Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake
Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon
Yields Makes one 8-in. cheesecake; 12 to 16 servings
A smooth, delicate cheesecake. Lemon zest in the crust brings out the tang of the cheese. Prep and Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours cooling and chilling time.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Preheat oven to 325°. Crumble cookies into a food processor and pulse until finely ground. In a medium bowl, toss 2 tbsp. lemon zest with 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar. Add cookie crumbs and mix well. Butter sides of an 8-in. pan with removable rim and press cookie mixture into bottom; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan.

Step 2
2

Lower temperature to 275°. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add remaining lemon zest, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, the orange zest, 3/4 cup sugar, the sour cream, and the vanilla; beat well. Scrape bowl and add eggs; beat well.

Step 3
3

Pour batter onto crust and bake about 1 hour, or until set on the sides but still quite jiggly in the center and only slightly sticky. Turn oven off, crack oven door, and let cake cool in oven 2 hours. Remove and let cool completely; then chill, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Step 4
4

Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan and remove rim. Thinly slice strawberries, then toss with remaining 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar and lemon juice. Arrange on cake.

Step 5
5

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Ingredients

 7 ounces shortbread cookies
 2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest (from about 3 lemons), divided
 1 cup sugar, divided
 12 ounces fresh, mild goat cheese (such as Haystack Boulder Chèvre)
 10 ounce cream cheese
 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
 1/2 cup sour cream
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 2 eggs
 8 to 10 medium strawberries, stemmed

Directions

Step 1
1

Preheat oven to 325°. Crumble cookies into a food processor and pulse until finely ground. In a medium bowl, toss 2 tbsp. lemon zest with 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar. Add cookie crumbs and mix well. Butter sides of an 8-in. pan with removable rim and press cookie mixture into bottom; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan.

Step 2
2

Lower temperature to 275°. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add remaining lemon zest, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, the orange zest, 3/4 cup sugar, the sour cream, and the vanilla; beat well. Scrape bowl and add eggs; beat well.

Step 3
3

Pour batter onto crust and bake about 1 hour, or until set on the sides but still quite jiggly in the center and only slightly sticky. Turn oven off, crack oven door, and let cake cool in oven 2 hours. Remove and let cool completely; then chill, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Step 4
4

Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan and remove rim. Thinly slice strawberries, then toss with remaining 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar and lemon juice. Arrange on cake.

Step 5
5

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake

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