Creme Brulee Cheesecake Recipe (Ready in 65 Min)

If you've got cream cheese, softened, low-fat sour cream and heavy cream, you're most of the way to this vegetarian: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.

You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F) and wrap a 20 cm springform pan in foil for the water bath.
Stir the vanilla wafer crumbs together with the brown sugar and melted butter, press evenly into the pan base and bake for 10 minutes, then cool.
Beat the cream cheese with the white sugar until completely smooth, then add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each is incorporated.
Blend in the sour cream, heavy cream and vanilla until the batter is silky, then pour it over the cooled crust.
Set the pan in a roasting tray, pour hot water halfway up the sides and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until set at the edges with a gentle wobble in the centre.
Cool in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm.
Just before serving, blot any moisture from the top, sprinkle each portion evenly with the brulee sugar and caramelise with a kitchen torch until amber, letting it harden for a minute into a crackable crust.

You'll use: Oven · Pan · Blender

Ingredient substitutions

Butter: olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Brown Sugar: white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
Eggs: ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
Sour Cream: plain Greek yogurt · crème fraîche

Tips & common questions

How long does Creme Brulee Cheesecake take to make?

About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of butter?

Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

Is Creme Brulee Cheesecake vegetarian?

Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.