Easy Homemade Honey Bun Cheesecake — A Traditional Comfort Dessert

Honey Bun Cheesecake has always felt like a warm hug in dessert form to me — a cozy breakfast pastry transformed into a silky, cinnamon-sweet cheesecake that takes center stage at brunches, holiday tables, and lazy Sunday dinners. This easy, homemade Honey Bun Cheesecake blends the gooey sweetness of a honey bun with the rich creaminess of classic cheesecake — perfect for serving at family gatherings, potlucks, Mother’s Day brunch, or whenever you want to impress without stress.

Below you’ll find a reliable recipe (with a no-bake shortcut), tips for healthy swaps, and storage ideas so your cheesecake tastes as good on day two as it does the first time you slice it.

🧂 Ingredients:

• Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full crackers) or substitute digestive biscuits
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• Cheesecake Filling

  • 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature (24 oz total)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt for tang and protein)
  • 1/4 cup honey (plus 1 tbsp for drizzle)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Honey Bun Streusel (for the top and swirl)

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• Honey Glaze

  • 3/4 cup powdered (confectioners’) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk (or cream)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional garnish: chopped pecans or walnuts, extra cinnamon, a drizzle of additional honey

👩‍🍳 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside with aluminum foil if using a water bath.
2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides, if you like) of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling (10–15 minutes).
3. Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Beat the cream cheese: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth (about 2–3 minutes). Scrape sides.
5. Add sugar and vanilla: With the mixer running, add the granulated sugar and vanilla; beat until combined and creamy (1–2 minutes).
6. Add eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Avoid overmixing.
7. Finish the filling: Mix in sour cream (or Greek yogurt), honey, and cinnamon until smooth and uniform. Scrape the bowl and give a final low-speed mix to ensure everything is combined.
8. Layer and swirl: Pour about two-thirds of the filling over the chilled crust. Sprinkle half of the streusel over the filling and use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it into the top. Pour the remaining filling over, then top with remaining streusel. Don’t over-swirl — you want pretty ribbons and pockets of streusel.
9. Bake in a water bath (recommended for crack-free cheesecake): Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan about halfway up the sides of the springform. Bake for 50–65 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly (it will finish setting as it cools). Tip: If you prefer not to use a water bath, reduce oven temp to 300°F and bake 55–70 minutes; watch carefully for overbrowning.
10. Cool gently: Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour to minimize cracking.
11. Chill: Remove from oven, take out of water bath, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours — ideally overnight.
12. Make the honey glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, honey, and vanilla until smooth. If too thick, add a few drops of milk. Drizzle over chilled cheesecake just before serving. Add chopped nuts or extra honey if desired.

Quick No-Bake Option (Easy version):

1. Make crust as above, press into a 9-inch pan, and chill.
2. Beat 24 oz cream cheese with 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 cup heavy cream whipped to soft peaks (or use 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip for convenience), 1/4 cup honey, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Fold gently.
3. Spread over crust, sprinkle streusel on top, chill at least 4 hours or until set. Finish with honey glaze.

💡 Tips & Variations:

• Crust swaps: For gluten-free, use gluten-free graham crumbs or almond flour (add a touch more butter). For low-carb, use almond flour + erythritol + butter.
• Sweetener alternatives: Swap sugar for coconut sugar or a granular sugar substitute (e.g., erythritol or monk fruit) in a 1:1 ratio for a lower-carb version. Reduce honey or replace with sugar-free honey alternatives if limiting sugars.
• Dairy-free / Vegan option: Make a vegan no-bake cheesecake using soaked cashews (2 cups soaked), 1/2 cup coconut cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave, 2 tbsp lemon juice, vanilla — blend until ultra-smooth and chill on a crust made from dates + almonds. Use coconut oil for streusel.
• Texture tip: Room-temperature ingredients (cream cheese, eggs) mix more evenly and reduce lumps. Don’t overbeat once eggs are added — too much air causes cracks.
• Water bath alternative: If you don’t want to fuss with a water bath, bake at 300°F and place a pan of hot water on a rack below the cheesecake to add moisture.
• Serving ideas: Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or alongside coffee for breakfast-for-dessert vibes. Top with chopped nuts for crunch.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 4–5 days. For longer storage, freeze whole or in slices (wrap tightly in plastic wrap then foil) up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Make ahead: Cheesecakes often taste better after resting — make 24 hours ahead for best flavor.

