Ricotta Cheesecake
Light, fluffy, and ready for dessert!
By Josh Miller; Recipe by Sloane Layton
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Yields:
10 - 12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
10 hrs 20 mins
Creamy, fluffy, and perfectly sweet, ricotta cheesecake is a standout even among other spectacular cheesecake recipes. Made with a blend of whole milk ricotta cheese and cream cheese, it's much lighter in texture than a classic New York style cheesecake, but it still slices beautifully.
What kind of ricotta should you use in ricotta cheesecake?
Whole milk ricotta is best for making this dessert—the extra creaminess and softer curds help to give the cheesecake its light, fluffy, and deliciously smooth texture. We've had great success with the Galbani brand—it's super smooth and doesn't have a watery layer like some other brands. And while it's totally fun and easy to make your own homemade ricotta, stick to store-bought ricotta for this recipe.
Do you need a special pan to make ricotta cheesecake?
While you can make cheesecake in a deep 9-inch cake pan, a springform pan is the best bet for making this recipe. Thanks to its expandable (and removable!) collar, it makes slicing this dessert a piece of… well, cake!
What's so great about this cheesecake recipe?
Two things, actually—three, if you count the dreamy flavor! This recipe is easily customizable to jive with the ingredients you have on hand. No oranges? Use lemon zest. No pistachios? Use pecans, almonds, or cashews in the crust and for the garnish. Second reason: the food processor makes this recipe so easy! The crust and the filling are both made in the food processor, so prep work isn't a workout, and clean-up is a breeze.
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Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 8 graham cracker sheets
- 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Nonstick cooking spray
For the Filling:
- 32 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp. orange zest
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Chocolate shavings, for garnish
- Chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan tightly with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Step 2Place the graham crackers, pistachios, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted butter over top of the graham cracker mixture. Process until it is the texture of coarse sand. Transfer to the prepared pan. Using a measuring cup, press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan. Press firmly to pack and make an evenly thick crust. Bake until the crust is lightly browned and smells toasty, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the crust completely, about 30 minutes.
- Step 3For the filling: Place the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, flour, eggs, orange zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping the food processor as needed to scrape the sides.
- Step 4Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Place the springform pan in a roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake at 350° until the cheesecake is mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the aluminum foil from the pan and refrigerate the cheesecake until cold and set, at least 6 hours.
- Step 5Run a paring knife around the sides of the pan and remove the pan. Garnish the cheesecake with chocolate shavings and chopped pistachios, if you like.
This ricotta cheesecake can be made up to 3 days ahead, simply cover it and store it in the refrigerator. Wait to garnish it until just before serving.
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