Ricotta Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe (video)

My Blueberry Cheesecake Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and see me put together this delicious ricotta blueberry cheesecake! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Ricotta Blueberry Cheesecake

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious and fruity cheesecake!

• Graham Crackers & Butter: for making a traditional graham cracker crust for the cheesecake. Try using cinnamon graham crackers for even more flavor!
• Cream Cheese: use regular cream cheese for best results. Soften the cheese at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes prior to making the batter. The softened cheese will be much easier to mix!
• Ricotta Cheese: use whole milk ricotta cheese for best results.
• Eggs: have the eggs at room temperature for best results. Cold eggs can bring down the temperature of the cheesecake batter.
• Sugar & Vanilla: I recommend regular, white granulated sugar.
• Blueberries: both fresh or frozen (thawed) will work well for this recipe. You can also throw in a handful of dried blueberries for even more flavor.
• Blueberry Preserves: using preserves is a great way to add a ton of blueberry flavor!
• Heavy Cream: use very well chilled cream for making the blueberry whipped cream topping!

The Secret to a Fluffy Cheesecake

This blueberry cheesecake is light and fluffy, all thanks to just one ingredient: ricotta cheese! If you’ve never had a ricotta cheesecake before, you’re in for the best surprise! The ricotta helps lighten up the denser cream cheese, resulting in a fluffier and less dense cake.

Add the whole milk ricotta cheese along with the blueberry preserves at the very end, once the cheesecake batter is ready. First, whisk the cream cheese for 7 to 9 minutes until it’s creamy and smooth. Next, add in the eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix again for another 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure to scrap down the sides of your mixing bowl often!

How to Make Ricotta Blueberry Cheesecake

This delicious berry ricotta cheesecake is so easy to put together and comes together in no time! It all starts with a classic graham cracker crust!

1. The crackers need to be broken down into crumbs first. I recommend using a food processor for this step. Just place the cookies into the processor and pulse for a minute until fine crumbs form.
2. Don’t have a food processor? Place the crackers into a Zip-lock bag and crush them using a rolling pin. Next, I add melted butter to the cookie crumbs to bring them all together! Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan using the back of a spoon, your hands, or a potato masher.
3. Preheat the oven to 315F/157C. Prepare a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan for baking. Wrap the bottom tightly with foil to prevent any water from leaking in.
4. Next, prepare the cheesecake batter. I recommend having the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and eggs at room temperature. Place the softened cream cheese into a mixer bowl and whisk or beat on medium speed for 7 to 9 minutes, until the cream cheese is smooth. Scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl often to ensure all the cheese is well mixed. Next, add in the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides often, until the eggs are well beaten.
5. Add in the ricotta cheese and berry preserves next. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute, until well combined. Fold in the fresh blueberries by hand. Pour the prepared batter into the springform pan, over the prepared crust.
6. To add the swirled garnish, combine a few tablespoons of berry jelly (needs to be smooth!) with water. Add small drops of the jelly onto the cheesecake, then use a toothpick to swirl the jelly into the batter. Watch my video recipe to see how it’s done!
7. Bake the cheesecake at 315F/157C using the water bath method for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours. The center will still be slightly wobbly when the cheesecake is done. If the cheesecake is browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature by 5 to 10 degrees and increasing the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off and prop the oven door ajar by a few inches with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to cool slowly in the oven for several hours. Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the cheesecake into the refrigerator to cool overnight.

Using the Water Bath Method

For baking this ricotta cheesecake, I recommend using the water bath method. For this baking technique, the cake pan is placed into a large baking dish or sheet, which is filled with water. The water bath adds extra moisture into the oven, which keeps the cheesecake level on top and helps prevent cracks from forming.

Make sure to wrap the bottom of your springform pan tightly with foil when using this method! I recommend using a extra-wide or grilling foil, which is large enough to cover the bottom of the pan without any seams.