Ingredients (~8 servings)
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 full sheets)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
Prepare The Crust & Prepare The Filling
Preheat the oven at 325°F.
To prepare the crust, place the graham cracker sheets into your food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.
Once that is done, combine your melted butter and sugar and mix until the mixture is fully moistened and resembles a wet sand texture.
Now that you have combined all of your ingredients, you will begin pressing the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a springform pan with a diameter of 9″.
To prepare the filling, you will start by placing the cream cheese and cottage cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Beat until smooth and creamy and free of lumps on high speed.
While mixing, add sugar slowly until all of the remaining sugar is incorporated into the mixture, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions.
After eggs have been mixed in with the cheese mixture, reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add cornstarch, flour, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; mixing until just combined.
Continue to mix on low and add melted butter and sour cream to the mixture until you have a smooth batter with no lumps; make sure to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to help ensure that everything is mixed together.
To Bake The Cheesecake & Cool
Once you have everything together, pour the batter into the prepared crust; bake for approximately 80 minutes or until the edges have set, lightly golden, and the center of cheesecake has a slight jiggle.
Turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake inside with the door closed for at least 2 hours; this slow cooling method will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
After 2 hours, remove the cheesecake from the oven; cool completely on a wire rack still in the pan; after cooling, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or if you have time, refrigerate overnight prior to serving.
Classic Cheesecake (w/ Cottage Cheese)
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs about 6 full sheets
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1 package cream cheese 8oz, softened
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 stick, melted
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Pulse graham crackers into fine crumbs, mix with sugar and melted butter until like wet sand.
- Press mixture into bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan.
- Beat cream cheese and cottage cheese until completely smooth.
- Add sugar gradually, then eggs one at a time.
- Mix in cornstarch, flour, lemon juice, and vanilla on low speed.
- Stream in melted butter and sour cream until just combined.
- Pour batter into crust and bake 80 minutes until edges are set but center jiggles slightly.
- Turn off oven and leave cheesecake inside with door closed for 2 hours.
- Cool completely on wire rack, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
