Creamy Goat Cheese Cheesecake Recipe

This creamy and tangy goat cheese cheesecake is baked on top of a buttery shortbread walnut crust and topped with a sticky and gooey honey walnut topping. Use my no-foil method to make the easiest cheesecake water bath.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (60g) roasted walnuts (finely chopped; see step #1 in recipe)
• 10 ounces (283g) shortbread cookie crumbs (16 cookies1)
• 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter (melted)
• 16 ounces (450g) full fat block cream cheese (completely softened to room temperature2)
• 16 ounces (450g) block goat cheese3
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 8 ounces (226g) full fat sour cream (about 1 scant cup; at room temperature2)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature2)
• 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons (45mL) honey
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cup (120g) roasted walnuts (coarsely chopped; see step #1 in recipe)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- ROASTED WALNUTS ---
2. 2Preheat the oven to 325 (162ºC). Prepare a large baking sheet. You can line it with parchment or a silicone baking mat if you prefer, but I like to roast nuts right on the baking sheet.
3. 3Place 1 and ½ cups (180g) of shelled walnuts onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. 4When the oven is ready, roast the nuts for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
5. 5Remove from the oven and allow to cool long enough for you to be able to handle them.
6. 6When the nuts are cool enough, remove ½ cup and chop finely. Set aside.
7. 7Coarsely chop the remaining 1 cup of roasted walnuts and set aside or store covered tightly at room temperature until you are ready to make the topping.
8. 8--- WALNUT SHORTBREAD CRUST ---
9. 9Spray a 9" springform pan or my very favorite Fat Daddio's cheesecake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
10. 10In a food processor, crush the shortbread cookies until they become a fine crumb. Pour the cookie crumbs into a large bowl, add the ½ cup of roasted walnuts and stir to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and stir until everything is evenly saturated with butter.
11. 11Press the shortbread cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, then bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.
12. 12--- GOAT CHEESE CHEESECAKE ---
13. 13In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese together on medium high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar then beat again until combined, about another 2 minutes.
14. 14Reduce the mixer speed to low4, then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until completely combined.
15. 15Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after the addition of each egg and adding the next just after the previous egg starts to incorporate, and continue mixing until there are no more yellow yolk streaks.
16. 16Use a large spatula to carefully fold the batter together, scraping the bottom of the bowl and the sides to gather any extra batter that may not be fully incorporated. Sometimes I need to use the mixer again, but be sure to keep it on low. Your batter should be smooth and creamy without lumps.
17. 17Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Create a water bath5 by placing the 9" springform pan in a slightly larger round pan (I like to use a 10" cake pan) and then place that pan into an even larger round pan (I like to use a 12" cake pan) or roasting pan.
18. 18Fill the outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the middle pan, then carefully transfer the whole thing to the oven. You can also assemble the pans in the oven, but work quickly so as not to let too much hot air out of the oven.
19. 19Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The middle of the cheesecake (a center approximately 2" wide) should jiggle just a little bit. I use my digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 145ºF (63ºC). Turn the oven off6 and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the springform pan from all of the other pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack for another 2 hours. When the cheesecake is completely cool, cover or wrap tightly and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
20. 20--- HONEY WALNUT TOPPING ---
21. 21Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and use a spatula or butter knife to gently loosen the crust from the side of the pan, then release the outer ring of the springform pan.
22. 22Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
23. 23In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the honey and cinnamon and stir with a large spatula to combine.
24. 24Add the 1 cup of coarsely chopped roasted walnuts to the mixture then stir to evenly coat all of the nuts.
25. 25Cook over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, just to lightly brown the butter and remove some moisture, then pour the nuts and any drippings onto the prepared baking sheet. Use your spatula or a fork to separate the nuts, then allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before topping the cheesecake.
26. 26Top the whole cheesecake at one time or keep the topping to the side to add to individual slices as needed. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cheesecake freezes well, up to 3 months. Leave topping off of the cheesecake to freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.