Total Time

About 6¼ hours

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1½ hours, plus about 4½ hours’ cooling

This tart and tangy cheesecake utilizes lots of lemon zest and juice for a punchy, bright flavor, plus Greek yogurt for a smooth, light texture that is irresistible. The filling is tucked into a straightforward graham cracker crust, but you could easily substitute an equal amount of gingersnaps for the grahams. Make sure to cool the cooked cheesecake in the oven, with the door slightly ajar, to help avoid cracks. (But if you do end up getting a few cracks, you can just cover them with whipped cream or fresh fruit and no one will be the wiser.) For impressively crisp-edged slices, run a knife under hot water and dry it in between cuts.

Ingredients

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Yield:1 (9-inch) cheesecake (12 to 16 servings)

For the Crust

18graham crackers (280 grams)

1tablespoon brown sugar

Pinch fine salt

9tablespoons/130 grams unsalted butter, melted

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For the Filling

16ounces/450 grams cream cheese, at room temperature

¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar

2lemons

1½cups/345 grams full-fat or 2 percent Greek yogurt

3large eggs, at room temperature

3tablespoons all-purpose flour

Whipped cream and lemon zest (both optional), for serving

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1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the crust: In a food processor or bag, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add the brown sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. If using a bag, add the brown sugar and salt to the bag, reseal and mix, then add the butter and mix again.

3. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust until golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the crust cool slightly while you make the filling.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

5. Prepare the filling: Add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Zest the lemons directly into the bowl. Mix on medium, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Juice the lemons while the cream cheese is mixing. You should have about ¼ cup juice.

6. Add the yogurt and ¼ cup lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Tap the bowl on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.

7. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, still on the baking sheet, then tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

8. Bake the cheesecake until set at the edges but still wiggly in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven, prop the door open and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 20 minutes before removing it and setting it on a rack to cool to room temperature.

9. Refrigerate the cheesecake until completely cool, about 4 hours or overnight. If desired, dollop the cheesecake with whipped cream and garnish with lemon zest before slicing and serving. This cheesecake keeps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.