Brimming with flavor from the filling to the curd, the 6-inch sour cream lemon cheesecake is a cornucopia of lemon love in a compact 6-inch size.
We are wrapping up citrus month here in March, and I have quite the cheesecake for you to go out on a bang with! 6-inch cheesecakes are my absolute favorite, and I’ll tell you why: less ingredients, let’s bake time, let’s chill time, but the same full bodied flavor that you can find in any 9-inch cheesecake. This 6-inch sour cream lemon cheesecake is an offshoot of several other recipes that I have on this site. It has a buttery graham cracker crust, a lemon oil-infused filling, a sweetened cream cheese layer, homemade lemon curd, and lightly sweetened whipped cream. Those candied lemons on top are purely for garnish, so you can absolutely skip them if you don’t want to bother. The cheesecake will taste divine either way. Let’s make it.
What you’ll need to make this 6-inch sour cream lemon cheesecake:
Large eggs
Granulated sugar
Fresh lemon juice
Salted butter
Heavy cream
Graham cracker crumbs
Cream cheese
Pure lemon oil {or pure lemon extract}
Sour cream
Pure vanilla extract
Sliced lemons {optional, for candied lemons}
The Curd
This amazing lemon curd has a blog all on its own, and it is right here if you want to bookmark it! It is phenomenally creamy, packed with lemon flavor, and buttery to boot. I could literally eat it with a spoon {and I definitely did this with some leftover spoonfuls that I had after making this cheesecake}. You will want to make this the evening prior or the morning of, so it has time to thicken in the fridge.
Begin by beating the egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice. Mix this until it is combined, about 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook on low {If you have a numbered stove from 1 to 10, I put my burner on about four}. After about five minutes has elapsed, gently add the butter chunks and continue to stir until melted and slightly thickened, about another 7 minutes. You will want to whisk this constantly so the eggs do not “cook.” Remove from the heat and immediately strain the mixture to remove any tiny lumps and ensure a smooth finish. Add the heavy cream, whisking until completely incorporated. Cool the curd completely in the refrigerator, covering the top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The Crust
This perfect graham cracker crust is made of three simple ingredients: crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted salted butter, and granulated sugar. I buy the pre-crushed crumbs for ease of making this crust, but you can also crush graham cracker on your own.
Begin by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and mixing with a fork until a wet sand-like consistency forms. Press this into your 6-inch springform cheesecake pan, ensuring that you bring the crust a good bit up the sides so as to hold all of those amazing layers. Using the bottom of a tall glass, press down around the sides and the bottom. Set your crust aside while you make the filling.
The Filling + Baking
I decided to use pure lemon oil in this cheesecake, but you could also use pure lemon extract. The reason that I don’t use fresh lemon juice is that it would alter the consistency and the texture of this cheesecake by adding more liquid than I wanted in this recipe. Pure lemon extract and pure lemon oil are fabulous ways to pack a punch of lemon into any of your baked goods without altering the texture in the process.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, lemon oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the egg, mixing for about thirty seconds. Do not overmix this part.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Place foil around the bottom to create a barrier for the water bath. Place the cheesecake pan into a larger baking dish {I used a 10-inch baking pan since I had it easily accessible}. Add about an inch of water to the larger pan. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes. The cheesecake should be mostly set and golden on the edges but slightly jiggly in the middle. It will set up further as it cools. Allow it to cool in the pan / water bath for 20 minute. Gently remove it from the water bath and place it in the refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight until chilled and fully set.
The Sour Cream + Whipped Cream
This sour cream topping is simply sour cream, granulated sugar, and a bit of pure vanilla extract. The whipped cream is simply heavy cream and granulated sugar. The simplicity of these toppings are absolutely perfect in conjunction with the lemon curd and lemon cheesecake, bringing complexity and creaminess to an all-around decadent dessert.
For the sour cream layer, simply beat all ingredients in a small bowl until just combined, about 10-15 seconds.
For the whipped cream, add heavy cream and sugar to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer or standing mixer for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
Once the cheesecake has been sufficiently chilled, about an hour, you can add the toppings and then chill for an additional 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Simply layer the sour cream over the cheesecake, and then layer the lemon curd over the sour cream. You can carefully spoon it around so that the layers do not mix, or you can gently swirl it together if you’d like it a little bit marble-y! It’s totally up to you. Also, if you’re just not a fan of sour cream, skip this layer and pipe that whip right onto the curd.
