This passionfruit cheesecake is creamy, tangy, and so delicious. Creamy baked cheesecake infused with passionfruit puree on top of a crisp biscoff crust that pairs so well with the flavours. This is one of my favourite cheesecake recipes ever and it never fails to impress!
Jump to:
I absolutely love using fruity and tart flavours like passionfruit for desserts that are typically rich and decadent. The tartness cuts through the heaviness that cheesecake can sometimes feel like.
The biscoff cookie crust in this cheesecake is the perfect combination with the passionfruit. The spices and caramelized flavour of Lotus biscuits ground the fruitiness of the passionfruit. The crisp and crunch of the crust is a must have when paired with the creaminess of the cheesecake.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This passion cheesecake is creamy, tangy, fruity, and insanely delicious. It’s such a satisfying dessert to eat when you want something rich and decadent.
- This recipe is easy to make especially if you use a store-bought passionfruit puree which cuts out the work of extracting passionfruit from the fresh fruits.
- It’s a great make ahead dessert since you’ll need to chill the cheesecake overnight after baking. Perfect for making the day before you plan on serving it.
- I’ve included tips and tricks on how to make the perfect cheesecake!
Fresh vs packaged passionfruit puree
For this recipe, you can use either fresh passionfruit or pre-packaged passionfruit puree. It really depends where you live and what you have available to you. If you live somewhere warm and tropical, you may have an abundance of fresh passionfruits. In that case, definitely use fresh ones.
To extract the passionfruit juices from the fruit, cut the passionfruits in half. Scoop out the seeds and flesh into a blender or food processor. Pulse them through the blender for a few seconds to separate the membranes holding the juices to the seeds but not long enough to actually break down the seeds. Then, push it through a sieve to separate the juices from the seeds.
If you live in Canada like I do or simply want an easier way, you may be able to find passionfruit puree in supermarkets. I’ve used this Vonbee passionfruit puree from Costco that I love so much for putting on everything. I still strained out the seeds from this passionfruit puree when adding it to the cheesecake itself but kept the seeds in for the top of the cheesecake.
Ingredients
- Lotus biscoff biscuits - Finely crush the biscuits by either putting them in a ziploc bag and smacking them with a rolling pin or whizzing them in a food processor. I love using biscoff biscuits for the flavour but you can also use graham crackers or digestive biscuits.
- Brown sugar - This is just to add a bit of extra flavour and sweetness to the crust.
- Unsalted butter - Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave before using.
- Cream cheese - You'll want to use cream cheese that comes in brick form, not the ones in tubs. Leave it out on the counter and let it soften to room temperature before using.
- Granulated sugar - See my note below under passionfruit puree. You may need to increase the sugar amount if you're using fresh passionfruit vs a pre-packaged passionfruit puree that already has added sugar.
- Greek yogurt - This adds extra creaminess and tanginess to the cheesecake.
- Vanilla extract
- Passionfruit puree - You can use fresh passionfruit or a pre-packaged passionfruit puree. You'll want to push the passionfruit through a sieve to separate out the seeds for the portion that you're adding to the cheesecake mixture (unless you prefer seeds in the cheesecake itself!). Use the passionfruit as-is with seeds on the top of the cheesecake. I've used this Vonbee passionfruit puree from Costco that makes it very easy and affordable but note that this already has some sugar added.
- Eggs - Large sized. They should be at room temperature so that they combine smoothly into the batter.
How to make passionfruit cheesecake
For the crust
Prep - Preheat oven to 325°F. Wrap the bottom edges of a 9” springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent leakage during baking. Set aside.
Make the crust - In a medium bowl, stir together finely crushed Lotus biscuits, brown sugar, and melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Transfer into your springform pan and use a silicone spatula to firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake crust - Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool completely before filling with the cheesecake mixture.
For the cheesecake
Beat together - In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer with whisk attachment to beat the softened cream cheese until it’s creamy. Add in the granulated sugar, greek yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add in the passionfruit puree and mix until combined. Finally, add in the eggs and mix until smooth and creamy.
Fill springform pan - Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust in your springform pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top, if needed.
Bake cheesecake - Place a second pan on the bottom rack of your oven and fill it with about 1” of boiling water. Place your cheesecake on the middle rack. Bake cheesecake for 65-70 minutes or until the edges of the cake are set but the center is still slightly jiggly when you shake the pan.
Cool & chill cheesecake - After removing the cheesecake from the oven, immediately run an offset spatula around the outer edge to release the sides from the pan to prevent cracking as the cheesecake will shrink as it cools. Let cool completely before covering and chilling in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Finishing touch - Before serving, top cheesecake with a layer of passionfruit puree.
