Ricotta Cheesecake
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Torn between an American or Italian-style cheesecake? This dessert offers the best of both worlds, combining the creamy richness of American cheesecake with the lighter, drier texture of Italian ricotta-based cheesecake, all nestled in a ground almond crust.
Doesn’t this cheesecake look like it belongs in an Italian pastry shop window? The recipe is adapted from the “Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake” in Gina DePalma’s Dolce Italiano, Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen, one of my favorite dessert cookbooks of all time. Made with cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and a ground almond crust, the cake is a hybrid between an American NY-style cheesecake and an Italian-style cheesecake. The fruit topping is my addition; the jam and fresh raspberries perfectly complement the cake, which isn’t overly sweet. The best part is how easy it is to make. Unlike most cheesecakes, you don’t have to worry about the top cracking (or fuss with a water bath) because it all gets covered with fruit anyway.
What You’ll Need To Make Ricotta Cheesecake
- Slivered Almonds: Adds a nutty flavor and slightly crunchy texture to the base.
- All Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the crust.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the crust and balances out the tangy flavor in the filling.
- Egg Yolk: Binds the ingredients together and adds richness.
- Butter: Helps bind the crust.
- Vanilla Extract: Infuses the crust with a hint of vanilla flavor and adds aromatic richness to the filling.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a rich, creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- Whole Milk Ricotta: Provides a smooth, light texture. Full-fat ricotta is best for giving the cheesecake its creamy texture.
- Eggs: Bind the filling and add richness.
- Amaretto: Infuses the batter with a subtle almond flavor (alternatively, rum or Grand Marnier can be used).
- Cornstarch: Helps stabilize the filling and absorbs liquid.
- Orange Zest: Adds a subtle bright, citrusy note.
- Seedless Raspberry Jam: Adds a sweet, fruity layer on top of the cheesecake
- Fresh Raspberries: Provide a beautiful finish to the cake and a fresh, fruity flavor.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Gives the cheesecake a finishing touch of sweetness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crust
Start by spraying a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Combine the almonds, flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.
Process until the nuts are finely chopped.
In a separate small bowl, combine the melted butter with the vanilla and egg yolk.
Add the liquid mixture to the nut mixture.
Process until the mixture is well combined. It will look moistened and crumbly.
Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Chill the crust in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then bake at 325°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
Step 2: Make the Filling
Add the cream cheese, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Process until soft and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the ricotta.
Process until the mixture is smooth and light, another 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 10 seconds after each addition.
Add the vanilla, amaretto, cornstarch and orange zest.
Process for a few seconds to combine.
Pour the filling on top of the baked crust.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the outside is set and the center is jiggly but not liquid. It will sink and crack a bit as it cools—that’s okay since it all gets covered with fruit anyway. Let it cool completely, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 3: Add the Topping
Spread the raspberry jam over top of the cheesecake, leaving a small border around the edges.
Arrange the raspberries neatly on top, then dust lightly with Confectioners’ sugar.
Serve and enjoy!
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Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries
Torn between an American or Italian-style cheesecake? This dessert offers the best of both worlds, combining the creamy richness of American cheesecake with the lighter, drier texture of Italian ricotta-based cheesecake, all nestled in a ground almond crust.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- ¾ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature (preferably Philadelphia brand)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (32-ounce) tub (about 4 cups) whole milk ricotta (do not use low-fat)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon amaretto (rum or Grand Marnier may be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, from one orange
For the Topping
- ⅓ cup seedless raspberry jam, best quality
- 8 ounces (about 2½ cups) fresh raspberries (you'll need a pint but you'll have extra)
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; dust it evenly with flour and tap out any excess.
- To make the crust: place the almonds, flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until the nuts are finely chopped and the mixture looks sandy. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, cooled melted butter and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture to the nut mixture and pulse several times until the ingredients are well combined, moistened and crumbly. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and, using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup, press into an even layer. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes (or the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes) to chill; then bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: Combine the cream cheese, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta and process until the mixture is smooth and light, another 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing for 5 to 10 seconds between each addition. Add the vanilla, amaretto, cornstarch and orange zest and process until mixture is just combined (do not overmix).
- Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake the cheesecake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is lightly golden, the edges are set and the center is quite jiggly but not totally liquid (it will continue to cook as it cools). Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. It will sink a bit—that's okay. Once cool, If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- For the topping: After the cake has chilled, spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top of the cheesecake, leaving a ¾-inch border around the edge of the cake (essentially, the jam goes on the sunken part of the cake). Place the raspberries evenly over top. Using a fine sieve, dust the top of the cake with Confectioners' sugar. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For serving: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake right from the base of the pan; or, to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. The cake keeps well for several days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake may also be frozen without the topping for up to 3 months. To freeze: place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it. Prepare the topping prior to serving the cheesecake.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 382
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 13g
- Sodium: 207mg
- Cholesterol: 126mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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hi, would a water bath work for this cheesecake (instead of wrapping the springform pan with foil I set it inside a marginally bigger silicone baking pan – takes away the leaking pan problem!) and if so would the cooking time need to increase at all?
