This silky and decadent Pomelo Cheesecake is a winning dessert. It's made with fresh pomelo zest and juice for a tangy treat.
Silky Smooth Pomelo Cheesecake
This recipe makes a scrumptiously decadent dessert. It uses both pomelo zest and pomelo juice, giving it a nice floral tang. Because this is a no-bake cheesecake recipe, it's really simple to make.
Jump to:
- Silky Smooth Pomelo Cheesecake
- Why I Love this Pomelo Dessert
- Ingredients in this Pomelo Cheesecake Dessert
- What to do with Pomelos
- How to Make Pomelo Cheesecake
- Can I really make this dessert in an 8, 9 or 10-inch pan?
- What can I add on top of this Pomelo Cheesecake?
- How long will this Pomelo Cheesecake last?
- More Pomelo Dessert Recipes
- Pomelo Cheesecake
Why I Love this Pomelo Dessert
There are so many reasons to love this pomelo cheesecake recipe.
- Silky smooth filling
- A crust that is just perfectly sweet with a touch of saltiness
- Tangy pomelo taste that is unique and unlike any store bought cheesecake
- Easy to make and no baking required
- Keeps fresh for several days in the refrigerator
I could keep going, but I hope you give this recipe a try and find your own reasons to love this Pomelo Cheesecake. It's a perfect dessert recipe to make when you are looking for what to do with a pomelo.
Ingredients in this Pomelo Cheesecake Dessert
Most of the ingredients in this Pomelo Cheesecake can be found in any supermarket.
Pomelos can be found in many supermarkets when it is in season, and especially around Lunar New Year. Otherwise, check your local Asian markets.
For the crust
- Graham cracker crumbs - I usually blitz my own crumbs in the food processor, but you can buy premade crumbs too.
- Biscoff cookie crumbs - Amazon sells premade Biscoff Crumbles, but you can also make your own crumbs with Biscoff cookies and a food processor.
- Salted butter - I've used many different brands of salted butter when I make graham cracker crusts, and I don't think I've ever made a crust that was too salty. Unsalted butter plus a bit less than ¼ teaspoon of salt works too.
For the filling
- Heavy whipping cream - Heavy cream and whipping cream should work too, but look for one around 35% milk fat.
- Cream cheese blocks - Use the block type, not the tubs.
- Granulated sugar - Granulated sugar will sweeten the cheesecake and keep it a creamy light color.
- Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar will completely dissolve and has just enough starch to help thicken up the filling.
- Sour cream - This gives the cheesecake the classic tangy flavor.
- Pomelo juice - You need the juice from just under ¼ of a pomelo.
- Pomelo zest - You need the zest of about ½ of a pomelo.
- Salt - A pinch of salt gives sweet desserts a richer flavor.
What to do with Pomelos
Pomelo zest and juice are both delicious to use in recipes.
My Pomelo Cake post has photos of how I zest and juice the pomelo.
Pomelo zest
Zest pomelos just like you would zest a lemon, but be very careful to avoid the white pith. Like other citrus fruits, the pith is bitter. Pomelo pith is notoriously bitter though, so avoid it as much as possible. I use my microplane zester, which is just delicate enough to get the zest.
Pomelo juice
Peel the pomelo and remove the thick pith before juicing. Then segment the pomelo, and squeeze the segments over a strainer set over a bowl. The recipe only takes 3 tablespoons of juice, so it's easy to do this step by hand.
Tip: I wear food prep gloves when I juice pomelos because the juice stings any cracks and cuts I have on my dry winter hands.
How to Make Pomelo Cheesecake
Here's a quick preview on how to make this decadent Pomelo Cheesecake dessert. No baking required at all. Only two bowls needed - one for whipped cream, one for cream cheese.
Full instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
Directions
- Prepare the crust - Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, Biscoff cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press everything into a prepared pan. Push down tightly, so the crust stays together when you cut the cheesecake.
- Whip the cream - Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Tip: Cold cream straight from the refrigerator works best.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar - With the mixer on medium-speed, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until it is creamy and smooth. Tip: Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the powdered sugar, sour cream, pomelo juice and zest - With the mixer on medium speed, beat everything together until the filling is smooth and there are no lumps remaining.
- Transfer to pie crust - Gently transfer the cheesecake filling to the pie crust. Use a spatula to smooth everything down. Have fun making big whimsical swops on top.
