Lemon ricotta cheesecake is a light and delicately sweet dessert. Ricotta based cheesecakes are a nice change of pace from heavier, traditional cheesecakes, which are made with cream cheese.
The lemon ricotta cheesecake recipe requires no crust, making it quick and easy to put together. For an extremely lemon infused treat, try serving the cheesecake along with a scoop of lemon sorbet and a glass of lemonade.
Ingredients for the Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 fifteen ounce containers of ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon finely minced lemon thyme
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions for the Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake
- Remove the ricotta cheese, butter and eggs from the refrigerator and let set at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes prior to starting the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan, then lightly dust with flour.
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a large bowl.
- Beat with a mixer until fluffy.
- Add the ricotta cheese, flour and baking powder to the bowl and beat until well blended.
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, lemon extract, lemon zest and lemon thyme.
- Add the egg mixture to the ricotta cheese mixture and beat on low speed until mixed thoroughly.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Keep the cheesecake in the oven, turn the oven off, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool, on a wire rack, for 30 minutes.
- Remove the sides of the springform pan.
- Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap.
- Place the covered cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until well chilled.
- Prior to serving, dust the top of the cheesecake with the powdered sugar.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
This recipe does not contain a typo, one tablespoon (Tbsp), not one teaspoon (tsp), of baking powder is used to make the lemon ricotta cheesecake.
Any lemon flavored herb, such as lemon basil or lemon verbena, can be substituted for the lemon thyme.
Use a microplane grater to finely grate the lemon zest.
More Lemon Enhanced Recipes
The author of the Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake recipe, has written additional lemon recipes which have been published on the Suite101 site. Quick and Easy Tart and Creamy Lemon Bars, Lemon Poppy Seed Tea Cakes and Lemon Basil French Toast are sure to appeal to lemon dessert connoisseurs.
Lynn Smythe - ABOUT THE WRITER Born and raised in Rochester, New York, freelance writer Lynn Smythe obtained her bachelor's degree in Geology from ...
