This classic, foolproof recipe for Basque Cheesecake is a delicious, crustless Basque baked cheesecake recipe I just know you’re going to love! With a caramelized crust and super creamy center this is honestly the easiest cheesecake recipe you’ll ever make!
What is a basque cheesecake?
I’m going to explain this right up front so you don’t think this Burnt Basque Cheesecake is an April fools joke. Yes this is for real, an intentionally burnt cheesecake.
This burnt basque cheesecake originates in Basque Country (hence the name). It’s a crustless cheesecake that’s starting to become a trend in the US. It’s main difference from a New York Style Cheesecake is that it is crustless, and has a golden, beautiful caramelized exterior. It also has a much lighter texture and flavor.
The cheesecake is baked at a high temperature in order to get that burnt exterior and super creamy interior. It’s more traditional to have a custard-like center but I tweaked this recipe for a more solid texture.
This reason why it’s so good is the same reason why creme brûlée is. The bitterness of the burnt exterior mixed with the sweet and creamy interior help to balance each other out. Kind of like salty and sweet desserts!
Prepping your pan for burnt cheesecake
Everything about this cheesecake recipe is unique, starting with how you prep the pan.
For starters, there’s no crust so we don’t have to pre-bake or prepare for that first step.
Instead, you coat the entire pan with butter. Then, press in one layer of parchment paper so the sides stick up. Smear on another layer of butter and press in one more layer of parchment paper.
You want to make sure the paper reaches about 2 inches above the pan as this cheesecake puffs up quite a bit as it bakes.
Also fold in the wrinkles to get the edges as smooth as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The more “rustic” style looks good on this cheesecake!
The easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make in your life
I don’t know about you, but baking cheesecake stresses me out. Between the careful mixing and the water bath, there’s just so many things that can go wrong.
Enter cheesecake’s alter ego. Seriously, it is so hard to mess up this basque burnt cheesecake recipe. It consists of a very short list of ingredients and it’s almost impossible to over bake it… cause… you know… it’s burnt and all.
To make burnt basque cheesecake, you mix up the ingredients, pour it into your pan, and bake. No water bath, no temperature changes, just let it do it’s thing. Talk about a low maintenance recipe.
Serving your basque burnt cheesecake
It’s traditional to serve it at room temperature as opposed to regular cheesecake. Let it cool in the pan, remove, slice, and serve. That’s a far cry from the hours we spend waiting for cheesecake to set up in the fridge.
This is where I didn’t stick to tradition. I let my cheesecake chill in the fridge overnight out of habit. It still gave me a super creamy center so it’s really up to you as to when you’d like to serve it!
Top it with fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, caramel… whatever you’re feelin’. This cheesecake is a blank slate that can be enjoyed alone or with a little something extra!
For more cheesecake recipes, check out my:
- Funfetti Birthday Cheesecake (with a cake bottom!)
- Classic Baked Vanilla Cheesecake
- Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Best Baked Chocolate Cheesecake with Philadelphia
- No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars (Vegan)
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. And if you have any questions, ask me on Instagram! That’s the best way to reach me. Happy baking!
PrintBasque Cheesecake
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 slices
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This basque cheesecake is an intentionally burnt cheesecake which provides a bitter outer layer and extra creamy inside. It’s the easiest cheesecake you will ever make!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (four 8oz blocks) full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (420g) heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (33g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and butter the inside of a 9″ springform pan.
- Press two layers of parchment paper into the bottom and up the sides. They should stick up about 2 inches above the edge of the pan.
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar on medium low speed using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time on low speed and then the vanilla.
- Pour the heavy cream in a slow and steady stream while the mixer is on low speed. Once smooth, sift in your flour and salt and fold to combine.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes or until the top is completely burnt and it has a slight jiggle to it.
- Let it cool to room temperature for about an hour then remove from the pan and slice. You can also leave it in the pan and place it in the fridge for a couple hours to completely set (my personal preference). Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Keywords: cheesecake, burnt basque cheesecake, basque burnt cheesecake
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Hannah says
Hi jenna! Im kinda new to baking and dont really understand about the hear selection. Do i bake this with top/ upper heat? Is it true that baking uses top heat only? Thanks 🙂
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Jenna says
No you do not need to broil this cheesecake. Just make it like you would any other dessert!
