To say this Blueberry Cheesecake is bursting with blueberries is an understatement! Baked to achieve that elusive light-yet-rich creamy cheesecake filling, studded with blueberries inside and smothered in an incredible glossy blueberry sauce topping. It’s magnificent!
Blueberry Cheesecake
I know sometimes the thought of a quick ‘n easy no-bake cheesecake recipe is enticing.
But if you want to make cheesecake the way it’s intended to be, with a filling that’s somehow fluffy but creamy at the same time, rich but not so dense that it sticks to the roof of your mouth, then a baked cheesecake is the way to go.
Add pops of blueberry littered throughout that lemony cheesecake filling, then OMG that insane glistening blueberry topping ….
It’s a sight to make a grown man weep. (Well, girl. 😂)
Cheesecake made easy
Don’t let the number of steps you see visualised below daunt you. While cheesecakes aren’t usually pitched as a recipe for beginners, you don’t need to be an experienced cook to make mine. I’ll walk you through it so you can have confidence that you’ve got this, even if you’re a first timer.
I’ve written the instructions out carefully, you’ve got step photos AND an instructional recipe video.
And unlike cakes, you don’t need to worry about sinking and collapsing. So even a cheesecake that doesn’t go quite to plan is still going to be very, very good!
Blueberry Cheesecake Components
Here are the 3 parts to this Blueberry Cheesecake (which, by the way, is a rendition of this Strawberry Cheesecake, in case you’d like to browse reader feedback!):
The biscuit crust – I’m a cheesecake crust tragic. I just love the texture contrast of the sweet crunchy crust with that insanely creamy filling. So my cheesecake crusts go up the sides, rather than just being on the base. But you can skip the sides if you prefer;
The creamy rich-yet-light filling – a juxtaposition you can only achieve with baked cheesecakes, the consequence of which is that it’s not sickeningly rich (ie we can eat more! 🙌🏻);
Blueberry sauce topping – with a syrup that drips slowly down the side of the cheesecake as you plough your way through it….
1. Cheesecake biscuit crust
Here’s what you need for the cheesecake crust – just plain sweet crackers (any type will do – loads of options listed in the recipe) and butter (the glue).
How to make the cheesecake crust
Blitz to make crumbs (or bash a ziplock bag with a rolling pin – very therapeutic), mix with butter then press into the cake pan.
TOP TIP: Make quick work of the crust by using something round with a flat base and straight walls to press the crumbs into the pan.
Everybody thinks cheesecake biscuit walls are really fragile – but they are actually rather sturdy once the cake is cooled. I don’t have fairy fingers – and I’ve never destroyed one!
2. Blueberry cheesecake filling
Here’s what goes in the cheesecake filling. Standard baked cheesecake ingredients, with the addition of blueberries.
Cream cheese – must use block, not the spreadable cream cheese in tubs (too soft). If you can only get spreadable, just skip the sour cream;
Blueberries – fresh or frozen is fine here. If using frozen, do not thaw it (otherwise it bleeds when you stir it in and you’ll end up with a purple cheesecake!);
Sour cream – lightens up the mixture a touch so it’s not ridiculously rich. Just 1/2 cup makes such a difference!
Flour – just a tiny bit really helps stabilise the filling to keep it slightly aerated (rather than dense so it sticks to the roof of your mouth) and so it doesn’t collapse in the middle;
Eggs – the key ingredient that gives this cheesecake aeration. You don’t need to whip it – eggs just naturally rise when baked (you can see in these Egg Frittata Muffins how much egg rises);
Vanilla – for flavour;
Lemon zest – because the flavour of lemon is terrific to bring a touch of freshness to cheesecakes, and is a natural pairing with blueberries; and
Sugar – white, to keep the colour of the filling white.
How to make the cheesecake filling
Here’s how the filling is made and baked:
The cheesecake filling is very straightforward to make – everything just gets mixed in a bowl, poured into the crust then baked.