Hi Katherine, You really don’t need a water bath for this recipe; it may crack a bit around the edges, but it all gets covered with jam and fruit. That said, a water bath would work. You would definitely need to increase the cooking time, but it’s hard to say by how much without trying it, so I would just keep an eye on it. Sorry I can’t be more specific!
The flavour is amazing. I made the recipe exactly as stated using Amaretto. The combination of the orange zest, almond crust & vanilla provides a nice complexity of flavour and reduces the heaviness of the cheese. The ricotta I used added a bit of a grainy texture which I wasn’t expecting. Not sure what I did to create that, but it’s the first ricotta cheesecake I’ve made (baking for over 40 years), I usually use cream cheese and sour cream or gelatin & whipping cream. Down to the seedless raspberry jam, this is delicious!!! Will make it again.
This was a really light cheesecake. I didn’t add the amaretto, but the cheesecake had a nice orangey flavor. I also served it with just fresh raspberries on top which was good, but next time I will add the raspberry jelly.
Hi Jen,
I made the ricotta raspberry cheesecake with my daughter. I use cornflour instead of cornstarch, Minus amaretto biscuits and did a sour cream topping instead of jam. The cake turned out nice and tasty. Thank you for sharing your receipe.
My first cheesecake! It was actually pretty easy and turned out quite delicious. Notes: I had only whole almonds for the crust, which made the crust a bit more coarse than I would have liked. Try to get the slivered almonds, or chop more before adding anything else to the mix. Mine cooked about 60-65 minutes and then I let it sit in the oven for another 15. Cooled and chilled for 24 hours. It is very dense, but it had a nice smoothness to it. Just delicious. Jenn, I always love your recipes and appreciate your interaction with your chefs!
Awesome it’s tasty and magnificent 👌. I hope others take this advice and keep on sharing to others and doing it. And of you make some send it to me @castlerockelagance@gmail.com
Hi Jenn,
Came out great. My 1st time ever making a cheesecake! Baked it 55 minutes @ 325 degrees. A tip I learned from an Italian cooking class about store-bought Ricotta Cheese (yes, only use whole milk ricotta) — drain overnight in fridge in a colander placed over a shallow plate or pan to catch liquid. Can line colander with cheesecloth or use fine mesh colander/strainer or just leave as is in colander. Next day (optional), push ricotta through colander with a spatula for xtra smoothness; will look like cottage cheese and much easier to do than it sounds. This may help the batter from being too liquid & keep baking at recommended time, for those who had to bake it much longer.
Pretty good, overall, and thank you. It took way longer than 50 minutes to bake! I did a combination of almonds and walnuts for the crust, which worked out nicely. Not having Grand Marnier, I substituted orange juice from an organic orange. Nice texture, of course once it chills.
Same here..
I’ve made twice with different ovens, different spring form pans, different brands of ingredients. Both times was more than 80 min until edges brown and not liquid.
Otherwise this is amazing! A huge crowd pleaser, easy to make, and the ricotta/ cream cheese blend with almond crust delicious.
Hi Jenn, if I was to use a 20 cm/8 inch cake pan, how it is going to impact the baking time or cake texture?
I don’t understand how some other users cake give you 1 star … your recipes are all really good!
Hi Janice, if you want to use an 8-inch cake pan, I’d cut all of the ingredients by 1/3. Bake time may be slightly different so keep a close eye on it. (Keep in mind that It will be a little more challenging to get pieces out of the pan to serve, but it is doable.) Hope you enjoy!
I hated this cheesecake. The amount of Ricotta and the little amount of Philly make this a very wet recipe with the combination of the eggs. What you end up with is a pretty gross dessert. If you read the last bit about how you have to refrigirate it a minimum of 4 hours, it becomes clear that this is to save the dessert as an afterthought. Although it makes it a bit sturdier, that’s not the point. It does not taste good at all. It is super crumbly and there is way too little sugar, so you end up with a flat soufle with both the texture and the flavour busted. I wonder how many of the alleged 150+ five star reviews actually made this.
I made it and it was great.
I also made this cheesecake several times (upon requests) and it always delivered. Maybe give it another go?
My first time making any cheesecake. I did it a few days ago for my husband’s birthday. This isn’t a NY cheesecake. It’s more like an Italian cheesecake, which is less dense in texture, and it’s the cheesecake I prefer. I had to bake it much longer than 50 minutes, because my oven wasn’t holding its temperature. My bake time was 65-70 min. I didn’t refrigerate overnight. Just chilled at room temperature for 6 hours, topped it with raspberry jam and raspberries. It was delightful to the eyes and molto delizioso! My suspicion is yours might have been undercooked?
I have no idea what cake you were eating. This cake was amazing! Not heavy like regular cheese cake. Flavour, texture and taste are delicious!
I made it for Thanksgiving and it was awesome. The recipe is a keeper. Very tasty, the only thing I did differently was the crust, I used almond flour and I baked the cheesecake for over hour, like 80 minutes.