Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Tart, sweet, and creamy lemon cheesecake filled with juicy blueberries and topped with a fresh blueberry sauce. 

Servings: 10 slices

Download printable recipe card here.

INGREDIENTS:

Graham cracker crust:

  • 1½ cups (155g) graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets)

  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

  • 5 tablespoons (72g) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

  • 32 ounces (900g) full-fat block cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature

  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

  • 8 ounces (226g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ⅓ cup (80mL) fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

  • 4 large eggs, room temperature

  • 1½ cups (285g) blueberries

 

Blueberry topping:

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

  • Zest and juice of one lemon

  • 6 ounces (170g) blueberries (about 1 heaping cup)

  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

 

 

how to make LEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE:

Graham cracker crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Spray a 9" springform pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

  2. In a food processor, crush the graham crackers until they become a fine crumb. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a large bowl, add the sugar, and stir to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and stir until everything is evenly saturated with butter.

  3. Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, then bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.

 

Blueberry topping:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch and lemon juice and whisk together until smooth. Add the lemon zest, blueberries, and sugar and turn the heat to medium-low.

  2. Gently mix everything together as it heats, taking care not to break up the blueberries too much. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and glossy.

  3. Remove from heat and pour into a container. Store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

 

Cheesecake:

  1. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and granulated sugar then beat again until combined, about another 2 minutes.

  2. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Add the lemon juice and blend again until smooth.

  3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after the addition of each egg and adding the next just after the previous egg starts to incorporate, and continue mixing until there are no more yellow yolk streaks.

  4. Use a large spatula to carefully fold the batter together, scraping the bottom of the bowl and the sides to gather any extra batter that may not be fully incorporated. The batter should be smooth and creamy without lumps.

  5. Add the blueberries then use a large spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the batter until evenly dispersed.

  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with a few more blueberries, if desired.

  7. Create a water bath by placing the 9" springform pan in a 10” cake pan and then placing both pans into a 12” cake pan. Fill the 12” pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the middle pan, then carefully transfer the whole thing to the oven. You can also assemble the pans in the oven, but work quickly so as not to let too much hot air out of the oven.

  8. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The middle of the cheesecake (a center approximately 2" wide) should jiggle just a little bit. You can use a digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 145ºF (63ºC).

  9. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the springform pan from all of the other pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack for another 2 hours. When the cheesecake is completely cooled, cover or wrap tightly and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.

  10. When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, remove it from the refrigerator and use a spatula or butter knife to gently loosen the crust from the side of the pan before releasing the outer ring of the springform pan.

  11. Garnish with blueberry topping and homemade whipped cream, if desired.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cheesecake freezes well, up to 3 months. Freeze blueberry topping separately. Thaw everything in the refrigerator overnight, and top cheesecake with blueberry mixture and whipped cream before serving.

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Fresh April Flours.

Rachel Perry