This blueberry crumble cheesecake (or blueberry muffin cheesecake) is a creamy baked vanilla cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and buttery streusel topping. It's bursting with juicy blueberries and is the perfect dessert for Spring.
If you're looking for a crowd-pleasing dessert for Easter or Mother's Day, you have to give this blueberry crumble cheesecake a try! It's a baked cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy classic cheesecake filling, fresh blueberries, and a crisp topping. It's absolutely delicious and a show-stopper!
This cheesecake has the same crumble topping as these blueberry streusel muffins and blueberry muffin cake that is delightfully buttery and crunchy. That's why you could call it a blueberry muffin cheesecake!
If you love cheesecake recipes, try apple pie cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake with ganache, or white chocolate cheesecake next.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Creamy baked cheesecake- The baked vanilla cheesecake filling is velvety smooth and delicious. This is the same base as my chocolate marble cheesecake, which I've made countless times!
- Fresh blueberries- This cheesecake is perfect to make during blueberry season! Fresh blueberries add a juicy, tart flavor. Plus you can use leftover berries to make blueberry cheesecake overnight oats, blueberry shortcake, or chocolate chip blueberry muffins.
- Crunchy crumble topping- Buttery streusel on top is crunchy makes this like a bakery-style blueberry muffin in cheesecake form! It also helps to hide any cracks.
Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Ingredients for the crust.
Ingredients for the filling.
For the blueberries and crumble.
- Graham crackers- You need about 2 sleeves of graham crackers. Pulse in a food processor or crush in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Brown sugar- There's brown sugar in the crust and crumble. Light or dark brown sugar work. Make sure it's moist, not dried out.
- Unsalted butter- You need melted unsalted butter for the crust and crumble topping. Make sure to use unsalted butter so they don't turn out too salty.
- Cream cheese- Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture. Buy bricks of cream cheese, nothing in a tub (it's too runny). Make sure it's softened to avoid lumps. Pull out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking.
- Granulated sugar- Sweetens the cheesecake, crust, and crumble while helping retain moisture.
- Sour cream- This ingredient helps cut through the rich, thick cream cheese. Pull it out of the fridge with the cream cheese to reach room temperature.
- Vanilla extract- Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor!
- Cornstarch- Helps the cheesecake batter set up in the oven and prevents it from cracking.
- Eggs- Large eggs help bind the ingredients together and add a rich flavor. Make sure they're room temperature. Pull them out of the fridge at the same time as the cream cheese and sour cream.
- Fresh blueberries- Use fresh blueberries for this recipe instead of frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries will release too much juice. Regular or wild blueberries work!
- Flour- Coating the blueberries in all purpose flour prevents them from sinking into the cheesecake. Flour is also used to make up the structure of the crumble topping.
Substitutions and Variations
- Graham crackers: Nilla wafers, Biscoff cookies, shortbread cookies, or digestive biscuits work for the crust too.
- Granulated sugar: Cane sugar or caster sugar can be substituted.
- Sour cream: Unsweetened plain Greek yogurt is the best substitute for the sour cream.
- Blueberries: You can use fresh fruit with similar water content to blueberries instead, like blackberries, pears, peaches, or raspberries!
- Try sprinkling chopped pecans, pistachios, or sliced almonds on top of the crumble for a nutty crunch.
- Top your cheesecake with a simple glaze made of ยผ cup powdered sugar and a tablespoon of milk or cream for extra sweetness.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
Bake the blueberry crumble cheesecake in 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper. Springform pans have latched sides that separate from the bottom, making cheesecakes easy to remove. You can also use pre-cut parchment circles to make prep even easier!
I used an electric hand mixer to mix the cheesecake filling, but a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or flat beater works too.
Step by Step Instructions
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius, spray your springform pan with baking spray, and line with parchment paper. Pulverize the graham crackers in a food processor or crush by hand.
STEP 1: Stir the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the melted butter.
STEP 2: Next, firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of your springform pan with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 325ยฐF/165ยฐC. Place a casserole dish or oven-safe skillet on the bottom oven rack and fill with hot water. This is a "water bath" that creates steam to prevent cheesecake cracks.
STEP 3: For the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
STEP 4: Next, beat in the sour cream, vanilla, cornstarch, and salt on low until creamy and smooth.
STEP 5: Next, beat in the eggs one at a time on low, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl after eggs 2 and 3. Mix the batter by hand with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles.
STEP 6: Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust and then smooth out the top. Set it aside while you make the crumble topping.
STEP 7: In a small bowl mix together the blueberries, granulated sugar and all purpose flour. Set aside.
