Lemons. Girl Scout cookies. Rekindled friendships. A recipe.
In the Northeast, there comes a day in the summer when bags and bags of zucchini suddenly appear on your doorstep… unannounced and left anonymously. In the Southwest, this happens with citrus fruit. No complaints with either, but this year we caught our friend Judy leaving a huge shopping bag of lemons on our doorstep (limoncello, lemony sauces, lemon zest on everything we can dream of. So many ideas for this wonderful season). This abundance notwithstanding, for our friend Patrick’s birthday, I stopped by his and Jennifer’s home to get yet more lemons from their tree to make his birthday cake. (Stay tuned.)
I was always fortunate to have a dealer — Girl Scout cookie dealer — here in town, but she graduated and is no longer in scouting. Luckily, she told her Grandma (my egg dealer) how I could score some cookies this year. I got hooked up online (yep, they now ship, but also deliver to your doorstep!) and I got my annual Thin Mints (they survived a nanosecond in our house) and Trefoils. While the Thin Mints are for eating out of the box, I use the Trefoils mostly in baking. They make really good crumb crusts. (Stay tuned.)
Markipedia recently reconnected with a friend and former colleague from his time at Old Sturbridge Village, a history museum in Massachusetts. Christie and her husband are writing a book, and Mark is reviewing the manuscript for them. Who better than Markipedia? Eventually, their conversations brought them to gardening and zucchini and lemons. (Do you see where this is going?)
Then came the recipe: Christie’s incredibly lemony and luscious Lemon Soufflé Cheesecake, a favorite that she sometimes makes with one of her grandsons. It is the lightest, most addictive cheesecake I’ve had, and the perfect vehicle to use Pat’s lemons for his birthday cake. Tra-la!
So, when life gives you lemons, Girl Scout cookies*, rekindled friendships, and a great recipe, I think it’s a sign from the universe that you should make the recipe. Don’t you? * You should always support the Girl Scouts whenever you can!
~ David
Lemon Soufflé Cheesecake
Click icon to print recipe!
Ingredients
- 30 Girl Scout Trefoil cookies (see note below)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 eggs separated (6 yolks in one bowl, 4 whites in another, 2 whites reserved for another use)
- finely shredded zest of 2 lemons
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Butter a 9-inch springform pan, and wrap the outside of pan with a double layer of extra-wide, heavy-duty foil. Don’t piece narrow foil together; it never works. Water has its way of getting in and it will ruin your cake!
- Pre-heat oven to 325°F. Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil; set aside.
- Crumble the Trefoil cookies into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade along with 1/4 cup sugar. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.
- In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour and egg yolks; beat for about 1 minute. Slowly add lemon juice, beating until just mixed.
- In another metal bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites till foamy and getting close to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating till stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites and lemon zest into the egg yolk mixture by hand. Pour over crust, smoothing top if necessary. Place pan in a shallow roasting pan and pour in about 1 inch of hot water around the outside of the cake pan, creating a bain Marie.
- Carefully place in the oven and bake 60 minutes, or until top of cake is well-puffed and golden. Remove from the oven, remove from the bain Marie. and place on a cooling rack until it reaches room temperature. The cake may sink slightly.
- Remove foil, cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight before serving (or wrap tightly and freeze up to two months).
- To serve, uncover the cake then run a thin knife around the sides to loosen edges; remove outer ring of the springform pan. Cut cake into wedges using a sharp knife, dipped into hot water before each cut.
- Ignore any cracks in the top; your guests won’t even notice them after their first taste.
- Serves 12-16.
- Note: If you cannot get Girl Scout Trefoil cookies, use Lorna Doone, Walker’s, or other shortbread cookie.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Minimally edited from Christie’s original recipe.
Sippitysup
April 30, 2022 at 4:12 amExcess lemons may take over the world but at least we have you battling them one cheesecake at a time! Good work. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:34 amTrue, and not to mention the curd, limoncello, lemonade, and more…
John / Kitchen Riffs
April 30, 2022 at 7:23 amI was just talking to Mrs KR about lemon desserts yesterday. 🙂 I love cheesecake, and I’m a lemon freak. So this is totally my kind of dish. Really nice. BTW, Grasshopper cookies aren’t really identical to Thin Mints, but they’re pretty close. For those times of need. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:35 amThanks, John, I will have to try the grasshopper cookies! (Maybe I shouldn’t know about them?) I hope you and Mrs. KR enjoy the lemony cheesecake!
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
April 30, 2022 at 8:44 amWhat a gorgeous cake! A combination of my two favorites – lemons and cheese cakes – is what “irresistible” means in my book. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:36 amIt is a lovely combination, Ronit. Just a perfect ending to a meal.
Jill Becker
April 30, 2022 at 8:44 amThis will absolutely be the first dessert I bake in my new house. Will use Walker’s shortbread cookies since I have not had Girl Scout cookies in several years. Thanks
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:36 amWill the new house have citrus trees? I hope so. Very excited for you and Dave.
Jeff the Chef
April 30, 2022 at 10:35 amWow, this is a must-try. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors. While I don’t live someplace where lemons grow, and so no one leaves them on my doorstep, I can easily buy them by the bag at the grocery. This cheesecake looks so tempting!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:38 amI know we are super lucky here to have lemons form the tree — I shouldn’t brag! You should definitely make this, Jeff.
Jean | Delightful Repast
April 30, 2022 at 12:27 pmDavid, I need a slice of this right this minute! And you and I are of like minds on the GS cookies as well; thin mints and trefoils!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:39 amJean — all those newfangled flavors just don’t do it for me. Glad we agree. Wish there here — I give you a slice right away!
