This Lemon Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake is creamy with a hint of lemon and homemade blueberry sauce in every bite. It is baked in a small 6 inch springform pan, so it is the perfect size for a family dessert or a special afternoon tea.
We recently went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and by the time we were done, I couldn’t order dessert, which is usually the case. Hubby decided to get one and bring it home. Restaurant cheesecakes are super expensive, and even made from scratch they are not cheap, so I decided to make a small one at home.
Choosing the flavor really took a lot of thought, and I picked lemon blueberry swirl. You can’t go wrong with lemon and blueberries together, and it is perfect for the frozen blueberries you might have waiting to be used up. I had made individual lemon blueberry cheesecakes before, but I wanted a whole cheesecake with a pretty swirl on top.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus 1 hour resting in the oven
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes, plus chilling overnight or several hours
- 🍽️ Servings: 6 slices
- ⚡ Calories: 477kcal per slice
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich and creamy with bright lemon, a buttery graham crust and sweet tart blueberry sauce
- ✋ Difficulty: Moderate, a water bath and patience are the keys
Quick Answer
Make a quick blueberry sauce and strain it. Press a graham cracker crust into a 6 inch springform pan, wrap the pan in foil and bake 7 minutes. Beat cream cheese and sugar, add sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, then the eggs. Pour into the crust, swirl blueberry sauce on top, and bake in a water bath at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center still jiggles. Rest it in the turned off oven for an hour, then chill before slicing.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Lemon Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas & Suggestions
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake FAQs
- Other Recommended Cheesecake Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The water bath. Baking the pan in warm water keeps the heat gentle and even, which is what keeps the cheesecake creamy and helps prevent cracks.
- Foil around the pan. Wrapping the springform tightly keeps water from seeping into the crust.
- Eggs go in last. Mixing them in at the end, and not over mixing, keeps extra air out so the top doesn’t puff and crack.
- Pulling it while it still jiggles. The center finishes setting as it rests; an over baked cheesecake cracks and turns dry.
- An hour in the turned off oven. The slow cool down keeps the sudden temperature change from cracking the surface.
- Straining the sauce. Separating the juice from the berries gives you smooth sauce for the swirl and whole berries for the topping.
- A 6 inch pan. It is rich, so a small cake gives you 4 to 6 pieces with fewer ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant quality at home. No need to splurge on a slice when you can make a whole cheesecake.
- Just the right size. A 6 inch cheesecake serves 4 to 6, perfect for a small family or a tea party.
- Lemon and blueberry. One of the prettiest and most refreshing flavor pairs there is.
- A beautiful swirl. A knife and some blueberry sauce make it look bakery fancy with almost no effort.
- Make ahead friendly. It needs to chill anyway, so it is perfect for entertaining.
- Easy to change. Use any berry you like, or even cherries.
Key Ingredients
Three simple parts: blueberry sauce, crust and filling. Quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Blueberries. Fresh or frozen, cooked with a little sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch into a quick sauce.
- Graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. A classic crust pressed into the bottom and slightly up the sides.
- Cream cheese. Softened, so it beats smooth with no lumps.
- Sour cream. Adds a little tang and makes the filling extra creamy.
- Lemon juice and zest. Fresh lemon gives the filling its bright flavor. For more lemon, try my lemon curd.
- Vanilla extract. I used my homemade vanilla extract, which also makes a lovely gift.
- Eggs. Two large eggs, added last.
- Equipment: a 6″ springform pan and a larger baking pan with sides for the water bath.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Variations & Substitutions
- Any berry: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or even cherries all make a delicious, pretty sauce.
- Bigger cheesecake: for a 9 inch springform pan, double everything except the eggs; use 3 large eggs.
- Extra topping: finish with whipped cream along with the berries and sauce.
- Lemon lovers: try my Instant Pot lemon curd cheesecake.
- Other flavors: mini pumpkin cheesecakes, mini orange cheesecakes and salted caramel cheesecake are all family favorites.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Place your oven racks toward the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray your 6 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the blueberry sauce: whisk the cornstarch, water and lemon juice in a small bowl until dissolved. Cook the blueberries and sugar in a pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, until the juices release. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir for another 3 minutes, smashing some of the berries.
- Pour the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, separating the blueberries and the juice into two bowls. You will need both later.
