A classic cheesecake is all about the dense creamy filling. Here, it’s made easy by using a high-powered blender. Be sure your cream cheese is very soft, to avoid lumps. Lemon zest adds a subtle perfume to this version, but feel free to play with other flavorings, such as vanilla, espresso powder, maple, or orange zest.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Lightly Lemony Blender Cheesecake.
1. Info for Lightly Lemony Blender Cheesecake
- Cook Time: 12 hr 50 min
- Total Time: 12 hr 50 min
- Servings: 12
- Calories: 561.45 kcal
2. Ingredients for Lightly Lemony Blender Cheesecake
- 18 graham crackers (18 sheets are 10 oz.)
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar (for crust)
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 4 pkg. cream cheese (each 8 oz., well-softened at room temperature)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- Sliced strawberries (optional, for serving; or raspberry sauce, lemon curd, or chopped roasted pistachios)
3. Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Break the graham crackers into quarters and transfer to a blender. Pulse several times to make fine crumbs. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt to crumbs and pulse again to blend. Transfer crumbs to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter into the bowl and toss crumbs with fork until completely coated with butter.
- Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch spring form pan and press with your fingers until crumbs form an even layer over pan bottom, and about 1/2 inch up the sides.
- Bake the crust on middle rack of oven until it has darkened slightly and smells toasty, about 15 minutes. When done, remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Arrange two sheets of aluminum foil (each 16 inches long) in a cross pattern on a work surface, and set the spring form pan in the center. Fold up the foil to create a waterproof layer around the pan, folding and crimping it neatly around the rim.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Finely grate the lemon zest. Combine the heavy cream, sour cream, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in the blender. Process just until well blended (do not over-blend).
- Cut each block of cream cheese into 6 chunks. With the blender running, add the cream cheese a few chunks at a time, waiting until they are mostly blended before adding more. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, pulsing to blend after each addition and scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
- Pour the batter into the cooled crust, scraping the blender well.
- Set the spring form pan in a large, deep frying pan and add enough water to reach about 1 inch up the sides.
- Bake the cheesecake on middle rack of oven until the center still wobbles slightly, but isn’t liquidy, when pan is gently shaken, 1 1/2-2 hours.
- Check to see that cheesecake is done. Remove from oven or add time as needed. When done, turn off the oven, crack the door open, and leave cheesecake to rest for 30 minutes.
- Remove the spring form pan from the water bath and set on a cooling rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours. Once cheesecake is cold, remove the foil and loosely wrap with plastic wrap.
- Carefully run a knife between the cheesecake and rim of pan, and remove the rim. Slice cheesecake and serve plain or with strawberries or other toppings if desired. Store wrapped in the refrigerator up to 1 week.