Italian-inspired creamy tiramisu cheesecake is easy to make at home with this step-by-step recipe. It's hands-down the best cheesecake there is!
This coffee-flavored tiramisu dessert in cheesecake form is perfect for holidays, special occasions, or just because!
If you're like me and indecisive, blending two of the favorite desserts into one is a logical choice. Double the love!
This tiramisu cheesecake, meaning "pick me up" or "cheer me up," lives up to its name.
Cheesecakes are my one weakness, so it's not a surprise that I mashed up other desserts with it.
Some of my favorites are brownie pumpkin cheesecake, carrot cake cheesecake, and baklava cheesecake. And of course, no-bake tiramisu cheesecake that is perfect for summer days!
This fusion gained fame when the Cheesecake Factory’s Tiramisu Cheesecake hit their menu.
📃 Why it Works
- Make ahead: This tiramisu cheesecake is best made a day ahead of time, so it's a great option if you are planning to serve it as part of a bigger feast.
- Perfect for a crowd: This is a great dessert option if you are planning an occasion meal. It's a great alternative Christmas dessert that everyone will love!
- Delicious! The most creamy baked tiramisu cheesecake with hints of chocolate and coffee, what's not to love?!
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Coffee: It's best to use instant espresso for the best flavor. You can use a strong instant or brewed coffee too.
- Cream cheese: Now is not the time to skip calories, be sure to use full-fat cream cheese for the richest and creamiest cake.
- Vanilla extract: If you can, use pure vanilla rather than imitation. It has a much bolder flavor and tastes much cleaner.
- Coffee-flavored liqueur: If you rather bake without alcohol, use coffee instead.
🔪 Instructions
- Combine the water and espresso in a small saucepan until dissolved.
- Next, add the sugar and coffee liqueur. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 3 minutes, uncovered, stirring a few times.
Cheesecake:
Step One
- Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Dip ladyfinger cookies into the coffee mixture and arrange them on the bottom of the pan. (break or cut the last one to fit and fill the gaps).
- Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending up the sides.
Step Two
- Next, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat one cream cheese package, sugar, and the cornstarch on low speed until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beaters with a spatula as needed. Blend in remaining cheese, one package at a time.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined.
- Beat in the remaining sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed just until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the heavy cream mixture until blended; take care not to over whip!
Step Three
- Spoon the batter into a springform pan. Place the pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water about halfway up of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the water bath and let cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or at least 4 hours.
- Top the cold cheesecake, still in the pan, with a layer of 12 ladyfingers dipped in the coffee mixture. Transfer the cake to the freezer until completely frozen, 3-4 hours or overnight.
Tiramisu:
- In a medium-size bowl, whip the cream with the mixer on high speed until it thickens and soft peaks begin to form. With the mixer still running, add the sugar and beat until the stiff peaks form. Do not over mix! Beat in vanilla.
- Gently fold in the mascarpone with a rubber spatula.
Assemble:
- Remove the cake from the freezer and let it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Spoon the ⅔ of the mascarpone mixture on the top of the cheesecake and even out with a frosting spatula. Since the cake is still very cold, the mascarpone cream will set fast.
- Release and gently remove the sides of the springform. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream around the sides of the cake.
- Lastly, sprinkle with cocoa powder or chocolate curls to decorate.
- Have all of your ingredients for the cheesecake layer at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge a couple of hours before you plan baking.
- Don't overmix the ingredients (best to use the paddle attachment).
- To prevent the cheesecake from cracking and bake it evenly from the outside to the center, bake it in a water bath.
- Wrap your springform pan with a couple of heavy-duty foil layers before placing it into the hot, 1-inch deep water bath (bain-marie or use a roasting pan). The foil helps minimize any leakage of the water into the cheesecake. Alternatively, you can place your springform pan into a larger cake pan that will form a barrier.
- If you choose not to use a water bath, once it has done baking, turn the oven off and open the door slightly so that it cools down slowly. The cracks will be covered with the tiramisu layer anyway.
- Ensure that the cake is properly chilled at each stage of the recipe. This will help it set, and it will mean that the mascarpone topping won't slide off. It will also be easier to remove from the pan.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it keep?
This tiramisu cheesecake is best served the next day, but if you have leftovers, they will easily keep up to a week in the fridge. Place in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out.
Can you freeze it?
If you do have leftovers, you can freeze them for up to a month. Place the pieces in a freezer-safe container, separated with parchment. Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
Can you make it gluten-free?
Yes! To make this dessert gluten-free, use GF ladyfingers, perfect if you or anyone in your family has an intolerance.
More cheesecakes you will love:
- Red White and Blue Jello Cheesecake
- Bavarian Apple Oatmeal Cheesecake
- Layered Maple Cheesecake
- No-Bake Eggnog Gingersnap Cheesecake Cake
- Key Lime Ribbon Cheesecake
- Cuban Mini Guava Cheesecakes
- Goat Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Tiramisu Cheesecake Recipe
This easy Italian tiramisu cake with a cheesecake layer is a classic holiday dessert that everyone loves. The flavors of silky cheesecake and creamy tiramisu are just so hard to resist.
