place the plastic bags in hot tap water to thaw.
If making this for a special occasion, I highly recommend doing it 2 to 3 days in advance. The texture of this cheesecake gets creamier with time. Bake the cheesecake and pour over the lemon curd, then make the meringue the day of serving or 1 day before.
Shop the Post
A 9” springform pan.
My sturdy large baking sheet. You may use a roasting pan as well without the rack.
Oven roasting bags. This super wide super aluminum foil is super helpful too and I use it everytime I have it around.
My trusted candy thermometer.
3 recipes I think you’ll love if you’re loving this one:
Blueberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls
*
Get ready for some serious cookie obsession because these hit all the right marks! You simply won’t be able to eat just one. And in between bites, take a snap and share it with me at Instagram (@devamadeo), TikTok (@DevAmadeo) or Facebook (@DevAmadeo)! Love to see your bakes!
(Remember to leave your email when you make a comment to receive a notification as soon as I get back to you. Don’t worry, this will not add your email to my email list.)
Lemon Curd Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
◯ Unsalted butter – 10 TBSP (1 ¼ stick), 142g
◯ Traditional graham crackers – 8 oz (15 whole rectangular cookies), broken in small pieces
◯ Natural granulated sugar - 3 TBSP, 39g
Cheesecake filling
◯ Cream cheese, at room temperature (see notes) - 5 (8 oz) bricks, 1130g total
◯ Natural granulated sugar - 1 ¾ cup, 355g
◯ Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 3 TBSP, 43g
◯ Vanilla extract - 2 Tsps, 9g
◯ Pure full fat coconut milk (canned) - ¼ cup, 65g
◯ Unbleached all-purpose flour - 2 TBSP, 15g
◯ Eggs, at room temperature - 5, large
◯ Egg yolks, at room temperature – 2, from large eggs
Lemon Curd
◯ Whole organic eggs – 2
◯ Egg yolks – 2
◯ Raw sugar – ¾ cup
◯ Lemon zest (optional) - from 1 large or 2 medium lemons
◯ Freshly squeezed lemon juice – ½ cup
◯ Butter, cubed – ½ cup (I stick, 8 TBSP)
Italian Meringue
◯ Egg whites - 4
◯ Water – ½ cup, 114g
◯ Raw sugar – 1 cup, 200g
◯ Lemon - a few drops, plus a slice to rub the bowl and whisk
Details
Yield:
9” springform pan
Total time:
2 hours plus chilling time overnight
Active time: 5 minutes to make crust, 20 minutes to make the cheesecake batter, 20 minutes to make the lemon curd
Baking time:
5 minutes for the crust, 1 hour for the cheesecake
Equipment:
stand or hand electric mixer, springform pan, baking sheet, candy thermometer
Steps
Preparing the springform pan:
First line the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper.
Next (you may do this after baking the crust as well), wrap with aluminum foil the sides of the pan, pressing it well all the way around. If using a narrower foil, use 2 to 3 pieces to make sure all the edges are well covered.
Place pan inside a baking bag (they're sold mostly for turkeys), making sure there are no creases at the bottom. Using small binder clips, secure the bag on different sides. The bag should shallowly touch all the edges of the pan.
Optional: Rub the sugar for the cheesecake with lemon zest for a couple of minutes then remove the zest by passing it through a sieve.
Graham cracker crust:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Melt the 10 tablespoons/142g of butter in a small saucepan. Do not let it become oily or runny.
Snap the 15 whole graham cracker and place them in the bowl of a food processor already attached to its base. Add the 3 tablespoons/35g of sugar and pulse until they are roughly grounded.
With the processor running pour butter through the lid opening until the crumbs look fine and well hydrated, about 10 to 15 seconds. Stop the processor and pull down any crumbs crawling up the walls of the bowl if necessary and pulse a few seconds more. (Alternatively, transfer dry crumbs to the pan and pour melted butter over them. Mix butter well until crumbs have absorbed all of it.)
Transfer crumbs to a 9” springform pan or a 9” pie dish. Press crumbs tightly until the surface is flat. You may use a small flat bottom measuring cup or utensil to help you press tightly. Bake for 6 minutes. Take it out of the oven to let it cool down.
