Lemon Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
This lemon blueberry crumble cheesecake is spring cheesecake perfection! Bright and creamy lemon cheesecake with jammy blueberries throughout, over a Nilla Wafer crust, topped with a thick layer of sweet and buttery streusel.
What Makes Lemon Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake so Good?
The best part is of course the crumble topping. It’s made with lots of butter for the best flavor, and a hint of lemon zest adds delicious spring brightness. We’ll make the streusel first, then chill it so it can firm up into the perfect consistency before getting sprinkled over the cheesecake batter and baked into a perfectly crisp, golden brown layer.
Below the streusel we have a perfectly creamy lemon cheesecake with homemade blueberry jam swirled throughout. It’s made with full fat cream cheese and sour cream for the ideal, creamy cheesecake texture, and it’s all over a Nilla wafer crust, rather than graham cracker, for an extra elevated flavor!
Each bite of cheesecake is full of delicious lemon blueberry flavor, sure to be a new favorite this spring season!
For the full recipe, including measurements, step by step instructions, and bake time, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a brief overview!
Cook over medium heat for 20-23 minutes, until thick. Smash some half way through. Then let cool.
Tips for Baking a Perfect Lemon Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
Cream Cheese- I recommend using “brick style” Philadelphia cream cheese, not an ad, just my personal favorite brand. Make sure it’s full fat, reduced fat will not give you the same creamy cheesecake texture!
Chill the Crumble- Make sure the crumble is very cold before topping the cheesecake with it and baking. This will ensure it keeps its form and bakes into a perfect crisp layer.
Make sure your ingredients are room temperature. Using room temperature ingredients will give you the best textured cheesecake and allow everything to blend together easily. If your cream cheese is too cold, you can end up with lumps in your cheesecake batter.
I recommend using a stand mixer to make the cheesecake if you have one. Mix the cheesecake on a low/medium speed to ensure you’re not over-mixing.
Be super, super careful not to over mix the cheesecake batter. If you mix too much the cheesecake texture can turn out with a runny consistency.
Make sure your cheesecake has completely chilled before attempting to cut into it. I recommend making it the day before you’re planning on serving it and allowing it to chill overnight.
Lemon Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake FAQs
Yes, it’s absolutely essential. The water bath adds moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes and helps to regulate the heat. Without it, the cheesecake won’t bake like it should.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. I like to use a cake carrier with a domed lid!
I have only tested this recipe with homemade jam, but I think it would be fine to use store bought jam. You just may not have as “jammy” a result when cutting into the cheesecake.
If you make this cheesecake please leave a star review! Also, tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see your creation! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Recipes to Try
Lemon Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Jam
- 16 oz (340 g) fresh blueberries
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp (5 g) cornstarch
For the Crumble
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (125 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (156 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Crust
- 4 heaping cups (240 g) Nilla Wafers, about 68 cookies
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated white sugar
For the Lemon Cheesecake
- 32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp (30 g) lemon zest
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
For the Whipped Cream
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (34 g) powdered sugar
- fresh blueberries and lemon slices, for topping
Instructions
For the Blueberry Jam
- Add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch to a medium pot. Cook over medium heat for 20-23 minutes until thick. Half way through, smush some of the blueberries with the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool. You should have about 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) of jam.16 oz (340 g) fresh blueberries, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp (5 g) cornstarch
For the Crumble
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a medium bowl. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingertips to extract the most lemon flavor from the zest.1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (125 g) granulated white sugar, 1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest
- Add in the butter and vanilla. Cream together with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 minute until light and fluffy.1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Add in the flour and salt. Mix together on medium speed until coarse crumbs form.1 1/4 cups (156 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1/4 tsp salt
- Pop the crumble in the fridge while working on the rest of the cheesecake.
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C).
- Prepare your 9-inch springform pan for its later water bath by wrapping the bottom and sides with a decent amount of tinfoil. You want to make sure the tinfoil goes up about two inches on the sides of the pan so no water seeps into the pan as it bakes. I always use too much (around 8 layers) just so I know it’ll be okay.(I have also tried a new method recently- If you have a 10-inch cake pan that your springform pan can fit inside of, you can use this instead of wrapping the bottom with tinfoil. The 10 inch pan will sit inside of the large roasting pan and the cheesecake pan will sit inside of the 10 inch pan. The hot water will go in the roasting pan around the 10 inch pan leaving the cheesecake pan untouched by water! I hope this makes sense, like a box within a box within a box.)
- Pulse the Nilla Wafers together in a food processor until they are finely ground.4 heaping cups (240 g) Nilla Wafers, about 68 cookies
- Then add in the melted butter and sugar and pulse until combined.1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, melted, 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated white sugar
- Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, about 1 inch. (A ¼ measuring cup really helps with this step).
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely while working on the cheesecake batter.
For the Lemon Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) if not still preheated.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch together with a paddle attachment for two minutes on medium speed until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. (You can alternatively use a hand mixer). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed well.32 oz (907 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature, 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated white sugar, 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- Add in the sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again.1/3 cup (82 g) sour cream, at room temperature, 3 tbsp (30 g) lemon zest, 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
- At this point, stop and put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling. You will want enough water to go about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the springform pan.
