Alton Brown's Cheesecake Is Way Easy and Delicious

Alton Brown's cream cheese-less cheesecake is tangy and delicious (and easier to make than traditional cheesecake), but there's one key thing I'll do differently next time.

Alton Brown next to a small cheesecake in a ramekin topped with three raspberries — Simply Recipes / Getty Images

My dad loved cheesecake and he made it for any and every occasion, but his best version always appeared on Thanksgiving day. It was a plain, cream cheese-based classic version with a graham cracker crust, and it was spectacular.

He would wake up early the day before, and I would watch him for what seemed like hours as he prepped and baked that cheesecake. I remember the pride on his face when he’d set that cheesecake on our table, slicing it with care and then handing it to us with a knowing smile. It was perfect and delicious every time.

It’s one of my core food memories, so when I heard someone say that Alton Brown’s cream cheese-less cheesecake was just as delicious as the classic version (the type my dad made), I was skeptical. How could you make a cheesecake without cream cheese? I needed to see if the hype was real, so off I went to make Alton’s recipe.

A cheesecake baked in a ramekin with a spoonful taken out and a strawberry garnish on top — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make Alton Brown's Cottage Cheese Cheesecakes

The recipe makes single-serving cheesecakes and begins with a graham cracker crust, which gets pressed into eight-ounce ramekins. While the crust bakes, you make the filling by beating sugar and cottage cheese together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Next, you add lemon zest, lemon juice, and sour cream and beat until combined.

Finally, you add egg yolks and a whole egg along with vanilla extract and mix before pouring into the graham cracker crusts. The ramekins are added to a baking dish, hot water is poured around them, and the cheesecakes bake for about 25 minutes.

The One Thing I'd Change About Alton Brown's Cheesecake Recipe

After cooling on the countertop and then chilling in the refrigerator, I was ready to give the cheesecake a try. Would it be as delicious as my dad’s? I grabbed my spoon and admired the little flecks of lemon zest before popping the spoonful in my mouth. The flavor was indeed delicious, but the texture didn’t deliver the creamy, smoothness I love in a cheesecake. I could feel the particles, albeit small, of cottage cheese, which made the cheesecake feel curdled.

Although I didn’t care for the texture, the flavor was delicious. It was tangy, and I loved the little bit of lemon I tasted in every bite. Alton’s version is also less labor-intensive than making a classic cheesecake, so I do applaud that.

If I attempt his cheesecakes again—which I might—I’d only make one change: blending the cottage cheese to a smooth consistency first to achieve a more luxurious texture. Ultimately, though, my dad’s cheesecake still reigns supreme.