Lemon Meringue Cheesecake Recipe

close up on the meringue on top of a cheesecake

Course: cheesecake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1 25

Cool/Chill Time: 7

Total Time: 9 25

Servings: slices

Calories: 798kcal

Author: Becky Hardin - Easy Dessert Recipes

If you're looking for a dessert that will impress, you are going to want to try this lemon meringue cheesecake. The lemon curd is full of flavor and easier to make than you'd think!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
9-inch Springform Pan
Stand Mixer
Candy Thermometer
Kitchen Torch

Ingredients

For the Crust

2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs 391 grams (about 25 cracker sheets)
3 tablespoons brown sugar 40 grams
9 tablespoons unsalted butter 127 grams, melted (1⅛ sticks)

For the Cheesecake

24 ounces cream cheese 681 grams, room temperature (3 bricks)
½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
⅔ cup heavy cream 151 grams
⅓ cup sour cream 76 grams
2 tablespoons lemon juice 28 grams, from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 6 grams, from 1 lemon
5 egg yolks 70 grams (reserve egg whites for the meringue below)
1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
2 tablespoons cornstarch 14 grams

For the Lemon curd

3 egg yolks 42 grams
¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
¼ cup lemon juice 57 grams, from 2 lemons
2 teaspoons lemon zest 4 grams, from 1 lemon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter 71 grams, cubed
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams

For the Meringue

1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
¼ cup water 57 grams
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 egg whites 175 grams (reserved from above)
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams

Instructions

For the Crust

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Combine the graham crackers and brown sugar in a small bowl until well mixed. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
2¾ cups graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom and a little bit up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

For the Cheesecake

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until completely combined and smooth.
24 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar
Add the heavy cream, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix on low speed until well combined.
⅔ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
5 egg yolks
Add the salt and cornstarch, mixing until well combined, then pour the cheesecake batter into the prebaked crust in the springform pan.
1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Wrap the springform pan tightly in aluminum foil, then place it inside another larger pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Place both pans in the oven and bake for 75 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.
Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.
After 30 minutes, crack the door of the oven open for another 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and place the cheesecake on the counter to finish cooling.

For the Lemon Curd

Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a medium-sized heatproof bowl on top.
Add the egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the bowl. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should thicken quite a bit and resemble hollandaise when it’s fully cooked.
3 egg yolks, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pour the curd over the cooled cheesecake, smoothing to create an even layer.
Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator until completely cool and firm, about 5-6 hours.

For the Meringue

Once the cheesecake has chilled (or is close to fully chilled), begin making the meringue: Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan set over high heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, stop stirring and let the syrup cook until it reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer. Brush down the sides as needed with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization.
1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Set the mixer to medium speed and whisk until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, 5 egg whites
With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the hot syrup. Once all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high and whip until the desired consistency has been reached, adding in the vanilla towards the end.
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Remove the chilled cheesecake from the refrigerator and dollop the meringue on top.
Use a kitchen torch to lightly torch the meringue, then refrigerate the cheesecake until ready to serve.

Notes

Regular granulated sugar can be used in place of brown sugar in the crust.
Plain or Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream in the cheesecake.
All-purpose flour can be used instead of cornstarch in the cheesecake; simply increase the amount used to 3 tablespoons.
When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Do not overmix the cheesecake batter, as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool, it may just take a little longer.
While you need to cook the lemon curd for about 10-15 minutes to get the right consistency, don’t cook it for too much longer than that or it will curdle.
If your lemon curd is a little bit lumpy, that’s okay! It just means that the eggs didn’t fully separate. You can blend the mixture for just a few moments to break up any lumps you see.
This Italian meringue holds its shape for several hours at room temperature. I would not recommend, however, taking it outside for something like a garden party unless it is being served as the meringue may fall and “melt”.
Be sure the mixing bowl is extremely dry and does not have a trace of oil before starting the meringue. If the bowl is oily after washing and drying it, wipe it down with a paper towel and some white vinegar.
Do not increase the mixing bowl speed when whipping the egg whites. This will add too much air to the meringue and can cause an inconsistent final product.

Storage: Store lemon meringue cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer (without the curd and meringue) for up to 1 month.

Nutrition