Easy Party Cheesecake

By Becky Jo

An easy, pan-style, baked party cheesecake, made with cream cheese, sugar, lemon, eggs and vanilla, on a graham cracker crust, finished with a layer of sour cream and topped with your favorite canned pie filling.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted butter
• 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• Juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1 (21 ounce) canned pie filling (strawberry, blueberry, cherry, lemon, etc.), optional, for garnish

Details

Servings 9
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 35mins
Adapted from deepsouthdish.com

Preparation

Step 1

I'm pretty sure that it picked up the name party cheesecake because it was easy to make, portable, and it quickly became a potluck favorite. Now, while this is indeed what one would consider a cheater cheesecake - meaning it doesn't qualify for the real deal award requiring a springform pan, water baths and careful handling - trust me when I say it's still a tasty cheesecake that I think you'll enjoy, and certainly a lot less fuss and worry. I don't think you'll have any complaints about it, or any leftovers.

Most often prepared as a pan version, this recipe is typically doubled for a party or potluck, but when I'm not taking it anywhere, I enjoy making it in a regular 8 x 8 inch baking dish for us to enjoy. You can also make this halved version in a regular, store-bought commercial graham cracker crust. Though there were versions without it, I always preferred my party cheesecake made with the sour cream layer on top. I think the flavor of the sour cream only enhances the cheesecake filling, and sorta makes it a little more "fancy."

It's a great dessert that is versatile, easy to make and everybody loves it. Here's how to make it.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, and press into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degree F for about 5 minutes to toast; set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake, using a mixer, cream the softened cream cheese until fluffy, then gradually add in the 1/2 cup of sugar. Slowly add the lemon juice and vanilla and blend in; add the eggs and mix in on low until smooth. Pour into cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove and let rest on a rack while you make the sour cream topping. Combine the sour cream, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Spread evenly on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Let cool completely and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving. Spread pie filling over the top or spoon over individual squares.