Cheesecake is a simple, but elegant dessert. This recipe uses oats and pecans to create a crust and is baked without using a water bath (there is no cracking either). It can be served plain or topped with fruit such as strawberries or sliced citrus. This one is a family favorite.
Yield: 1 9.5-in cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup raw pecans
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
- 1 pound/ 2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
For a strawberry topping (optional):
- 8 ounces frozen strawberries
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a glass pie plate with butter.
In a blender or food processor, pulse oats and pecans until they have mostly broken down. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the cinnamon, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add vanilla to the melted butter and stir into the dry ingredients. Mix everything together to combine.
Press the oat mixture into the pie plate by using the back of a spoon to press and form a crust. Bake until the crust is golden at the edges, about 16-18 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. Mix until the cream cheese is very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix until there are no lumps and the mixture is a pudding-like consistency.
Pour the filling over the crust. Bake until the filling is almost completely set but the center has a slight jiggle, 30-35 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the door open slightly and let the cheesecake sit inside the oven for about 30 minutes while it cools. Then remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it sit for at least an hour before transferring to the fridge to cool completely. If preparing ahead of time, wrap the cooled cheesecake tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
To prepare the optional strawberry topping, add frozen strawberries, juice from half of a lemon, and honey to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the strawberries have softened and the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely before topping the cheesecake slices.