TIP: Only mix until each ingredient is incorporated and the batter is smooth. No need to beat to aerate the batter. If the filling is beaten too much and becomes very aerated, then the cheesecake might rise a lot in the oven which will cause cracks. Not a big deal though because flaws get hidden under the Blueberry Sauce!
You don’t need to fuss with a water bath to prevent surface cracks. That’s only required to rectify recipes that don’t make the filling correctly, bake at the wrong temperature, or for too long.
Why cool cheesecake in the oven?
The cake is cooled in the oven for two reasons:
If you cook the cake all the way through in the oven, it puffs up too much which causes surface cracks; and
To keep the cheesecake creamy inside. The oven is turned off before the cake is fully cooked, then it finishes cooking in the turned off oven. The gradual drop in temperature creates an environment such that the cheesecake finishes cooking but cannot overcook.
3. Blueberry sauce for the cheesecake
Here’s what you need for the blueberry topping:
Blueberries – frozen or fresh is fine here;
Sugar – to create the syrupy consistency;
Vanilla – for flavour;
Lemon – to cut through the sweetness and because it goes so well with blueberries; and
Cornflour/cornstarch – to thicken the syrup so it drips slowly down the cake when you cut it, rather than running everywhere.
How to make blueberry sauce for cheesecake
We cook some of the blueberries with the sugar, lemon and vanilla so they break down to create the vibrant purple sauce.
Then stir in cornflour/cornstarch to thicken, and lastly stir in whole blueberries.
Word of warning: this blueberry sauce stains! The pictured wooden spoon is now permanently purple!
Blueberry Cheesecake FAQ
Cracks occur because the cheesecake rises too much. This can happen because filling that was beaten for too long so it aerated too much, or overcooking.
Excess beating = aerated batter = cheesecake rises too much = cracks in surface
Overcooking = cheesecake rises too much = cracks in surface
But don’t forget, it doesn’t matter if your cheesecake cracks because you’re smothering it with sauce!
3 key tips:
Make sure you don’t over beat the batter by using room temperature ingredients so they incorporate faster, and follow my recipe beating time directions;
Cook in a moderate oven, not hot – if the oven is too hot, the cheesecake will rise too fast, causing the surface to crack;
Turn the oven off while the cake is still jiggly (partially undercooked) then leave it in the turned off oven to cool – it will finish cooking during this time.
Play the clip below to see how jiggly the cheesecake should be when you turn the oven off – more jiggly than you’d expect!
NO. Though you’ll see many recipes swearing by the water bath method to ensure the surface of your cheesecake doesn’t crack, it’s not necessary if you make the filling properly, don’t over beat, cook in a moderate oven and don’t overcook.
In fact, when I published the Strawberry Cake recipe, I did a side by side comparison of water bath vs no water bath cheesecakes. As you can see in the photo below, there is no difference in the surface of the two cheesecakes – except the water bath one was a LOT more of a hassle to get into the oven!
I feel your pain – that was the disaster that occurred to me with my very first cheesecake!
Here’s how to make it easy (and safe) to remove your cheesecake: flip the base UPSIDE DOWN, line it with baking/parchment paper and secure the sides so the excess paper is sticking out.
If you do this, you don’t need to lift the cheesecake over the ridge of the base, it just slides right off. Similarly with the paper, grab the overhang then push the cheesecake off the paper. Voila! Cheesecake in tact!
This is how jiggly the cheesecake should be when you turn the oven off:
Also note how it’s quite puffy and even a big sunken in the middle. That doesn’t matter because it sinks back down to a level surface once it cools in the oven.
Blueberry sauce optional!
I know I’ve been going on and on about how great the blueberry sauce is. And it certainly adds an extra special touch here, but I only do it when blueberries are in season – and cheap! Because this cheesecake calls for 250g/8oz blueberries IN the cake (2 Australian punnets) and 375ml / 13oz ON the cake (3 punnets)
For the rest of the year, I only use blueberries inside the cake and a serve it with cream.
