Lovely Lemon Cheesecake

Name: Lovely Lemon Cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 14 servings.
Cuisine: Comfort Food Desserts, Comfort Food Recipes
Ingredients: 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs; 2 tablespoons sugar; 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; FILLING:; 5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened; 1-2/3 cups sugar; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 5 large eggs, lightly beaten; Thin lemon slices, optional

Wait for the oohs and aahs when you present this luxurious lemon cheesecake recipe. The lemon flavor gives it a bright, tangy flavor. —Margaret Allen, Abingdon, Virginia

Ingredients

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING:
5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
Thin lemon slices, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 10-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan.
In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan; refrigerate while preparing filling.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
Bake 70-80 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
Remove rim from pan. If desired, top cheesecake with lemon slices.

Test Kitchen Tips

Cinnamon comes in two basic types: Ceylon and cassia. Ceylon cinnamon’s delicate, complex flavor is ideal for ice creams and simple sauces. The spicy, bolder cassia cinnamon (often labeled simply as cinnamon) is preferred for baking.

Go for freshly squeezed lemon juice when preparing this summery sipper. Bottled lemon juice, which is from concentrate, won’t provide the same bright, fresh flavor.

Check out 25 easy cheesecake recipes.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice (calculated without orange peel and currants): 444 calories, 32g fat (19g saturated fat), 169mg cholesterol, 325mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 0 fiber), 9g protein.

Originally published as Lemon Cheesecake in Taste of Home Christmas Annual 2015

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Lisa

Jun 14, 2019

I followed the recipe directions exactly. I used the water bath and what a difference from other cheesecakes I've made. The side of the cheesecake barely needed any coaxing to be removed from the rim. I am wondering if anyone has attempted to bake this cheesecake using a convention oven. I know adjustments must be made (temperature down by 50 degrees and shorter cooking time). I'm hoping someone has tried it and can tell me how it worked.
ana.1128

May 10, 2016

This is a wonderful cheesecake! However I wouldn't recommend the water bath, because the cake didn't cook, so I just put it in the oven for an hour longer and without the foil, my family went nuts for it!
Pkfarmer

May 7, 2016

My daughter just won the county 4H Bake off with this recipe. The judges loved how light it was. Perfect for this time of year.