🩺 Health & Lifestyle Tie-in:
While Honey Bun Cheesecake is an indulgence, you can make mindful choices — use Greek yogurt to boost protein, pick a nut-based crust for healthy fats, or try portion control by serving smaller slices alongside fresh fruit. Cooking at home and choosing ingredients you trust can also support long-term health and may help manage food costs compared with eating out often — small investments in better eating can contribute to fewer health surprises later.

SEO & Monetization Notes (if you blog this):

• Consider linking to your favorite springform pan, stand mixer, or nonstick baking supplies via affiliate links.
• Use keyword variations in headings and alt text for photos: “Easy Honey Bun Cheesecake,” “Homemade Honey Bun Swirl Cheesecake,” “Honey Bun Cheesecake recipe.”
• Add step-by-step photos (crust, swirl, baked, sliced) and a short video if possible — both boost search ranking and click-through.

❤️ Conclusion:
If you give this Honey Bun Cheesecake a try, please come back and tell me how it turned out — or tag me on Instagram with a photo (I love seeing your spins and toppings!). Whether you choose the classic baked version or the speedy no-bake, this is one recipe that brings bakery nostalgia to your kitchen in the best way.

Happy baking — and don’t forget a good cup of coffee with that first slice!

Honey Bun Cheesecake

A silky, cinnamon-sweet cheesecake that brings the gooey sweetness of honey buns to the dessert table, perfect for gatherings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Crust

• 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs Or substitute digestive biscuits
• 0.25 cups packed light brown sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 3 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature (24 oz total)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 0.5 cups sour cream (or Greek yogurt for tang and protein)
• 0.25 cups honey (plus 1 tbsp for drizzle)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Honey Bun Streusel

• 0.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.33 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Honey Glaze

• 0.75 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (or cream)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Garnish

• chopped pecans or walnuts
• extra cinnamon
• a drizzle of additional honey

Method

 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside with aluminum foil if using a water bath.
2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom (and slightly up the sides, if you like) of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling (10–15 minutes).
3. Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Beat the cream cheese: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth (about 2–3 minutes). Scrape sides.
5. Add sugar and vanilla: With the mixer running, add the granulated sugar and vanilla; beat until combined and creamy (1–2 minutes).
6. Add eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Avoid overmixing.
7. Finish the filling: Mix in sour cream (or Greek yogurt), honey, and cinnamon until smooth and uniform. Scrape the bowl and give a final low-speed mix to ensure everything is combined.

Baking

1. Layer and swirl: Pour about two-thirds of the filling over the chilled crust. Sprinkle half of the streusel over the filling and use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it into the top. Pour the remaining filling over, then top with the remaining streusel. Don’t over-swirl — you want pretty ribbons and pockets of streusel.
2. Bake in a water bath (recommended for crack-free cheesecake): Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the roasting pan about halfway up the sides of the springform. Bake for 50–65 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly (it will finish setting as it cools).
3. Cool gently: Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour to minimize cracking.
4. Chill: Remove from oven, take out of water bath, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours — ideally overnight.

Final Touch

1. Make the honey glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, honey, and vanilla until smooth. If too thick, add a few drops of milk. Drizzle over chilled cheesecake just before serving. Add chopped nuts or extra honey if desired.

Notes

For a no-bake option, make crust and chill. Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar, fold in whipped cream, honey, and cinnamon. Chill until set. Top with streusel and honey glaze. Tips include ingredient swaps for dietary needs and longer storage recommendations.