"I'm always greeted with oohs and aahs when I bring out this exquisite dessert," relates Kaaren Jurack of Manassas, Virginia. "It has a wonderful lemony flavor, silky texture and rich sour cream topping. The addition of nuts to a traditional graham cracker crust makes it especially delectable."
Rich Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
- crust:
- 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
- 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- filling:
- 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- topping:
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a bowl, combine the crumbs, nuts and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10-in. springform pan; set aside. in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla; beat just until blended. Pour into crust.
- Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5 minutes. Combine topping ingredients; spread over filling. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
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