Ricotta Cheesecake
Jul 30, 2014, Updated Jan 14, 2025
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This velvety ricotta cheesecake is sweetened with honey and dried apricots, with hints of vanilla in a buttery graham cracker crust. It’s lighter and fluffier than your typical cheesecake, topped with crunchy almonds and drizzled with honey. Not a water bath in sight!
If you’ve ever tasted ricotta pancakes, you can imagine how moist and luscious this ricotta cheesecake is. It has a rich, tangy, fluffy cheesecake filling lightened with ricotta cheese and sweetened with juicy dried apricots, honey, and a touch of vanilla. Best of all, for those of you who love cheesecake but loathe the idea of a water bath, this recipe skips the water bath and comes out perfectly without it.
Why The Best Cheesecake Uses Ricotta
- Light and fluffy. Ricotta brings a lightness to the cheesecake filling, so it’s fluffier and almost cloud-like compared to traditional baked cheesecake that uses only cream cheese.
- Made without sugar. Raw honey adds the perfect amount of sweetness and also lets the apricots’ fruitiness shine through. No granulated sugar!
- No water baths. Even beginner bakers can nail this creamy cheesecake. There’s no water bath involved, and it only needs 35 minutes in the oven.
You’ll Need These Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you’ll need to make this homemade ricotta cheesecake with apricots. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – To combine with melted butter to make the crust. You can buy crumbs that are ready-to-use, or crush the crackers in a food processor to make coarse crumbs.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese is best for cheesecake. That being said, I have had success making this recipe with low-fat cream cheese. The texture just isn’t as rich and creamy.
- Ricotta Cheese – Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese. Go for whole milk, full-fat ricotta. Cottage cheese makes a good substitute if you need one.
- Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature so that they whip easily into the batter.
- Honey – Raw honey or agave nectar are best. You can use granulated sugar instead if you’d prefer.
- Sour Cream – It helps to add creaminess and tanginess to the cheesecake. Like the cheeses, full-fat is best.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
- Dried Apricots – Avoid fresh apricots as they’ll release excess moisture into the cheesecake. Other dried fruits like peaches, cherries, dates, figs, and apples are great swaps for apricots in this recipe. Feel free to combine your favorite dried fruits, too!
- Sliced Almonds – You can also use chopped pecans, walnuts, or pistachios to garnish the finished cheesecake along with extra apricots and a drizzle of honey.
Recipe Tips
- Use an over thermometer. Sometimes ovens aren’t well calibrated and bake at a different temperature than the one you set it to. Place an oven thermometer on the center rack and adjust the temperature as needed until you’re actually baking at 350˚F.
- Watch the temperature. You need to make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, especially because the cream cheese and ricotta are low-fat. This way you’ll prevent the mixture from splitting or clumping up once you start beating it.
- Line it. Prevent any sticking by lining the sides of the springform pan with parchment paper before pouring in the cheesecake mixture.
- No peeking! Once it’s baking, don’t open the oven door to check on the cheesecake until the timer goes off. Opening it reduces its internal temperature and will cause the cheesecake to crack.
- Damage control. If your cheesecake does crack, cover it up with more apricots, almonds, and honey. If it’s too visible, spread 1-2 cups organic apricot jam or whipped cream over the cheesecake before adding the toppings. This only matters if you’re after a picture-perfect presentation, but taste-wise it’ll be just as yummy.
Variations
Turning this creamy ricotta cheesecake into any chocolate or matcha-lover’s dream is easy.
- Swap the crust. Skip the graham crackers and use Oreos or Biscoff cookies instead.
- Make it chocolate. Add 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the cream cheese mixture for a chocolatey dessert. Don’t forget to sprinkle 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips on top once it’s cooled, too!
- Go matcha. Fold 2 tablespoons of matcha powder into the cheesecake mixture for some earthy green tea goodness.
- Add a swirl. Microwave 1/2-1 cup almond butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, or apricot jam in 10-second increments until warm and runny. Pour it over the raw cheesecake mixture in the springform pan. Use a knife to gently swirl it around, creating patterns.
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Ricotta Cheesecake
This easy ricotta cheesecake with sweet apricots, nutty almonds, and honey is fluffy, light, and so creamy. Best of all, there's no water bath!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups finely ground graham crackers
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
For the Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, or ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
For Garnish
- whole dried apricots
- sliced almonds
- honey
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Make the crust. Combine ground graham crackers and melted butter in a 9-inch springform pan; shape the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the pan and press it down and up about 1-1/2 inches up the sides. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Start the filling. In your mixer's bowl, combine the cream cheese and ricotta; beat until creamy and smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time, and then the honey; continue to beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until incorporated.
- Fill the crust. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apricots. Pour the mixture into the prepared graham cracker crust. Gently tap the pan a few times to smooth out the creamy mixture.
- Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and firm but the center is soft.
- Cool. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for one hour with the door slightly opened.
- Refrigerate. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool, then transfer it to the refrigerator to cool for about 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve. Garnish with apricots, sliced almonds, and honey. Slice and serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 1393IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Make a Ricotta Cheesecake
The secret to an extra smooth, silky ricotta cheesecake is getting the oven and ingredients’ temperatures right. Follow the steps below.
- Make the crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and partway up the sides of a springform pan.
- Mix the cheesecake batter. Next, beat the cream cheese and ricotta together. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the honey, sour cream, and vanilla. Fold in the chopped apricots last.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the crust and tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles. Bake the cheesecake at 350ºF for 45 minutes, until it’s set at the edges but still soft in the center.
- Cool. Now, switch off the oven, crack the door, and leave the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour. Move the cheesecake to the counter to cool to room temperature before finally moving it to the fridge. Chill the cheesecake for at least 6 hours.
- Garnish and serve. Top the cheesecake with more apricots, almonds, and honey before serving.
Why This Works Without a Water Bath
A classic New York–style cheesecake, like my cherry cheesecake recipe, usually requires a water bath to prevent cracks and dryness, but not all cheesecakes need one. Here’s why this ricotta cheesecake skips it:
- Not many eggs. Unlike most recipes, which require at least 6-8 eggs, this one only calls for 3. The mixture’s less sensitive to higher temperatures and/or quicker baking times since you don’t have to worry about the eggs cooking or scrambling in the oven.
- Enough moisture. The ricotta in the mixture adds lots of natural richness, creaminess, and moisture. This means the cheesecake’s less likely to dry out in the oven compared to regular kinds.
How to Store
- Fridge: Place the ricotta cheesecake in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days. Discard immediately if it tastes sour or bitter.
- Freezer: Wrap it whole or sliced in plastic wrap twice. Transfer it to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 30 minutes.
This is the best day ever. They should just rename today “Plant your face in cheesecake” day. Never thought of using apricots in cheesecake, but your photos are so beautiful I need to try it!
This is totally my kind of dessert! So delicious!
Apricot ricotta?! Oh my goodness .. love this cheesecake!!
MAMA. I need this cake in my life.
Apricot cheesecake … the idea is brilliant. 🙂
Dreamy and decadent – and lightened up! Amazing, I love apricots and ricotta, gotta try this! : )
I never think to use apricots but I really like them, that is gorgeous looking!!
You know I can’t stop laughing now! Ross-booth :))) I hope you don’t get tanned with laughing lines on your face.
Thanks for sharing this cheesecake recipe Kate! It’s so pretty and love the dried apricots!
Girl that cheesecake is amazing!!!!! I can’t stop staring at it!
It’s national cheesecake day? Like I even need an excuse to go make this beauty right now. Sounds and looks incredible Kate!