My first experience of eating a baked cheesecake was a transcending one! It transcended all my expectations and soon became one of my (and my sister’s) most treasured guilty pleasures. It was a “black and white cheesecake” that I bought from a store in Christchurch, NZ a long time ago and it was a little on the pricey side (okay, a lot), but it set in motion a new love that has shown no signs of waning. My mum wasn’t too thrilled about us eating too much of it and consuming all those calories, so it soon went from being a guilty pleasure to a guilty secret for us. We would scrounge enough money to buy a small cheesecake, then come home and go straight to my sister’s room and dig in with two forks straight away, in true “F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” style! (except the cheesecake was in a box of course – not on the floor).
Having discovered something so incredibly good, I naturally started baking my own. The very first cheesecake I made, also became my signature cheesecake. I’ve made it many times since then, with slight variations, but the core flavours are always the same. It’s one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made and tasted and it would be a travesty to not share it with you guys! So I hope you too can try this deliciously creamy and tangy Balsamic Swirl Lime Cheesecake.
The first ever version of this that I made was a Balsamic citrus cheesecake with macerated strawberries. I remember the anticipation, the anxiety and the excitement of baking that first cheesecake and getting it right the first time around. The second one however turned out to be a disaster. It was a passion fruit white chocolate cheesecake and while it tasted amazing, I turned it out too early and the whole thing collapsed. Needless to say I was in tears but I recovered my confidence with my third one, a strawberry chocolate swirled cheesecake.
I actually became quite proficient at it, that I soon started using cheesecake as currency! There was a period of time when I was paying back for favours from friends with cheesecake. 🙂 True story. And considering how expensive baked cheesecakes can be, I’m inclined to think that they may have gotten the better end of the deal.
The balsamic cheesecake however, is where my heart is. A classic lime cheesecake paired with a balsamic swirl, I’ve made this more times than I can count. There is something absolutely divine about the molassy, tangy sweetness of balsamic syrup when paired with sweet and creamy, cream cheese. The balsamic syrup even has a beautiful chocolate-like complexity and I could (and I have) eat it by the spoonful! If you have never tried balsamic syrup with cheesecake, you are seriously missing out on an incredible flavour combo!
As incredible as it may sound, this is the first cheesecake post I’m doing on this blog! And what’s even harder to believe (for me at least) is that I wasn’t even planning on posting a cheesecake recipe for awhile. I made this after a friend of mine made a request for a cheesecake recipe and now that this recipe has seen the light of day, expect a few more in the future. 🙂

The base/crust of this cheesecake is only on the bottom (it doesn’t ride up the sides) and is made with Oreos, for two reasons. #1 – I love Oreos! I mean who doesn’t? #2 – since balsamic has an almost chocolate-like complexity, oreos perfectly complement that tangy flavour of the syrup.
This is a dense, smooth, super creamy, perfectly sweet, tangy, addictively delicious cheesecake (with a sour cream topping) that my husband loves so much, that he observes a moment of silence in respect, before eating the last piece, every time I make it now! 🙂 Not kidding.
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Ingredients:
Balsamic Syrup
- 8.4 oz / 250 ml balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp packed brown sugar
Cheesecake Crust
- 24 Oreo cookies
- 2 - 3 oz melted butter just enough to help the oreos bind together
- pinch of salt
Balsamic Swirl Lime Cheesecake
- 24 oz/ 680g cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 7 oz / 200g white sugar
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- zest of 2 limes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp corn flour
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp balsamic syrup
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar / icing sugar
Instructions:
Balsamic Syrup (make it a day ahead)
- Place the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a non stick saucepan and bring it to a boil on medium - high heat. (NOTE - the smell of vinegar gets quite strong as it boils and then reduces, so make sure to keep your windows open)
- Reduce the heat and simmer the balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about ⅓ of a cup.
- Let it cool and store in a glass container until you’re ready to use it.
Cheesecake Crust
- Butter and line an 8 inch Springform round cake pan. Wrap the outside with foil. Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
- Pulse the Oreos in a food processor till they turn into crumbs.
- Add the melted butter, a tablespoon at a time until the oreos start binding together when you squeeze them between your fingers (I added about 2.5 oz of melted butter).
- Press the oreo cookie crumbs into the base of a prepared Springform cake pan. Use the back of a spoon or a flat base of a glass to press down. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
Balsamic Swirl Lime Cheesecake
- NOTE - Do not over beat the cheesecake batter, which can lead to cracks (if you do get small cracks on the top of the cheesecake however you can use the sour cream topping to cover them).
- Preheat oven to 275°F /135°C.
- Place the cream cheese, cornflour, sugar, cream, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients until everything is just smooth.
- Add the whole egg, and then the egg yolks one at a time, mixing between each addition (but not too much!)
- Once the eggs have been incorporated, separate 1 cup of the batter into a bowl. Add the balsamic syrup to this and mix.
- Pour the plain batter into the prepared springform pan (with the baked crust). Drizzle the balsamic cheesecake batter all over the top and using a spatula or butter knife, create a swirl/pattern.
- Place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Lower the heat to 250°F / 120°C and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until the surface has just started to brown and the center is just set (with a slight wobble).
- Turn off the oven and while keeping the oven door ajar, let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Once the cheesecake is at room temperature, run a sharp knife around the edges and carefully release the cheesecake from the springform pan (if you used parchment paper this will be very easy).
- Mix the sour cream and icing sugar together and spread this evenly on top of the cheesecake.
