Best 6 Sunny Citrus Cheesecake Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful symphony of flavors with our Sunny Citrus Cheesecake, a captivating dessert that blends the vibrant zest of citrus with the velvety smoothness of cheesecake. This culinary masterpiece features a graham cracker crust, a luscious filling bursting with citrusy goodness, and a tantalizing topping that adds a touch of elegance.

The recipe collection encompasses three variations of this delectable treat, each offering a unique taste experience. The Classic Sunny Citrus Cheesecake is a timeless favorite, featuring a harmonious balance of citrus and creaminess. The Key Lime Cheesecake tantalizes the palate with its tangy and refreshing lime flavor, while the Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake evokes nostalgic memories with its sweet and creamy orange filling.

These recipes are meticulously crafted to ensure a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The graham cracker crust provides a sturdy base, while the creamy cheesecake filling, infused with citrus zest and juice, delivers a burst of freshness with every bite. The topping, whether it's whipped cream, sour cream, or a combination of both, adds a delightful layer of richness and complements the vibrant citrus flavors.

Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, these recipes are designed for success. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you'll be guided through the process of creating this exceptional dessert. So, prepare to embark on a culinary adventure and savor the irresistible charm of our Sunny Citrus Cheesecake.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CITRUS CHEESECAKE



Citrus Cheesecake image

Here's the perfect cheesecake for spring. The rich cookielike crust and creamy filling make the zesty citrus taste a wonderful surprise. -Marcy Cella, L'Anse, Michigan

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h40m

Yield 12-14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
FILLING
5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
TOPPING
1-1/2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and lemon zest; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Divide dough in half; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. , Remove sides of a 9-in. springform pan. Grease bottom. Between waxed paper, roll half the dough to fit bottom of pan. Peel off top paper; invert dough onto bottom of pan. Remove paper; trim dough to fit pan. , Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. , Attach sides of the pan and grease sides. Pat remaining dough 1-1/2 in. up sides of pan, pressing dough to bottom crust to seal., For filling, in another large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon and orange zest and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and yolks; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in cream just until combined. Pour into crust. Return pan to baking sheet. , Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°; bake 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. , Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Combine topping ingredients; spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 442 calories, Fat 25g fat (15g saturated fat), Cholesterol 196mg cholesterol, Sodium 165mg sodium, Carbohydrate 45g carbohydrate (34g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 7g protein.

CITRUS CHEESECAKE



Citrus Cheesecake image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     dessert

Time 6h15m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (see Note)
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons allpurpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 2 oranges
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Thinly sliced kumquats, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9inch round cake pan. Coat the bottom and sides with the toasted almonds.
  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer at low speed until soft and smooth, about 1 minute. Combine the flour and sugar in another bowl and then add to the beaten cream cheese. Mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the grated citrus zests. Add the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the batter is perfectly smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tapping the bottom on a counter four or five times to eliminate air pockets. Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan and pour in hot tap water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake 1 hour, or until the center feels firm when pressed. Immediately remove the cake pan from the larger pan and set aside to cool on a rack. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
  • To serve, place the pan over a low burner for about 1 minute to melt the butter. Invert onto a plate and then invert again onto a serving platter so the nuts are on the bottom. To garnish, if desired, spread the sour cream evenly over the top and then cover the top with rows of thinly sliced kumquats.

CITRUSY CHEESECAKE



Citrusy Cheesecake image

The nice thing about this cheesecake is that it doesn't require a water bath or any sort of special baking pan: More shallow than a traditional version, it gets baked right in a pie plate (or tart pan, if you've got that). While there are zest and juice inside the cream cheese filling, it's the fresh sliced citrus on top that makes this cake Creamsicle-like, so don't skip it. The ultimate do-ahead dessert, this cheesecake can be baked three or so days in advance, just make sure to wrap it tightly as cream cheese tends to easily pick up on that "fridge" scent.

