French-Style Cheesecake Recipe

This French-Style cheesecake Walmart recipe will give you a fluffy and creamy cheesecake with delicious zest and sweet flavors.

Let’s be honest, not everyone loves cheesecake. And more often than not, it’s because they can be overwhelmingly sweet! Luckily, the French cheesecakes are less sweet and have a slightly zesty and bitter flavor to them. And, because we are taking inspiration from Walmart’s version, we will be using a graham cracker crust instead of a sweet pie crust.

Jump to Recipe

French cheesecake originated in Alsace, France. It consists of mainly white cheese, eggs, loads of vanilla, and some lemon zest. What makes this cheesecake unique is that it is baked with a pie crust instead of a cracker base.

Fromage Blanc is the traditional cheese used to make French cheesecake. However, if you cannot find any, some great alternatives include cream cheese, ricotta, Mascarpone, or Camembert.

French-style Cheesecake Recipe Vs Other Types of Cheesecake

The first major difference between them is that French cheesecake is made with a pie crust. Not the regular graham cracker or digestive biscuit crust used for regular cheesecake. This pie crust is often made with a mixture of butter, sugar, egg yolks, and cake flour.

Then, like most classic French-styled desserts, the cheesecake recipe isn’t nearly as sweet. And, the addition of lemon zest gives it a slightly bitter flavor.

It is also common for recipes to include loads of vanilla extract. It complements the Fromage Blanc beautifully.

And, when it comes to the texture, French cheesecakes have a much fluffier and airy texture compared to New York cheesecake. This is because the egg whites are whipped before being mixed in. Once baked, it gives the cheesecake an airy and sponge texture, not dense and heavy.

French-Style Cheesecake Walmart Recipe – Why Is It So Special?

So, while traditional French-style cheesecake is made using a pie crust, Walmart made theirs with a graham cracker base instead. This is much easier and takes out a lot of work.

The “French” part comes from the delicious not-so-sweet soft cheese filling. We will also be using the traditional method of beating the egg whites separately to create an airy mixture.

What You Will Need For This Cheesecake Recipe?

Ingredients for the Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
1/3 cup fine sugar (castor sugar)
1/4 cup salted butter, melted

Ingredients for the French Cheesecake Filling

3 large eggs, room temperature
1 pound cream cheese, softened
1 cup fine sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 pound sour cream, room temperature

Equipment

Food processor, optional
Mixing bowls
9-inch springform cake pan
Non-stick cooking spray, optional (or melted butter)
Stand or electric hand mixer
Large spoon or rubber spatula

4th & Heart Original Ghee Oil Cooking Spray – Non-stick

How to Make This Cheesecake From Walmart

You can make this crust with a food processor. Simply add all of the crust ingredients inside and blend it until you have a fine mixture.

Alternatively, you can crush the crackers separately and mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl. When using this method, make sure you properly mix the ingredients to evenly distribute them.

Line a springform cake pan with non-stick spray or additional melted butter. This is an optional step as the crust already contains butter, so it will not stick.

Once lined, place the pan inside the fridge so that the base can be set.

Beat the egg whites

First, start by whisking your egg whites until they reach soft peaks. It would be best if you did this inside of a stand mixer. You can also use an electric hand mixer or a regular balloon whisk.

Start the cheesecake filling base

Meanwhile, combine the softened room temperature cream cheese and fine sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream the ingredients together until they become light and fluffy.

Then, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon zest, fine salt, and sour cream. Mix the ingredients until you have a smooth, uniform mixture.

Fold in the egg whites

Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, mix in a third of the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture. This will thin the consistency and make it easier to incorporate the rest of the egg whites.

Then, very gently fold in another third of the beaten egg whites. Work as gently as you can to prevent deflating the batter. Finally, just before the egg whites are completely folded in, add the final third of the egg whites.

Bake the cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Gently pour the cheesecake batter onto the graham cracked lined cake pan.

Bake the cheesecake for about 40-60 minutes. The exact time will be determined by the thickness of your cheesecake and the hot spots in your oven.

Cool your Walmart French-style cheesecake

Once the cheesecake is completely baked, turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly. Allow the cheesecake to cool inside of the oven for at least an hour.

Then, remove the cheesecake and cool it at room temperature for another hour.

Finally, wrap the pan with plastic or saran wrap and allow it to chill inside the fridge for at least 6 hours. We prefer setting out cheesecake overnight.

