Maple Cheesecake

You read the title correctly, Candied Bacon Maple Cheesecake. Candied Bacon, a gingersnap crust and Maple Cheesecake. Bacon on a cheesecake?

YES, yes, yes… I can not tell you how many times- YES!!! If you are a cheesecake lover or a bacon lover, this dessert recipe is for you!

What Makes This Maple Cheesecake Different?

A creamy cheesecake that is full of maple flavor and perfect for any occasion- what’s not to love! Plus, BACON!

• Perfect for the holidays – This elegant dessert is perfect for bringing to holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is an unexpected flavor combo that some might initially turn their noses up to, but will soon come around.
• Bacon – Bacon makes everything better, even cheesecake.
• Creamy texture – With no lumps, the cheesecake has the perfect creamy texture while the crust adds the best crunch with great flavor balance.

Ingredients

You can easily find all of these simple ingredients at your local grocery store.

• Gingersnap crumbs – Ginger pairs so nicely with the maple flavor of this cheesecake. Make sure they are finely ground. Any dry cookie can make up the base, like molasses or nilla wafers.
• Butter – Rather than softened like most recipes call for, we want this butter to be melted to make the gingersnap crust melt together.
• Sugar – Just plain white sugar will work perfectly here, sugar caramelized and helps the crust to harden into a shell.
• Fine sea salt – If using salted butter, you can omit this completely. Or else it would make the crust a little too salty, but it helps balance all the sweet aspects.
• Vegetable shortening – We use this to grease the springform pan. It helps the crust to release more cleanly and won’t leave behind weird residue.
• Cream cheese – Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. It will be much easier to whip up that way.
• Dark brown sugar – I like the stronger molasses flavor that brown sugar has, but you can also use light brown sugar.
• Flour – All purpose flour helps to thicken the cheesecake batter. Just a bit is needed.
• Maple syrup – We will add this directly to the cheesecake batter, but also use extra for drizzling on top of the cheesecake. I highly recommend using a Grade B maple syrup, which is a stronger, more robust syrup. It also costs a tad more. Grade will work, but won’t be as flavorful. Do not use a maple flavored syrup, which is thin and artificially flavored to corn starch, it will not have the correct texture.
• Sour cream – Sour cream thins out the cheesecake batter while also adding a level of creaminess and tang.
• Vanilla – I like to use a good quality vanilla extract. You can even try your hand at making your own homemade version.
• Large eggs – When baking, especially cheesecake, it’s always helpful to use room temperature eggs so the batter does seize when they are added.
• Candied bacon – This is something that totally completes the cheesecake. You can make your own candied bacon with only three ingredients!

How to Make Maple Cheesecake

You are going to love how easy it is to make this maple cheesecake recipe.

Gingersnap Crust

1. Prepare oven and pan. Heat the oven and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and either along the sides or grease well vegetable shortening. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in aluminum foil.
2. Make crust. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs, butter and sugar. tablespoon sugar and melted butter. Mix until all crumbs are moistened. Press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake, remove and set aside.

Maple Cheesecake

1. Make cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until smooth. Add the dark brown sugar, flour, and salt, continue to blend until combined. Add the maple syrup, sour cream and vanilla, continue to blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend until fully combined and smooth.
2. Add to crust. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the prepared crust. Set aside.
3. Add pan to water bath. Place springform pan into a high rimmed baking sheet or the bottom of a broiler pan or other high-sided dish that will fit a 9-inch pan. Fill the containing pan 1/2 way with water.
4. Bake the cheesecake until the center jiggles just a tad, but the edges are a light brown. If edges start to brown before enter is set (not jiggly), loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
5. Cool in oven. Turn off the oven and crack open, allow to cool in the oven. Remove and cover (if fully cooled) and chill overnight.
6. Garnish and serve. When ready to serve, carefully remove from the springform pan to serving dish. Before serving, drizzle with additional maple syrup and top with chopped Candied Bacon.

Why Use a Water Bath for Cheesecake?

