Sicilian Cheesecake Recipe

This is a straightforward homemade version of Olive Garden Sicilian Cheesecake — it’s light, not-too-sweet, and has that subtle citrus warmth from orange zest and cinnamon. Easy to prep ahead, budget-friendly, and feels kinda fancy without trying too hard.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 75–90 mins
• Flavor: creamy, lightly sweet, bright citrus & spice
• Great for: holidays, Sunday dinners, or random Wednesdays when life feels dull

Why I Like This Recipe

This one’s for my aunt, actually. She used to bring this ricotta cheesecake to every Easter and wouldn’t share the recipe — said it was “just a feeling.” Anyway, I tried to reverse-engineer it and weirdly enough… this hits. It’s soft, not overly sweet, with that faint orange-cinnamon thing that feels like a hug. It’s not your typical NY cheesecake — it’s airier, lighter, more Italian grandma with secrets.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ricotta cheese — whole milk, drained if watery
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs — room temp if you remember
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon — just a whisper
• 2 tsp orange zest — don’t skip this
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt

How To Make Sicilian Cheesecake

1. Prep your pan: Butter and flour a 9.5″ springform. Get into the corners. Tap out the extra flour. This step’s boring but necessary.
2. Smooth the ricotta: In a big bowl, mash/stir the ricotta until creamy-ish. Doesn’t need to be perfect, just not lumpy.
3. Add dry stuff: Mix sugar and flour together, then stir into the ricotta. Just dump and fold.
4. Add eggs, one by one: Crack, stir. Crack, stir. Try not to overbeat. You want silky, not foamy.
5. Add the good stuff: Vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt. Stir until it’s all blended in and smells like Sicilian sunshine.
6. Pour & bake: Into the pan it goes. Bake at 300°F for 75–90 minutes — until it’s lightly golden and the center’s not jiggling like a waterbed.
7. Cool it down: Let it sit on a wire rack. It’ll deflate a little — totally normal. Chill it in the fridge for a few hours (overnight’s best).
8. Serve cold: No toppings needed. But berries or powdered sugar wouldn’t hurt either.

Tips for Success

• Drain ricotta if it’s watery — wrap in paper towels or cheesecloth for 30 mins.
• Don’t overmix after adding eggs — keeps texture light.
• Use fresh zest. Dried orange peel is not the same vibe.
• Cheesecake will puff, then sink. That’s its whole personality.
• Chill it overnight for clean slices and proper flavor.

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Keep it covered in the fridge up to 5 days. It gets better on day 2.
• Freezer: Freeze slices individually wrapped. Thaw in fridge overnight. Texture’s still nice and creamy.
• Reheating? Don’t. This one’s meant to be served cold — warm ricotta cheesecake is just weird.

FAQs

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Why’s my cheesecake watery? You probably didn’t drain the ricotta. Some brands are wetter than others. Wrap it in paper towels and let it sit.
• It cracked on top. Did I ruin it? Nope. Ricotta cheesecakes can crack. It’s rustic. Own it. Dust with powdered sugar or berries if you care.
• It’s grainy. What went wrong? Could be overbaking, or not mixing ricotta smooth enough. Next time, stir a bit more gently and don’t bake too long.
• Mine didn’t rise much: It’s not supposed to rise like a souffle — just puff a little, then settle. You’re good.
• It tastes eggy: That’s usually from overmixing or underbaking. It should set fully and cool completely. The flavors mellow overnight.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: ~270 kcal
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Sodium: 150mg
• Potassium: —
• Total Carbohydrate: 20g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Sugars: 16g
• Protein: 13g