If you like exciting twists to classic recipes then you have to try the best honey goat cheese cheesecake out there! Classic New York style cheesecake complete with graham cracker crust, complimented with flavorful goat cheese and sweet honey, this luscious dessert will soon become your favorite and a staple on your spring baking list.

An overhead shot of three slices of honey goat cheese cheesecake on small white plates on a green napkin

Can you make cheesecake with goat cheese?

Cheesecake with goat cheese may seem odd or not a thing, but it’s absolutely possible and a wonderful addition to the classic dessert. Goat cheese also pairs so well with honey that I could not help but include it. That flavor combo in a cheesecake makes you want to cozy up with a nice big slice! Now this recipe is a honey goat cheese cheesecake with graham cracker crust, but if you are looking to spice up cheesecake even further, you could make a goat cheese cheesecake with gingersnap crust. Definitely skip the carrot cake and go for this recipe instead for Easter dinner.

A Brief History on Cheesecake

Cheesecake dates back to about 2,000 B.C. and the first cheesecake recipe was written in about 200 A.D. We have the Greeks to thank for the creation of this fan favorite dessert. Used as a source of energy, the Greeks used to eat cheesecake to help them prep for their Olympic games. The recipe itself was very basic including just cheese, honey, and flour, but when the Romans conquered Greece they started adding eggs to the cheesecake recipe. From there, different cultures started adding their own twists to the recipe, but the signature ingredient of cream cheese was not used until the dessert made its way to New York in the 1800’s when cream cheese was invented by accident.

Read all about it here.

Looking through some greenery at the honey goat cheese cheesecake on a cake stand

About the Ingredients

Goat cheese: A wonderful spring season cheese! A soft, spreadable goat cheese; not crumbles and not whipped. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
Cream cheese: A regular block of cream cheese. Not low fat and not whipped either. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
Graham cracker crumbs: Most grocery stores now stock graham cracker crumbs. However, if yours does not, you can buy graham crackers instead and finely grind in a food processor or in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin.
Honey: Choose whatever honey you’d like! A little honeycomb on top wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

Major Allergens Present: Dairy, gluten, and eggs

About the Equipment

Hand or stand mixer: Needed to create a fluffy and silky smooth cheesecake. You will use the paddle for a stand mixer and beaters for a hand mixer.
8″ Cake pan (springform preferred): This recipe fits in an 8″ cake pan. I prefer a springform because of it’s ease for removing with the removable sides.

A head on action shot drizzling honey on top of a slice of honey goat cheese cheesecake

How to Make Honey Goat Cheese Cheesecake:

What is Honey Goat Cheese Cheesecake Made Out of?

This super easy goat cheese cheesecake is made out of few ingredients! The crust contains just graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar, and the cheesecake batter just contains cream and goat cheeses, sugar, honey, and eggs. Super simple trip to the grocery store and super simple Easter dessert!

Make the Graham Cracker Crust:

Most grocery stores now provide graham cracker crumbs to save you the effort, but if you only have the crackers, then grind those up either in a food processor or with a ziplock bag and rolling pin. Once those crumbs are fine, mix in the butter and sugar. Pack into your prepared cake pan and make sure it goes up the edges a little bit. Bake until a slightly darker brown or medium brown. Carefully removing from the oven because you don’t want it to shift or for any walls to fall down!

Make the Goat Cheese Cheesecake Batter:

The key to lump free, fluffy cheesecake is taking the time to cream your ingredients. If you don’t cream the cream cheese and subsequent ingredients enough, the batter will have lumps of cheese. So, always start with room temperature cheeses. I follow a certain pattern when making cheese cake batter. Cream the current ingredient addition until creamy, scrape the bowl and attachments, cream on the highest setting for 60 seconds, add in the next ingredient on medium-low, then rinse and repeat. This long mixing process also incorporates more air. More air gives a higher rise to your cheesecake and a nicer texture. You cannot overmix but you can certainly undermix.

Bake in a Waterbath and Why We Use One:

Since cheesecakes are technically a custard, they require a water bath! A water bath is baking your dessert in a container filled with water. Fill your container until it is halfway up your cake pan. Since custards use egg proteins to solidify the bake, a water bath aids in even even cooking and coagulation of these egg proteins. This leads to silkier and smoother texture.

A water bath also keeps the temperature at 212*F and cooks it using indirect heat. Indirect heat is much less harsh for the delicate custard and egg proteins. Slow and steady wins the race for egg proteins because the slower they coagulate, the better flavors they release. The moisture also helps give rise to the cheesecake and prevents the drying and cracking of the top. Test for doneness by giving the top of the cheesecake a delicate poke. It is done when the top of the cheesecake is firm but has a slight give and light bounce. Alternatively, you can temp to 150*F.

Finish the Goat Cheese Cheesecake:

The cheesecake should be cold before serving. The best way to cut is with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped on a towel before slicing. Top with a drizzle of honey or chunk of honey come and you’ve got the best goat cheese cheesecake you’ve ever had!

A head on shot of a slice of honey goat cheese cheesecake on a stack of white plates with the whole cheesecake in the background

Help Making Goat Cheese Cheesecake

How to Make Silky Smooth Cheesecake:

Use room temperature cream cheese and goat cheese if possible. If not, you can microwave in small bursts to take the chill off or use a blow torch on the outside of the bowl while it is creaming.
Scrape down the bowl and attachments frequently, and let it cream on for a good amount of time in between each additional ingredient.
Make sure to massage any creamy ingredients with a spatula prior to adding to the mix (looking at you mascarpone cheese) and also whisk any cornstarch with granulated sugar prior to adding.
After scraping down the sides of the bowl and attachments, allow to cream on the highest speed for 60 seconds. This will pulverize any remaining lumps and also incorporate air.
Bake in a water bath. This helps with even, slower, and indirect baking which aids in creating a silkier, smoother texture. It also creates moisture in the oven which helps prevent the top from drying out or cracking.

How to Tell if Your Cheesecake is Done:

Give the top of the cheesecake a delicate poke. It is done when the top of the cheesecake is firm but has a slight give and light bounce. Emphasis is on the word gentle.
Give a temperature check. A cheesecake internal temperature should be 150*F. Make sure the thermometer is in the center of the cheesecake and not too close to bottom or sides of the cake tin. I learned this when I turned into a home baker embarrassingly late in life.

Enhancing This Goat Cheese Cheesecake:

Get spicy and turn this into a goat cheese cheesecake with gingersnap crust by substituting the graham crackers for gingersnap cookies.
Zest a couple lemons or oranges and add to the batter to give it a little zest of life.
Make a berry compote to serve on top with honey.
Make a honey whipped cream to serve with your cheesecake!

How to Store and Freeze Goat Cheese Cheesecake:

You can freeze goat cheese cheesecake wrapped super well in plastic wrap for up to 6 months.
Store cheesecake in an airtight container or coated in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Store cheesecake batter in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days before baking.

A single slice of honey goat cheese cheesecake on a small white plate on top of some ripped out book pages

Troubleshooting Goat Cheese Cheesecake:

My cheesecake has white lumps in it! You did not mix the cheesecake batter enough, especially the cream cheese. Use room temperature cream cheese and and goat cheese, and make sure you are scraping down the bowl and attachements frequently. Blowtorch the sides of the bowl to assist. Also cream on high speed once the next ingredients have been incorporated.
My cheesecake has a crack in the top! You overbaked or did not use a water bath. You can make a little whipped cream to cover it up for now. Only bake until it is set with a very slight jiggle in the center or until 150*F

Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!