The best lemon cheesecake. Ever. Exquisitely light and lemony. Perfectly sweet and tangy. Gorgeous sunshine yellow. Delightful coconut cookie crust and topped with lemony whipped cream. This is it, the perfect lemon cheesecake.
(Craving for a lemon cheesecake but not in the mood to bake? Check out this delicious and lemony no-bake lemon cheesecake. Creamy, luscious, no oven required!)
On Monday, I professed my love for my chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting which I said was (and I quote), the best, the chocolatiest chocolate cake ever. It was so good it made me kind of doubt my loyalties to Team Lemon.
It is an outstanding chocolate cake. It really is. But after much thought, I’ve decided that I still prefer lemon desserts over chocolate ones.
And to prove my lemon devotion, I present to you the best lemon cheesecake ever.
The best lemon cheesecake recipe
And what an exceptional lemon cheesecake recipe this is!
It’s become one of the most popular recipes on The Unlikely Baker and for good reason – it has the perfect texture, consistency and flavour to please the most discriminating of lemon lovers.
And it’s easy to bake too.
I know it’s a cheesecake, which is known to be high-maintenance.
But I found a new way to creamy, smooth, crack-free, seep-free cheesecakes which I think you’ll love – do a bain-marie just don’t put your cheesecake in it!
How to bake cheesecakes without a water bath
Ok, let me explain.
When baking cheesecakes, I used to very carefully wrap the bottom of my springform pan
with heavy duty aluminum foil
to avoid water seepage before I put the cheesecake in the water bath to bake.
Seepage seems inevitable though; no matter high tightly and perfectly I wrapped my pan, I almost always get moisture at the bottom. Which is fine, it would dry up as the cheesecake sets in the fridge.
But see I experimented.
Instead of swimming in the water bath, I put my cheesecake on the rack above it.
I figure, the steam and moisture from the water bath should still make my cheesecake smooth and creamy. And should control my oven’s temperature so I could still bake it nice and slow.
And it worked! By golly this is how I bake cheesecakes now (like this crazy delicious salted caramel apple cheesecake with pecan crisp topping). Less stress too.
How to bake the perfect cheesecake without cracks
And you want a cheesecake without cracks? Patience is the answer.
The main reason cheesecakes crack is when the cake cools it tends to break away from the pan too quickly. Therefore, cracking.
So you want the cheesecake to cool gradually. Once it’s done, turn the oven off but keep the cheesecake in the oven for about an hour with the oven door slightly open.
Chill the cheesecake completely too. Hard not to devour it immediately I know but perfect cheesecakes take time. And this cheesecake is totally worth it.
How to make lemon whipped cream
And omigosh can we just talk about that lemon whipped cream? It’s so simple that it’s perfect.
I took my homemade whipped cream recipe and just added about a tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest. That’s it!
It’s wonderful and it’s the perfect complement. Frankly, I would eat the whipped cream on its own (fine, I did eat it on its own ok?)
And that crust!
Usually lemon cheesecakes sit atop a graham cracker crust, which is delicious.
But add sweetened shredded coconut to the graham cracker crumbs and you have a cheesecake crust that’s 100x better. In fact, I love this crust so much I use it on several recipes here on TUB, like for this ultra-smooth and creamy Meyer lemon pie.
The coconut just works so well with lemon it makes for a wonderful bite. Coconut crust + lemon cheesecake + lemon whipped cream. It’s a dream.
So if you’re looking for something bright and sunny to serve this holiday season, why not go with this? It really is the best lemon cheesecake ever.
The best lemon desserts
Lemon desserts are delightful. They are light and fresh and just a dose of sunshine after a heavy meal or on a gloomy day (preferably with tea).
Ok, biased person talking. But have you checked these out?
Perfectly sweet and tangy lemon bars on a buttery shortbread crust. Every lemon lover must have this in their recipe box!
You must also try to make lemon curd at home. It’s quick, so easy and the taste is beyond compare. Plus, it’s a great way to use those leftover egg yolks.
Love lemony cupcakes? These limoncello cupcakes are perfect for spring. They are frosted with the most delightful limoncello cream cheese buttercream!
And if you’re looking for a keto-friendly option, check out this Keto Lemon Cheesecake Fluff.
The Best Lemon Cheesecake. Ever.
Ingredients
For the coconut cookie crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs see notes
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
For the lemon cheesecake:
- 4 8-oz blocks cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 pcs large eggs
- 2 packages 4-serving size lemon instant pudding
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F if using a dark non-stick springform pan (if using a silver springform pan, preheat oven to 325F). Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut and 4 tablespoons melted butter until the mixture is evenly moist. Press onto the bottom of your pan and bake for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and allow to cool while you work on your cheesecake.
- Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons milk until well combined (about 2 minutes on medium high speed). Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl. Add 1 cup sour cream and stir until incorporated.
- Switch to low speed and add eggs 1 at a time until each one is just blended. Then add 2 packages of lemon instant pudding and stir until combined. The batter will look a little like scrambled eggs at this point, that’s OK.
