Yield: 12 slices
Almond Amaretto Cheesecake
Almond Amaretto Cheesecake is a rich, decadent dessert with a graham cracker crust and a creamy, almond-flavored filling. Top this homemade cheesecake with a layer of toasted almonds, and you've got the perfect ending to dinner tonight!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- pinch of salt
Cheesecake:
- 4 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- pinch of salt
Filling:
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons amaretto
Optional Toppings:
- whipped cream
- maraschino cherries
- additional sliced almonds
Want to save this recipe?
Instructions
Crust
- Place oven racks in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper (cut to fit), set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and salt until well combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crust into the bottom and halfway up the sides of prepared springform pan. Bake for 7 minutes and remove from the oven and set aside.
- Reduce oven heat to 325°F.
Cheesecake
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat cream cheese with granulated sugar until no lumps remain.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating mixture between each egg, then beat in the amaretto, vanilla extract and almond extract. Add cornstarch and salt and beat until smooth.
- Tap the cheesecake batter bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. You should see them popping on the surface as you tap the bowl. Pour filling into the center of the graham cracker crust and gently smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F. Reduce temperature to 250°F and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Once this time has elapsed, turn the oven off and keep cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes, but DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. After the 30 minutes has passed, crack the oven door open to let cheesecake cool slowly for one hour before removing.
- Allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature on the counter (approximately 3-4 hours) before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge to chill.
- Refrigerate cheesecake until completely chilled (about 6-8 hours, or overnight). Open springform pan and remove the metal collar.
Topping
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them for 7 to 8 minutes or until just fragrant. Remove from oven and setaside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar, stirring often, until smooth. Add the heavy cream and amaretto and bring to a low boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in toasted almonds. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature before pouring over the cooled cheesecake.
Video
Notes
For Decorating: I add little swirls of whipped cream to the edges of the cheesecake and sprinkle the top of the whip cream lightly with a few sliced almonds and then a maraschino cherry on top of each whip cream peak. Then I pour some of the almond caramel style sauce mixture into the center of the cheesecake. I usually don’t pour it all on top and save the extra for pouring on top when I serve a slice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 733kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 49g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 182mg, Sodium: 396mg, Potassium: 241mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 50g, Vitamin A: 1624IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 137mg, Iron: 1mg