Bourbon-Roasted Peach Cheesecake Recipe

A perfect summer dessert for stone-fruit season: peach-flavored cheesecake, topped with a slices of boozy, roasted peach.

By
María del Mar Cuadra
A headshot of Maria del Mar Cuadra, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
María del Mar Cuadra
María del Mar Cuadra is a food stylist, recipe developer, and art director. She has written three cookbooks and worked for America's Test Kitchen.
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Updated June 06, 2024
Overhead view of a Bourbon-Roasted Peach Cheesecake, set on a wooden surface.
Lush. .

Serious Eats / María del Mar Cuadra

Why It Works

  • Whipping egg whites and then folding them in to the cheesecake batter creates a light, not-too-dense filling.
  • Roasting the peaches concentrates their flavor and gets rid of excess moisture.

If prompted—and sometimes when not—I can carry on with a long diatribe enumerating what and why I don't like about certain foods. However, there are items that get a free pass from me, even when their quality is questionable. Pizza is at the top of that list, followed by spaghetti and red sauce, and, in the dessert category, cheesecake. Even when the crust resembles cardboard, bloated from overcooking, or dense and cloying, I will eat pizza, spaghetti, and cheesecake with gusto.

All this being admitted, I do prefer the best iteration of anything I eat. Though no-bake cheesecakes and frozen cheesecake bars will appease my cravings for that dessert, nothing tastes as luxurious as a homemade cheesecake, particularly this one. I've written about this infamous recipe before: it was appropriated by my grandmother in a furtive way long ago, but in our family cookbooks it lives, and there it shall remain. A few changes to the original recipe have been made here and there over the course of the years, but in general, it remains intact—if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

This cheesecake is creamy but light and airy, getting its cloud-like texture from the addition of egg whites beaten to stiff peaks to the batter. The base is room temperature cream cheese—remember to always use softened cream cheese when baking, otherwise there will be bits of cheese popping up here and there like pimples in your desserts!—the aforementioned egg whites, egg yolks, sugar, heavy cream, and in this version, vanilla bean seeds that dot the filling's creamy palette.

Rich but delicate, this recipe takes well to a number of additions. In keeping with the season, I was inspired by my summer cravings for sweet, juicy peaches and icy cocktails made with smoky bourbon and threw them both into the cheesecake. Peaches are tossed with butter, dark brown sugar, and bourbon, then roasted until they become tender and intensely heady and sweet, while the bourbon mixture turns thick and syrupy. A portion of the peaches are folded into the batter, and the rest are spooned on top for a can't-take-my-eyes-off-of-you effect.

Closeup of a plated slice of the peach cheesecake on an engraved green plate.

Serious Eats / María del Mar Cuadra

I can't stand the over-the-top "mmmmm"s and "ohhh"s which are the trademark of TV hosts, because really, who stands in their kitchen cooking and doing all that sexy exhaling? But I have a confession to make: when I finished shooting this slice of cheesecake I sat on my dining room table, feet dangling over the edge, with my plate on my lap. One bite and I did sink fully in, eyes closed, ridiculous "mmm" sounds humming from my lips. It really is that good.

August 2012

Recipe Details

Bourbon-Roasted Peach Cheesecake Recipe

Prep 20 mins
Cook 2 hrs
Active 60 mins
Chilling Time 4 hrs
Total 6 hrs 20 mins
Serves 12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

For the Bourbon Roasted Peaches:

  • 8 ripe but firm peaches (about 3 pounds)

  • 18 ounces unsalted butter

  • 2/3 cup bourbon

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

For the Crust:

  • 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Cheesecake Filling:

  • 4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

  • 2 vanilla bean pods, seeds scraped out

  • 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces and at room temperature

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. For the Bourbon Roasted Peaches: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil.

  2. Slice 4 peaches into 3/4-inch thick slices. Arrange in single layer on 1 prepared baking sheet. Cut remaining 4 peaches into 1/4-inch pieces. Arrange in single layer on second prepared baking sheet.

  3. Whisk together melted butter, bourbon, and salt in medium bowl. Drizzle half of bourbon mixture on sliced peaches and remaining half on diced peaches. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar on sliced peaches and remaining 2 tablespoons on diced peaches. Toss peaches to coat an rearrange in single layer. Roast until peaches are tender and liquid is syrupy, about 15 minutes, alternating baking sheets’ positions halfway through. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely, about 20 minutes.

  4. For the Crust: Decrease oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and adjust oven rack to middle position. Line exterior of springform pan with foil. Combine cracker crumbs, pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt in medium bowl, stirring until crumbs are thoroughly saturated with butter. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan, leaving about 1/2 inch from top of pan.

  5. Bake crust until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.

  6. For the Cheesecake Filling: Decrease oven temperature to 275°F (135°C). In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a clean, dry bowl, whip egg whites and vanilla bean seeds on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer. If using a stand mixer, transfer whites to separate bowl and wipe out bowl.

  7. Beat cream cheese, egg yolks, and flour on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream and continue beating until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes longer, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. Stir in diced peaches.

  8. Stir 1/3 of egg whites into cream cheese mixture, then, gently fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape batter into cooled crust and bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, 75 to 90 minutes. Shut oven off and let cheesecake sit in oven 20 minutes.

  9. Transfer cheesecake to cooling rack and cool for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and cool until completely chilled and set, at least 3 hours. Remove from springfrom mold and set on serving dish. Top with sliced peaches and serve.

Special Equipment

2 rimmed baking sheets, foil, parchment paper, 9-inch round springform pan, stand mixer (optional), flexible spatula, cooling rack

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
693Calories
59gFat
38gCarbs
7gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 14
Amount per serving
Calories693
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g76%
Saturated Fat 34g169%
Cholesterol 201mg67%
Sodium 271mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 38g14%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 6mg31%
Calcium 87mg7%
Iron 1mg7%
Potassium 317mg7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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