This baked Passion Fruit Cheesecake is light, creamy and bursting with fresh tropical flavour. A simple biscuit crust supports a tangy passion fruit cream cheese filling, finished with a bright, slightly crunchy passion fruit coulis for a refreshing and elegant dessert.
Why we love this recipe
If you enjoy the vibrant, aromatic flavour of passion fruit, this cheesecake is a must-try. It’s straightforward to make yet looks impressive, thanks to its contrasting textures and bold colours. The baked filling remains surprisingly light and silky — cream cheese and sour cream whipped together produce a smooth texture that’s complemented by the bright acidity and crunchy seeds of real passion fruit.
This dessert is ideal for making ahead of time: bake, cool, chill and finish with the coulis before serving. Its clean tropical flavour makes it a great choice for special occasions, summer gatherings or any time you want a refined, fruity dessert.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Cheesecake base: crushed Digestive biscuits combined with melted unsalted butter form a simple, slightly sweet crust that sets nicely for the baked filling. If Digestive biscuits are not available, graham crackers or any firm cookie that can be crushed will work.
Passion fruit cheesecake filling: cream cheese and sour cream (both at room temperature) are whipped until smooth, then combined with caster sugar, room-temperature eggs and passion fruit pulp (juice and seeds). Using fresh or frozen passion fruit pulp that is 100% fruit is recommended — avoid syrupy canned fruit that adds extra sugar and water.
Topping: a homemade passion fruit coulis — made from passion fruit pulp, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice — gives a glossy, tangy finish. Decorate with fresh passion fruit halves, mint and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut if desired.
How to make Passion Fruit Cheesecake
Digestive biscuit base
To prepare the crust, crush the Digestive biscuits to fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Combine the crumbs with melted butter until the mixture resembles damp sand. Press firmly and evenly into the base of a 22 cm (9-inch) springform pan lined with baking paper. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
Passion fruit cream cheese filling
Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F) and position the oven rack at the lowest level. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and sour cream on medium-high speed until smooth and airy. Scrape the sides and continue until no lumps remain.
Add the caster sugar and passion fruit pulp, mixing only until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently and stopping as soon as each egg is incorporated — over-mixing introduces air, which can cause cracks during baking.
Pour the batter over the chilled crust. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake on the lowest rack for 60–70 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken. Turn the oven off, crack the door open and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and cool at room temperature for another hour, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to fully set.
Recipe FAQs
What can I use instead of Digestive biscuits? Graham crackers or any sturdy cookie that can be crushed will work well. Speculoos/Biscoff adds a caramel spice note that pairs nicely with passion fruit.
Can I use frozen or canned passion fruit? Frozen passion fruit pulp that is 100% fruit is fine if fully thawed and brought to room temperature. Avoid canned fruit in syrup unless it contains only fruit pulp without added sugar and water.
How do I prevent cracks? Avoid over-mixing to limit air in the batter, and cool the cheesecake slowly: in the switched-off oven with the door ajar, then at room temperature, then chilled in the fridge.
Finishing options: Spoon cooled passion fruit coulis over the chilled cheesecake and decorate with fresh passion fruit halves, mint and a dusting of desiccated coconut. You can also finish with a passion fruit curd, lemon curd or a berry compote for variation.
Tips for success
- Bring cream cheese, sour cream and eggs to room temperature before mixing to ensure a lump-free batter.
- Mix gently once the eggs are added to avoid incorporating excess air.
- To check doneness, the edges should look set while the center still has a slight wobble; it will firm up as it cools.
Storing & freezing
Store the cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Individual slices keep well in an airtight container. Because baking changes the texture of the filling, freezing is not recommended for this particular baked cheesecake.
Passion Fruit Cheesecake — Recipe
Passion Fruit Cheesecake
Author: Sylvie
Servings: 12
Prep time: 30 mins • Cook time: 1 hr • Chill: 5 hrs • Total: 6 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients
Cheesecake crust
- 200 g (7 oz) Digestive biscuits, crushed
- 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
Passion fruit cheesecake
- 500 g (18 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 180 g (3/4 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 100 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 100 g (3.5 oz) passion fruit pulp (about 5 small passion fruits)
Passion fruit coulis topping
- 180 g (6.5 oz) passion fruit pulp (about 9 small passion fruits)
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Make the crust
- Line the bottom of a 22 cm / 9-inch springform pan with baking paper and lightly grease the sides.
- Mix the crushed biscuits with melted butter until the crumbs are evenly coated and the mixture resembles damp sand. Press firmly into the pan and chill while preparing the filling.
Make the filling
- Preheat oven to 140°C (285°F) and place the rack in the lowest position.
- Beat the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and fluffy. Add sugar and passion fruit pulp; mix until just combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing gently until each is incorporated. Pour the batter over the chilled crust and tap the pan to release air bubbles.
- Bake 60–70 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and cool inside for 1 hour. Remove, cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill at least 3 hours or overnight.
Passion fruit coulis
- Combine passion fruit pulp, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer on low–medium heat for 5–10 minutes until thickened and sugar dissolves.
- Cool completely before spooning over the chilled cheesecake. Finish with fresh passion fruit halves, mint and desiccated coconut if desired.
Notes
- Press the crust using the bottom of a cup or a spatula to ensure it is compact and even.
- Using room-temperature dairy and eggs prevents lumps and makes for a silkier batter.
- Avoid over-mixing after adding eggs to reduce the chance of cracking.
- Check doneness by gently shaking the pan: edges should be set while the center retains a slight wobble.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 398 kcal • Carbohydrates: 35 g • Protein: 6 g • Fat: 27 g • Saturated fat: 15 g • Sugar: 22 g
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