By: Jill Mills Updated: May 10, 2025

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With fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in the filling and lemon curd on top, every single bite of this Lemon Cheesecake is infused with bright, tangy citrus flavor. It’s the perfect cheesecake for spring and summer!

I love lemon cheesecake. I’ve shared many variations of it on the blog, like mini lemon cheesecakes, no bake lemon cheesecake, and lemon cheesecake bars. I’ve even combined it with some of my other favorite spring flavors to make strawberry cheesecake and blueberry lemon cheesecake bars. But this recipe is the classic, the OG lemon cheesecake. It’s a more traditional cheesecake, baked in a water bath, with a thick, rich, and creamy filling in a graham cracker crust. I am so obsessed with it and cannot wait to make it again and again this spring and summer.

Why This Is The Best Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Here are a few reasons why I love this cheesecake so much.

SO much lemon flavor. There’s half a cup of fresh lemon juice in the filling, plus lemon zest. Then the entire cheesecake is topped with tangy lemon curd before serving. Every single bite of this cheesecake is infused with bright, tangy lemon flavor.
Great for beginners. I think this lemon cheesecake recipe is a great first cheesecake to make. The filling is very easy to make, and while I do encourage a water bath, the lemon curd on top helps hide any cracks in the filling.
Smooth, creamy filling. With four eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream, the filling for this cheesecake is rich, smooth, and creamy. So good!
Perfect for spring and summer. I love to make this cheesecake in the spring and summer months. It’s lighter than a lot of other cheesecakes and the lemon flavor is so refreshing on a warm day.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make lemon cheesecake

What You’ll Need

One of the things I love about this recipe is the simple ingredients list! This lemon cheesecake is made with lots of lemon, of course, cream cheese, and some pantry basics. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Graham cracker crumbs – While you can buy the crumbs these days, I prefer to just smash a few packages of graham crackers myself.
Butter – Melted butter holds the graham cracker crumbs together to form the crust.
Cream cheese – Using a high-quality cream cheese will make a creamier, better-tasting cheesecake. Do not use the spreadable kind, only blocks, and stick with full-fat cream cheese.
Granulated sugar
Sour cream – Adds the classic tangy flavor to the filling, as well as makes it extra smooth. Feel free to replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is key! It really adds the lemon flavor to the cheesecake.
Lemon zest – Adds a stronger lemon flavor to the filling. Be sure to zest the lemons before squeezing them for the juice.
Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the filling.
Eggs – Adds structure to the filling.
Lemon curd – I like to use my easy homemade lemon curd recipe for this. It’s the final topping to the cheesecake for extra lemon flavor. Store-bought lemon curd will also work just fine.

How To Make Lemon Cheesecake

If you’ve never made a cheesecake before, this recipe is a great place to start! It’s simple, straightforward, and more forgiving than other cheesecakes. The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl

Graham cracker crust in a springform pan

Bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 325F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice and zest, and cornstarch, until fully combined. Beat in the eggs on low speed, one at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust, smoothing the top.
Add the water bath. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. Place the pan inside a larger pan. Fill the outside pan with 1 to 1.5 inches of hot water.

Bake. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, until set but slightly jiggly.
Cool. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour. Then remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath. Continue cooling to room temperature on a wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add the lemon curd. Just before serving, spread the lemon curd evenly on top of the cheesecake.

Angled view of a lemon cheesecake with whipped cream dollops and leon slices

Can I Skip the Water Bath?

For most cheesecake recipes, I would say no. However, as I mentioned, this lemon cheesecake is slightly more forgiving than others, and the lemon curd will cover any cracks on top. So while a water bath helps with even baking and prevents cracks, you can skip it if you don’t mind a slightly less creamy texture or the possibility of small cracks. To minimize cracking, bake at a low temperature and cool the cheesecake slowly, as directed in the recipe.

A slice of lemon cheesecake on a plate with a bite on a fork

Tips & Tricks

Whether this is your 1st or 50th cheesecake, here are a few things to keep in mind as you make this recipe.

Use room temperature ingredients. Ensure that the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for easier mixing and a smoother filling.
Use a springform pan cover. I highly recommend a silicone springform pan cover instead of tinfoil for the water bath. One small leak in your tinfoil can ruin the entire cheesecake.
Do not overmix. After adding the various ingredients to the batter, and especially the eggs, be sure to mix until all the ingredients are just fully incorporated.
Avoid overbaking. This cheesecake has a relatively short baking time. It’s done when the edges are set, but the center has a slight jiggle. Over baking can lead to a dry texture.
Keep the oven door shut. Avoid opening the oven door frequently during baking to maintain an even temperature. This is key to ensure the cheesecake cooks fully and doesn’t crack as much.
Cool slowly. It’s important to let the cheesecake first begin to cool in the oven. Then allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. This slow cooling process helps to prevent cracks and also ensures the cheesecake is fully cooked and set, without overcooking it.
Topping ideas. Add whipped cream, lemon zest, lemon slices or white chocolate shavings for an elegant finish before serving.

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