Quick & Easy Jamie Oliver American Cheesecake Recipe

Jamie Oliver’s American cheesecake represents pure culinary magic that transforms simple ingredients into a decadent masterpiece.

Creamy textures and sweet sensations dance across your palate with every luxurious bite.

Rich dairy elements blend harmoniously with crisp cookie foundations, creating an irresistible dessert profile.

Smooth cream cheese combines elegantly with subtle vanilla undertones, promising a sophisticated taste experience.

Mediterranean-inspired techniques meet classic american baking traditions in this delectable treat.

Unexpected flavor combinations elevate this dessert beyond traditional expectations, making it a conversation starter at any gathering.

Delightful and indulgent, this recipe promises to impress friends and family with its elegant simplicity: prepare to be amazed.

Why Jamie Oliver’s American Cheesecake Is a Showstopper

• Creamy Comfort Delight: This cheesecake delivers a luxuriously smooth texture that melts in your mouth, creating an instant comfort food experience with its rich, velvety cream cheese base.
• Playful Textural Adventure: The recipe combines multiple textures – crisp biscuit base, silky cheesecake filling, and perfectly crisp meringue topping – offering a delightful sensory journey in every single bite.
• Simple Culinary Triumph: Despite looking complex, this recipe is incredibly beginner-friendly, requiring basic kitchen tools and straightforward techniques that even novice bakers can master with confidence, making gourmet dessert creation accessible to everyone.
• Seasonal Versatility Champion: With suggested fruit pairings like mango, strawberries, and raspberries, this cheesecake transforms effortlessly to match seasonal produce, ensuring a fresh and exciting dessert experience throughout the year.

What You’ll Need for American Cheesecake

• Digestive Biscuits or Graham Crackers: Classic base for a creamy cheesecake with a sweet, crumbly texture.
• Butter: Helps bind the biscuit crumbs and creates a firm, delicious crust.

• Cream Cheese: Rich, smooth base that gives the cheesecake its signature creamy texture.
• Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps balance the tangy cream cheese.
• Eggs: Bind the filling and help create a smooth, stable texture.
• Vanilla Seeds or Extract: Adds depth of flavor and classic cheesecake aroma.
• Lime Juice: Optional ingredient that brings a bright, citrusy note to the filling.

• Egg Whites: Creates a light, fluffy meringue with a beautiful texture.
• Caster Sugar: Dissolves easily and gives the meringue a glossy, smooth finish.
• Coconut: Adds tropical flavor and interesting texture to the meringue topping.
• Lime Zest: Provides a fresh, zesty garnish that enhances the overall flavor.

Easy Steps to Jamie’s Creamy Cheesecake

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pan

Preheat the oven to 160°C (310°F). Grease a 24 cm cake pan with a loose bottom.

Step 2: Create the Biscuit Base

• Crush biscuits into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a tea towel and pounding with a rolling pin
• Melt butter
• Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter
• Spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan
• Press down firmly to create a compact base
• Refrigerate the pan while preparing the filling

Step 3: Make the Cheesecake Filling

• Blend cream cheese until smooth
• Gradually add sugar
• Slowly incorporate eggs, mixing thoroughly after each addition
• Optional: Add vanilla seeds, extract, or lime juice
• Mix until the batter is slightly thin and well combined

Step 4: Bake the Cheesecake

• Place the pan on a baking sheet
• Bake for 45-55 minutes
• Check for a slight wobble in the center
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes
• Increase oven temperature to 220°C (425°F)

Step 5: Prepare the Meringue Topping

• Separate egg whites into a clean bowl
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form
• Gradually add caster sugar
• Continue beating until thick and glossy
• Fold in coconut

Step 6: Create the Meringue Layer

• Spread meringue over the cooled cheesecake
• Aim for a 2 cm thick layer
• Create decorative waves and peaks
• Bake for 5 minutes until golden and crisp

Step 7: Chill and Serve

• Cool the cheesecake completely
• Refrigerate for several hours
• Carefully remove from the tin
• Place on a serving plate
• Sprinkle lime zest on top
• Optional: Serve with fresh seasonal fruits like mango, strawberries, or raspberries

Tips for Rich and Smooth Cheesecake Texture

• Master Crushing Technique: Pulse digestive biscuits in a food processor for ultra-fine, perfectly consistent crumb texture that binds smoothly.
• Strategic Pan Selection: Choose a non-stick springform pan with removable sides for seamless cheesecake release without structural damage.
• Temperature Control Trick: Bring cream cheese to room temperature beforehand to guarantee silky-smooth mixing without pesky lumps.
• Gentle Sugar Integration: Incorporate sugar slowly while mixing at low speed to prevent grainy texture and ensure even distribution.
• Smart Cooling Strategy: Let cheesecake cool gradually at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight to develop rich, creamy consistency and prevent surface cracking.

Store American Cheesecake for Later Enjoyment

• Preservation Technique: Guard your delectable cheesecake by sealing each slice individually in vacuum-sealed bags to prevent freezer burn and maintain pristine texture. Protect the cheesecake's delicate surface from absorbing other refrigerator odors by using airtight containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Freezing Strategy: Carefully wrap the entire cheesecake in two layers – first plastic wrap, then aluminum foil – creating an impenetrable shield against moisture and potential freezer damage. Place wrapped cheesecake in a sturdy freezer-safe container to prevent accidental crushing or deformation during storage.
• Temperature Management: Maintain consistent refrigeration between 35-40°F to preserve the cheesecake's creamy consistency and prevent bacterial growth.

