Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides if you like) of your greased pan using the back of a measuring cup or your fingers. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden, then set aside to cool while you make the filling.
- In a blender or food processor, combine cream cheese and sugar. Blend on medium-low until smooth, about 2 minutes — scrape down the sides halfway through so no pockets of unmixed cheese remain. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; blend for another minute.
- With the blender running, add eggs one at a time, blending just until each is incorporated (do not over-blend after adding eggs, or you'll whip too much air in). Pour the filling through a fine mesh sieve directly into your prepared crust — this catches any bits of skin and gives you that smooth surface.
- In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes until the berries have burst and the mixture has thickened into a jammy consistency — it should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
- Drop large spoonfuls of the warm berry mixture over the cheesecake batter, using about half at this stage. Use a knife to swirl gently through the batter in figure-eights (don't overmix). Add remaining berries on top and give one more gentle swirl.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble — it should jiggle like Jell-O, not slosh around. Turn off the oven and crack the door open; let the cheesecake cool inside for one hour (this prevents cracking). Remove from oven and continue cooling at room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before slicing. Use a hot knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry between each cut for clean slices.
Nutrition
Notes
- Room temperature matters. I let the cream cheese and eggs sit on the counter for an hour before starting — this prevents lumps and makes blending much easier. If you forget, microwave them in 15-second bursts until pliable.
- No blender? A stand mixer works fine — beat on low speed to keep air out, scraping down sides frequently.
- Storage: Covered tightly in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can also freeze (unwrapped) for 2 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- Berry swap: Blueberries or raspberries work equally well; adjust sugar by a tablespoon based on tartness.