Guava Cream Cheesecake (Printable)

Luscious vanilla cream cheesecake with vibrant guava swirl on buttery cookie crust.

# What you need:

→ Crust

01 - 7 ounces Maria cookies or digestive biscuits, crushed into fine crumbs
02 - 2.8 ounces unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

→ Cheesecake Filling

04 - 21 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
05 - 7 ounces granulated sugar
06 - 6.8 fluid ounces sour cream
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 1 lime, optional

→ Guava Swirl

10 - 7 ounces guava marmalade or paste
11 - 2 tablespoons water for thinning, as needed

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 320°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with butter.
02 - Process Maria cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor or place in sealed bag and crush with rolling pin. Combine crumbs with melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring until evenly moistened.
03 - Press crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the base of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly set, then remove and cool for 5 minutes.
04 - In large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until smooth and creamy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
05 - Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition to avoid overmixing. Stir in vanilla extract and lime zest if using.
06 - Pour cream cheese filling over cooled crust and smooth the top surface with a spatula for even distribution.
07 - In small saucepan over low heat, gently warm guava marmalade with 2 tablespoons water until loosened to pourable consistency. If using paste, mash and stir until smooth and spreadable.
08 - Drop spoonfuls of warmed guava marmalade randomly over cheesecake batter. Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl through the guava and filling to create marbled pattern, being careful not to overmix.
09 - Bake for 50-55 minutes until outer edges are set but center still jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken. Do not overbake.
10 - Turn off oven and crack door open approximately 4 inches. Allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1 hour to prevent surface cracking from temperature shock.
11 - Remove cheesecake from oven and cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate for minimum 3 hours or overnight before removing springform pan and slicing.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The guava swirl gives you that unexpected tropical kick that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • It feels fancy enough for a dinner party but honestly comes together without the fussy precision of some cheesecakes.
  • That Maria cookie crust is buttery and crisp in a way that graham crackers just can't quite match.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are genuinely crucial—I learned this the hard way when I skipped that step and ended up with a filling that refused to smooth out properly.
  • That slight wobble in the center when it comes out of the oven is your friend, not a sign something went wrong; it firms up perfectly during cooling and chilling.
  • Never skip the slow cooling in the oven step—that's the difference between a perfect cheesecake and one that's decorated with cracks.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about cracking, use a water bath by placing your springform pan inside a larger pan filled with about an inch of hot water during baking—it sounds fussy but genuinely eliminates almost all cracking issues.
  • Make this the day before you need it; the flavors meld overnight and it actually tastes better the next day when the guava has time to fully integrate with the cream cheese.
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