I’m not a cheesecake person. I know I may be one of the few out there, but when served a dense and hefty slice, I always find it much too much — too much richness and too much cream cheese all at once. That is, until fellow baker Roxxanne Delle Site-Jeronimo, the owner of Mexipino, a Filipino- and Mexican-inspired social media bakery, introduced me to the magic of pay de queso.
Pay de queso translates to cheese pie. It’s pretty much the Mexican equivalent of cheesecake. A slice of pay de queso is much lighter in texture and not as sweet in comparison to its American counterparts, while still being rich, creamy, and smooth. What makes it even better? The dessert calls for basic pantry ingredients, a filling that comes together in a blender, and it bakes without the use of a fussy water bath. Here’s how to make this easy cheesecake at home that’ll make everyone happy.
Pay de queso, or cheese pie, is the Mexican version of cheesecake. The crust is traditionally made with Maria cookies (or galletas Marias). These lightly sweetened cookies are a staple in Mexican households, where they’re commonly eaten as a snack with coffee or hot chocolate. The filling, made with cream cheese, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs, comes together quickly in a blender. And, as opposed to a more classic cheesecake, pay de queso bakes in a pie plate, which means that it doesn’t require the use of a water bath and a single slice isn’t a hefty affair.
In her version of this dessert, Roxanne likes to mix in queso fresco, a Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk, for a salty note. When testing this recipe, I leaned into the classic filling and opted for a dash of vanilla extract, salt, and a tiny bit of honey for a more balanced flavor and to add a light floral sweetness. Pay de queso is best served cold all by itself, or with a dollop of dulce de leche, cajeta (a sweet, thick caramel-like spread made from boiled goat’s milk), or strawberry jam, or some fresh fruit.
