Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

If there's a better springtime combination than juicy fresh blueberries and tangy sweet lemon, I haven't found it! This lemon blueberry cheesecake recipe has a crisp graham cracker crust, juicy blueberries baked inside of a tangy creamy lemon filling. It's made in a loaf pan to make 6 perfect slices.

Look, there's a lot going on in this world, but I just want to talk about the berries. Mainly, the blueberries--they are amazing this year. It's almost making up for the fact that the strawberries are not what they should be (not that it stopped me from putting them in this strawberry cake for two, a small batch strawberry jam , or this strawberry pretzel parfait). Also, don't even get me started on the disappointment that is cherries this year.

Thanks for letting me be someone in your life that complains about fruit when there are bigger problems in the world. Pass the fork for a bite of this lemon blueberry cheesecake, am I right?

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

I prefer to use a loaf pan to make a cheesecake because it is a much simpler method with guaranteed perfect results. Using a round springform pan in a water bath is tricky, you know? A loaf pan cheesecake makes 6 full-size slices of cheesecake, compared to a regular pan that makes 12. Do we really need 12 slices of cheesecake? Maybe we do, when it comes to mini egg cheesecake, though!

You can absolutely add more blueberries into this lemon blueberry cheesecake than ⅓ cup. You can add up to ½ cup to the batter and press extra fruit into the surface before baking, too. I love that the low baking temperate of this cheesecake keeps them mostly whole, instead of a soggy mess. Each blueberry becomes a bite of jam in the oven, and it is so delicious!

The Ingredients

• Graham Crackers. We need 6 whole graham cracker sheets to make the crust for this lemon blueberry cheesecake here. If you have the box of already crushed crumbs, use a heaping ¾ cup.
• Butter. Two tablespoons of butter (you can use salted or unsalted), melted and slightly cooled.
• Granulated Sugar. We need one tablespoon of granulated sugar for the graham cracker crust and another ½ cup for the filling, so 9 tablespoons total.
• Cream Cheese. Two 8-ounce packages of full-fat cream cheese that has been softened to room temperature. If the cream cheese isn't soft enough, the final product will have lumps in it. And no, the lumps do not bake out or melt in the oven.
• Egg. One large egg that has also been left out to come to room temperature. If you forget this step, just place it in a small bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and proceed. Beat the egg in a separate bowl before adding it to the batter.
• Lemon. Using one fresh lemon, we will use one teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest and one teaspoon of lemon juice for the filling.
• Blueberries. This lemon blueberry cheesecake recipe calls for ⅓ cup of fresh blueberries that you wash and pick out to make sure they're all perfect. However, you can ad up to ½ cup, if you want extra berries. You can also press a few berries on the surface just before baking to make it extra pretty.
• Flour. My trick to prevent all of the berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan is to coat them lightly in 2 teaspoons of all-purpose flour. If you look in the photos, you can see the berries evenly suspended in the batter because of this trick.

The Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325-degrees Fahrenheit and line your loaf pan with parchment paper in one direction. You can use metal clips to help it adhere to the sides, if you need to.
2. Crush the graham crackers either in a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin.
3. Combine the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter. When it looks like wet sand, press it in the bottom of your loaf pan in an even layer. You can use a small spatula or a shot glass to pack it firmly.
4. Bake the crust for 20-22 minutes to help it set.
5. While the crust bakes, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest and juice until smooth, about 1 minute with a hand mixer.
6. In a separate small bowl, combine the blueberries with the flour and toss until they are all lightly coated with flour.
7. Finally, stir the blueberries gently into the batter, and spread it over the crust when it comes out of the oven.
8. Before returning the lemon blueberry cheesecake to the oven, lower the temperature to 300-degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 40-45 minutes. It is done when the top isn't sticky.
9. Remove from the oven, let it cool near the oven because drastic temperature changes can cause cracks. Once cool, move to the fridge and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (or overnight) before slicing and serving.

Equipment to Make Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

• Loaf Pan - This is the exact loaf pan I use for making all of my small batch desserts.
• Microplane Zester/ Grater - I couldn't live without this microplane zester. Using the side of a box grater just doesn't compare.
• Parchment Paper - I line all of my pans with this parchment paper so that nothing sticks. It makes getting desserts out of or off pans so easy!
• Hand Mixer - I use this hand mixer in almost all of my recipes!

Storage/Make-Ahead

So, even though this lemon blueberry cheesecake only makes six slices, I want you to know how to freeze the extra slices: slice the entire cheesecake, cover the top and sides of each piece with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap, and place in a freezer container (or freezer storage bag) and freeze. The only problem is that being frozen still won't stop you from eating them right out of the freezer. I speak from experience here, hehe.

You can make this cheesecake up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. You can make it ahead of time and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months, if it's very tightly wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe storage bag. To defrost, unwrap and place in fridge overnight; slice and serve like normal.

Of all the things I've scaled down, this crustless cheesecake is one of my favorites. It's not just convenient to use a loaf pan to make six slices instead of a giant labor-intensive cheesecake, but it's also incredible. It doesn't crack, it doesn't sink. It is just perfect, as it should be. This lemon blueberry cheesecake just exists and holds its shape as a cheesecake should. When you slide your fork into it, it's somehow still light and fluffy.

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