EQUIPMENT
- Rubber spatula
- 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
For the Coffee Mixture (for dipping ladyfingers):
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso or strong coffee
- 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur
For the Cheesecake:
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso or strong coffee
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- 24 ladyfingers, divided
- 3 8 oz. packages full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup cornstarch , (cornflour in some countries)
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Tiramisu:
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 8 oz. carton Mascarpone cheese
Instructions
Coffee Mixture:
Cheesecake:
- Stir 1 tablespoon hot water and 1 tablespoon instant coffee together in a small cup until dissolved. Let cool. In a small bowl, stir this coffee with ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Dip 12 ladyfinger cookies into the coffee and liqueur mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them! Arrange the ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan (break or cut the last one to fit and fill the gaps). Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending up the sides (see recipe notes for more tips).
- Next, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat one package of the cream cheese, ⅓ cup of the sugar, and ¼ cup cornstarch on low speed until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beaters with a spatula as needed.
- Blend in remaining cheese, one package at a time. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined.
- Beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed just until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the heavy cream mixture until blended; take care not to over whip!
- Spoon the batter into a springform pan. Place the pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water about halfway up the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center barely jiggles when the pan is gently shaken.
- Remove the cake from the water bath and let cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or at least 4 hours.
- Top the cold cheesecake, still in the pan, with a layer of remaining 12 ladyfingers dipped in the coffee mixture. Transfer the cake to the freezer until completely frozen, 3-4 hours or overnight.
Tiramisu:
- Gently fold in the 8 oz. mascarpone with a rubber spatula.
Assemble:
- Remove the cake from the freezer and let it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Spoon the ⅔ of the mascarpone mixture on the top of the cheesecake and even out with a frosting spatula. Since the cheesecake is still very cold, the mascarpone cream will set fast.
- Release and gently remove the sides of the springform. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream around the sides of the cake.
- Lastly, sprinkle with cocoa powder or chocolate curls to decorate.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours, until the mascarpone layer is cold and cheesecake layer has defrosted.
- Slice the cake with a sharp, straight-edge knife cleaning it with a paper towel between each slice. Keep leftover cake covered in a refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
- Have all of your ingredients for the cheesecake layer at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge a couple of hours before you plan baking.
- Don't overmix the ingredients (best to use the paddle attachment).
- To prevent the cheesecake from cracking and bake it evenly from the outside to the center, bake it in a water bath.
- Wrap your springform pan with a couple of heavy-duty foil layers before placing it into the hot, 1-inch deep water bath (bain-marie or use a roasting pan). The foil helps minimize any leakage of the water into the cheesecake. Alternatively, you can place your springform pan into a larger cake pan that will form a barrier.
- If you choose not to use a water bath, once it has done baking, turn the oven off and open the door slightly so that it cools down slowly. The cracks will be covered with the tiramisu layer anyway.
- Ensure that the cake is properly chilled at each stage of the recipe. This will help it set, and it will mean that the mascarpone topping won't slide off. It will also be easier to remove from the pan.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcal (18%) | Carbohydrates: 44g (15%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 19g (29%) | Saturated Fat: 11g (55%) | Cholesterol: 135mg (45%) | Sodium: 61mg (3%) | Potassium: 67mg (2%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 28g (31%) | Vitamin A: 794IU (16%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 42mg (4%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Tried this Recipe? ❤️ Tag us on Facebook!Let us know how it was! Mention @AllThatsJas or tag #allthatsjas!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2014 and updated in December of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
This is a company dessert - pinning! Oh my oh my oh my - I want this!! Had to pin this dish! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up!
Jas says
This one I don't share with anybody! It's mine, all mine.....lol. It's that good!
Miz Helen says
Your Tiramisu Cheesecake looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Thanks, Miz Helen!
Dara says
I love tiramisu! It is my favorite dessert. I believe I had it in cheesecake form at the cheesecake factory once upon a time, but I don't know about making it myself...I am not a very good cook. Hm, maybe I will get the resident baker (my 17-yr-old) to try it out. 🙂
Jas says
Dara, I'm not a good baker. In fact, I don't like baking for the fact that I have to measure everything. Yet I keep baking. Showing cakes who's the boss, lol.
Tim says
Do I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder on this? Seems like that would be bitter. I have this in the freezer now and am going to do the tiramisu layer tomorrow. I have Hershey's "Natural unsweetened" cocoa powder. Will that work ok?
Jas says
Use it light and it should be ok. Or if you think it'll still be bitter, mix it with powder sugar. Hope that helps!
Jill says
What brand of ladyfingers did you use. I had a had time finding them in a local store, but I did. However they didn't look as big as your ladyfingers.
Jas says
Hi, Jill! You can order them online or use any size that are available to you. You can layer more or break them in pieces as needed to fill the gaps. Once the cake is assembled you won't be able to tell what size they are 🙂 Let me know if you have more questions and have fun baking 😀
Jill says
I made the cheesecake and it was delicious. I did not care for the size of my lady fingers, but found another store that has some and will try theirs next time. Even with the small lady fingers it was still delicious and a great recipe! Thanks!