- Let the cheesecake chill in the fridge overnight before eating (this is the hardest part!)
- Cut with a warm knife, and serve with a drizzle of balsamic syrup. (optional - serve with some strawberries on the side).
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
I honestly don’t think I can stop telling you how much I love that balsamic vinegar taste paired with the lime cheesecake. An extra drizzle of balsamic syrup over each slice is optional, but totally recommended! Remember I told you that I’ve been known to drink that syrup by the spoonful, all on its own? It’s that good!

So go ahead and make this cheesecake your weekend project. Or make it the next time you have guests over. It’s insanely good and they will love it! 🙂 I promise! Will there be any leftovers when your guests are gone? I doubt it.
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Farida says
OMG this is so creative, and flavorful! Really wow how impressive, coming from giraffe can bake blog, I think this is a must try ! Pinned!
karyn ryan says
I love Cheesecake, but have never used balsamic with lime before only strawberries.. sounds delicious will defo give it a try
Pam says
I’ve never thought to add balsamic to cheesecake – brilliant! It looks beautiful and tasty.
skd says
Love the way the forks gliding in. Smoothly delicious
Josette says
Wow. Love it all- love the flat crust. Photos are gorgeous!
Dini says
Thank you Josette! 😀
Amanda @ The Chunky Chef says
So I LOVE cheesecake, and I LOVE balsamic syrup…. I just never thought to combine the two! GENIUS 😀 It looks so decadent, so delicious, and so professional 🙂 That episode of Friends is so hilarious btw 🙂
Dini says
Thank you so much Amanda! Isn’t Balsamic the best? Balsamic Cheesecake is my favourite cheesecake 7 years on! 😀 and even got my husband to love it!
I went and watched that episode again after publishing the post and it still cracks me up! 😀
Judi Graber says
How interesting to include balsamic vinegar in your cheesecake. I like the idea as I love this vinegar in so many different recipes and with the creamy cheese like you said – yum 🙂
Dini says
Thank you Judi! 🙂 We tend to go overboard with balsamic vinegar and syrup at our home too!
Winnie says
This is a very impressive cake!!
I’m very curious, as I’ve never tried with balsamic before. I really wish I could have a bit slice right now 🙂
Dini says
Thank you Winnie! 😀 I hope you do try Balsamic syrup… it’s such a great flavour! 🙂
tentimestea says
This sounds amazing–and looks so beautiful with the swirls in the batter and the splatter of balsamic on top! It’s been a while since I last had a cheesecake but they’re so easy to fall in love with due to their dense, rich texture (that was such a cute story!).
I was very surprised at the balsamic-cheesecake combo, but now thinking about it more, I realize I enjoy balsamic and unripened goat cheese together–but who would have thought of transforming that into a dessert!! My only reservation was that I find reduced balsamic still quite sour…and then I looked at your recipe and saw the additional sugar! Ah, as always your recipes are not only creative, but so carefully well-crafted, thoughtful and fine-tuned 🙂
Dini says
Thank you so much Laurie! The first time I baked a cheesecake recipe and added balsamic syrup – it was definitely too sour! 😀 Although the balsamic syrup is a little sweet because it is reduced with brown sugar. This is a slightly tarter cheesecake than your regular cheesecakes but it is definitely out favourite!
I really hope you get a chance to try this combo Laurie… it’s really good! 🙂
Natalie says
I love balsamic vinegar, but never would have thought about combining it with lime in a cheesecake. Mind Blown!
Dini says
Thank you Natalie! The first time I discovered Balsamic syrup… my mind was blown too! I practically put it in everything and on cheesecake… it was fantastic! I hope you try it and love it too 🙂
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
Balsamic in cheesecake is just an amazing idea, Dini. You always amaze us with your creations. Thanks for bringing this amazing dessert. Happy FF! 🙂 xx
Dini says
Thank you Jhuls! 😀 Happy FF to you too!
Sandhya says
Dini,
This is a dream come true for me! Balsamic and cheesecake together! What a great idea!
thanks for sharing! Your cheesecake looks fabulous too- I wish I could create such beautiful swirls!
Dini says
Thank you Sandhya!! The swirls are very easy to create… I found I got the best swirls when I used something flat (Like the palette knife or a butter knife) 🙂
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
Cheesecake is one of favorite desserts. And I love balsamic anything too! I’ve never made a cheesecake though…so tempted, Dini! Your desserts always look so amazing!
Dini says
Thank you Michelle! 🙂 It’s definitely a great combo!
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
Mmm… I was already brainstorming about cheesecake today when your email arrived! Serendipitous! Yours looks delicious. I do love your GIFs!
Dini says
Thank you Katie 🙂 I love making baked cheesecakes. It’s the most requested dessert when I went to University too!
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says
Oh my gosh Dini! I think I’m in love! I would never have thought to put balsamic in a cheesecake, but now I HAVE to try it! This flavour combination is amazing! I’m using a lot of exclamation points, even for me, but I’m very excited about this!!
Dini says
Thank you Michelle! How about your cheesecake?? That was one amazing cheesecake <3 Balsamic syrup is just insane, in this, or with other things... I really hope you try it 😀
Mila Furman says
Dini…this is gorgeous! I love that friends episode too 🙂 I haven’t made a cheesecake in AGES! I may have to make it soon 🙂
Dini says
Thank you Mila! 😀 Yes you do! That episode of Friends was fantastic! Everytime we watch it, it reminds me of my sister and myself 🙂