John
April 30, 2022 at 1:31 pmYou’re so well connected with dealers, David. I’m a tad envious! Mind you, if you’d be closer I’d be leaving a stash of saffron milk caps on your doorstep.
As for this gorgeous, billowy cake, I’d be devouring it a great speed. I love lemon!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:40 amJust lucky, but I really do wish I lived near you — those saffron milk caps sound amazing.
Eha
April 30, 2022 at 4:27 pmWhat a smiley story of fruit and friendships ! And what an enticing cake asking to be copied 🙂 ! Bo Girl Scout cookies here and a lemon tree which finally succumbed after six months of bushfire smoke and now endless watering from the heavens. But cheesecake and banana bread being two baked goods I actually do make, your recipe for this delight is already waiting for me in the kitchen – thank you !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:41 amYou must let me know when you’re put this together. Such a delightful cheesecake!
My Pinch of Italy
April 30, 2022 at 10:01 pmSaved your recipe and going to make it. I have lots of lemons to use, so this is just the perfect timing 👍🏻
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:41 amIsn’t it wonderful to have too many lemons? Enjoy!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
May 1, 2022 at 5:37 amDoesn’t this look delicious! I adore cheesecake (after all I’m a New Yorker by birth) but truth be told, it can be rather stodgy. This looks like a brighter, lighter take on the classic. Definitely have to give it go!
And PS: It’s been so many years since I’ve had girl scout cookies I’ve lost count. I don’t think they go door to door selling them the way they used to, do they?
Cocoa & Lavender
May 1, 2022 at 6:43 amYou know, Frank, they don’t go door to door any longer in most places. The world is just not safe enough these days. It’s sad. Generally, here in Tucson, we find them (with Mom/Dad/Aunt/Uncle supervision) in front of our grocery stores.
I know you aren’t a huge dessert fan but this one is pretty special!
Fran @ Gdaysouffle
May 1, 2022 at 7:45 amWow, this cake looks nice and fluffy- more fluffy than the usual cheesecake. makes me want to dive right in. For me, I’ll have to use the Lorna Doone shortbread cookies for the crust. And that reminds me, I recently picked another two dozen lemons from my local library’s orchard (including using a 20-foot pole to reach the lemons way up high). Lemon Souffle’ cheesecake, here I come!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:00 amMark doesn’t love cheesecake, as it is too dense. But he loves this one! Definitely a good use for some of those lemons, Fran!
Gerlinde
May 2, 2022 at 8:08 pmThis looks delicious David even though I am not a cheesecake fan but love everything with lemon.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:01 amThis is a typical cheesecake, Gerlinde . It’s light and fluffy and we both loved it.
Inger
May 4, 2022 at 9:06 pmGee I think this looks even lighter here than it did on Instagram! You know somehow I think it’s probably more fun to have lemons left on your doorstep than zucchini…
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:02 amI definitely agree with you there, Inger, I’d much rather have citrus fruit on my doorstep than zucchini!
Raymund
May 5, 2022 at 2:09 pmThat is perfectly souffled, thats also a good use for those girl scout cookied
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:02 amThanks, Raymund.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
May 5, 2022 at 6:53 pmIt’s nice to live somewhere where you can find some presents on your doorstep. We only happen to find “presents” left by our hunting cat, but we would definitely prefer a bag of lemons instead haha. Beautiful cheesecake and smart use of the lemons!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:03 amWell, I remember the days when we had a cat and used to get gifts like that. Yes, I would much prefer the lemons! Thanks for your kind comment, Ben!
Christina Conte
May 5, 2022 at 8:57 pmWhat a luscious looking cheesecake! It really was destiny for you to make this, I can see that, David! And I agree, what’s the big deal with cracks in cheesecake? I think they add character, and don’t change the flavor in any way! Delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:04 amChristina, I remember, even in my youth, being told that cracks in cheesecake were a bad thing. I am so with you… They taste the same whether they have a crack or not!
sherry M
May 5, 2022 at 11:05 pmi think lemon is my fave flavour for everything. i always have them in the fridge. and always happy when a neighbour gives me some organic ones. I’m not a cheesecake eater but this looks lovely.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 8, 2022 at 6:05 amMark is definitely not a cheesecake eater, and I’m not thrilled about it. However, this is what I will make over and over because it’s much less a cheesecake and more of a soufflé. and, like you, lemon is my favorite flavor for dessert!
Valentina
May 10, 2022 at 3:35 pmNow that’s the best kind of “dealer” to have! A Girl Scout Cookie dealer. That made me laugh out loud. Love this lemon souffle cheesecake! My tiny Meyer lemon tree is full and I keep thinking I should make my dad lemonade, but your cheesecake is now calling to me. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
May 12, 2022 at 6:09 amI would be so curious to find out what this cheesecake would be like with Meyer lemons! If you make it, Valentina, let me know. It definitely works really well with regular lemons.
2pots2cook
May 11, 2022 at 1:33 amThis cheesecake is beyond amazing! We are so familiar with lemons abundance over here too but I cannot say the same for Girl Scouts. However, there are different organizations and initiatives to make good deeds 🙂 anyway it is so great to know we all do our best to make the world a better place, right ? 🙂 Enjoy your day !
Cocoa & Lavender
May 12, 2022 at 6:12 amI think all you need in place of the Girl Scout cookies would be a nice shortbread cookie, Davorka! I really do appreciate organizations that make our world better. 💛