Provided by Alison Roman

Categories     cakes, dessert

Time 45m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

8 ounces/225 grams vanilla wafers or graham crackers
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of kosher salt
1 pound/455 grams (two 8-ounce/225-gram packages) cream cheese, not the whipped kind, preferably at room temperature
1 cup/240 milliliters sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh grapefruit, lemon, lime or orange juice
3 tablespoons finely grated grapefruit, lemon, lime or orange zest
Pinch of kosher salt
Sliced citrus, for serving
Flaky sea salt, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Pulse cookies in a food processor until you've got a nice fine crumb (but not a powder). You can also do this by hand if you like, by placing the cookies in a resealable bag and crushing or smashing with a skillet or rolling pin, but you will need a food processor for the filling.
  • Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and add brown sugar and butter, followed by a pinch of salt. Using your hands, mix until the crumbs are evenly coated and the mixture has a nice, wet-sand texture.
  • Press the crust onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, tart pan or springform pan. (Alternatively, you could use a cake pan lined with parchment. You can even use an 8-by-8-inch baking dish here, although expect a slightly thicker outcome.) Use the bottom of a measuring cup or small bowl to make sure the crust is really pressed in there, otherwise the cake could be challenging to cut later on.
  • Bake the crust until it is lightly golden brown at the edges (it gets baked one more time, so best not to overdo it here), 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Make the filling: Combine cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is extremely smooth and well blended, a minute or two, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate any stubborn chunks of cream cheese. Add eggs, grapefruit juice, zest and a pinch of kosher salt and keep processing until it's even smoother and creamier than before (a miracle!), another 30 seconds or so.
  • Pour filling into baked crust (you may have some leftover filling depending on your chosen vessel) and bake until mostly set (a little jiggle is fine), 20 to 30 minutes. The filling should not brown at all.
  • Turn oven off and open the door a crack. Let the tart sit in the oven for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack on the counter to cool completely. Then place the tart in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. (This is to prevent any unsightly cracks from appearing on the surface, which can happen when there is a sudden or drastic change in temperature.)
  • To serve, scatter fresh citrus slices on top and sprinkle with a little flaky salt.

CITRUS CHEESECAKE



Citrus Cheesecake image

A great tasting citrus cheesecake with a marmalade glaze. Garnish with orange slices and sprigs of mint.

Provided by NATHAN14

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Cheesecake Recipes

Time 2h

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 egg white
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 ⅔ cups white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
⅔ cup orange marmalade
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Butter a 9 inch springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Add butter and process until coarse crumbs form. With machine running, add yolk mixture and blend until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Freeze crust 10 minutes.
  • Brush crust lightly with egg white. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack while preparing filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 2/3 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, orange zest, lime zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream. Pour filling into crust.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until puffed and cracked around edges and center moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, boil marmalade and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Spread warm glaze on top of cake. Chill cake 10 minutes. Remove pan sides and transfer cake to serving plate.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 555.5 calories, Carbohydrate 59.3 g, Cholesterol 153.9 mg, Fat 33 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 8.4 g, SaturatedFat 20.2 g, Sodium 263.6 mg, Sugar 44.4 g

TRIPLE-CITRUS CHEESECAKE



Triple-Citrus Cheesecake image

This Triple-Citrus Cheesecake is a delicious enigma. It's rich, but not heavy. Sweet, yet tart and refreshing. Make it and enjoy the contradictions.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Home

Time 6h35m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 tsp. zest and 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 each lemon, lime and orange

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325°F.
  • Combine graham crumbs, brown sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
  • Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour over crust.
  • Bake 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 330, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 14 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Sodium 290 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 6 g

LEMON DREAM CHEESECAKE



Lemon Dream Cheesecake image

Light and creamy, this lemon cheesecake recipe is just the thing for a spring or summer day. -Bonnie Jost, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h25m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
FILLING:
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
10 drops yellow food coloring, optional
5 large eggs, lightly beaten

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto bottom and 2 in. up the inside of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cream, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, extracts and, if desired, food coloring. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 396 calories, Fat 29g fat (18g saturated fat), Cholesterol 150mg cholesterol, Sodium 286mg sodium, Carbohydrate 27g carbohydrate (19g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 7g protein.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients, especially for the citrus fruits. Fresh, juicy oranges, lemons, and limes will give your cheesecake the best flavor.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start baking. This will help it mix smoothly with the other ingredients and prevent lumps.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cheesecake tough and dense.
  • Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This will help to prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
  • Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. This will allow the flavors to develop and the cheesecake to set properly.

Conclusion:

This sunny citrus cheesecake is a delightful dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is light and refreshing, with a bright citrus flavor that will wake up your taste buds. The creamy cheesecake filling is perfectly complemented by the tangy citrus sauce. Whether you are serving it to guests or enjoying it yourself, this cheesecake is sure to be a hit.

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