Southern Living
food
Desserts
21 Spring Cheesecake Recipes That Have Us Busting Out Our Springform Pans

21 Spring Cheesecake Recipes That Have Us Busting Out Our Springform Pans

Jennifer Causey

It doesn’t get much better than classic cheesecake. Smooth, creamy, and incredibly rich, it’s one of the few desserts we could eat with different fillings and anything piled on top. Rather than dining out to get your cheesecake fix, make one of these homemade, no-fail recipes at home instead.
With warm weather on the horizon, it's time to trade in decadent, comforting desserts for light and airy cheesecakes that are perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any spring occasion. Whether you’re craving more traditional flavors or recipes featuring seasonal ingredients like lemon and blueberries, one of these refreshing cheesecakes is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
The hardest part will be deciding which one of these beauties to make!

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Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie

Cool off on a warm day with this blueberry ice-cream pie. Perfect for entertaining, this sweet treat is sure to be a crowd favorite.

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Say hello to creamy, dreamy banana pudding in cheesecake form. Love at first bite.

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Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Not your average lemon bar recipe, this one combines two delicious desserts in one pan.

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Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes

Southern Living

Recipe: Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes

Don't mind if we do, especially when it comes to such an adorable personal dessert as these miniature blueberry cheesecakes. In fact, we might even have two.

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Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Carrot Cake Cheesecake

A little bunny told us that carrot cake and cheesecake make quite the duo—so we listened.

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Grapefruit Cheesecake

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Grapefruit Cheesecake

Nothing like a citrus-topped cheesecake to head up the spring party table, hm?

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Baklava Cheesecake

Recipe: Baklava Cheesecake

Using baklava squares from your favorite Greek restaurant is the key to making this mash-up cheesecake an absolute breeze to master.

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Peach-Ricotta Cheesecake with Pecan Crust

Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach-Ricotta Cheesecake with Pecan Crust

Southerners look forward to peaches like nobody's business. Use any early batches to pair with this extremely creamy ricotta cheesecake or pick another fruit you have on hand to top your masterpiece.

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Nancy's Passover Cheesecake

Katie Rousso

Recipe: Nancy's Passover Cheesecake

Get in on one of our editor's most beloved Passover traditions with this strawberry-draped, whipped cream-adorned recipe.

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Cheesecake Cookies

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies

This vintage recipe might be a favorite come Christmastime, but we're down to serve it all year long. Plus, the maraschino cherries are a pop of spring color for the table.

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Coconut Cheesecake Squares

Southern Living

Recipe: Coconut Cheesecake Squares

If you've been dreaming of a tropical getaway, look no further than these divine coconut-packed cheesecake bars.

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Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Memorial Day might mark the entry to summer, but we like to serve these as soon as the temperatures start to rise. The time-saving perk? It uses frozen berries.

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Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

Dreamy, creamy, and downright delicious, this citrusy cheesecake is like eating a forkful of sunshine.

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Red Velvet Cheesecake

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake

There's never a slow season for red velvet cheesecake, in our opinion. Topped with cream cheese icing, this one is a dreamer.

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Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

Any good Southern hostess knows that a spring party is not a party without a stellar dessert table. Whether you're hosting a ladies luncheon, a Girls Night In, or a garden party – beautifully packaged individual desserts are hard to come by. And, we all know that desserts are much better when they're homemade. So, we turn to this fruity, two-bite cheesecake recipe. A bite of these creamy, sweet cheesecakes topped with blueberry preserves will have all of your guests begging for the recipe. Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes are as precious as dainty petit fours, and are the perfect sweet treat to polish off your meal. Now, if you're not into blueberries, you can actually sub in your favorite fruit topping to this recipe – there aren't any blueberries in the cheesecake mixture itself. Try using thick strawberry jam or your Mama's peach preserves, and you'll be pleased at the variety. If you choose a different flavor for your cheesecakes, add on some fresh fruit as your garnish, as well as some zest that pairs well with that flavor. So, for instance, if you choose to use strawberry preserves, you should try a fresh strawberry garnish topped with a little lemon zest. Or, if you choose to make an orange curd to top your cheesecakes, use some orange zest to bring out the flavor. Featuring a few different types of the cheesecakes at your party will give pretty color to the cake stand, and gives guests options based on their preferences.

These Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes are made in a muffin tin, but they're not ridged as they'd be with regular paper muffin cups. Instead, we used paper baking cups that you'd use for baking popovers (available at your local kitchen or home goods store). These give your cheesecakes a nice, smooth edge, and you don't have to worry about getting the dessert un-stuck from a bare muffin tin. If you know that you'll be pressed for time the day of your party, you can always prepare this homemade cheesecake recipe in advance, and then freeze your treats for up to one month. When you're ready to serve, simply thaw the individual cheesecakes at room temperature before topping with your fruit preserves and garnish. Arrange your Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes on a pretty cake stand or tray, and prepare for the oohs and aahs!

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Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

When you don't have time to bake an entire cheesecake, these bite-sized blueberry cheesecakes will do. The best part? You don't have to share.

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Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

This creamy ricotta recipe was first published in 1995, and it still gets rave reviews. Orange you glad we told ya?

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Free-Form Strawberry Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Free-Form Strawberry Cheesecake

Here's a fun, new way to serve strawberry cheesecake. Easy, creamy, and layered in a transparent bowl, it makes for a tasty twist on typical dessert served on a plate.

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Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Stylist: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice Cream

I scream, you scream, we all scream for this blueberry-cheesecake ice cream! Try this frozen treat in cookie sandwiches or irresistible pies.

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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Another holy mash-up, this recipe is one to write home about. When you're having company over or just want to feel fancy for the night, serve this to-die-for torched cheesecake.

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Oreo Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Oreo Cheesecake

A favorite amongst kids, this homemade Oreo-studded recipe deserves to be cracked open at least once a season.

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