Homemade Blueberry Cheesecake

Ingredient Notes

This blueberry cheesecake uses simple ingredients, but it’s the quality that counts. I’ve included notes on the important ingredients below to get you started. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete list with amounts and recipe details.

• Crust – I use my homemade graham cracker crust. It’s super quick and easy to make with crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar. A store-bought crust is a good shortcut if you need one. You can also swap the graham cracker crumbs for shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, or another cookie, like Nilla wafers.
• Cream Cheese – For a rich and creamy cheesecake, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese bricks, and not the spread that comes in tubs. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before you start.
• Sour Cream – Also at room temperature. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute plain Greek yogurt.
• Eggs – I use a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks in my cheesecake recipe. It makes for a richer, creamier texture than using whole eggs alone. Separate the eggs while they’re still cold from the fridge, and then let the eggs and yolks come to room temperature afterward.

For the Blueberry Sauce

• Blueberries – While I prefer fresh blueberries, you can also use frozen berries. Frozen berries may produce extra liquid, but I’ve included a few tips in the recipe card to combat this.
• Cornstarch – You’ll dissolve cornstarch in water to make a slurry. When added to the blueberries, it thickens the sauce and makes it silky. Alternatively, you can substitute flour in the slurry, though you’ll need twice the amount of flour as cornstarch (in this recipe, that’s 4 teaspoons of flour for 2 teaspoons of cornstarch).
• Sugar and Lemon Juice – Granulated sugar helps break down the blueberries, while lemon juice brightens the flavors. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice, depending on what you have.

How to Make Blueberry Cheesecake

I’ll be the first to admit that baked cheesecake can be a labor of love (it’s why I also have a no-bake version). However, with a little time and patience, it’s actually very easy. Cheesecake is also the perfect dessert to make ahead, since it requires ample time to set in the fridge. I like to make mine the day before I plan on serving it. Otherwise, if you prepare it in the morning, your blueberry cheesecake should still be set in time for dessert. The overview below will take you through the recipe steps. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

Start With the Blueberry Filling

I like to get the blueberries reducing on the stovetop while I prepare the crust and the cheesecake filling. This is the same blueberry sauce that I use for my blueberry cheesecake poke cake. (Another pro tip: If you have leftover sauce, it makes the best topping for pancakes!).

The consistency of the blueberry sauce is important. If it’s too thick, it won’t swirl, but if it’s too thin, it adds too much liquid to the cheesecake. I like to aim for a maple syrup-like consistency. If you find it’s too thick, you can add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

1. Prep. If you’re using fresh berries, rinse them well and pat them dry with paper towels (I like to spread out the wet blueberries on a paper towel-lined sheet pan so they can dry). Drying avoids excess liquid in the sauce. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry.
2. Cook the blueberries. Add your dried blueberries to a saucepan along with sugar and lemon juice. Stir and cook the berries over medium-high heat until the blueberries begin to break down and start to bubble.
3. Thicken the sauce. Now, stir in the cornstarch slurry a little at a time until the sauce thickens. Turn down the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
4. Cool. Once the blueberries soften, take the pan off the heat. Cool the blueberries completely before you add them to the cheesecake (you can speed this up by chilling them in the fridge).

Next, Prepare the Crust

1. Combine the ingredients. While the oven preheats to 325ºF, mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until well combined. Press the crust into a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Par-bake the crust. Bake the prepared crust for 8-9 minutes at 325ºF. This is the same method you’d use to blind-bake a pie crust, to keep the crust from becoming soggy underneath the cheesecake filling.
3. Wrap the pan. Now, place the pan inside a slow cooker liner and secure it around the pan with a knot at the side. This is an easy alternative to your traditional method that sees the springform pan wrapped in foil to make it watertight. My friend Lindsay, who inspired this trick, has a handy tutorial with all the details.

Assemble and Bake the Cheesecake

Make sure the crust and blueberry sauce are both cool before you assemble your blueberry cheesecake. If they’re still warm, they’ll melt the cream cheese, preventing the filling from setting properly.

• Combine the filling ingredients. Start by beating the cream cheese for a full 2 minutes so it’s free of lumps. Then, add the sugar on low, then mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla.
• Add the eggs. Next, whisk the egg yolks with the whole eggs, and gradually pour this into the batter. Remember to scrap down the bowl as you go.
• Assemble the cheesecake. Pour about half the batter into your prepared graham cracker crust. Dollop ¾ of the blueberry sauce over the filling, and swirl it in with a knife or a toothpick. Top this with another layer of cheesecake batter and more blueberry sauce. Once that’s swirled together, tap the pan to release any air bubbles.

Julianne’s Tips for a Perfect Cheesecake

• Follow the recipe closely. I’ve done the testing, so you don’t have to! Read through the ingredient notes and recipe overview before you start, and avoid making any substitutions or changes to the recipe unless otherwise noted. Cheesecake is simple, but precise, and even small changes can have a big impact on the results.
• Don’t skip the water bath. I’ve seen recipes that skip the water bath, but IMO, it’s worth the extra step! Baking cheesecake in a water bath helps it bake slowly and more evenly. This, combined with a steamy, moist environment in the oven, helps to prevent cracks in the cheesecake.
• Cool the cheesecake gradually. The next secret to a crack-free cheesecake is to avoid sudden temperature changes. This is why we cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked, then on the counter, and finally in the fridge. For the same reason, you mustn’t open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking. Resist the urge to check on it until the baking time is up!

How to Store

• Refrigerate. After the cheesecake has fully set, this is best kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Otherwise, tightly cover the springform pan with plastic wrap. This will stay fresh for several days. I recommend adding the toppings once you’re ready to serve.
• Freeze. Cheesecakes are great to prepare ahead of time and freeze. Once the cheesecake has fully set, place the cheesecake on a plate or cake board, tightly wrap it twice in plastic wrap, and then wrap it in foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the toppings prior to serving.

More Cheesecake Recipes

• Turtle Cheesecake
• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
• No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake
• No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake