Follow this foolproof recipe to create the most delicious cherry cheesecake you've ever tasted. With tips and tricks for the perfect crust, creamy filling, and cherry topping this dessert is sure to impress any crowd.

slice of cherry cheesecake on a white plate with another slice in the back.

This cherry cheesecake recipe is based on my blackberry cheesecake recipe that we all love and adore. I knew I had to make a cherry version for my dad, he loves cherry desserts. The cheesecake is a soft, lush vanilla-flavored cheesecake that is the perfect base for a rich cherry topping.

cherry cheesecake cut open on a white plate on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

Let's get to the recipe

About the Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust, you'll only need crushed graham crackers or buy premade graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar. For the cheesecake and cherry topping you will need:

Full-Fat Cream Cheese. Make sure you are using softened cream cheese, it should be at room temperature. You can do this quickly by placing the foil-wrapped blocks in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes- be careful you don't want liquid cream cheese!
Granulated Sugar. The sugar will be used to sweeten the cheesecake batter and the cherry filling.
Heavy Whipping Cream. Adding cream to the cheesecake batter helps create a creamy flavor, make sure it is at room temperature.
Sour Cream. The sour cream adds a nice tartness and adds to the creaminess. This also needs to be at room temperature.
Vanilla Bean Paste. You can use vanilla extract if that is all you have on hand but I love the intenseness and flecks you get from a fresh vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste.
Large Eggs. Your eggs should be at room temperature so they evenly incorporate into the cheesecake batter. You'll use some whole eggs and additional egg yolks for added richness and flavor.
Lemon Juice. The lemon juice is used in the cherry sauce, it mixes with the cornstarch to create the slurry.
Cornstarch. The cornstarch thickens the cherry juices and sugar to create a sauce.
Dark Sweet Cherries. I used two cans of dark sweet cherries.
Granulated Sugar. While the cherries are slightly sweet I like to add a little bit more sweetness to the sauce.
No cheesecake is complete without some of my Stabilized Whipped Cream Recipe

You could of course use a can of cherry pie filling but I highly suggest taking the short amount of time to make your own- it is so tasty!

ingredients for cherry cheesecake on a light pink surface.

For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

Instructions for Cherry Cheesecake

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 325F/163C. In a food processor or plastic bag with a rolling pin crush the graham crackers mixing until a fine crumb. Add the crumbs to a bowl mix in sugar and then add melted butter, make sure to mix until everything is fully combined.

graham cracker crumbs and sugar mixed together and melted butter added in a glass bowl on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

Dump the crumbs into the pan and press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set the crust then set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

graham cracker crust in a springform pan on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer beat cream cheese for 3 minutes on medium to high speed. Add granulated sugar and beat for 2 minutes at low-medium speed.

cream cheese mixed in a metal bowl then sugar mixed into the cream cheese on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

Next, add in heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste mixing on low-medium speed until fully combined. Now you'll add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and mix until just combined you do not want to overmix the batter. Use a rubber spatula to make sure nothing is left at the bottom of the bowl.

sour cream and vanilla added to cheesecake batter then eggs added in a metal bowl on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

egg and egg yolk added to cheesecake batter until very smooth on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. Pour into the crust. Place the 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch or larger cake pan- place the cake pan in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the cake pan. This prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don't have to wrap everything with foil for the water bath.

vanilla bean cheesecake before and after baking in an springform pan on a light surface.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, the middle of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour then take it out of the roasting pan and let it cool on the counter on a wire rack for another hour. Then wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Prepare the cherry topping the night before as well. Here is a post dedicated to making the cherry sauce topping.

cherry sauce in a glass container on a light pink surface with an orange linen.

cherry sauce on top of a vanilla cheesecake on a light pink surface.

Use an angled spatula to loosen the cheesecake from the springform pan then, carefully transfer it to a serving plate. Pour cherry sauce on top and use a spatula to spread into an even layer. Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Use a knife dipped in hot water then wipe dry each time you slice for clean slices of cheesecake. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

cherry cheesecake with whipped cream on a white plate on a light pink surface with a colorful linen.

How to freeze a cherry cheesecake? You can freeze the cheesecake without the topping. Let the cheesecake cool completely, let it set up in the refrigerator overnight or for 8 hours. Then wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap, tightly, twice then once in aluminum foil. This tripe wrap helps prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to a month for the best tasting cheesecake. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.

More cheesecake recipes

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Recipe Card

Cherry Cheesecake

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Follow this foolproof recipe to create the most delicious cherry cheesecake you've ever tasted. With tips and tricks for the perfect crust, creamy filling and cherry topping this dessert is sure to impress any crowd.

Total Time: 9 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 8-10 Slices 1x

Instructions

Crust

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 325F/163C. In a food processor crush the graham crackers mixing until a fine crumb. Mix in sugar and then add melted butter, make sure to mix until everything is fully combined.
Dump the crumbs into the pan and press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set the crust then set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

Cheesecake

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer beat cream cheese for 3 minutes on medium to high speed. Add granulated sugar and beat for 2 minutes at low-medium speed.
Add heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste mixing on low-medium speed until fully combined. Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and mix until just combined you do not want to overmix the batter. You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. Pour into the crust. Place the 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch or larger cake pan- place the cake pan in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the cake pan. This prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don't have to wrap everything with foil.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, the middle of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. You can also check that the internal temperature has reached 145F/63C, if you are not covering the cheesecake in cherries then keep in mind you will see the poke holes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour then take it out of the roasting pan and let it cool on the counter on a wire rack for another hour. Then wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Prepare the cherry topping the night before as well.

Cherry Topping

In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and lemon juice to create a slurry.
In a large pot add the slurry, cherries (and juice), and granulated sugar. Cook over low-medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. You want to bring the mixture to a slight boil then, reduce the heat and continue to stir. The cherries will naturally sort of break down. The longer you cook it the more reduced it will become. It will thicken as it cools too.
Let cool completely then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Assembly

Use an angled spatula to loosen the cheesecake from the springform pan then, carefully transfer it to a serving plate. Pour cherry sauce on top and use a spatula to spread into an even layer. Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Use a knife dipped in hot water then wipe dry each time you slice for clean slices of cheesecake. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.