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Simple Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake, just what the coming holiday week and month ahead needs most. This delicious cheesecake has a deep golden brown exterior, thus it is called a “Burnt” Basque Cheesecake. Inside you’ll find a creamy, rich, sweet filling. It’s really not like any other cheesecake you’ve had before. It’s the easiest to make and (almost) impossible to mess up.

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

Hey guys, one last dessert before Thanksgiving next week and it sure is a good one. To be honest, when it comes to cheesecake, it’s never been something I’ve had the desire to make or eat. It’s just never felt that special to me, but the Basque-style cheesecake is completely different.

It’s richer, creamier, and the easiest to make. No water underneath the cake and nothing fancy about it.

It’s the cheesecake that really embraces those cracks, and I love that!

I wanted to share a Thanksgiving dessert that wasn’t pie but also wasn’t a layer cake. Something easy and sweet, but still special enough for the holidays!

This Burnt Basque Cheesecake is perfect. The rich vanilla flavor really shines in this cake. And the warm hot cocoa sauce drizzled over top, well, it just sweetens the deal. The cocoa sauce is not needed, but then again it is, because it makes every bite perfection.

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

Details – start with the cake

What I love about this cake is truly just how easy it is. Start off by beating the cream cheese with sugar and real vanilla bean seeds. I love to use a vanilla bean pod with the seeds scraped out. Vanilla bean powder also works great too!

You’ll want to really beat in the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla. This infuses the cake batter with a strong vanilla flavor.

Then just add eggs, cream, a touch of flour, and some salt. I also added hazelnut liquor for a special holiday touch that really compliments the vanilla.

It’s really, really simple, but yet still really, really delicious. Kind of sweet, kind of salty, and with a really great vanilla flavor.

The cake can be baked, then chilled and stored in the fridge for a few days. I like to bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

The hot cocoa drizzle

I felt like the cake needed something to compliment the rich vanilla flavor, an espresso chocolate sauce sounded perfect.

It’s a mix of chocolate, cream, vanilla, and espresso powder. Simply combine everything together until melty and warm.

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

Once the cake has cooled, just slice and serve with the warm sauce on top. Tis’ truly the most delicious.

The perfect way to end a nice Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. Note…this is also great with an espresso on the side!

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other easy holiday desserts?? Here are my favorites: 

Brown Sugar Maple Cookie Pie

White Chocolate Chai Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting

Lastly, if you make this Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 468 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa Drizzle

Instructions

  • 1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly butter a 8-9 inch spring-form pan and line with parchment paper going up the sides of the pan.
    2. Split the vanilla bean in half and use a sharp knife to scape out the seeds. 
    3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 3/4 sugar, and vanilla beans on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the cream and hazelnut liquor, beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
    4. Sift the flour and salt into the batter, then beat again to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
    5. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center. Let the cake cool 5 minutes, then unmold. Let cool completely. 
    6. Before serving, make the chocolate sauce. Combine chocolate and cream microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Stir in the vanilla and coffee powder. 
    7. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature or chilled, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce.
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Vanilla Burnt Basque Cheesecake | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. Hi! Made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious, but I didn’t really taste the hazelnut. Could I add 2 tablespoons next time or no?

    1. Hey Catie,
      Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Sure, that will work well for you! Happy Tuesday! 🎄

    1. Hey Laura,
      Wonderful!!🎄 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xx

  2. I baked the cheesecake today for Thanksgiving, my question and I apologize if this has already been asked & answered. Do I need to put Saran over the cheesecake while in the frig or forget the Saran Wrap? The cheesecake was incredibly easy to bake and I am super excited to try it tomorrow
    and share with the holiday guests.

    1. Hey Ann,
      Thanks so much for making the recipe!! I would just keep covered in the fridge, it doesn’t necessarily have to be with wrap:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT

  3. One more question! The stores near me are all out of heavy cream ): I read online that evaporated milk can be a good substitute, will that work?

    1. Hey Christina,
      I have only tested this recipe with heavy cream, so I really don’t know if the evaporated milk will work for you. So sorry! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx

        1. Made one today for tomorrow and can’t wait to try and share! I am super curious about the texture when I cut it tomorrow. I improvised and used pumpkin liqueur instead of hazelnut. Super subtle. Who doesn’t love cheesecake with a hint of pumpkin, vanilla-ishousness, and chocolate?

  4. Super excited to try this recipe! I haven’t been able to find Hazelnut liqueur near me. Would something else – Cointreau or Grand Marnier .. maybe even Amaretto would in place of it?

    1. Hi Stacy,
      You could just skip the hazelnut liquor or Amaretto might be yummy, I wouldn’t do Cointreau. I hope you love the recipe! xT

    1. Hi Trina,
      For this recipe, you will want to use an 8-9 inch springform pan. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT

    1. Hey Tracey,
      Yes, that will work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx

  5. I followed the recipe exactly, but my cheesecake sank in the middle before I even took it out of the oven. I didn’t open it once I put it inside. What happened?

    1. Hi Ani,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try! That is totally normal, the cheesecake will sink in the middle. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

  6. Could I use vanilla extract instead? If so what would the measurement be for using vanilla extract?

    1. Hey Shelby,
      For this recipe, I would really try to use the vanilla bean or the vanilla bean powder, they are going to give more flavor that just the extract. You could try using 1 tablespoon of extract. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx

      1. Can I use vanilla bean paste? Can’t wait to try this….I’ve done your lemon sugar basque cheesecake and it was delicious!!

  7. 5 stars
    This was so good. I followed the directions, except for adding the hazelnut liquor, and this was so easy to make. I made it the day before and let it come to room temperature before serving it. I will make this again.

    1. Hi Mer,
      Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan

  8. I was excited to try this recipe but the cheesecake tasted very eggy to me. Do you have any ideas where I went wrong? Thank you!

    1. Hey Michelle,
      So sorry to hear this! Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? A little more info would be helpful:) xT

    2. Hi Michelle, I’ve been looking at recipes for this cake on several sites and from what I can gather, apparently it’s an “eggy” cheesecake. One commenter said it reminded her of a Russian omelet. I’m looking forward to trying Tieghan’s take on it!

  9. 5 stars
    Made this recipe for a dinner party last night. It was delicious and so easy to make! May suggest making the day before or at least several hours before to let the flavors develop. The chocolate sauce was delicious too! Can’t wait to try the lemon one this spring.

  10. 5 stars
    I haven’t baked one of these in years and decided to give it a go! It was a big hit with my family. It came out beautifully. Thank you very much!

    1. Hi Eryn,
      Wonderful! I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan

  11. 5 stars
    just made this for my husband’s birthday dinner and it was a big hit!!! i had lots of leftover chocolate sauce. we ran out of things that we could dip in it so i wrapped it up and put it in the fridge. today, when i took it out, it was pretty solid. i didn’t know if it would heat up well so i decided to scoop it out and roll it into 1 inch balls and then roll them in sprinkles (or you can do chopped nuts)….WAA-LAH…truffles!!!! so yummy!!! thank you for 2 amazing desserts!!!!

    1. Hi Carol,
      I really appreciate you giving the recipe a try, so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Birthday to your husband. Have a great week! xxT