Storage
Passionfruit cheesecake should be covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days but eat as soon as possible for the best texture. It should always be stored in the fridge when not being served because it contains cream cheese.
Freezing
Passionfruit cheesecake freezes well. Wrap the whole cheesecake or slices of cheesecake very well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
You can also eat the cheesecake almost straight from the freezer for a cold, ice cream cake-like treat. Thaw the cheesecake at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before eating.
Tips & tricks
- Baking - I’ve never met a springform pan that didn’t leak so always use a couple layers of aluminum foil to wrap the bottom of the pan. Crumple the foil around the edges to seal. Always bake cheesecakes with a roasting pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven to increase the amount of moisture and humidity in the oven. You can also place the springform pan directly into a water bath but I prefer using a separate pan of water (re: leaks!).
- Preventing cracking - As mentioned above, baking cheesecakes with a pan of hot water in the oven is essential in preventing the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. Cracking can also occur if the cheesecake is overbaked. Be sure to watch it carefully - it is done baking when the outer 2” edge is set but the middle is still jiggly when you gently shake the pan. Run a spatula around the outer edge of the cheesecake immediately after baking to prevent it from sticking the pan as the cheesecake shrinks.
- Fixing cracks - If your cheesecake does crack, don’t worry! You can fix it. Wait for it to cool completely and chill it in the fridge as directed. Cracks are easier to fix when the cheesecake is cold. If the crack is big, use your fingers to gently push the cheesecake together on either side of the crack as if pushing it together. You may make some smaller cracks but small cracks are easier to fix. Run a metal offset spatula under hot water. Gently but firmly swipe the spatula across the cracks. Repeat as needed until the cracks are filled in and smooth.
- Alternative flavours - This cheesecake recipe makes a great base for other flavours. Instead of passionfruit, you can try using any other fruit puree. Try using mango puree, raspberry puree, or strawberry puree.
Frequently asked questions
The great thing about cheesecake is that they don’t change much in size during baking. You can make this cheesecake in smaller pans by halving the recipe and/or eyeballing how much crust and cheesecake mixture you pour into your springform pans.
To prevent cracks, always bake cheesecakes in a water bath or with a separate pan filled with hot water on the lower rack of the oven. Don’t overbake your cheesecake. You want to take it out of the oven when the middle is still jiggly and underdone. It will continue baking in the pan and firm up significantly when chilled in the fridge.
Gently shake your cheesecake while it’s still in the oven (with an oven mitt, of course). It’s ready to come out of the oven when the outer 2” edge is set but the center area is still slightly jiggly and wobbly.
Yes, you should cool your cheesecake completely before chilling it in the fridge to prevent condensation and excess moisture from collecting on the surface of the cheesecake.
You chill cheesecake in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, preferably. It needs time to firm up and become the creamy texture that you know and love.
More cheesecake recipes to try
Recipe
Passionfruit Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 g Lotus biscoff biscuits, finely crushed
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 920 g cream cheese (4 bricks), softened to room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 150 g greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150 g passionfruit puree, seedless, with more (with seeds) for topping
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Wrap the bottom edges of a 9” springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent leakage during baking. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together finely crushed Lotus biscuits, brown sugar, and melted butter until it resembles wet sand.
- Transfer into your springform pan and use a silicone spatula to firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake crust for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool completely before filling with the cheesecake mixture.
Cheesecake
- While the crust bakes and cools, make the cheesecake batter. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer with whisk attachment to beat the softened cream cheese until it’s creamy.
- Add in the granulated sugar, greek yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add in the passionfruit puree and mix until combined. Finally, add in the eggs and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust in your springform pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top, if needed.
- Place a second pan on the bottom rack of your oven and fill it with about 1” of boiling water. Place your cheesecake on the middle rack.
- Bake cheesecake for 65-70 minutes or until the edges of the cake are set but the center is still slightly jiggly when you shake the pan.
- After removing the cheesecake from the oven, immediately run an offset spatula around the outer edge to release the sides from the pan to prevent cracking as the cheesecake will shrink as it cools.
- Let cool completely before covering and chilling in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, top cheesecake with a layer of passionfruit puree.
Angela Gill
Permission To Use Photos
Hello. I run the blog, yourfoodiedesires, on Tumblr and I was wondering if I would be able to use your current and future photos to post on my blog?
I do not take credit for anything I post on my blog except my own creations. There are always links back to the homepage and also the link of the post.
I have included my blog's website address so you can see examples of how it will look.
https://yourfoodiedesires.tumblr.com
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Gail Ng
Hi! As long as there is always a link back to the post and you don’t post the full recipe on your blog, that’s fine! Thanks for asking 🙂
Angela Gill
Hi! Thanks for giving me permission. I never do! Have a wonderful day. 🙂