There are thousands—and thousands—of dessert recipes on our site. What is it about this cheesecake that makes it so popular? We investigate.
At the Taste of Home office, we fancy ourselves dessert experts—our Test Kitchen puts out cakes, cookies, brownies and holiday-themed treats all day, every day. Once in a while, a recipe is so good, we remember it years—even decades—after we first tasted it.
The Luscious Almond Cheesecake is one of those recipes. This contest-winning dessert from Kansas reader Brenda Clifford first appeared in Taste of Home back in 1995. As of the time this article was published, every single review for this recipe is five stars, and its fan base continues to grow every day.
Readers call it “the best ever,” “off the charts amazing,” and “super creamy and rich.” So what makes this recipe so irresistible? In many ways, it’s a classic cheesecake, flavored with almonds—it doesn’t even have chocolate! (If you need chocolate recipes, go here.) Yet every single layer of the cheesecake is perfectly engineered to deliver great flavor and flawless texture.
The Crust
While many cheesecake recipes use graham crackers for a base, the Luscious Almond Cheesecake calls for vanilla wafer cookies and almonds. That means that the cake’s haunting vanilla-almond flavor is built in from the base up. Plus, the crumb is extra tender and rich.
The Filling
Lots of the pitfalls of baking a cheesecake happen in how you mix the filling. Overbeating the cream cheese and eggs, or using cold-from-the-fridge ingredients, can result in a grainy or heavy texture. This recipe calls for the cream cheese to be softened before mixing, and the eggs are pre-beaten before incorporating into the cheese. That means you don’t have to mix as long, so your cheesecake will be creamy, every time.
The Flavor
Every single layer of the cheesecake includes some almond ingredient: ground almonds in the crust, almond extract in the filling, and sliced almonds on top.
Lots of cheesecakes incorporate mix-ins like chocolate chips to mix up the heavy, creamy texture of cheesecake. This recipe takes the game to a whole new level. The thin layer of sour cream spread across the top is so smooth and light it seems to melt in your mouth. If you accidentally overbaked your cheesecake a tad (it happens!), the top layer adds moisture, so the cake will still taste completely creamy. Last but not least, the sprinkle of almonds add a welcome crunch and slight savoriness to break through the richness.
Easy Nutella CheesecakeCreamy chocolate-hazelnut spread tops a crust made of crushed Oreo cookies to make this irresistible baked cheesecake.—Nick Iverson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Blackberry Cheesecake BarsSugar cookie dough is a speedy way to turn ricotta and mascarpone cheeses topped with blackberries into beautiful bars. — Terri Crandall, Gardnerville, Nevada
Triple Berry No-Bake CheesecakeI've made many cheesecakes and enjoy them all, but they're usually time-consuming. When I first tried this recipe, my husband said it was better than the baked ones, and that was a big plus for me! —Joyce Mummau, Baltimore, Maryland
Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake TartI first made this irresistible dessert for some dinner guests. They were overwhelmed by it's rich flavor and appearance. My husband commented that it was the best dessert he had ever eaten in his whole life. —Heather Bennett, Dunbar, West Virginia
Double Chocolate Almond CheesecakeThis cheesecake is easy to make—but it's definitely not easy to wait till the next day to eat it! The recipe is from a friend I used to work with. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Grasshopper CheesecakeWhat do you get when you combine a popular mint-chocolate drink with a cheesecake? Pure delight! Garnish the top with piped whipped cream and cookie crumbs. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
Simple Turtle CheesecakeFor an almost instant dessert, I spread homemade ganache and caramel sauce over premade cheesecake. It always makes busy holidays feel slightly less hectic. —Laura McDowell, Lake Villa, Illinois
