Almond Amaretto Cheesecake Recipe

Amaretto cheesecake is a baked cream cheese cheesecake flavored with ¼ cup of Amaretto, almond extract and vanilla, on a crust of almond biscotti or graham crumbs mixed with toasted almonds. It bakes at 325°F for 55 to 65 minutes in a water bath, chills for at least 6 hours, and cuts into 12 slices.

The filling is cream cheese with sour cream, which keeps it firm enough to slice cleanly but still creamy, with a light tang under the almond. Almond extract alone tastes sharp, so the Amaretto brings a rounder almond flavor and I add a teaspoon of each extract with it. I bake it slowly in a water bath. I have tested it without one too: the flavor stays the same, but the top is more likely to crack unless it cools very gradually.

One 9 Inch Springform, by the Numbers

• Pan: 9 inch springform, wrapped in two layers of foil
• Oven: 325°F (160°C) for both the crust and the filling
• Crust: 1 ¾ cups crumbs, ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds, 6 tablespoons melted butter, baked 10 minutes
• Filling: 24 ounces (3 blocks) cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup sour cream, 3 eggs, ¼ cup Amaretto
• Bake: 55 to 65 minutes, then 1 hour in the turned-off oven with the door cracked
• Chill: at least 6 hours, ideally overnight
• Serves: 12 slices

The Toasted Almond Crust

Stir the crumbs, chopped toasted almonds, 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon salt together, then add the melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Toast the almonds first, in a dry pan until they smell nutty and turn light golden. Raw almonds taste flat under the filling. Press the crumbs firmly into the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup and bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool while you mix the filling.

Almond Biscotti or Graham Cracker Crumbs?

Both work with the same 1 ¾ cups and 6 tablespoons of butter. Almond biscotti are drier and less sweet, so the crust tastes more of almond and stays crisp longer in the fridge. Crush them very fine, since big biscotti chunks keep the crust from packing tight. Graham crackers are sweeter, softer and easier to find. Homemade biscotti crush well too, and my pistachio biscotti turn it into a pistachio and almond crust.

Mixing a Smooth Amaretto Filling

Let the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs sit out for about an hour first. Cold cream cheese leaves small lumps that you cannot beat out once the eggs are in.

Beat the cream cheese alone on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl, until completely smooth. Add the sugar gradually, then the sour cream, Amaretto, both extracts and the flour if you use it. Add the eggs one at a time and mix only until each disappears. Air bubbles rise during baking, puff the top and then crack it as it cools.

The 2 tablespoons of flour are optional. They make the filling a touch firmer and give a little insurance against cracks, but the cheesecake sets without them. The ¼ cup of Amaretto flavors the batter without making it runny. A few spoonfuls more will thin it and lengthen the bake.

Setting Up the Water Bath

The hot water keeps the edge of the pan from getting much hotter than the center, so the eggs set gently all the way through instead of puffing and cracking at the rim.

Wrap the outside of the springform with two layers of wide, heavy foil. Set it in a deep roasting pan, put both on the oven rack, then pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides. A soggy, pale crust when you unmold means water got in, so next time use wider foil or set the springform inside a slightly larger cake pan first.

The Wobble That Means It Is Done

Start checking at 55 minutes. The outer 2 inches should look matte and set, and a circle about 3 inches wide in the center should still jiggle like set gelatin when you nudge the pan. If the center ripples like liquid, give it 5 more minutes. An instant read thermometer in the center should show about 150°F.

Turn the oven off, prop the door open, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Then lift it out of the water, run a thin knife around the edge so it can shrink without tearing, and let it reach room temperature before it goes into the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Cracks, Browning and Messy Slices

• A crack on top: it baked too long, cooled too fast, or the batter was overbeaten. Cover it with the toasted almonds or whipped cream. It tastes exactly the same.
• Top browning before the center sets: lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pan for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
• Crust crumbles when sliced: the crumbs were not packed firmly enough or the butter was short. Measure the full 6 tablespoons.
• Messy slices: dip a long knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and repeat between every cut.

Making It Ahead and Freezing Slices

This cheesecake is better made a day early, and it can be baked up to 2 days before serving. Keep it covered in the fridge, and add the toasted almonds just before serving so they stay crisp. Leftovers keep up to 5 days.

To freeze, chill it fully first, then wrap the whole cake or single slices tightly in plastic and foil for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let it stand 30 minutes before slicing.

Toppings and Hazelnut or Lemon Twists

The card finishes it with ½ cup toasted sliced almonds, plus whipped cream or white chocolate shavings if you like. A spoonful of cherry amaretto jam on each slice is lovely with the almond, and espresso whipped cream goes well with an after dinner coffee.

For a change, use hazelnut liqueur instead of Amaretto. I have served that version at winter brunches with espresso. Lemon zest in the filling brightens it, the same pairing as my lemon almond cake, and a chocolate cookie crust gives a darker base. If you love the almond flavor in cake form, try the almond amaretto cake, or spread the same toasted almond flavor into my almond croissant filling.

Amaretto Cheesecake Questions

What does amaretto cheesecake taste like?

Like a creamy vanilla cheesecake with a warm almond flavor and a slight tang from the sour cream. It is not boozy, but you can taste the liqueur.

Can I make it without Amaretto?

Yes. Replace the ¼ cup Amaretto with ¼ cup heavy cream and add ½ teaspoon more almond extract, so the batter keeps the same consistency. Use this swap for kids too, since the alcohol does not fully bake out of a dense filling.

Can I bake it without a water bath?

Yes, the flavor is the same, but expect a drier edge and possibly a crack. Put a pan of hot water on the rack below and cool it slowly in the oven. For a cheesecake meant to bake hot and dry, see this lemon Basque cheesecake.

Pin this almond amaretto cheesecake to your holiday dessert board, and if you try the hazelnut or lemon version, tell me in the comments how it went.