Jas says
I'm so happy it turned out good for you! I need to make it again soon but my scale begs to differ, lol. 🙂
Jill says
I'm making it again for a friend for Thanksgiving! 🙂
Jas says
Girl, you're on a roll! That is awesome! I'm making two new fusion cheesecakes. One for Thanksgiving and another for my birthday. Both should be on the blog soon after (well, maybe not the Thanksgiving one until next season). Stay tuned 😀 And happy holidays!!! XO
Robyn says
This was worth the effort! I think this will be my go-to cheesecake recipe from now on, even without the tiramisu part. I'm never going back to any other cheesecake base, that's for sure: ladyfingers from now on!
Jas says
I'm so happy you tried it and that you like it! YAY! Thank you so much for stopping in and leaving me a note. I truly appreciate it! Have a wonderful week 😀
Robyn says
We had friends around on Saturday who ate half the cake, but we were left with so much that I have been eating about two slices a day and there's still some left. It's probably a good thing it's more of a special-occasion cake otherwise I'd be super-unhealthy...
Jas says
Definitely not an every day dessert 🙂
Marianne says
Hi, just a question re: instant espresso. Are these granules like instant coffee or something else? I've never seen it in stores before. Thanks.
allthatsjas says
Yes, that's it. Instant coffee. You can use any strong coffee, really! 🙂
danielle says
made it-loved it-served it-ate it-adored it-blogged it-linked to you! What an insane cake!!! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
allthatsjas says
Haha, AWESOME! So glad you liked it. Thank you for trying it 😀
danielle says
This looks amazing, going to make it tomorrow! Wondering does the top layer of ladyfingers that you dipped in the coffee mix get soft? Do I need to soak them very well or the cream softens them? Just afraid mine will be crisp! LOL Thank you!!!
allthatsjas says
Hi Danielle, thank you for stopping in! The longer they stand, the softer they'll become but never too soft (or maybe we just ate it too quick to notice, lol). I would say, do as you normally would. Make them moist, but don't drench them in the coffee 🙂 Please do make ahead for two reasons: the process is lenghtly and it's better the next day anyways 😀 Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you'll love it just as much as we did! 😀
Adina says
Hi! I would like to make this recipe for a friend's shower next weekend but I don't have enough freezer space. Would it be possible to just chill the cheesecake and ladyfingers rather than freeze them? Thanks for this lovely recipe!
allthatsjas says
Hi, Adina! I am so sorry for the late response, it's been a crazy busy week for me. Yes, you can keep in in the refrigerator, but it will take more time for it to set. Making it a few days ahead would be my suggestion. Hope you'll give it a try if it's not too late. Have a wonderful week! XOXO
Angela says
I don't know if this recipe is still watched by the creator, but this tiramisu cheesecake is OUT OF THIS WORLD!! It took me a bit of time to make it, but it was easy and I followed instructions to a "T".
This is my daughter's birthday cake this year and I don't think I could have picked a better recipe!! Thanks so much
allthatsjas says
Wow, Angela, you just made my day! I am so happy you tried it out and loved it as much as I did! Yes, it is a bit time-consuming, but well worth the effort. Happy birthday to your daughter and have a wonderful Easter time! XOXO
Pixelated Mushroom says
Thanks for the recipe ^_^ I made it as a birthday cake for my partner this year. Yum!
allthatsjas says
Aw, thank you so much for using my recipe! That made my day 😀 Hope Tom liked it too!!! Warm hugs from the snowy Indiana 🙂
MD says
One question: I have a family recipe that uses eggs for the mascarpone tiramisu, so I am wondering if I could swap the tiramisu topping with the recipe that I have. Thanks!
allthatsjas says
Of course! There are really no rules. If you like other filling better, go for it! Just make sure you have enough 🙂 Please let me know how it turned out, I'd love to know!!! Thank you.
MD says
Hi,
I am planning to bake this cake to bring it over to a family gathering. Can I make this ahead? Thanks:)
allthatsjas says
Yes, most definitely! It is even better the next day! Hope everyone likes it! 🙂
Jennifer Tammy says
Wow, how delicious does this look? WE LOVE TIRAMISU and this is just over-the-top good!
Virginia says
In your instructions it does not say at anytime say to add the eggs in the cheesecake step...I followed your recipe exactly and after I poured the batter in the pan on top of the ladyfingers and was about to place it in the oven I noticed the eggs still sitting on the counter. So I had to scoop most of the batter back out into my mixing bowl carefully not to tear up the soft ladyfingers and added the eggs. I then spread it back into my pan and it's in the oven now and I have my fingers crossed it still turns out ok or all my ingredients have been wasted!
allthatsjas says
OMG, you are absolutely right! I missed that part! I am so sorry and hope it still turns out alright!
Thank you so much for pointing it out to me. I'm fixing it right now!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
This tiramisu cake looks SO incredibly delicious.. and I can imagine it would have tasted even better too! Definitely craving a slice right now. Pinned!
allthatsjas says
Hi Thalia! It WAS really good...better with each day...rich but so worth the extra pounds, lol.