The Ultimate Tips And Tricks For This French-style Walmart Cheesecake

We used a mixture of cream cheese and sour cream instead of traditional Fromage Blanc. It can sometimes be difficult to find, but our substitution is a close second! It gives this recipe the creaminess and slight bitterness that classic French cheesecakes have.
For this French-style cheesecake Walmart recipe, you can easily reduce or increase the sweetness. Simply adjust the amount of sugar or use a less sweet substitute.
You can beat the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. If you over-beat them, it will be difficult to incorporate them into the batter and create big air pockets.
Your cheesecake has finished baking once the middle 2-inches of the cake is slightly wobbly. Do not open the oven before the cheesecake has baked for at least 35 minutes.
Do not skip the cooling part of this recipe. It is essential to help prevent the cheesecake from cracking! It does take a lot of time and there is, unfortunately, no other way to gradually cool a cheesecake quickly.

Servings and Preparation Time

The “French” part comes from the delicious not-so-sweet soft cheese filling. We will also be using the traditional method of beating the egg whites separately to create an airy mixture.

Food processor, optional
9-inch springform cake pan
Non-stick cooking spray, optional (or melted butter)
Stand or electric hand mixer
Large spoon or rubber spatula

You can make this crust with a food processor. Simply add all of the crust ingredients inside and blend it until you have a fine mixture.
Alternatively, you can crush the crackers separately and mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl. When using this method, make sure you properly mix the ingredients to evenly distribute them.
Line a springform cake pan with non-stick spray or additional melted butter. This is an optional step as the crust already contains butter, so it will not stick.
Once lined, place the pan inside the fridge so that the base can be set.
First, start by whisking your egg whites until they reach soft peaks. It would be best if you did this inside of a stand mixer. You can also use an electric hand mixer or a regular balloon whisk.
Meanwhile, combine the softened room temperature cream cheese and fine sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream the ingredients together until they become light and fluffy.
Then, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon zest, fine salt, and sour cream. Mix the ingredients until you have a smooth, uniform mixture.
Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, mix in a third of the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture. This will thin the consistency and make it easier to incorporate the rest of the egg whites.
Then, very gently fold in another third of the beaten egg whites. Work as gently as you can to prevent deflating the batter. Finally, just before the egg whites are completely folded in, add the final third of egg whites.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Gently pour the cheesecake batter onto the graham cracked lined cake pan.
Once the cheesecake is completely baked, turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly. Allow the cheesecake to cool inside of the oven for at least an hour.
Then, remove the cheesecake and cool it at room temperature for another hour.
Finally, wrap the pan with plastic or saran wrap and allow it to chill inside the fridge for at least 6 hours. We prefer setting out cheesecake overnight.

For this French-style cheesecake Walmart recipe, you can easily reduce or increase the sweetness. Simply adjust the amount of sugar or use a less sweet substitute.You can beat the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. If you over-beat them, it will be difficult to incorporate them into the batter and create big air pockets.

If you wonder “What is a French-style cheesecake?”, you’re in the right place. This cheesecake is simple, elegant, and a bit different than the popular New York Cheesecake. The French one it’s creamier and leaves you with a strong vanilla flavor from the first bite.

But why is it different? What makes this French Cheesecake different than the others? In this post, we have made our research and came up with some interesting information about the differences between them. As well as a delicious recipe that will melt in your mouth. Keep reading!

Where Does it Come From? A Little Bit of History

This french cheesecake comes straight from the region of Alsace, France, where is called Käsküeche, which means Fromages (Cheeses) or White Cheese Pie. Its main ingredients are a white cheese called Fromage Blanc, eggs, vanilla (optional), and lemon zest.

As you may know, the word Käsküeche it’s german, also, the Germans use quark in their cheesecake version.

The region of Alsace has gathered german cooking techniques throughout history and has merged them with its regional cuisine. Why is this? This is because, since 1681, Alsace has switched between French and German government control five times, and with this its cuisine.

What Makes French-Style Cheesecake Different?

In this paragraph, I’m going to discuss a few reasons why cooking a French-Style Cheesecake makes your mouth melt easier than the other types. Let’s start by saying that our protagonist French Cheesecake tends to have more flavor than its closest New Yorker relative.

For the French style, the whites get separated from the yolks to whip and mix them later. Why? Because this is the most important step so the cheesecake can get its fluffy and bubbly texture. You can hear the air bubbles once cooked if you touch it!