Increase oven temperature to 425° and place a baking sheet in the middle. Fill it with water a bit more than half.
Cream cheese filling:
Place the softened 5 cream cheeses in the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire (whisk) attachment (if using a hand mixer use the beaters). Beat on medium-low speed (#2 in the stand mixer) until cream cheese is smooth and creamy with no large lumps, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure there are no big lumps of unbeaten cream cheese. Beat an additional minute. Scrape one more time if necessary.
(Scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl several times throughout the process to ensure there are no lumps of cheese is key to making the mixture smooth and bubble-free.)
Slow down to minimum speed and gradually add the 1 ¾ cup/355g of sugar and the 3 tablespoons/43g of lemon juice. Mix 1 minute. Add the 2 teaspoons/9g of vanilla until incorporated. Add the ¼ cup/65g of coconut milk and mix.
Stop mixer and scrape the walls and bottom of the bowl once more and mix to reincorporate everything. Add the 2 tablespoons/15g of flour just until incorporated. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolks, waiting until one yolk breaks to add another. Stop beating as soon as the last yolk is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once more. Beat for an additional 30 seconds to one minute. Pour the cream cheese filling over the crust.
Make sure oven is at 425°.
Very carefully (be careful when you open the oven door because hot steam will come out) place the pan in the baking sheet filled with water. Bake for exactly 7 minutes. Decrease temperature to 275° and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the border looks set but the center is jiggly when you shake it.
Turn oven off and let the cheesecake inside with the door half way open. After 5 minutes you may open the door completely and let the cheesecake there for 15 to 20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool down. Place it in the fridge while you make the lemon curd so the surface gets chill.
Remove cheesecake from springform pan. Top it with the lemon curd (recipe follows). As soon as the lemon curd has cooled down and not releasing steaming, cover it tightly with plastic seal paper or aluminum foil (not touching the cheesecake). Chill in the fridge overnight.
Remember that this cheesecake can be made a few days in advance and I highly recommend it. The texture and flavor are at their best after 3 to 4 days after baked. Topped with Italian meringue if desired when ready to serve (recipe below).
Lemon Curd:
Fill by half a large skillet with water and bring it to a soft boil over medium low heat.
In a medium glass bowl whisk well the 2 eggs and the 2 egg yolks. Add the ¾ cup/150g of sugar, the ½ cup/115g of lemon juice, the lemon zest (if using) and the small pinch of salt until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is a bit foamy.
Place the bowl on the skillet and using a wooden spoon or spatula stir slowly but almost constantly until the mixture thickens, this could take from 10 to 20 minutes. When the mixture heats it will produce some foamy white streaks. When those streaks disappear the curd should thicken up in the next 5 to 7 minutes. Keep moving until mixture thickens and has reached 180°, or when you pass your finger through the back of the spatula it leaves a clear pass.
Retire from heat. Start adding the 8 tablespoons/114g of butter. Mix constantly until all the butter has melted. Keep mixing for an extra minute. Pour over cheesecake.
Italian meringue:
Make sure that the mixer bowl and the wire accessory are very clean and free of any grease residue. Any fat will prevent the egg whites from rising. Move the mixer as close to the stove area as possible.
In a small saucepan pour the ½ cup/114g of water. Add the cup/200g of sugar in the middle to prevent granules sticking on the saucepan walls.
Rub the bottom and sides of the bowl and the wires of the whisk with a lemon cut in half. Add the ½ teaspoon of lemon juice, the 4 egg whites and the ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium (#4 in the stand mixer) and beat until soft peaks form.
Immediately start heating the sugar and water on high heat until a candy thermometer reaches 240°.
As soon as it reaches 240°, remove from heat and, in a thin but continuous stream, add the syrup to the whites while the mixer is still running (try to prevent pouring sugar too near to the edge or directly above the wire). Beat for 2 minutes then increase speed to medium-high (#6 in the stand mixer). Beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the bowl feels at room temperature on the outside.
Decorate creating soft peaks with a silicone spatula or upside-down spoon. You have to work the meringue relatively quick, it will look a bit broken if smeared when it’s already too cooled down, even if it’s completely safe to eat.