- Make the crust: mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar, then press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. Wrap the pan tightly in aluminum foil so water from the water bath can’t get in. Bake for 7 minutes, then let it cool.
- Make the filling: beat the cream cheese and sugar until blended, then add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Add the eggs last and don’t over mix. Pour into the crust, spoon some of the blueberry sauce on top, and swirl it into a pattern with a knife.
- Set the cheesecake in a baking pan with sides and add 1 inch of warm water. Bake approximately 45 to 50 minutes. It will still have about a 2 inch jiggle in the center when it is done.
- Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Then chill it in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Top with the blueberries, the remaining sauce, and whipped cream if you like.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Candiland baking tip: do not over bake. Watch the water, make sure the temperature is correct, and leave about a 2 inch jiggle in the middle. This prevents cracking.
- Soften the cream cheese first. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of beating will fix.
- Wrap the pan well. New to water baths? Here is how to make a water bath step by step.
- Chill before slicing. Refrigerate several hours for a nice clean cut, and wipe the knife between slices.
- Swirl gently. A few figure eights with a knife look prettier than lots of stirring.
- Storage: keep it covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve chilled slices with extra blueberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream, with a cup of Earl Grey tea or a glass of blueberry mint iced tea. For a lemon and blueberry tea table, add my blueberry scones, lemon cream cheese bundt cake and sunny lemon curd cupcakes.
What is your favorite cheesecake flavor? Try the Instant Pot key lime cheesecake, peppermint cheesecakes for the holidays, strawberry cheesecake in a jar or strawberry cheesecake brownies, and browse all my cheesecakes and desserts.
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake FAQs
The water keeps the oven heat gentle and even around the pan, so the cheesecake bakes slowly and stays creamy. It is one of the best ways to prevent cracks.
Don’t over bake it. Leave about a 2 inch jiggle in the center, don’t over mix after adding the eggs, and let it cool in the turned off oven for an hour before chilling.
Yes. Double everything except the eggs, and use 3 large eggs. Plan on a longer baking time and look for the same jiggle in the center.
Yes. Frozen blueberries work perfectly in the sauce; cook them a minute or two longer until the juices release.
At least several hours, and overnight is best. A well chilled cheesecake slices cleanly and has the best texture.
Absolutely. Use any berry you’d like, or even cherries. They all make a pretty swirl and a delicious sauce.
Lemon Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Ingredients
Blueberry Sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Crust
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Filling
- 12 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Place your oven racks towards the bottom 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees while spraying your 6 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Blueberry Sauce
- Whisk the cornstarch, water and lemon juice until the cornstarch is dissolved in small bowl.
- Place blueberries and sugar in pan over medium heat. Stir for 3 minutes, until the blueberry juices release. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir for another 3 minutes, smashing some of the blueberries. The mixture will continue to thicken. Remove from heat and put the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Separate the blueberries from the juice in two bowls. You will need both later.
Crust
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and slightly on the sides. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil tightly around bottom and sides, so water from the water bath wont enter pan. Bake for 7 minutes and then let cool.
Filling
- Using a stand mixer or hand held, mix the cream cheese and sugar until blended, add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and zest, adding eggs at the end. Do not over mix once you add the eggs. Pour into prepared crust. Add some of the blueberry sauce on top and using a knife, swirl into a pattern. You should have some remaining sauce which you can use at the end with the blueberries. Place cheesecake into a baking pan with sides with 1 inch of warm water inside. Bake approximately 45 – 50 minutes.
- Cheesecake will still have a jiggle on top when done. Turn off oven. Open the oven and leave inside for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and let chill overnight or several hours. Add blueberries and sauce on top and whipping cream if you choose.
- Tip: Do not overbake or cracking will occur. Should you decide to change this into a 9″ spring form pan, you can double the ingredients and change the eggs to 3 large.
M.Clark says
My favorite cheesecake is chocolate cheesecake. This lemon blueberry swirl looks delicious, I would love to give it a try. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Barb @ A Life in Balance says
My dh loves cheesecake! I’m saving this to surprise him with a homemade blueberry cheesecake this week. Yum!
Jennifer says
Oh my, this recipe looks absolutely AMAZING! It combines 3 of my husband’s absolute favorite flavors. Want to come to PA and make one? I am drooling over it!
Audrey says
Oh this sounds so delightful.
Thanks for sharing on Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesdays link up. Hope to see you back next week.