These are some of the attributes that make it deliciously different

Not so sweet as what you may be used to.
The French-style cheesecake has a slight bitterness.
The original version is filled with brandy-soaked prunes.
Its base is a pie crust resemblance, made out of butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, and flour.
The key ingredient is called Fromage Blanc.
The French version is more light and fluffy, not like the traditional New York cheesecake which is very dense and heavy, the difference comes in tiny air bubbles!

Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
Ricotta Cheese.
Quark.
Mascarpone Cheese.
Camembert, a soft-ripened double-creme French cheese.
Milder Brie (this, and the Camembert will create a more dense cheesecake texture).
Any Double Cream Cheese.

You can try them all and choose your favorite one. Then you can write it down in your personalized cookbook. And trust me, for sure, you will be able to find these at your local store, or you may have one of these in your fridge by now.

So, get prepared for a mouth-watering experience. We absolutely dare you!

Our Delicious French-Style Cheesecake Recipe

As we mentioned before, there are two main differences between New York and French Cheesecake. These two are the most important ones, they really differ from one another, giving them their personality.

This upcoming recipe that we are introducing to you, doesn’t come with a Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust Recipe. Make sure to have this in handy before continuing with this tasty recipe.

1 Piece Pie Crust
3 Piece Large Eggs
1/3 Cup Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar (to taste)
16 Ounces Fromage Blanc (quark, or preferred substitute)
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Powder Sugar or Wild Berries to decorate (optional)

Separate the egg whites and yolks, let the whites rest in a metal bowl, and allow them to warm to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 3

Fit the crust in a 9-inch springform pan and push until it adheres well.

Step 4

Blend the flour with the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl, add the Fromage or its substitute, then add the heavy cream, egg yolks, and lemon juice, and mix.

Step 5

Whip the egg whites until peaks form, then softly fold it with the egg and cheese mixture with a spatula until you have a homogeneous mixture.

Step 6

Power the batter into the springform pan previously prepared with the pie crust, place it into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Step 7

Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open for another 10 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely, then let it chill in the fridge overnight.

Step 8

Run a knife around the rim of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake.

Step 9

Serve, sprinkle with powder sugar and enjoy!

Make sure yours gets the perfect texture. Testing it in the center with a toothpick would not work, the center of your cheesecake should lightly jiggle. The heat will help firm up the center as it cools.

Final Words – What is a French-Style Cheesecake?

This elegant French-Style Cheesecake deserves to be perfect, respecting its changes throughout history.

Now you know a little bit more about the differences between the New York and the French one, try them all, no need to rush, no need to opt for just one, and don’t forget to let us know in the comment box below which one you prefer.

French Style Cheesecake

A fluffy, light, and delicious recipe you got to try!

Resting time 24 hours.

Cheese Pie, Cheese tarte, French cheesecake, French style cheesecake, What is a French Style Cheesecake, White cheese pie

(quark, or preferred substitute)
Powder Sugar or Wild Berries to decorate

Preheat the oven at 350°F.
Fit the crust in a 9-inch springform pan and push until it adheres well.
Blend the flour with the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl, add the fromage or its substitute, then add the heavy cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, and mix.
Whip the egg whites until peaks form, then softly fold it with the egg and cheese mixture with a spatula until you have a homogeneous mixture.
Power the batter into the springform pan previously prepared with the pie crust, place it into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open for another 10 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool completely, then let it chill in the fridge overnight.
Run a knife around the rim of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake.
Serve, sprinkle with powder sugar and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks For French Style Cheesecake Recipe

Make sure yours gets the perfect texture.When Is A Cheesecake Done Baking – Cheesecakes World? Testing it in the center with a toothpick would not work, the center of your cheesecake should lightly jiggle. The heat will help firm up the center as it cools.

This French-style cheesecake has a melt-in-your-mouth, fluffy filling and buttery crust and is perfect for entertaining. As a bonus, this delicious dessert is gluten-free, low-carb and keto-friendly (with 5 grams of net carbs per slice). Top with your favourite fruit or berries, whipped cream or chocolate drizzle.

What Is French Cheesecake?

A French cheesecake is lighter and fluffier than a regular cheesecake. It has a slightly tangy flavour and a thin, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust base.

It’s a baked cheesecake, in which the cloud-like texture is achieved by using egg yolks and beating the egg whites separately, then folding them into the filling mixture without destroying all those air bubbles.

While it may seem heavy and rich with all the cream cheese and heavy cream in the recipe, my French-style cheesecake recipe is a fresh and delicious dessert with a lot less sugar and fewer carbs than a traditional version. It’s also gluten-free and grain-free.

It’s a fabulous cheeky dessert that will impress your friends and family!

