Blood Orange Cheesecake

Name: Blood Orange Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 55 min
Total time: 10 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups vanilla wafers; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup granulated sugar; zest of one blood orange; 24 ounces (3 packages) cream cheese, softened at room temperature; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; juice of one blood orange; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 cup heavy cream, cold; 1/4 cup powdered sugar

posted by Zainab Mansaray on Feb 20, 2024 0 comments »

Jump to Recipe

A blood orange cheesecake with sliced blood oranges on a wooden cake plate against a blue background.

A luscious and creamy blood orange cheesecake infused with tangy blood orange. This cheesecake is crowned with a stunning ring of sliced blood orange and has a vanilla wafer crust.

A slice of cheesecake being removed from the cheesecake stand.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a zesty treat!

Is there anything more gorgeous than blood orange? Its vibrant colors get me every time! I always look forward to blood orange season, and I’ve made many blood orange recipes over the years like my Blood Orange Cocktail, Blood Orange Coconut Marshmallows, Blood Orange Walnut Macarons, and Blood Orange Moscow Mule.

A slice of winter citrus cheesecake on a white plate with a wooden cake stand in the background.

As a baker, I’ve made a lot of cheesecakes over the years. I’m always looking for inspiration; today, I found it in blood oranges. I felt it was time to make my spin on a blood orange cheesecake.

This cheesecake’s velvety smooth texture and bright, citrusy taste will transport you to food heaven with every bite.

I used a vanilla wafer crust instead of a traditional graham cracker crust for this winter citrus cheesecake. The rich vanilla flavor compliments the citrus flavor of the cheesecake filling.

A slice of winter citrus cheesecake with a bite taken out of it on a white plate with a wooden cake stand in the background.

I wanted the cheesecake filling to have the right blood orange flavor, so I added plenty of zest and freshly squeezed juice. A little bit of salt in the filling brightens the citrus flavor. Then, I topped the cheesecake with a light layer of whipped cream and whipped cream swirls and slices of blood orange to turn it into a stunning masterpiece.

Ingredients

vanilla wafers
unsalted butter
granulated sugar
a blood orange
some cream cheese
all-purpose flour
heavy cream
kosher salt
pure vanilla extract
a few eggs
powdered sugar

How to Make Blood Orange Cheesecake

Preheat the oven and wrap the outside of a springform pan with two foil sheets.

Using a food processor, pulse the vanilla wafer cookies. Add in the melted butter and pulse until moist. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and evenly spread it. Press down on the crust with a flat bottom cup to create an even layer.

The cheesecake crust in the cheesecake pan with foil around it and orange slices.

Bake the crust until lightly golden. Let cool while you prepare the filling, and reduce the oven temperature.

To make the cheesecake filling, combine the sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using your fingers, mix the zest into the sugar until fragrant, and the zest oils come out. Add in the cream cheese and, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add flour, heavy cream, salt, orange juice, and extracts.

Making the blood orange cheesecake batter.

Mix well on medium-low speed. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Mix filling until smooth for an additional minute.

Pouring the cheesecake batter into the baked crust in the cheesecake pan.

Pour the filling into a springform pan with the crust. Place the springform pan into a much larger baking pan (I like using a roasting pan).

The unbaked cheesecake in the pan in a baking pan with water.

Add hot water to the larger baking pan to reach halfway up the side of your spring-form pan. Bake for one hour or until cheesecake is set around the edges but still jiggly in the center. Then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake for 45 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least an hour before chilling. Chill for 6 hours or overnight.

Frosting the cheesecake with piped frosting.

The next day, whisk together all the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Remove the sides from the spring-form pan and spread the whipped cream on the cheesecake. Smooth evenly. Chill for a few hours before serving.

The blood orange cheesecake garnished with slices of blood orange.

How to Store

Store the cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unthaw on a plate at room temperature or in the fridge.

An mage of the top of the cheesecake showing the slices of blood orange with a slice removed from the cheesecake.

More Winter Citrus Recipes

Two white plates with slices of blood orange cheesecake.

What do you think of this citrusy cheesecake recipe? What would you serve with a slice of this? Let me know in the comment section below.

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy winter baking, friends!