- Take a roasting pan (or a fairly large baking dish) filled with hot water and put it at the bottom rack of your oven. Put your cheesecake on the middle rack and bake for an hour or until the cheesecake is puffy, still wobbly (but not soupy) in the middle and the edges are starting to turn brown and separating from the edge of the pan.
- Turn the oven off. Open the oven door slightly and keep the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Take the cheesecake out of the pan by carefully running a sharp knife along the edge of the pan before releasing it. Chill in the refrigerator completely – at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
Video
Notes
- See this recipe for homemade whipped cream
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest when you reach medium peaks. Then continue beating until stiff peaks. Be careful not to over beat.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
(Recipe adapted from Kraft Philadelphia Ultimate Recipe Collection
).
Happy baking!
Did you make the best lemon cheesecake? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
And let’s get social! Find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
Fatema
Hey where I live we don’t get instant lemon pudding. Is there anything I can substitute that with ?
Jolina
Hi Fatema. To be honest, I don’t think there is a legit substitute for instant pudding. Among other things, it creates the very unique texture for this cheesecake. Are you able to get instant vanilla pudding? I think that will be your best bet – then just add lemony flavour to it like lemon zest or lemon extract.
Sharyn McCarthy
After searching for the most enticing lemon cheesecake recipe, this is indeed the one I chose. I loved the tips and it just sounded incredible.
I created this tantalizing dessert for our Christmas dinner. I made it carefully according to all direction and tips.
The final result was flawless down to the whipped cream!!
My 27 year old son said he’d pay top dollar for a dessert this good!! I was very pleased with everything about this recipe!
Thank You so much from my family to yours!
( what’s for new year?)
Jolina
Hi Sharyn! I am so happy you and your family loved it! This really made my day to tell you the truth, thanks! 🙂 I just posted some NYE dessert ideas, there are some pretty amazing desserts there. Personally I think we’re going for something boozy because, well, it’s NYE haha. A bright and blessed New Year to you and yours!
Jane A. Kane
Do you think this would work with a meringue topping?
Jolina
Hi Jane. I’ve never tried it so I can’t tell for sure but it should. Let me know how it goes!
Jane A. Kane
I will. My hubby loves lemon meringue pie and I thought I would change it up for Xmas Eve. Thank you!
LeAnn
My cheesecake is in the oven right now. I Double checked the recipe for oven temp. 300 degrees right? I bake a lot of cheesecakes and it just seemed low. Excited to serve this tomorrow for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Jolina
Hi LeAnn. Yes, I bake mine at 300F (I use a dark springform pan). Make sure to check for doneness too. Good luck! And have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Etta
Rather than wrap my pan in foil, I place the pan in one of those plastic roasting bags, roll down a collar and put the whole thing in the Bain Marie. Works every time!
Jolina
Awesome tip Etta! Thank you!
T.L
Oh I can’t wait to try it that way. I baked and sell my cheesecakes and everyone loves them but lately they have been cracking I am excited to try it. Thanks for the tip!
Sharon Knisley
I am an avid cheesecake baker,
. I’ve found that they bake much better (no cracks) if you set a pa of water on the rack just below cheesecake, not in the water. Being doing this for years. Try it.
Chloe Crabtree
Sounds wonderful and not too difficult for this girl who is sometimes challenged in the kitchen! Thanks so much for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!
Jolina
Hi Chloe! My pleasure. I love your link parties!
Janice
Looks delicious !!!
Alina
OMG it looks sooo amazing, I simply can’t wait to take a bite! Lemon desserts are my absolute favourite, thank you so much for sharing!
Jolina
Aw thank you Alina! I’m a huge fan of lemon desserts too (dare I say more than chocolate!) and this cheesecake is particularly lovely. Hope you like it!
Sherry
Ahh! This looks amazing. I’m pinning this to come back to for a very special brunch I’m hosting. 🙂
Jolina
Awesome! I hope you and your guests like it. And do tell me how it goes, would love to hear all about it 🙂 Thanks Sherry!
Suchi
I am a huge citrus dessert fan. never made a cheesecake yet with it but soon.
Elizabeth O.
I won’t argue about that being the best cheesecake ever. It looks so good and that dollop of cream on top is definitely the perfect finish for it.
Jolina
Thanks Elizabeth! I must say that whipped cream completes the dish, it is absolutely delightful 🙂
Beth
Good gracious! That looks dangerously good. I’ll gladly eat wa few slices. Yummy! 🙂
Ana
This Lemon Cheesecake looks so tempting and delicious! I feel like grabbing it right now! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
Veethee Dixit
I have never heard of a lemon cheesecake before though it looks delicious! Would definitely try it!
Jolina
Hi Veethee! Hope you like it!
janella panchamsingh
MMM i bet this cheese cake tastes divine!
michelle mink
I love lemon desserts but I have never tried lemon cheesecake so far. It looks very tasty.
Jolina
I think you will like this very much 🙂