French Cheesecake Ingredients

For the crust: almond meal/flour, butter, vanilla and lemon zest + sugar sweetener (see below). For a nut-free version, you can use a mix of ground-up seeds and coconut flour or pick up a packet of gluten-free crackers and grind them into fine crumbs.

For the filling: cream cheese, eggs, heavy/thickened cream, lemon juice and vanilla + sugar sweetener (see below). This recipe is NOT dairy-free!

Sugar-free sweetener: I used a sugar-free sweetener for both the crust and the filling. In Australia, I used a Natvia stevia/erythritol blend sweetener (it doesn’t have a weird aftertaste). You can use a different brand or even try a Monk fruit sweetener blend. You will need amounts equivalent to 2 tablespoons of sugar for the crust and 1/2 cup of sugar for the filling, check your brand’s recommended conversions.

Nutrition Notes

This French-style cheesecake is low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free and keto-friendly. With about 300 calories per slice, it’s not as energy-dense as most desserts but can still take you over your daily calorie needs depending on what else you ate that day.

This is not an issue as we should all enjoy a treat once in a while but be mindful if calorie restriction is a priority right now (e.g. medical or sports performance/competition). You can always have a smaller slice or enjoy it on workout days.

Can you make it lighter? Yes, you can use lower-fat, light cream cheese and light cream. It might save you a few calories if that’s what you need.

This cheesecake comes with decent amounts of Vitamins C, A, B12 and calcium.

Per slice (if cut into 9 slices): 292 calories, 8.5 g total carbs, 3.5 g fibre (5 g net carbs), 8.7 g protein, 24.5 g fat.

Per slice (if cut into 8 slices): 329 calories, 9.6 g total carbs, 3.8 g fibre (5.8 g net carbs), 9.7 g protein, 27.7 g fat.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH-STYLE CHEESECAKE

You will need a springform cake pan. An 8-inch one is ideal for this cheesecake. You can use a 7-inch or larger but it will either be taller or flatter when baked.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F.

Make The Cheesecake Crust

Step 2. Leave the butter out of the fridge for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. Once soft, mix the butter with almond flour, sugar-free sweetener, lemon zest and vanilla sweetener using a mixer or a food processor.

Step 3. Transfer the crust mixture into the baking cake tin lined with a piece of parchment paper (I usually line the bottom only) and press it down and to the edges with your fingers. Try to make it as even and smooth as possible. But, you can spread the mixture so the side edges are a bit higher and go up the walls a little.

Step 4. Bake the Crust for 8-10 minutes until it is golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the cheesecake filling. Reduce the oven to 175 C / 350 F.

Make The Cheesecake Filling

Step 5. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in separate bowls. Set aside.

Step 6. Using an electric mixer, whisk/whip the sugar-free sweetener and cream cheese until smooth.

Step 7. Then, add one egg yolk at a time and beat the mixture until soft and creamy.

Step 8. Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix the whole mixture until smooth and has no lumps. You can use a whisk or a spatula at this stage.

Step 9. With a clean electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are firm and hold their shape. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake filling mixture. Be careful not to over mix the filling, as the more you mix it at this point.

Step 9. Transfer the cheesecake filling into the cake pan and flatten the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 175 C / 350 F. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The cake is done once the top of the cake is golden brown, and the filling feels firm and bouncy.

Step 10. Make the berry coulis sauce while the cake is baking. This is optional, you can also just garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

Full Recipe

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions and extra cooking notes below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments and rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

Description

With melt-in-your-mouth, fluffy filling and buttery crust, this French style cheesecake is a delicious dessert for entertaining. As a bonus, this treat is gluten-free, low-carb and keto friendly.

For cheesecake crust

2 cups almond flour/meal

1/2 cup butter, softened (salted is nice)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract

4 teaspoons sugar-free sweetener (e.g. Natvia, monk fruit or equivalent to 2 tbsp sugar)

1 teaspoon lemon zest (zest of ½ lemon)

For the cheesecake filling

450 g / 1 lb. cream cheese (room temperature)

1/3 cup sugar-free sweetener (or equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar)

4 large eggs, separated (you’ll need both the yolks + the whites)