The Candied Lemons
Candies lemons are simply lemons that have been thinly sliced and simmered in a pot of sugar and water, creating a candied effect. They are incredibly easy to make, and they provide a beautiful garnish along with some greenery on this cheesecake. This is a completely optional step, so if you do not wish to add the candied lemons, simply skip to the bottom for the dietary subs and the recipe.
Slice up two lemons at around a quarter of an inch thick per slice. Into a small sauce pan, add the one cup sugar and one cup water, stirring a handful of times until it comes to a boil. Once bubbles start to form, pull the heat back to a simmer and add the lemons gently into the water and sugar mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, during which time you can flip them gently with a fork or tongs 2 times. Remove the lemons and place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Allow them to sit untouched overnight. They will still be sticky, but set. Gently toss them in granulated sugar just prior to placing them on your cheesecake.
The Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in this recipe.
Kite Hill makes a dairy free sour cream for those wanting to recreate the topping without dairy.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for both the cheesecake and the whipped topping.
Pamela’s Honey Graham Crackers are gluten free and perfect for use in this crust if you want or need to avoid gluten.
If you loved this 6-inch sour cream lemon cheesecake recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations.
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XO,
Heather
PS- If you love 6-Inch Cheesecakes, here are a few of my favorites:
6-Inch Sour Cream Lemon Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Curd:
- 3 Large Egg Yolks
- ¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Salted Butter, room temperature and cut into four cubes
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
For the Crust:
- 1 ¾ Cups Grahams Cracker Crumbs
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
For the Filling:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2-4 Drops Pure Lemon Oil (or ½ to 1 Tablespoon Pure Lemon Extract. Use ½ for a less potent lemon flavor)
- ½ Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
For the Sour Cream Layer:
- ¾ Cup Sour Cream
- 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
For the Whipped Cream:
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
For the Candied Lemons (optional):
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- 3-4 Drops Pure Lemon Oil
- 2 Lemons Sliced, ¼ inches thick per slice
Instructions
- Make the curd: Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice. Mix until combined.Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook on low {If you have a numbered stove from 1 to 10, I put my burner on about four}. After about five minutes has elapsed, gently add the butter chunks and continue to stir until melted and slightly thickened, about another 7 minutes. You will want to whisk this constantly so the eggs do not “cook.” Remove from heat and immediately strain to remove any tiny lumps and ensure a smooth finish. Add the heavy cream, whisking until completely incorporated. Remove from the heat and cool completely in the refrigerator, covering top of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make the crust: Mix all ingredients until it is the texture of coarse sand. Press crust into cheesecake pan, using the back end of a measuring cup if needed to ensure it is firmly and evenly covering the pan. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, lemon oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the egg, mixing for about thirty seconds. Do not overmix this part. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Place foil around the bottom to create a barrier for the water bath. Place the cheesecake pan into a larger baking dish {I used a 10-inch baking pan since I had it easily accessible}. Add about an inch of water to the larger pan. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes. The cheesecake should be mostly set and golden on the edges but slightly jiggly in the middle. It will set up further as it cools. Allow it to cool in the pan / water bath for 20 minute. Gently remove it from the water bath and place it in the refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight until chilled and fully set.
- Once the cheesecake has been sufficiently chilled, about an hour, you can add the toppings and then chill for an additional 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Simply layer the sour cream over the cheesecake, and then layer the lemon curd over the sour cream. You can carefully spoon it around so that the layers do not mix, or you can gently swirl it together if you’d like it a little bit marble-y! It’s totally up to you. Also, if you’re just not a fan of sour cream, skip this layer and pipe that whip right onto the curd.
- Make the candied lemons:Slice up two lemons at around a quarter of an inch thick for each slice. Into a small sauce pan, add one cup sugar, and one cup water, string a handful of times, while it comes to a boil. Once bubbles start to form, pull the heat back to a simmer and add the lemons gently into the water and sugar mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, during which time you can flip them gently with a fork or tongs 1 to 2 times. Gently remove the lemons and place them on a wax paper or lined cookie sheet. Allow them to sit, untouched overnight, they will still be sticky, but set. Gently toss them and granulated sugar just prior to placing them on your cheesecake.
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