I have loved lemon desserts and cheesecake for as long as I can remember, and these recipes combine both of those items to perfection. Additionally, this post contains a recipe for 12 cupcake size cheesecakes and a traditional size cheesecake. Cheesecake recipes can take a great deal of time to make because you need to let the ingredients come to room temperature and it needs to cool completely before refrigerating, but it is well worth the wait.

If this is your first time baking a cheesecake, I would suggest starting with the cupcakes. They take less time to prepare and cool much more quickly than a full size cheesecake.

Notes:

• I always start this process early in the morning by removing my refrigerated items and allowing them to come to room temperature.
• I rarely give specific brands to use in my recipes, but for this one I do. I always use Philadelphia brand cream cheese and Target’s favorite day graham cracker crumbs.
• You can top these cheesecakes with fresh fruit, pie filling, or my favorite, lemon custard.
• It is important to make sure the batter is well mixed, but do not over blend.
• I use a large disposable roasting pan for the water bath. A water bath, also known as a bain-marie, is a pan of hot water placed in the oven to help delicate baked goods cook more evenly and prevent overcooking or cracking. For the cupcakes, I use a ½ inch of water in the roasting pan. For the springform pan, I place the cheesecake pan in the roasting pan before I pour the batter in the pan, then I fill the roasting pan with water until it is halfway up the sides of the springboard pan.

Water Bath

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Crust:

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

16 oz cream cheese

½ cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest

Instructions:

• Read all the notes before you begin
• Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a muffin tin with liners.
• Mix the crust ingredients together. Place a tablespoon of mixture in the bottom of each liner. Use a shot glass bottom or the back of a small metal spoon to pack down crust.
• Bake the crust for 5 minutes and remove it and let cool. While they cool you will make the filling.
• In a large bowl (I use a stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and sugar until the batter is smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest.
• Once the crust has cooled, place the cupcake pan in a water bath. Add the cream cheese mixture to each cupcake liner. Fill them almost to the top.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes. The centers should be set. Remove from the oven and the water bath. Allow them to completely cool before you refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Top with your favorite toppings.
• This is the best lemon curd recipe that I have found. It is so tangy and the coloring is vibrant. Please visit this website for a real treat. https://buttermilkbysam.com/the-best-lemon-curd/

Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 melted butter

Filling:

32 oz cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Instructions:

• Read all the notes before you begin
• Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• This next trick is from Mr. Jerry & Mrs. Nedra’s Kitchen Cheesecakes. They are lifelong friends of my parents who publish their cookbooks to benefit charities. Use baking spray on the bottom and sides of the springboard pan. Use parchment paper to cut a circle for the bottom and a strip for the sides and place in the bottom and in the side. Spray the parchment paper with baking spray.
• Mix the crust ingredients together. Place the mixture in the bottom of the springform pan. Use the slat bottom of glass to evenly press down the mixture.
• Bake the crust for 10 minutes and remove it and let cool. While it cools you will make the filling.
• In a large bowl (I use a stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and sugar until the batter is smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest.
• Once the crust has cooled, wrap the outside of the springboard pan in a double layer of foil. Add the cream cheese mixture to each cupcake liner. Place the springboard pan in the roasting pan and fill the pan until the water is halfway up the side of the springboard pan.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes. The centers should be set. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 20 minutes. Open the oven door and leave the cake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and the water bath. Remove the foil and place the pan on a cooling rack. Allow the cheesecake to completely cool before you refrigerate. Loosely, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate if overnight.
• Top with your favorite toppings and serve.