Campfire Cheesecake
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 graham cracker pie crust
Instructions
- The day before camping prepare the cheesecake batter. Start by setting the cream cheese and eggs on the counter to soften and come to room temperature.
- Using a standing or hand mixer, whip cream cheese and eggs together. Add sugar, vanilla, juice from half a lemon and the sour cream. Mix until smooth at high speed for five minutes. You want the batter to take on a very creamy consistency.
- Pour batter into a large glass jar that has been fitted with a lid. Seal and store in the refrigerator or cooler until ready to bake.
- To bake, clear a spot within the fire ring at your campsite for your Dutch oven. Heat 24 coals or briquettes using a chimney starter.
- While the coals heat up, prepare the Dutch oven and the cheesecake. First, take to long pieces of parchment paper (about 20 inches long) and fold each into long strips about 1½ inches wide. Make an X with the parchment paper strips and lay them into the bottom of your Dutch oven with the tops sticking out. You have created handles that you will use to pull your cheesecake from the Dutch oven after baking.
- Next, place the graham cracker pie crust overtop of the X. Shake the cheesecake batter to mix one last time, the pour the contents into the pie crust. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
- When the coals are hot, layer 8 coals on the ground within the fire ring then place the Dutch oven over top of the coals. Layer the remaining coals onto the lid of the Dutch oven. Allow the cheesecake to bake for approximately 45-50 minutes. Rotate the lid of the Dutch oven a quarter turn every 15 minutes to ensure even baking.
- When the cheesecake is baked through and golden on top, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and set aside. Next, carefully remove the Dutch oven pot from the fire and place it on wooden blocks or a picnic table to cool. Keep the cheesecake in the Dutch oven to slowly cool along with the pot. Cool for one hour.
- When cooled, use the parchment paper handles to remove the cheesecake. Slice and serve with whipped cream or a dollop of cherry pie filling. Enjoy and happy camping!