- Next add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time to the cheesecake batter. Mix on low speed, ensuring that each is fully mixed in before adding the next. As soon as the last one is fully mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix the batter.3 eggs, at room temperature, 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan with the crust, then use an offset spatula to smooth it out into an even layer. Spoon half of the blueberry jam over the batter. Gently swirl the jam and cheesecake batter together with a butter knife. Don't mix in all the way. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Spoon the rest of the jam on top. Gently swirl the jam with a butter knife.
- Sprinkle the chilled streusel over the top.
- Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan in the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan around the cheesecake being careful not to splash the cheesecake.(If you're using the 10-inch pan method, place the cheesecake in the 10-inch pan, then place the 10-inch pan in the large roasting pan. Pour water around the 10-inch pan.)
- Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes. (If you see the streusel getting too browned towards the end of the 1 hour 15 mins, loosely cover with aluminum foil.)When 1 hour 15 mins are up, turn the oven off and crack the oven door open using a wooden utensil. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 1 more hour. The cheesecake will continue to bake as it is cooling.
- Once the 2 hours and 15 minutes are up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully go around the edges of the pan with a butter knife to loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter, and then refrigerate until completely cold, 8 hours or overnight.
For the Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy cream and powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.) Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fit with a decorative tip.3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, 1/4 cup (34 g) powdered sugar
Assembling the Cheesecake
- Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
- Pipe whipped cream around the edges of the cheesecake. Decorate with blueberries and lemon slices if you wish. Then, serve!fresh blueberries and lemon slices, for topping
Can I use frozen blueberries for the jam? Sometimes fresh aren’t available…
Absolutely delicious and easy to follow instructions. A must try delicious combination.
Do you think I could replace the blueberries with strawberries (including making a strawberry jam?)
Thank you so much for this amazing post!
It looks really delicious, I absolutely love the idea. I will make it soon.❤️
Thank you for your generosity and hard work. It is beautiful and delicious. I will try to cook it.
New to your site! Making the lemon blueberry cheesecake today for a nice surprise for my husbands lunch box tomorrow.
I just want to say I love how the recipe directions have the measurements of the ingredients in each step!
I made this cheesecake for Mother’s Day and it was PHENOMENAL. It is time consuming but worth every minute. I was worried about water seeping into the springform pan because I don’t have 18” aluminum foil (every other time I’ve tried, no matter how many layers I do, it always gets into the crust), so I placed two 9×13 dishes of boiling water on a rack directly below the cake pan and it worked beautifully. I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes!
This is honestly the best cheesecake I’ve ever made or tasted for that matter! Five Stars!!!
We make a lot of cheesecake in this house and this was hands down the best EVER! So good! Love the crumble topping.
This is the first cheesecake recipe I’ve made that didn’t use even a small amount of flour in the filling, and I wish I had substituted flour for the cornstarch. Mine did not set in the middle even though I followed the recipe to a T, and added additional baking time. It’s a very well written recipe and the flavor is outstanding, I just wish I had followed my instincts and used flour.
If I make this with flour instead of cornstarch would the measurement be the same?
Was easy to follow. Although I think I would almost consider using a larger pan I didn’t have enough space for all the crumble.
Fabulous recipe – enjoyed by all. Thanks!
I only have a 10in springform pan. Should I cook it per your instructions or should I change the cook time? Thanks.
This is by far the best cheesecake I have ever made. It even forced me in to buying a spring form pan which I was initially intimidated by… But what a game changer! The detailed instructions are BEAUTIFUL! It was like it was written for me and my chaotic brain! ?
Currently have one in the oven for Father’s Day but this time with strawberry rhubarb jam I canned a few weeks ago!
I’m thinking of making this for a friend. Would I be able to go to the assembly step and freeze the unbaked cheese cake then tell them to let it thaw and bake it according to the instructions?
Is it possible to make this into bars? Like cheesecake bars? If so would i just do it in a square pan instead or would there be different measurements? Really excited to try this, thank you.
Amazing!!
perfection. Everyone loved it. My daughter took to work for a birthday. I made 10in. Gone!!!!!
Did you change the cooking time I only have a 10 inch springform pan.
Turned out AMAZING! I took it to my coworkers and they are now asking for a price! Lol
After nearly 40 years of not eating cheesecake, this is a true winner. Absolutely delicious.
Although it was a lengthy process, it was well worth the time!! This is a new go to for me!!!
Yay! I’m so happy these worked great for you!
I have been making cheesecakes for years. I made this cheesecake for thanksgiving, and everyone said it was the best one I’ve ever made. My niece wants me to make her one for Christmas, and with all the other cooking I am doing, I was wondering if this could be frozen for a few days? Do you think it will thaw out ok with the crumb topping?
PERFECTION! Made this for women’s day. I prepared it the night before and refrigerated overnight before serving. The flavour was absolutely wonderful and everyone loved it so much! Cream cheese paired lovely with blueberries and the delicious crumble. The only change I made was adding blueberry extract, which I had from earlier, to the blueberry jam as well as the whipped cream for decoration. This brought the flavour to a whole other level honestly. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly as written. With proper planning, it was less complicated than expected! There was no hassle with the baking either as I followed the cake within another pan method. The final product looked basically the exact same as the photos! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Hello,
My blueberries sank to the bottom while cooking. I did layer it and swirl it in like the recipes advises but is there another trick? Nobody else noticed but me. The cheesecake was fabulous!
Thanks!