- Refrigerate to set before serving - Cover and set the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but best overnight to allow it to fully set.
Do I need an electric mixer to make this no-bake cheesecake?
A stand mixer makes this Pomelo Cheesecake super quick and easy to prepare. You can also use a hand mixer too.
While I haven't made no-bake cheesecake recipes without a stand mixer before, I've done similar tasks, and it should be fine. It will give you an arm workout though.
To whip the cream, use a whisk and beat it in a cold bowl. Just keep beating and incorporating air until stiff peaks form.
To make the no-bake cheesecake filling by hand, beat the cream cheese bricks until the filling is smooth and there are no lumps of cream cheese remaining. Make sure the cream cheese is softened at room temperature before beating. It will make beating it a lot easier and less of a workout for the arms.
Can I really make this dessert in an 8, 9 or 10-inch pan?
Yes. This cheesecake can be made in an 8, 9 or 10-inch springform pan. There is enough crust and filling to use any of those sizes.
If you use an 8-inch springform pan, the crust will be thicker and the filling will stand taller. If you use a 10-inch pan, the cheesecake will have a thinner crust and shorter filling. Really, it comes down to personal preference.
For reference, my Pomelo Cheesecake in the photos is made in using an 8-inch springform pan. I wanted my dessert to be extra decadent and show-stopper tall. The resulting cheesecake is incredibly rich, and eating a full slice felt like a restaurant portion size.
What can I add on top of this Pomelo Cheesecake?
As you can see in the photos, I didn't add anything on top of my Pomelo Cheesecake. I like the simple and plain look. If you want to decorate it a bit, here are a few topping ideas:
- Large dollops of whipped cream around the edges, spaced so each slice will receive a single large dollop.
- Pieces of pomelo flesh with the pith and membrane removed. This is a common way to decorate pomelo desserts, but I think it looks a bit like caviar so I avoid doing so.
- Edible gold glitter would give this cheesecake a gorgeous fancy shimmer.
How long will this Pomelo Cheesecake last?
This Polemo Cheesecake will last for several days in the fridge. Keep it covered so it stays fresh.
After a few days, the graham cracker crust starts to soften because of the moisture. It's still tasty, but it loses a bit of the crunch.
The filling holds up really well though. As expected, the whipped cream in the filling should start to deflate. But it doesn't deflate enough to be noticeable.
More Pomelo Dessert Recipes
Love pomelos? Looking for the perfect Lunar New Year dessert made with pomelos? Here's a recipe for my well-loved Pomelo Cake. The recipe makes a 9x13 cake, is super easy to put together, and has a perfect tender crumb.
Pomelo Cheesecake
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand held beater
- 8, 9, or 10-inch springform pan - see notes
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup Biscoff cookie crumbs - see notes, replace with graham crackers if you don't have Biscoff
- 6 tablespoons salted butter - use either salted or salted, but I prefer salted especially with the Biscoff cookies
For the cheesecake filling
- 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream - use straight from the fridge
- 24 oz cream cheese blocks, slightly softened at room temperature (This is 3 blocks of cream cheese. Do not use spreadable cream cheese from a container.)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons pomelo juice
- 2 tablespoons pomelo zest
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Make the crust
- Line the bottom of a 8, 9, or 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, Biscoff cookie crumbs and butter in a large bowl. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Pour the crust into the prepared pan, and press the crumbs down tightly. I use a flat bottomed cup to press the crumbs down. The tighter you pack the crumbs, the less likely the crust will fall apart when cutting the cheesecake. Set the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Set aside. I only have one mixing bowl for my stand mixer, so I transfer the whipped cream into a different bowl.
- Using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed, until it is creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.
- Add in the powdered sugar, sour cream, pomelo juice and zest. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. The cream cheese should be smooth and there should be no lumps.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream, adding in ⅓ of the whipped cream at a time. Fold gently, so you don't deflate the whipped cream.
- Gently transfer the filling into the prepared pie crust. Using a spatula, evenly spread the filling across, making whimsical swooping patterns on the top. Cover and set it in the refrigerator to set for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
- To serve, run knife along the rim of the springform pan to loosen the filing, then remove the rim.
Notes
Nutrition
Mei says
Love the no-bake method for this cheesecake 👍 Super easy. I made it for a potluck at a friends house, and everyone loved it.