Sweet Variations on Jamie’s Cheesecake

• Tropical Paradise: Swap lime zest with fresh passion fruit pulp and top with toasted coconut flakes for a vibrant Caribbean-inspired version.
• Berry Bliss: Replace lime with fresh mixed berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries folded into the cheesecake filling and garnished on top.
• Chocolate Dream: Add cocoa powder to the biscuit base and mix melted dark chocolate into the cream cheese filling for a rich chocolate cheesecake experience.
• Nutty Caramel: Incorporate chopped macadamia nuts into the base and drizzle salted caramel sauce over the finished cheesecake for a decadent touch.

Classic Close to Jamie Oliver’s Cheesecake

Jamie Oliver’s American Cheesecake emerges as culinary poetry, blending classic techniques with innovative twists.

Creamy textures dance with crisp meringue edges, creating sensational dessert symphonies.

Mediterranean influences whisper through zesty lime accents, elevating familiar comfort.

Seasonal fruits complement nuanced flavor profiles, transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary experiences.

Professional techniques merge with home-kitchen accessibility, making complex desserts feel wonderfully achievable.

Complex layers of sweetness invite you to explore culinary boundaries, savor unexpected delights, and celebrate gastronomic creativity – so grab your whisk, share this recipe with passionate friends, comment with your delicious variations, and let delectable inspiration flow!

Jamie Oliver American Cheesecake Recipe

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4.6 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 10 1x

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Description

Classic New York cheesecake delivers creamy indulgence with graham cracker crust and silky cream cheese filling. Rich layers of sweet comfort promise pure dessert bliss that connects hearty American culinary traditions with delightful, smooth elegance.

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Ingredients

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Base:

• 350 g (12.3 ounces) digestive biscuits
• 120 g (4.2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• Extra unsalted butter for greasing

Cheesecake Filling:

• 900 g (31.7 ounces) light or low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 150 g (5.3 ounces) caster sugar
• 5 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• 6 limes, juice extracted (approximately 125 milliliters)
• 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out, or 1 tablespoon good-quality vanilla extract
• 1 lime, finely grated zest

Meringue Topping:

• 3 large free-range egg whites
• 110 g (3.9 ounces) caster sugar
• 40 g (1.4 ounces) desiccated coconut

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (310°F) and prepare a 24-centimeter (9.5-inch) cake pan with a removable bottom by lightly greasing it with butter or cooking spray.
2. Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin until uniformly ground.
3. Mix the crushed biscuits with melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand, then press the mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan, ensuring a compact and level base.
4. Refrigerate the biscuit base while preparing the cream cheese filling to help it set firmly.
5. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, gradually incorporating the sugar to prevent lumps from forming.
6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to create a silky, uniform texture. Blend in vanilla extract or seeds for additional flavor.
7. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chilled biscuit base, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface.
8. Bake the cheesecake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the center is slightly wobbly but set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
9. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C (425°F) for the meringue topping.
10. Whip the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form, then gradually add caster sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture becomes glossy and forms stiff peaks.
11. Gently fold the coconut into the meringue mixture, maintaining the airiness of the whipped egg whites.
12. Spread the meringue over the cooled cheesecake, creating decorative peaks and swirls with the back of a spoon. Ensure the meringue covers the entire surface with a thickness of approximately 2 centimeters (0.8 inches).
13. Bake the meringue-topped cheesecake for 4-5 minutes, or until the surface turns a golden brown and feels crisp to the touch.
14. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set thoroughly.
15. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with freshly grated lime zest and serve with seasonal berries like mango, strawberries, or raspberries.

Notes

• Cracking Prevention Starts Early: Gentle mixing and gradual cooling protect your cheesecake’s smooth surface from unsightly breaks.
• Temperature Matters Most: Room temperature ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a silky-smooth filling without annoying lumps.
• Biscuit Base Foundation: Crush cookies ultra-fine for a compact, sturdy base that holds together beautifully when sliced.
• Pan Preparation Trick: Springform pans make removing delicate desserts effortless, ensuring your creation looks pristine on the plate.
• Cream Cheese Technique: Whip cream cheese until ultra-creamy, eliminating any potential textural bumps that might ruin your masterpiece.
• Sugar Blending Secrets: Incorporate sugar slowly, allowing it to dissolve completely and distribute evenly throughout the mixture.
• Flavor Balance Wisdom: Use vanilla and citrus sparingly – just enough to enhance without overwhelming the creamy cheesecake essence.
• Baking Precision Matters: Watch for that perfect gentle wobble in the center, signaling your cheesecake is exactly right.
• Cooling Strategy: Let the cheesecake rest gradually, protecting its delicate surface from dramatic temperature shifts.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: British

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 10
• Calories: 574 kcal
• Sugar: 48 g
• Sodium: 143 mg
• Fat: 36 g
• Saturated Fat: 21 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 45 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 147 mg