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5 from 9 votes

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Delicious Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is the perfect blend of tart, tangy and creamy! It starts with a vanilla wafer cookie crust topped with creamy lemon cheesecake and a homemade meringue topping.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Chill Time6 hours
Total Time7 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 pieces
Calories: 814kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

Crust

  • 3 cups vanilla wafer cookies
  • cup salted butter melted

Cheesecake

  • ¾ cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon zest ~2 lemons
  • 3 packages cream cheese 8 ounce each, room temperature
  • 1 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup lemon curd

Meringue

  • 3 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and assemble a 9 inch springform pan.
  • Use a food processor to crush the vanilla wafer cookies to crumbs, about 1 minute.
  • Add in the salted butter and pulse to combine. The mixture should have the consistency of wet sand.
  • Press the crust into the springform pan and then bake for 10-12 minutes or until it just begins to brown.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the crust from the oven and allow the crust to cool completely.
  • While the crust is cooling, prepare a water bath by placing a lint free towel, folded, in the bottom of a roasting or large baking pan. You want a pan large enough for the springform pan to fit comfortably with a little space on all sides.
  • Heat 4 cups of water in a kettle or saucepan until boiling, turn off heat and allow it to set while you assemble the cheesecake.
  • To make the cheesecake, beat together the sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl with a hand or stand mixer until the sugar is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add in the cream cheese and beat on medium, just until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes, depending on the temperature of the cream cheese.
  • Mix in the greek yogurt, lemon juice and lemon extract until completely combined, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, on low speed, just until combined. Do not overbeat.
  • Wrap the cooled springform pan in aluminum foil and a baking bag, if possible.
  • Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared crust and gently spread into an even layer. Tap the pan gently several times on the counter to pop any air bubbles.
  • Put the cheesecake pan on the folded towel in the roasting or large baking pan and place it all in the oven.
  • Carefully pour the hot water into the baking pan, outside the springform pan, until it reaches the middle of the springform pan, at least 1-2 inches. This creates a water bath so that the cheesecake cooks more evenly.
  • Bake for 1 hour 15-30 minutes or until the cheesecake has just a slight wiggle in the middle when the springform pan is moved.
  • Shut the oven door and turn it off, allowing the cheesecake to continue cooking as it cools for 30 minutes.
  • Crack the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for another 30-45 minutes or until you can comfortably touch the pan without being burnt, before removing it from the oven.
  • Allow the cheesecake to set for 30-45 minutes at room temperature and then spread the lemon curd gently over the top, leaving a ¼ to ½ inch of space around the edge of the cake for the meringue to seal it in and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Once the cheesecake has refrigerated until set, at least 4 hours, prepare the meringue and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Prepare the meringue by beating the egg whites and lemon juice together in a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, until soft peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Gradually add in the sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating on high until all the sugar has been added.
  • Once all the sugar has been added, continue beating until stiff peaks form. This can take another 5-10 minutes. You want a meringue that is stiff enough to hold its shape and stick to the bowl without sliding.
  • Pipe or spread the meringue onto the cheesecake, being sure to place it around the edge of the top so that the curd won’t drip off when heating.
  • Bake for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

  • Let all of your ingredients come to room temperature before you start on this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe. They will mix much easier at room temperature!
  • Make a good schedule and plan more than enough time to bake and cool your cheesecake. Cheesecakes can easily crack if they are baked too quickly or cooled too quickly. The waterbath will help with this! Keep the temps low and slow for baking and follow the instructions to cool the cheesecake in the oven.
  • It is really important to leave space around the edge when you spread the lemon curd. The meringue will seal the curd in when it’s baked. If you don’t seal it in, the curd is likely to become really liquidy and drip down the sides of the cheesecake, making a sticky mess!

Nutrition

Calories: 814kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 1513IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 1mg