This San Sebastian Cheesecake is a traditional Spanish Basque cheesecake – perfectly light, creamy and smooth, baked to caramelized perfection! Easy to make and crustless!
Raise your hand if you’re a cheesecake lover! If you’ve been a reader of The Busy Baker for any length of time you’ll already know that around here cheesecake is our dessert of choice. We’ve shared so many cheesecakes with you already, but this San Sebastian cheesecake is so decadent, delicious and creamy – it’s simply the best and you’re going to LOVE it!
Whether a cheesecake is baked or no-bake we don’t discriminate, but this San Sebastian cheesecake is just about the easiest baked cheesecake you’ll ever try!
And you might be wondering, what is a San Sebastian Cheesecake? It’s an ultra creamy crustless cheesecake with a beautifully caramelized top that originated in the town of San Sebastian in the Basque region of Northern Spain (it’s also called a Basque Cheesecake for this reason).
Ingredients for San Sebastian Cheesecake
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- heavy whipping cream
- lemon zest (optional)
- vanilla extract
- flour
How to Make San Sebastian Cheesecake (Basque Cheesecake)
Follow my pro tips for the perfect San Sebastian Cheesecake every time!
- Use full fat cream cheese.
Low fat cream cheese has a high water content and greatly affects the texture of a baked cheesecake. Using full fat cream cheese makes the cheesecake creamy and smooth.
- Use full fat whipping cream.
Don’t even think about substituting the heavy cream for half and half – the extra fat is what gives this cheesecake it’s ultra creamy texture.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
In order to give the cheesecake an even texture, be sure the eggs are incorporated completely by adding them one at a time and mixing well after each addition.
- Use citrus and vanilla.
Adding a touch of citrus zest to your cheesecake filling mixture adds a ton of flavour. But it’s totally optional (and not always traditional in this recipe), so feel free to leave it out.
- Use room-temperature ingredients.
Make sure the cream cheese, eggs, and cream are at room temperature in order to get the smoothest mixture possible.
- Forget the crust.
This San Sebastian cheesecake doesn’t have a crust, so skip straight to the filling!
- Line the pan with parchment paper.
Don’t forget to line your 9-inch springform pan well with a piece of parchment paper. If you don’t you’ll be left with a stuck-on mess!
- Don’t over bake.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven when the edges are set but the centre is jiggly. Don’t worry, it will set completely as it cools!
EASY NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPES & TIPS
Get my easy no bake cheesecakes e-cookbook!
Can I make this San Sebastian Basque Cheesecake gluten-free?
Yes! Simply leave out the flour. It will still set just fine and be just as delicious (the flour is just added for texture).
Can I serve this San Sebastian Basque Cheesecake the same day I bake it?
I recommend letting the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature before placing it in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) before serving. If you slice into it too soon it won’t be completely set.
What size pan should I use for this recipe?
A 9-inch or 23-centimetre springform pan is the best pan for this recipe. Don’t forget to line it with a piece of parchment paper!
Looking for more cheesecake recipes? You’ll love this Biscoff Cheesecake or this Triple Chocolate Cheesecake!
I hope you love this cheesecake recipe as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite cheesecake flavour? I’d love to know!
Looking for more delicious desserts? You’ll LOVE these:
- Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
- Easy No Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Easy No Bake Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake
- Easy No Bake Chocolate Mousse Vegan Cheesecake
- Easy No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
- Classic Tiramisu
- Chocolate Mocha Tiramisu
EASY NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPES & TIPS
Get my easy no bake cheesecakes e-cookbook!
RECIPE VIDEO
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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San Sebastian Cheesecake (Basque Cheesecake)
Recipe: Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan lined with a large sheet of parchment paper
Recipe: Ingredients
- 36 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature (1 kilogram)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of half a lemon (optional)
- 5 teaspoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature (liquid)
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9-inch springform pan with a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large bowl and mix well with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth (you can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment).
- Add the sugar one cup at a time, mixing well to combine after each addition to help the sugar dissolve.
- Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix well, but don't over-mix or whip the batter. This will create large air bubbles in the batter which can cause cracking and an uneven texture.
- Add the lemon zest (if using) and vanilla and mix just enough to combine.
- Sift the flour through a small sieve and add it to the batter, mixing gently to combine.
- Pour in the room temperature heavy whipping cream and mix well to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the line springform pan and bang the pan gently on the countertop to encourage any bubbles to come to the top.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the cheesecake is set around the edges but jiggly in the middle. It will be fairly brown on top, so feel free to turn the cheesecake in the oven halfway through baking for an even colour.
- Let the cheesecake cool in the pan until completely cooled to room temperature. Then place it in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve with some fresh berries, or all on its own.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Love cheesecake, but hate the graham cracker crust. Have made San Sebastian Basque cheesecake twice now, and love how easy and lite it is. My family prefers New York style Cheesecake, so I’ll make that for them, and keep these one all to myself!
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
How much time does it needs to be in the oven, I had mine 35 minutes as in the recipe but it didn’t burn from the top I added 20 more minutes and I think it worked out.
Are you using convection/fan or not? Is your oven running true to setting? We suggest you use an oven thermometer to check if your oven heats up to temperature. Hope this helps ☺️
It seems like a whole lot of sugar in this cake.. and I guess most cheesecakes are bursting with sugar.. anyone ever tried it with less?
The sugar is very important for the caramelisation in this cheesecake.
Can you make this with flavors like chocolate?
We’ve never tried that but if you do, please let us know!
Does this cheesecake need to go in a water bath
No! No need for a water bath. Here at the Busy Baker we’re all about quick, easy and delicious recipes. Let us know how it comes out. Happy baking ☺️
I just recently made this Basque cheesecake and it was absolutely delicious. It was just as you described, light, creamy and smooth on the inside and the top was beautifully caramelized. Since I love cheesecake, this one will be #1 on my baking list so I’ll be making many more of them. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe.
Thank you for your comment, Teri! We’re so glad that you loved it.