½ cup heavy/thickened cream

2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoon vanilla

To serve/garnish

1 punnet of fresh strawberries or raspberries

See notes for strawberry coulis

Make the crust

Transfer the crust mixture into the baking cake tin and press it down and to the edges with your fingers. Try to make it as even and smooth as possible. But, you can spread the mixture so the side edges are a bit higher and go up the walls a little.
Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until it is golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the cheesecake filling. Reduce the oven to 175 C / 350 F.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and put them in separate bowls. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the sugar-free sweetener and cream cheese until smooth. Then, add one egg yolk at a time and beat the mixture until soft and creamy.
Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix the whole mixture until smooth and has no lumps. You can use a whisk or a spatula at this stage.
With a clean electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are firm and hold their shape. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake filling mixture. Be careful not to over mix the filling, as the more you mix it at this point.
Transfer the cheesecake filling to the cake pan and flatten the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 175 C / 350 F. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The cake is done once the top of the cake is golden brown, and the filling feels firm and bouncy.
Make the berry coulis sauce while the cake is baking. This is optional, you can also just garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

Serving Size:
Calories:
Sugar:
Sodium:
Fat:
Saturated Fat:
Carbohydrates:
Fiber:
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Cholesterol:

Keywords: Cheesecake, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Baking, Cake, Cream Cheese

Cheesecakes can be very heavy and rich, but not French-style cheesecakes! What is so special about French cheesecakes? These cheesecakes have an exceptionally light and fluffy filling with a slightly tangy flavor, and the base is thin and buttery, which melts in your mouth.

French-style cheesecakes are also known as “fromage blanc” or “cheesecake à la française” in French. Fromage blanc is a fresh tangy type of cheese that is similar to ricotta or cottage cheese. It’s been around for centuries!

The traditional French-style cheesecake is believed to have originated from the Alsace-Lorrain region of northeast France. They have a long history of producing fromage blanc, often used in local recipes.

How does French-Style Cheesecake compare to New York-Style Cheesecake?

Both are very distinct and have different characteristics.

French-style cheesecakes are often flavored with either vanilla or lemon. The base is generally made with crushed cookies or biscotti, rather than the traditional graham cracker crust found in a New York-Style Cheesecake.

New York cheesecakes are much denser and use cream cheese, which gives them a rich and indulgent flavor.

If you want to WOW your friends with a fresh and delicious dessert, or make yourself a delicious treat, then this recipe is just what you need.

Crust Ingredients

fromage blanc (500 g)
flour (7.8 g)
sugar (100 g)
separated (make sure you keep both the yolks and the whites)
zest of a lemon

Crust Instructions

Every Oven is Different

Every oven will take a different amount of time to heat up to the desired temperature. You know how your oven works the best, so keep this in mind when you think about where the cake should go and how long to wait for the oven to preheat.

Texture and Consistency are Important

Don’t Stick to Baking Times too Rigidly.

Baking times are there for you to use as a rough guide. What is more important is how to cake looks and feels. Let’s say your cake has been baking for 35 minutes, but the top is brown, and the cake is firm and bouncy to strenuous; then it is done. Leaving it in the oven for that extra 10 minutes would burn it.

You can use vegan or dairy-free butter and cream cheese on a lactose-free diet. There is no reason why you can’t use gluten-free flour in your recipe, either. Just remember that changing the ingredients will alter the baking time slightly.

Toppings and Presentation Ideas

Are you hosting a gathering? Making mini cakes rather than one large cake can look striking and prompt your guests to request your cheesecake recipe. Is the recipe in this article as usual, but instead of making one big cake, make several little cakes.

Fruit toppings and cheesecake are a match made in heaven. Fruit with a tangy aftertaste is a better option for cheesecake toppings as they complement the cream cheese’s richness perfectly; however, feel free to go for whatever fruit you like the most.

Top Idea: Why don’t you make a homemade fruity jam for your cheesecake topping?

Whipped Cream Side

Whipped cream or clotted cream is excellent for cheesecake sides. This will make your cheesecake taste extra rich and creamy!

Tangy Lime Sorbet

Make a tangy lime sorbet to refresh your tastebuds after a few decadent cheesecake bites. A slightly sour flavor after a creamy cheesecake will make you eager to take the next bite of cake.

Ice cream and cake are perfect partners. If you want to be fancy, you could make the ice cream yourself! I always go for shop-bought ice cream as there are more flavors to choose from, and no matter what you go for, it will probably taste amazing.

If you are a hardcore dessert fan, you may feel like you aren’t digging into a cake if there isn’t any chocolate. I love this cheesecake recipe with some melted chocolate drizzled on top.

I find that melting and drizzling the chocolate on every slice as and when you dig into it is much better than adding a top layer of chocolate to the cake. This is because the top layer is likely to harden faster than you and your guests will eat the cake, and it can get a little messy to eat.