Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake

Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.comFluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.comFluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.comIt was a hit at Easter and will most likely make another appearance for Mother’s Day and/or the next gathering we attend. It’s fresh in flavor and light in texture, making you crave more with each bite. You may find yourself going for a second piece and savoring every second. If you’re anything like me and already started jumping right in because you couldn’t contain yourself, and found yourself not having the traditional cheesecake pan on hand, you can easily forgo it and use a pie pan. It’s just as great. I promise!

There was an equally popular dessert that was created on a whim in addition to the cheesecake itself. Cheesecake cups! They are cute, delicate, and gluten-free! This recipe creates a little extra silky smooth goodness (a.k.a batter) which is ideal for filling about a dozen festive muffin liners. No crust needed for these babes! You can bake them at the exact same temperature and length of time (always keeping an eye on them just in case, of course!)


One batter. One crust. Two desserts. One gluten-free option. A hit all around! Lemon-lovers: step right up! Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.comFluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake--Recipe at: stephanie-spring.com


The Crust:
  • 1.5 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 6 Tbsp butter (melted)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and mix until blended together. Lightly grease the pie pan with butter. Press the mixture in an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. (Or if you have an actual cheesecake pan unlike us). 😉 Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.


For the Filling:

  • 3 8 oz packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • 4 eggs (also at room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 and 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp lemon juice (I used lemon essential oil)
  • About an additional 35 drops of lemon essential oil but you could also use lemon juice here
 Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to mix until soft and fluffy. Add all other ingredients while you continue mixing. Mix until it’s silky smooth and then mix a little more. Pour onto the crust and place in the oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. Bake for 60-90 minutes. Check it often after 60 minutes. When it’s done, it should be firm to touch but slightly soft in the middle. There should be a little jiggle in the middle but not towards the outer edges. Once removed from the oven, let it cool. Place it in the fridge to firm up some more. Enjoy!