Nobody has ever complained.😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Blueberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake Biscuit Base:
- 200g/7 oz Arnott's Marie crackers or other plain biscuit (Aus) or 28 Graham Cracker squares (Note 1)
- 120g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 lb / 500g cream cheese , well softened (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp flour , plain/ all purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat, sub yogurt)
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Zest of 1 lemon (can skip)
- 3 eggs , at room temperature
- 250g / 8oz blueberries (Note 3)
Blueberry Topping for Cheesecake:
- 375g / 13 oz blueberries (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (or water)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (140°C fan). Place shelf in middle of oven.
- Line inverted base: Get a 20cm/8" springform cake tin. Turn the base UPSIDE DOWN (Note 4), butter lightly then press on a square piece of parchment/baking paper. Then clip into the springform pan – excess paper will stick out, see photos in post and video.
- Line sides: Butter and line the side of the pan.
Cheesecake Biscuit Base:
- Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor.
- Blitz until fine crumbs. Add butter, briefly blitz until dispersed and it resembles wet sand.(Note 5)
- Pour into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls.
- Use something with a flat base and vertical edges (I use a measuring cup) to press the crumbs up the wall almost to the top of the sides, and flatten the base.
Filling:
- Cream cheese: Use a stand mixer (with paddle) or handheld beater to beat the cream cheese until just smooth, no longer than 20 seconds on speed 4. (You do not want to aerate cheesecake filling too much as it causes cracks when it bakes)
- Add flour, beat for 5 seconds on speed 4 until just incorporated.
- Add vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon zest. Beat until just combined (10 sec max, speed 4).
- Eggs: Add eggs one at a time – beat for 5 seconds on speed 4 in between each. After the last egg, beat as needed until batter is smooth – but stop beating immediately once smooth.
- Blueberries: Stir in blueberries with a rubber spatula. Pour into prepared crust.
- Bake: Bake for 70 minutes. The top should be a bit puffed, very light golden brown, not cracked, and near perfectly flat. It should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan, see video at 1 min 23 sec (sets in next step).
- Cool: Cool the cake in the oven with the door open approx 20 cm / 8" for about 2 hours (Note 6), then refrigerate for 4 hours+ in the pan or overnight. Cake will sink and surface should be flat.
- Release: Remove sides of springform pan. Use overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan base. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.
Blueberry Sauce for Cheesecake:
- Place 1 cup of blueberries (125g/4oz), vanilla, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Stir then bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 7 minutes until blueberries breakdown.
- Mix cornflour and water, then stir in – it wil thicken quickly.
- Stir in remainig blueberries. Sauce should be syrupy – remove from stove and cool. Will thicken as it cools.
- Once cool, stir. Adjust thickness 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time to make it the perfect "oozing" consistency (see video, Note 7) – be careful, don't make it runny!
- Spoon onto cheesecake so it's completely covered – you'll have maybe 1/2 cup sauce left, good for touch ups. Refrigerate 2 hours+.
- Slice and serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Australia: Arnott’s Marie Crackers, Arrowroot and Nice are ideal, I’ve made it with all these.
- US: Use 28 squares / 14 full sheets, yes I measured it with my last Graham Cracker packet I brought back from my last trip.
- UK: Digestives are ideal, I LOVE digestives!
- Cracks occur due to oven temp too high or overcooking
- In this recipe, you stop cooking when it’s still quite jiggly (see video at 1 min 23 sec) which means it’s actually still a bit undercooked in the middle
- By leaving it in the oven, it finishes cooking but the declining temp stops it from overcooking
- If you don’t do this step, you have to cook for longer in the oven to cook middle through which makes it rise too much = cracked surface and not as creamy inside
Nutrition Information:
More cheesecake recipes
And for blueberry monsters
Life of Dozer
Click! Snap photo of cheesecake.
Shift camera slightly to the left. Click!
Is it disturbing to know Dozer’s furry head is just out of frame of every single food shot on this website?? 😂
Beautiful, made for my fathers birthday. Hard to mess this one up!
