Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
This Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is made with a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, tart lemon curd and toasted meringue! The flavors are absolutely amazing and it’s seriously my new favorite cheesecake!
I have been so excited to share this cheesecake with you. Everything about it is amazing, if I do say so myself. Of all the lemon desserts on the blog, this might just be my favorite. It’s in close competition with the Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake. And of all the cheesecakes, this one is right near the top.
Given that this is based on a Lemon Meringue Pie, I went with a graham cracker crust to get started. Often I’m a fan of using vanilla wafers, but the graham crackers in this are definitely the way to go.
The cheesecake filling has a light lemon flavor from the lemon zest, but is primarily vanilla in flavor. It’s super smooth and creamy, just like I like it. It also gets a lot of great flavor from the full cup of sour cream that’s used in it. So good!
LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
2 1/4 cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
10 tbsp (140g) salted butter, melted
3 tbsp (39g) sugar
CHEESECAKE FILLING
24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (207g) sugar
3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
1 cup (230g) sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (2-3 medium lemons)
4 large eggs, room temperature
LEMON TOPPING
8 tbsp (90ml) lemon juice (3-4 medium lemons)
4 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (104g) sugar
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (56g) salted butter
MERINGUE TOPPING
1 cup (207g) sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
DIRECTIONS:
CRUST
I have been so excited to share this cheesecake with you. Everything about it is amazing, if I do say so myself. Of all the lemon desserts on the blog, this might just be my favorite. It’s in close competition with the Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake. And of all the cheesecakes, this one is right near the top.
Given that this is based on a Lemon Meringue Pie, I went with a graham cracker crust to get started. Often I’m a fan of using vanilla wafers, but the graham crackers in this are definitely the way to go.
The cheesecake filling has a light lemon flavor from the lemon zest, but is primarily vanilla in flavor. It’s super smooth and creamy, just like I like it. It also gets a lot of great flavor from the full cup of sour cream that’s used in it. So good!
LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
2 1/4 cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
10 tbsp (140g) salted butter, melted
3 tbsp (39g) sugar
CHEESECAKE FILLING
24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (207g) sugar
3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
1 cup (230g) sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (2-3 medium lemons)
4 large eggs, room temperature
LEMON TOPPING
8 tbsp (90ml) lemon juice (3-4 medium lemons)
4 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (104g) sugar
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (56g) salted butter
MERINGUE TOPPING
1 cup (207g) sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
DIRECTIONS:
CRUST
- 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
- 2. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
- 3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- 4. Cover the outsides of the pan with aluminum foil so that water from the water bath cannot get in (see how I prepare my pan for a water bath). Set prepared pan aside.