A water bath is vital for making cheesecake because it provides a gentle and uniform heat environment during baking. Cheesecake is a delicate dessert that is prone to cracking and uneven texture when exposed to direct heat.

The water bath acts as a heat buffer, preventing sudden temperature fluctuations and promoting slow, even baking. This method is especially crucial for custard-based cheesecakes, as the controlled heat helps achieve the desired creamy texture and prevents overcooking or drying out of the edges.

The biggest issue is small seams in the pan, so wrapping it tightly, and twice, with aluminum foil is crucial to not having watery cheesecake or losing batter.

Variations

There are plenty of ways for you to make this maple cheesecake your own.

• Crust – Instead of using gingersnaps, try using graham cracker crumbs to make a graham cracker crust. Other cookies work too! Even chocolate cookies.
• Toppings – In addition to the maple syrup drizzle, you can top this cheesecake with whipped cream or a easy caramel sauce. Bourbon caramel sauce and praline sauce are fun favorites, as is Maple Cream or Honey Syrup.
• Make it boozy – Top this cheesecake with a drizzle of bourbon sauce. Or straight bourbon if you’re feeling frisky!
• Nuts – You can even add a crunch by adding some chopped pecans or walnuts to the top of the cheesecake.
• Ice Cream- Of course any cake can be complemented with a scoop of ice cream. Vanilla, maple or even caramel are all great options.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store any leftover cheesecake in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freezing: Wrap individual slices tightly with plastic wrap, and then in foil. You can store in the freezer for up to three months.

More Easy Cheesecake Recipes

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Marble New York Cheesecake is one of the best cheesecake recipes you’ll ever come across! This dessert is a thicker but deliciously creamy cheesecake recipe! 

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Maple Cheesecake Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This EASY Maple Cheesecake recipe is made up of a maple cheesecake topped with salty candied bacon and a crunchy gingersnap crust!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings: 12

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Equipment

• Broiler Pan
• 9-inch Springform Pan
• Rimmed Baking Sheet
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups gingersnap crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• vegetable shortening

Maple Cheesecake:

• 16 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup plus extra for drizzling
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 large eggs room temperature

Garnish:

• Candied bacon chopped (see Savory Experiments for the recipe)
• Maple syrup , for drizzling

Instructions

Crust:

• Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and either along the sides or grease well vegetable shortening. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in aluminum foil. Wrap again (to protect from the water bath). Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs, butter and sugar. tablespoon sugar and melted butter. Mix until all crumbs are moistened. Press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes, remove and set aside. Remove and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Maple Cheesecake:

• Beat the cream cheese in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until smooth, at least 2-3 minutes. Add the dark brown sugar, flour, and salt, continue to blend until combined. Add the maple syrup, sour cream and vanilla, continue to blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend until fully combined and smooth, approximately 3-4 minutes. If you see any small bits of cream cheese, pour the cheesecake batter through a strainer to remove any small pieces of unblended cream cheese.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture over the prepared crust. Set aside.
• Place springform pan into a high rimmed baking sheet or the bottom of a broiler pan or other high-sided dish that will fit a 9-inch pan. Fill the containing pan 1/2 way with water.
• Bake the cheesecake for 70-75 minutes, or until the center jiggles just a tad, but the edges are a light brown. If edges start to brown before enter is set (not jiggly), loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Turn off the oven and crack open, allow to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and cover (if fully cooled) and chill for a minimum of 12 hours, but best overnight.
• When ready to serve, carefully remove from the springform pan to serving dish. Before serving, drizzle with additional maple syrup and top with chopped Candied Bacon.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings~

Nutrition

Calories: 469 kcal, Carbohydrates: 62 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 21 g, Saturated Fat: 10 g, Cholesterol: 100 mg, Sodium: 437 mg, Potassium: 199 mg, Sugar: 47 g, Vitamin A: 585 IU, Vitamin C: 0.1 mg, Calcium: 114 mg, Iron: 1.6 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 469

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade cheesecake, maple cheesecake

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