Creamy Raspberry DessertDo-ahead and delicious, this dessert is a favorite because of its pretty color, creamy texture and terrific flavor. A light, no-bake filling makes it easy. Try garnishing with fresh berries and sprigs of mint. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota
Chocolate Malt CheesecakeMy mother-in-law loved chocolate malts—and cheesecakes, too. Can you guess who passed this recipe on to me? Sometimes, I substitute pretzel crumbs for the graham cracker crumbs. They make a surprisingly good crust! —Anita Moffett, Rewey, Wisconsin
Mini Cherry CheesecakesThese little cheesecakes make a fun dessert that's just right for cooks who don't have a lot of time for fussy recipes. Plus, you get to eat a whole mini cheesecake yourself! —Kay Keller, Morenci, Michigan
Chocolate and Raspberry CheesecakeYou’ll fall in love with this sweet treat. Each silky slice is topped with juicy raspberries. Yes, you can have cheesecake without breaking the calorie budget. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Old-World Ricotta CheesecakeI reconstructed this dessert based on an old recipe that had been in the family for years but was never written down. The subtle cinnamon flavor of the zwieback crust reminds me of the cheesecake I enjoyed as a child, but substitute other crumbs if you like. —Mary Beth Jung, Hendersonville, North Carolina
Arctic Orange PieThis frosty orange pie is so easy to make. I have tried lemonade, mango and pineapple juice concentrates instead of orange, and my family loves each one. —Marie Przepierski, Erie, Pennsylvania
No-Bake Blueberry CheesecakeBecause this no-bake blueberry cheesecake doesn't contain eggs, it's lighter but also very creamy and refreshing.—Ken Gallagher, Hastings, Nebraska
Chocolate Cheesecake BarsWhen you don't have time to bake a real cheesecake, reach for this easy recipe. An almond-flavored dough serves as both crust and topping for a soft fudgy filling. —Louise Good, Flemington, New Jersey
Rhubarb Berry Cheesecake PieMy grandparents grew a ton of stuff in their garden, including rhubarb and strawberries. We typically baked it into pies and cobblers, but then Mom found this recipe and it became a fresh, new favorite. —LeeAnn McCue, Charlotte, North Carolina
Ricotta CheesecakeWhen I was a nurse, my co-workers and I regularly swapped recipes during lunch breaks. This creamy cheesecake was one of the best I received. —Georgiann Franklin, Canfield, Ohio
Banana Cream CheesecakeHere is a lovely no-bake dessert. Add a dash of cinnamon to the graham cracker crust if you'd like. —Margie Snodgrass, Wilmore, Kentucky
Frozen Mocha TorteFor an easy, make-ahead dessert that's elegant and luscious, try this recipe. The perfect blend of mocha and chocolate is in each cool, refreshing slice. —Aelita Kivirist, Glenview, Illinois
Lime Coconut CheesecakeThis refreshing cheesecake's delicate flavor is complemented by a coconut crust. —Inge Schermerhorn, East Kingston, New Hampshire
Easy Cheesecake PieThis Oreo cheesecake pie recipe is so quick, you'll have it ready in less than 10 minutes. And it's so good! —Cathy Shortall, Easton, Maryland
Refrigerator Lime CheesecakeI made this for a Father's Day party, and it was a hit! I guarantee compliments when you serve this fantastic dessert. —Cher Anjema, Kleinburg, Ontario
Nutty Cheesecake SquaresI grew up on a farm and have had a lot of good recipes handed down to me. This is one of my favorite desserts to serve when guests come over or at family gatherings and church suppers. —Ruth Simon, Buffalo, New York
Peanut Butter Cheese TorteThis dessert has long been a favorite with my family. I especially like the fact that it requires no baking—and who doesn’t melt for the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? —Ruth Blair, Waukesha, Wisconsin
A former in-house editor at Taste of Home, Kelsey now writes, cooks and travels from her home base of Chicago. After going gluten-free over a decade ago, Kelsey turned to home cooking and baking as a way to recreate her favorite foods. Her specialties include gluten-free sourdough bread, pizza and pastry. When not wrangling her toddler, she enjoys reading, watching old movies and writing. Her debut novel, Girl in the Rearview Mirror, was published by William Morrow in 2019, and her second is forthcoming.
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Updated: Mar. 19, 2019
