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Honey Cheesecake is one of my favorite end of summer desserts. A rich semi-dense New York–style cheesecake made with mascarpone, cream cheese, golden honey, a touch of vanilla, and fragrant orange blossom water, all on a buttery Biscoff cookie crust.
I love the way honey and mascarpone play together, so I whipped them into the cream cheese for extra richness. And because I can’t resist a little floral note, I added a splash of orange blossom water to give it that light, summery touch. The best part, no need for a water bath! I just add a tray of water on the bottom rack of the oven for a bit of steam and my cheesecake never cracks!
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
Biscoff Cookie Cheesecake Crust
- Biscoff Cookies crushed or food processed into a fine crumb and mixed with melted butter make a lovely cookie crust.
- Test Note: Biscoff cookies have a lot of butter and sweetness already, so there’s no need for additional sugar when making the crust.
- Salted Butter melted and cooled to room temperature acts as binder to help pack the cookie crumbs into the cheesecake pan. Unsalted works just as well, I just like to balance the sweetness with a bit of salted butter.
- Test Note: Careful to add just enough butter that the cookie crumbs hold together when pressed firmly in your hand. Too much butter and the crust will be soggy.
Honey Cheesecake Filling
*All Cheesecake filling ingredients should be at room temperature before making the filling.
- Cream Cheese is the base for the cheesecake filling, creating that classic tangy and creamy texture. Full fat, Philadelphia brand cream cheese sold in blocks is my preferred choice.
- Test Note: Different types of cream cheese can affect the final texture and flavor of the cheesecake.
- Mascarpone is much richer than cream cheese, lending a creamier, higher fat content to the dessert.
- Sour Cream adds a bit of moisture to the cheesecake filling, softening the overall texture.
- Honey replaces granulated sugar, offering sweetness with a touch of floral honey flavor.
- Test Note: Acacia, wildflower honey, or local honey from a beekeeper have the best honey flavor for cheesecake.
- Large Eggs act as the binder in the cheesecake, thickening the cream mixture and creating the structure as it bakes.
- All Purpose Flour helps to thicken the cheesecake slightly and prevent cracking while baking. Just a couple tablespoons is all you need.
How to Make Honey Cheesecake
- Put the Biscoff cookies in a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs. Alternatively, add them to a sealable plastic bag, seal, and bash with a rolling pin.
- Stir together cookie crumbs and the melted butter, stirring to mix evenly. The crumbs should pack together when squeezed firmly in the palm of your hand.
- Butter or line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the prepared cake tin and bake for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat room temperature cream cheese and mascarpone until creamy. Then, mix in the flour, honey, vanilla, and orange blossom water until smooth.
- Mix in the eggs, followed by the sour cream. Transfer filling to cheesecake pan and bake until the sides are set and center is still wobbly. *Baking pan with water is baked on lowest oven rack to create a steamy environment without the need of a regular water bath,
- Cool cheesecake slowly in the turned off oven to room temperature. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours. Top with fruit, whipped cream, and honey to serve.
Jenn’s Tips!
- Don’t over beat your mixture, or it will have a lot of air bubbles whipped inside.
- Skip the water bath and place a tray of water on the bottom rack of the oven. No water leaking into the springform pan and a perfect crack-free cheesecake every time.
- Pre-bake the cookie crust and let it cool before adding in the filling to prevent sogginess.
- Cool baked cheesecake slowly in the turned off oven with the door slightly ajar for an hour. I close a wooden spoon in the oven door to let the heat slowly escape.
- Transfer the cheesecake from the cooled oven to a wire rack to reach room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight before slicing and serving.
- Sweating is normal with all baked cheesecakes in the fridge, it’s not a big deal. Just dab any water with a paper towel off the top before adding toppings.
Cheesecake Toppings
This cheesecake is wonderful on its own, but every now and then I like to add a little something on top. A soft whipped cream cheese or sour cream schmear with a drizzle of honey gives a lovely light contrast to the rich filling. Fresh figs or berries, finished with just a touch more honey, add both color and sweetness.
Storage and Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Stored baked cheesecake in the springform pan or air tight container in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to three days.
- Freeze: This cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place the chilled cake in the freezer to slightly firm. Then wrap it tightly with wither aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap in two layers and place back in the freezer. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
Honey Cheesecake with Biscoff Cookie Crust
Honey Cheesecake is a classic New York style cheesecake with, cream cheese, mascarpone, sour cream, fresh honey, vanilla, and orange blossom water in a Biscoff cookie crust. Top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and honey.
Click Here for Help with Ingredients in this Recipe
Equipment
- 9 or 10-inch round springform cheesecake pan
- 13×9-inch baking pan for water
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- 300 grams (3 cups)
Biscoff cookie crumbs - 84 grams (6 tablespoons) salted butter, melted and cooled
Honey Cheesecake Filling
- 681 grams (24 ounces) block cream cheese (full fat), room temperature
- 113 grams (½ cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 190 grams (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
- 120 grams (½ cup) sour cream , room temperature
Instructions
Prep Cheesecake Pan
- Either butter the inside of the springform pan, or line the bottom with parchment paper.
Biscoff Cheesecake Crust
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Blitz cookies in a food processor to form a fine crumb, or place them in a plastic sealable bag and mash with a rolling pan into crumbs.300 grams Biscoff cookie crumbs
- Transfer to a bowl, pour in the cooled melted butter and mix together evenly with a fork.84 grams salted butter
- Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes and set on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.
Honey Cheesecake
- Lower oven temperature to 325℉ (160℃). Place a 13×9-inch pan filled halfway with water on the next to lowest rack of the oven. This will create steam as the cheesecake bakes, avoiding the needs for a full water bath.
- In a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone until smooth.681 grams block cream cheese (full fat), 113 grams mascarpone cheese
- Pour in honey, vanilla, orange blossom water, and flour. Mix again on medium low until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 190 grams honey, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- Next, slowly mix in the lightly beaten eggs, followed by the sour cream. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl before one last mix.3 large eggs, 120 grams sour cream
- Transfer the cheesecake filling into the cooled crust. Level the filing with an offset spatula.
- Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake for about 55 minutes until the outer two-thirds of the cheesecake are set and the center is still wobbly. Check the cheesecake at the 45 and 50 minute mark as all ovens run differently.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature on a wire cooling rack before transferring to the fridge. Cool for at least 4 hours and even better overnight before slicing.
- Top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey for serving.
Notes
Storage:
- Refrigerate: Stored baked cheesecake in the springform pan or air tight container in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to three days.
- Freeze: This cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place the chilled cake in the freezer to slightly firm. Then wrap it tightly with wither aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap in two layers and place back in the freezer. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
**This recipe was originally posted in September 2019, it has been updated to reflect the use of a springform pan instead of a pie pan. With new photos and process shots.
Love this recipe!!!!!
And advise on doubling the filling but keeping it in the same size pan?
Love this twist on the traditional cheesecake recipe. Looks delicious!!
This looks amazing, and marscapone makes such a lovely light and creamy texture. My family are not all so keen on honey, would this work if I substituted the same amount of caster sugar? Also what size should the pan/crust be?
Hello, where I live I don’t get this crust, any suggestions on improvising this issue?
You can also make it in a regular Homemade Pie Crust.