Cheddar Cheesecake

5 from 3 votes

If you love good cheesecake then you will be head over heels for this incredible Cheddar Cheesecake. It’s a sweet dessert made with mature nutty cheddar to create a rich luxurious cheesecake filling with deep flavour. Baked into a crisp buttery biscuit base. This is a dessert which will seriously impress and even better it’s a cinch to make.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Chilling time8

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Servings: people

Calories: 485kcal

Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

250 g oat biscuits I use gluten-free
90 g unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon salt
300 g cheddar cheese grated
300 g cream cheese
120 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour cornstarch
60 ml sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs medium

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C /150°C fan assisted oven / gas mark 3.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and leave to cool for a few minutes whilst you prepare the biscuit crumbs.
Whizz up the biscuits and salt in a food processor then, with the mixer still on, pour in the melted butter until it combines with the biscuit to become a thick sandy texture.
Press the biscuit base into an 8 inch springform tin using the bottom of a glass with straight sides and push the base slightly up the sides of the tin.
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Turn the oven temperature down to 150°C / 130°C fan assisted oven /gas mark 2.
Make the filling by beating the grated cheddar with the cream cheese, sugar and cornflour (cornstarch) in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
Add sour cream and vanilla and mix in completely.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix until just combined.
Wrap the springform tin with two layers of aluminium foil so there are no gaps then place the wrapped tin into a slow cooker liner (see notes).
Place the springform tin in a larger baking tin with tall sides.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the baked crust.
Pour hot water into the larger cake tin so it goes halfway up the sides of the cheesecake.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door shut for 30 minutes.
Open the door of the oven so that it is slightly ajar and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and out of the waterbath to cool completely. Keep it still in its tin but place on a wire rack.
Finally when the cheesecake is at room temperature (after a couple of hours) then place in the fridge, still in its tin, to thoroughly chill. At least 6-8 hours or overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the springform tin and serve.

Notes

Ingredients

Use very good quality cheddar. The strength of the cheese is up to you. I like a mature cheddar for good flavour.
For the biscuits you can use your favourite gluten-free oat biscuits, graham crackers, digestive biscuits. Or even these Homemade Digestive Biscuits. I used Nairns Gluten-Free Biscuit Breaks Oats & Syrup.

Cooking Tips

You don’t need to grease the tin.
Pulse the biscuits in the food processor for even crumbs.
Allow the butter to cool slightly before adding to the crumbs.
Use a glass tumbler or a measuring cup with straight sides. Press the buttered crumbs into the base and push up the sides in an even layer. Use the glass tumbler to press the crust in firmly.
Make sure the ingredients for the cheesecake filling are at room temperature.

Waterbath

The cheesecake is baked in a waterbath for even cooking and to prevent cracking. Springform tins are not watertight so you need to double wrap the outside of the tin in foil so no water has a chance of leaking into your cheesecake. For double safety then place your wrapped tin in a slow cooker liner which are completely leakproof and ovenproof.
Place the wrapped tin in a roasting tin with high sides or a larger cake tin. Fill the outside tin with water before placing in the oven.

Make Ahead

You can make the cheesecake up to 3 days ahead. Keep the cheesecake in the springform tin to protect it whilst in the fridge.

Freeze

The cheesecake freezes well for up to 2 months. If you are freezing a whole cheesecake then place it in the freezer still in its springform tin. Freeze it overnight then remove from the tin and wrap well in clingfilm and foil and place back into the freezer to store.
You can also freeze leftover slices layered in airtight containers with baking parchment between the layers.
To defrost the whole cheesecake, unwrap from the cling film and foil then place in the fridge overnight before serving.
Individual slices take about 1-2 hours to defrost on the kitchen counter.

Nutrition