On the recipe you state 1 pound of cream cheese, one block is 1 pound per the packaging but in your video you use 2 blocks.
Amazing recipe, always a winner.
The texture of this blueberry cheesecake is absolutely delightful – it’s moist and perfectly balanced, making it a hit at my daughter’s birthday party. I’ve tried many cheesecake recipes before, but this one is definitely the best. Thank you Nagi.
Now I really know how to make cheesecake. Turned out perfect and tastes better than The Factory, IMO!
Hi! How long will the blueberry sauce last in the refrigerator? For a few days? I plan on putting it on individual pieces when ready to eat.
Can this cheesecake be stored in the freezer (with/without the sauce)?
Can this cheesecake be stored in the freezer? (with/without the sauce)
In the video (1:18-1:19), it looks like you didn’t put all of the blueberry batter into the springform pan. What did you do with it?
Nagi, thank you very much for sharing this recipe. What a winner. I have to confess that i baked it in a water bath. No cracks – perfect. My wife and our guests loved it.
Bought your DINNER book today. Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes.
Made your blueberry cheesecake with blueberry sauce for a gathering at our home last weekend. What a winner. Everybody loved it. Followed the recipe exactly, EXCEPT, I cooked it in a water bath because i am too scared to make a baked cheesecake without one.
Many thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kind regards, Ian.
Have made this twice now, exactly as written with the only exception being regular sugar (couldn’t find caster in my area). Absolutely delicious! Both times, small cracks, but not noticeable with topping. We think it has a sort of key lime pie taste the first day then mellows and sweetens daily. Always completely gone by the third day. Definitely better every day! Your recipe directions are spot-on and very easy to follow. Love all the info! This has become a favorite, thank you!!
I made this yesterday, This is the best Cheesecake my husband and I ever had! Amazing. This is what I will make to impress people!! I used Cinnamon graham crackers for the crust. perfection and beautiful! It was so good and the directions so step by step, I was/am SO proud of it:)
I absolutely love the recipe and it makes a fantastic cheesecake. I have also once substituted the blueberries for cherries and added a Nutella ganache which made it super decadent.
The only thing I could see that would improve the recipe is reversing the order of listing the Sour Cream and Caster Sugar ingredients. This would just prevent people like me who only have one set of measuring cups from using their 1/2 cup measure on a wet ingredient and then realising they need it on the dry one 🤦🏻♂️
I made this for Christmas and although my crust wasn’t as perfect as yours it turned out so good! Everyone loved it! Thank you Nagi!
Can i use store bought canned blueberries? If yes, do i still need to do the same process preparing the toppings/blueberry sauce?
Can i use store bought canned blueberries? If yes, do i still need to do the same process preparing the toppings/blueberry sauce?
this has to be one of the best cheesecake recipes I’ve run across. I made the following ingredient changes to accommodate non dairy and sugar free eaters. Vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream, monkfruit sweetener. It turned out fantastic. I especially loved the use of parchment hanging out the sides versus the round.
Hi! I’m making this now… In the ingredients list you say 375g/13oz blueberries for the topping, but in the instructions you only say 125g/4 oz… Any chance you can clarify? Thanks!
The rest of the sauce blueberries get added in step 3.
Use the 4oz for step 1 of the compote (simmer under heat with sugar, vanilla, and sugar). Add the remaining 9oz in for step 3 of the compote.
Hello Katie, Is it possible to freeze the cheesecake?
The rest of the blueberries are added later on once the sauce has thickened after adding the cornstarch and water.
The rest is for the topping.
This is by far, my favorite cheesecake recipe! The step by step instructions with visuals were a wonderful bonus. (This was the first time I baked a cheesecake that didn’t crack!) I used fresh blueberries from the farmer’s market and can’t wait til they’re back in season next year! My friends all asked for the recipe which I gladly forwarded to them 🙂
Yes first one that didn’t crack or fall for me too!