Sharp with lemon, soft at the centre and impossible to stop eating.
Hey Lolly
There’s something about a proper lemon yoghurt cheesecake that feels almost impossible to resist once the weather starts warming up. Cold from the fridge, sharp with citrus and just soft enough in the middle. You will want to immediately cut a second slice before finishing the first.
This one leans firmly into that mood.
Not towering New York cheesecake territory. Nothing overly sweet or heavy either. Instead, the filling stays silky and bright thanks to thick Greek yoghurt and plenty of fresh lemon zest, while the brown butter digestive base brings a deeper toasted warmth underneath it all.
Then comes the honeyed cream.
Softly spooned over the top, with a drizzle of British Summer Honey from Black Bee Honey and a few loose curls of lemon zest catching the light. It feels relaxed, slightly indulgent and exactly the sort of dessert that belongs at the centre of a long Sunday lunch table.
Lemon Yoghurt Cheesecake With Beautiful Texture
A lot of lemon cheesecakes push too hard in one direction. Either aggressively citrusy or overwhelmingly rich.
The yoghurt changes everything here.
Using full-fat Greek yoghurt alongside cream cheese gives the lemon yoghurt cheesecake a cleaner, lighter texture. Meanwhile, rubbing the lemon zest directly into the sugar releases all the oils before anything even hits the mixing bowl, which gives the whole thing a deeper, fresher citrus flavour.
The brown butter crust quietly steals the show too.
Digestive biscuits already make one of the best cheesecake bases going. However, browning the butter first adds this almost nutty caramel warmth underneath all that cold lemon and cream. The smell alone while it cooks feels worth the effort.
A Few Final Notes
This lemon yoghurt cheesecake really benefits from an overnight chill. The texture settles, the lemon sharpness softens slightly and the whole thing slices beautifully straight from the fridge the next day.
I like serving it exactly as it is, although a few raspberries scattered over the top would also be excellent if you happen to have some nearby.
Or honestly, just a fork and ten quiet minutes in the kitchen.
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter Biscuit Base
- 250 g digestive biscuits
- 110 g unsalted butter
- 25 g light brown sugar
- Pinch flaky sea salt
For the Lemon Yoghurt Cheesecake Filling
- 700 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 250 g full-fat Greek yoghurt
- 200 g caster sugar
- Zest of 3 unwaxed lemons
- 85 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ¼ tsp flaky sea salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 12 g cornflour
For the Honeyed Cream
- 250 ml double cream
- 1½ tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
To Finish
- Fine lemon zest curls
- Small drizzle runny honey
- Tiny pinch flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
Prepare the Tin
- Preheat the oven to 140°C fan (160°C conventional). Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.
- Place a deep roasting tray filled halfway with boiling water onto the lower oven shelf.
Make the Brown Butter Base
- Blitz the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming and golden with a nutty aroma. Once the milk solids turn toasted golden brown, remove from the heat immediately.
- Mix the brown butter with the biscuit crumbs, brown sugar and flaky sea salt until evenly coated.
- Press firmly into the base of the prepared tin.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool slightly.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
- Rub the lemon zest into the caster sugar using your fingertips until fragrant.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the lemon sugar, Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste and flaky sea salt. Mix until silky and fully combined.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
- Sift in the cornflour and gently fold through until smooth.
- Avoid overmixing.
Bake the Cheesecake
- Pour the filling over the biscuit base and gently tap the tin on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes until the edges are set but the centre still has a noticeable wobble.
- Turn the oven off, wedge the oven door slightly open with a wooden spoon and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour.
- Remove and cool fully before chilling in the fridge overnight.
Make the Honeyed Cream
- Whip the double cream, honey, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste together until softly spoonable with loose peaks.
- Do not overwhip.
Finish & Serve
- Spoon the honeyed cream casually over the chilled cheesecake.
- Finish with lemon zest curls, a drizzle of honey and a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
- Serve cold.
Notes
- Full-fat Greek yoghurt is essential here — Greek-style yoghurt contains more water and can affect the texture.
- The cheesecake should still wobble slightly in the middle when removed from the oven.
- Chilling overnight dramatically improves the flavour and texture.
- Brown butter gives the biscuit base a deeper toasted flavour that balances the lemon beautifully.
- For cleaner slices, dip a knife into hot water and wipe dry between cuts.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
