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Lemon Cheesecake


Description

A rich, lemon cheesecake with a sour cream topping and graham cracker crust. While time consuming, this is not difficult to make.


Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

  • 3 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
  2. Combine graham crackers, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into an 11 inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool while you make filling.
  3. In a food processor, beat cream cheese until completely smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Continue to mix, adding 1 1/3 cups sugar a little bit at time until fully mixed in. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
  4. Pour cream cheese mixture into cooled graham cracker crust and bake for 40 minutes.
  5. While cheesecake is baking, mix sour cream with remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons sugar.
  6. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently spread sour cream on top of cheesecake. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack for 45 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator until cheese cake is chilled but not completely cool about an hour.
  7. While cheesecake is cooling, make lemon glaze by whisking together sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Blend in water and lemon juice and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
  8. Remove chilled cheesecake from fridge and gently spread the lemon glaze on top of cheesecake. Chill several hours or overnight before serving.