STEP 8: For the crumble, add flour, sugar, and brown sugar to another bowl and mix together. Melt the butter and pour it over the mixture. Whisk together with a fork until crumbly with no dry patches of flour.
STEP 9: Sprinkle the blueberries evenly on top of the cheesecake batter and then add the crumble. Bake for 75-90 minutes or until the cheesecake jiggles a bit in the center with a gentle shake.
STEP 10: Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool on top of it for another hour.
Once room temperature, cover the cheesecake in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours or overnight. Once it's chilled and set, slice and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Your cream cheese needs to be very soft or it might be difficult to mix and leave lumps in the batter. Take the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before you start baking.
- Don't skip the water bath. The humidity from the water bath prevents cracks and makes the cheesecake smooth instead of dry and rubbery.
- Don't open the oven door. If you open the oven door to check on the cheesecake too soon, the blast of cold air can shock the cheesecake and make it crack. Only open the door when you're sure the cheesecake is nearly done baking.
- Gradually cool the cheesecake. Like I mentioned about opening the oven, sudden temperature changes can cause cheesecake to crack. Let the cheesecake cool in the turned off oven and then on top of the oven (because that's the warmest spot in the kitchen) before chilling in the fridge.
- Loosen the sides. Cheesecakes shrink as they cool, so consider loosening the sides before placing your cheesecake in the fridge. Run a butter knife gently between the sides of the cheesecake and the pan to help release them and reduce stress that can cause cracks.
Storage Instructions
Store the blueberry crumble cheesecake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions
Wrap the whole cheesecake or individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cheesecake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before eating, or you can eat it frozen. It tastes like ice cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make it in a 6 or 7-inch springform pan by cutting the recipe in half.
To tell if your cheesecake is done, give the pan a gentle jiggle. The edges should be set but the center should still have a jiggle kind of like Jell-O. If the center sloshes like a glass of water, it's not done baking yet. You can also insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cheesecake. It should come out mostly clean with a few sticky crumbs. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, the cheesecake might be overdone. Keep in mind that cheesecakes firm up as they cool, so it's better to slightly underbake than overbake!
Baking cheesecake in a water bath helps ensure gentle and even heat distribution around the cheesecake, resulting in a smoother texture and reducing the risk of cracking. The moisture from the water bath creates a humid environment in the oven, which helps prevent the surface of the cheesecake from drying out or forming a tough crust.
More Cheesecake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake (Blueberry Muffin Cheesecake)
Equipment
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 160 grams graham crackers
- 75 grams brown sugar light or dark
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 113 grams unsalted butter melted
Cheesecake
- 680 grams full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 140 grams granulated sugar
- 150 grams sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Blueberries
- 250 grams blueberries
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon all purpose flour
Crumble
- 90 grams all purpose flour
- 85 grams granulated sugar
- 65 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 70 grams unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/180ยฐC, spray a springform pan with baking spray, and line with parchment paper.ย Set aside.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Pulse the graham crackers to a fine crumb in a food processor or crush by hand. Then stir the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the melted butter.160 grams graham crackers, 75 grams brown sugar, ยผ teaspoon salt, 113 grams unsalted butter
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and lower the heat to 325ยฐF/165ยฐC. Place a casserole dish or oven-safe skillet on the bottom rack and fill with hot water. This is the "water bath" that creates steam to prevent cracks.
Cheesecake
- Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.680 grams full fat cream cheese, 140 grams granulated sugar
- Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and salt on low speed.150 grams sour cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Mix in the eggs one at a time on low, scraping the sides of the bowl after eggs 2 and 3.ย Fold with a rubber spatula a few times to pop air bubbles.3 large eggs
- Pour the filling over the crust and smooth out the top. Set aside as you prepare the blueberries and crumble topping.
Blueberries and Crumble
- In a small bowl, mix the blueberries, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour together. Set aside.250 grams blueberries, 2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon all purpose flour
- For the crumble, combine the flour, sugar, and brown sugar in a separate medium bowl. Then whisk in the melted butter with a fork until crumbly with no dry patches remaining.90 grams all purpose flour, 85 grams granulated sugar, 65 grams brown sugar, 70 grams unsalted butter
- Gently spoon the blueberries on top of the cheesecake batter. Then evenly sprinkle the crumble on top of the blueberries.
- Bake the cheesecake for 75-90 minutes or until the cheesecake jiggles a bit in the center with a gentle shake.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool on top of it for 1 more hour before covering in plastic wrap and chilling in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
- Once the cheesecake is completely cool and set, release the springform pan, slice, and enjoy!
Comments
No Comments