Ana says
Hi, can I use all purpose cream for this recipe? Or will the texture be different? Thank you!
Jenna says
Yes, any cream is fine
jude says
Can i use cooking cream instead of heavy cream?
Jenna says
Yes any cream should work
JAYson reyes says
Hi Jenna, tried baking this for two times now, buy we noticed that the sides of the cheesecake did not burn compared to the top. Why is that? Thank you
Jenna says
The sides may not burn as much as the top is it is covered in parchment paper as well as the pan walls. As long as the top is nice and burnt it’s ok 🙂
JAyson reyes says
Ok. But why are the most cheesecake that I’m seeing in the internet is burnt on the top and the sides as well? Does the spring form pan has an effect to this? We’ve only use an ordinary round pan on it.
Troy says
Hi Jenna, can I use self-raising flour instead? What changes do I need to do if I’m using self-rasing flour
Jenna says
I don’t recommend using self-rising flour because leaveners will add lift to the cheesecake.
Anne says
Hello Jenna! Thank you for this recipe 🙂 Do you think it’ll be okay if I bake this in an aluminum foil pan? Do I need to or should I still put parchment paper before baking? Thank you.
Jenna says
Yes use parchment paper, otherwise the cheesecake will stick 🙂
Gliceria Inovero says
Hi Jenna,
If I half everyhing to fit in a 6 in pan, will the baking time change as well as the cooling process? Thank you!
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Jenna says
You may need to drop the baking time by about 20 minutes 🙂
Margo says
Hi! I use greek yogurt when i make the normal cheesecake coz i love the tangy taste. Can i also use greek yogurt here instead of the cream? Thanks
Jenna says
Hi – Greek yogurt is a great substitution for sour cream but not heavy cream. They have very different tastes and consistencies.
Liz says
Try creme fraiche!!
Milady ponsones says
Can i use 1/2 cup of condense milk and 1 cup of sugar?
Jenna says
I haven’t tested it so I can guarantee it will turn out the same.
Kim Jocson says
Hi! I want to make this in 4” springform pans. How long should I bake them? Thanks a lot!
Jenna says
Hmm I’m not sure. Maybe half the time?
Christina says
Dear Jenna
Do you mind to convert ingredients recipe to metric measurement? Greatly appreciated. Looking forward to my first time baking Basque Burnt Cheesecake.
rose says
Hi Jenna should I bake with top and bottom heat or just bottom?
Jenna says
Just bottom is fine!
kath says
Hi Jenna, 2 questions. Can i use brown sugar as substitute tl white? Which is better set up for oven, with or without fan? Thanks
Jenna says
Brown sugar may make the cake a bit grainy so definitely stick with the white sugar. I also suggest not using the fan.
Cris says
I followed your recipe religiously but after cooling in the fridge the cake seemed to have deflated . Like squatty . It’s not as tall as your photo. Why is that? I used 9” springform pan too.
Jenna says
It could be that it just needed a bit longer in the oven. Some ovens run a bit lower than others, so yours may have needed an extra 15-20 minutes.
Ida says
Tried the recipe and it tastes great. I’ve reduced it to half recipe. Although the burnt part may not look exactly as in the photo but generally it’s ok. Probably need some adjustment on my oven 🙂 It is certainly easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe
★★★★★
Jenna says
Thanks for sharing!!
Shannon Loveless says
Do the eggs also need to be room temp? Thank you.
Jenna says
It’s not absolutely necessary but it helps if they are!
Kris says
Hi! If I use a 7” springform pan, how long should I bake it?
Jenna says
I would omit some of the batter and bake it for about 20 minutes less.
Grace says
Can I use this recipe for nyc cheesecake?
Jenna says
I actually have a recipe for NYC cheesecake 🙂
Joyce says
Hello Jenna,
Instead of the all purpose flour, is it ok to use wheat flour or oat flour? Thanks.
Jenna says
I recommend all purpose as it has a finer texture than oat or whole wheat
Mickie says
I’ve made this a number of times and always a hit. Last time I put some zest of a lemon and Wow! Delish. I’m now going to try an orange. Wish me luck. Oh thank you for this recipe. So easy and so beautiful to look at.
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