Get fancy with this Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with a Lemon Cookie Crust. It is dressed to impress!
Cheesecake is a guilty pleasure for me. And I am not talking calories. I am talking straight up, bent over, gut wrenching belly aches if I eat too much. So when I do splurge on making cheesecake, which is way too often, I eat one sliver and send the rest off with my wonderful husband to share with his co-workers.
When I send cheesecake he always comes back with rave reviews. That being said, this Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with a Lemon Crust threw people over the top! In fact, I had to head back to the grocery store so I could make another for a co-worker’s party. I’m cool like that. (Selfishly cool because I love making it, but still cool.)
The crust and the whipped cream on this cheesecake are what set it apart from others. Instead of graham crackers, Oreos, or other crumb crusts, this one is made with a lemon cookie crust and topped with a sour cream based whipped cream. And for a great variation, you can substitute a seedless berry jam (such as raspberry, blackberry, or strawberry) for the sour cream in the topping (like the one in these photos). Lemon and berries with cheesecake? YES!
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Lemon Cookie Crust and Sour Whipped Cream Topping
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cookie Crust:
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 ½ inch sticks butter cut into ¼ cubes
- 2 egg yolks
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 4 oz packages cream cheese 8, softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- Scraped seeds from one vanilla bean pod
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour
- 3 large eggs plus one yolk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Sour Whipped Cream:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Lemon Cookie Crust:
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Mix flour, sugar, zest and butter with pastry blender or hands until it makes a shaggy mess.
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Stir in egg yolks until mixture forms a ball.
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Wrap in plastic and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
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On a floured or nonstick surface roll dough into ¼ thick circle.
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Place pan on top of dough and flip over, pressing up sides.
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Trim edges and use them to fill missing spots until the pan is covered.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
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Beat cream cheese with hand mixer or wooden spoon until there are no lumps. Add sugar and vanilla bean seeds and beat until just smooth.
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Add flour and mix until smooth.
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Add eggs one at a time beating just until smooth. Stir in cream or sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until combined.
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Pour cheesecake mixture onto crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until middle is only slightly jiggly.
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Turn off oven and crack the door, leaving cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
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Remove from oven and let cheesecake cool on cooling rack for another hour. Place in fridge for 3 hours and top with whipped cream.
Sour Whipped Cream:
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Combine all ingredients in a bowl and with an electric mixer beat until soft peaks form. Spread on cheesecake evenly.
Recipe Notes
Quick Tips:
Overmixing (as well as overbaking) will lead to a cracked cheesecake. If that happens, just slather a little extra topping in the crack. Who needs to know?
Change it Up:
To add a little berry love to the topping, substitute 1/4 cup of seedless berry jam (blackberry, raspberry, strawberry) in place of the sour cream.
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Thank you,I will try to do it.
I never tired of cookies, These cookies looks awesome!
I searhced a bunch of sites and this was the best.
This looks simple and delish! I’d love to take a bite. Thanks for sharing.
For the cheesecake filling. Line one of recipe says -4 oz.packages cream cheese 8, softened. Does that mean 4, 8oz packages of cream cheese?
I agree! What does that mean ??