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 9" 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.
Dawna
Made this and then further topped it with 1/2 recipe of homemade lemon meringue pie filing for an over-the-top lemony flavour. Went all the way, and even made the candied lemon slices to decorate with. It was perfect – lovely, bright flavour. Will be making it again.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Dawna! 🙂
Heather Taylor
I love this cheesecake. I add a bit more curd for more lemony flavor, but the best thing about this recipe is I can change the curd depending on my mood. I recently made this same recipe but with blackberry curd. It was the bomb! I done mango curd, blackberry curd and strawberry curd so far and all have turned out spectacular. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Heather! 🙂
Rachel
Just making it for Christmas! Looks great! Thank you! Love your awesome, easy to follow instructions 🙂 xox
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We hope everyone loves it, Rachel! 🩷
Leigh
This cheesecake is superb and always turns out perfectly. I use sugar/stevia substitute for the sugar to make a low carb version and it’s still fabulous.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Leigh! Thank you for the feedback using the sugar substitute. 🙂
Regina
Leigh,
Could you tell me if your substitute sweetener was the same measurement as the sugar?
Sydney
I am in the process of making this and my curd did turn out metallic-y (I didn’t know what kind of sauce pan I had). I would I would love any tips of what I can do in place of the curd so I can still finish the cheesecake…. Even if plain. Or would adding it still be okay?
Sam
Hi Sydney! I’m so sorry I am just now seeing this. What did you end up doing with it?
Sydney
That’s okay, I figured it might have been a long shot haha! I ended up making the curd over again finding a stainless steel pot. It took more time, but it was better, and did turn out!
Sam
I’m so glad you were able to save it! 🙂
Brenda
The best cheesecake we’ve ever tasted. My family loves it. Thank you!
RuSonja Robinson
i made this last night..not much of a decorator…but it was fun. i doubled the ingredients for the crust and added 2-3 drops of lemon extract along with the homemade lemon curd. The batter was delicious!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked it! Thanks for trying our recipe 🩷
Mavs
Can I add lemon zest for additional lemony flavor?
Sam
That should work just fine. 🙂
Lynn
Hi Sam, could you add sour cream to your lemon cheesecake? I made your key lime and it had the addition of sour cream in it. I guess I assumed it would be the same for the lemon lol. Not sure if it would change the cheesecake taste/batter in a negative way. Thank you! 😊
Sam
Hi Lynn! I don’t recommend it here because the curd adds the depth of flavor you need here. The sour cream could actually detract from the flavor with this one. 🙂
Lynn
Oh okay, that does make sense! Thank you! 😊
Tracie Kling
I made for my mom Mother’s Day 2024
I’m thankful to have come across this recipe; it was DELICIOUS! My mom loved it 🥰 I printed and added to my go-to favorite recipes collection!
I made a couple small personal variation. I made a simple 5 ingredient pecan crust and used the miniature individual sized cheesecake pans (3) rather than the one 9” pan recipe.
I made a simple pecan crust that was the perfect addition to the tasty recipe:
Pecan Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups ground pecans
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
I baked in my air fryer @ 350°F (175°C) for 10 mins
I also used a sour cream cheesecake topping.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Tracie! The pecan crust sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Shannon
Tracie, how long did you bake the minis for? I’m looking to make three 4″ cheesecakes and I’m not sure how long to bake for and if this one recipe will be enough for all three
Martha Louise Warren
This is the best lemon cheesecake I have ever made no water bath, especially
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Martha! 🙂
Liz
I made this for my hubby’s birthday and he loved it! I did notice it was a little softer than I’m used to for a cheesecake. Not sure if that’s normal for this recipe or if I underbaked it a bit. It was delicious either way. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Liz! It’s not really softer than a traditional cheesecake. 🙂
Lisa
I’ve made this 3x, never an issue. TBH I only use these cheesecake recipes now! Question, could I make small individual cheesecakes from this recipe? If so how many would it held and would cook time change?
Sam
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! I haven’t tried making individual cheesecakes, but it should work. I’m not sure how many it would make, but that’s going to depend on what size you make them. A cupcake tin could be a good option. I’m not sure on the bake time. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
Rosemary Hall
this was an easy recipe and super delicious. my family and friends loved !!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Rosemary! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, I really appreciate it!
Rosemary Hall
Next up, your key lime recipe. I’ll let you know how it goes in next couple of weeks…
D
I’ve made other recipes here with success but this was a huge flop. The cheesecake never set. I baked it longer hoping it would but after 20 minutes beyond the suggested time and the crust and sides looking quite toasty…. I gave up. I did follow directions exactly so I’m not sure what happened.
Sam
Hi D, that’s very frustrating and I’d like to help you troubleshoot however I can. First I just want to check that there were no substitutions made (such as low-fat cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese) and nothing was mis-measured, and that the curd was cooked enough (thickened, oh and not added to the batter warm/hot). It sounds like those things weren’t your issue, but those are usually my first guesses so I just want to cover the bases and mention them. I know you said it never set, was the batter completely watery even after the indicated bake time? Could you tell me more about what it looked like? In order for the end result to have the proper consistency, it shouldn’t be completely set after baking and should only almost set at the center and jiggly like jello when it’s finished baking. I believe I provide a visual of this in the video, too, if that is helpful. Did you chill it overnight and if so how was it the next day? Let me know, I’d love to get this figured out!
D
It was partially set but when jiggled the entire thing moved a lot like it was still very under done. I didn’t make any substitutions. The instructions seem a little unclear about how long to cook the curd. I followed what it said but questioned if I had done it long enough. I can’t imagine that would completely ruin it. I didn’t put it in the fridge because when I took it out of the pan, it fell apart and was fairly loose. I needed a cheesecake to be done that day so I just made a different recipe.
Sam
Oh no! Did you take it out of the pan without chilling it for at least 5-6 hours in the pan as indicated then? From what you’ve described it sounds like it actually was cooked completely and just didn’t get the chill time, which is a critical part of the process. If you took the ring off before it had chilled I would expect it to be loose and fall apart just as you described.
Cindy Meyer
I loved this recipe and your directions made it so easy. thanks for the great tips as well. Do you also have a chocolate cheesecake recipe?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy you enjoyed it, Cindy! Yes we do! Here you go: chocolate cheesecake.
SARA
I made this as directed and it was perfect. Not to tart, Not too sweet.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sara! 🙂
Diane Cencak
I made this and it was excellent. I appreciate all her added tips.