Strawberry Cheesecake with Homemade Strawberry Topping

This Strawberry Cheesecake is rich, incredibly creamy, and packed with vanilla bean flavor, topped with a thick, jammy homemade strawberry sauce and juicy pieces of fresh strawberry. After testing hundreds of cheesecakes over the years, I've found that a combination of cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and extra egg yolks creates my favorite luxurious cheesecake texture.

Featured Review

"I made this recipe awhile back and forgot to give it a rating but this is the best cheesecake recipe I've came across. I did add lemon juice to the cheesecake mixture but followed everything exactly how the recipe called for."

Ashley

Jump to Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

I developed this Strawberry Cheesecake from my Blackberry Cheesecake, using the creamy cheesecake base I've perfected through years of baking. I've tested hundreds of cheesecake recipes over the years, and my favorite combination is cream cheese with tangy sour cream, rich heavy cream, and extra egg yolks for a wonderfully smooth, luxurious texture. For the topping, I wanted something thick and jammy but with plenty of recognizable strawberry pieces, so you get both a rich strawberry sauce and juicy berries in every bite. If you're a cheesecake lover like me, you can find plenty more of my tried-and-true recipes in my Cheesecake Recipe Collection!

The fresh strawberry topping atop the thick, cream cheese filling, all finished with soft and fluffy whipped cream. It truly is a match made in heaven. For a simpler cheesecake check out my Basque Cheesecake Recipe or a quick treat don't miss my cheesecake stuffed strawberries.

Strawberries, Vanilla & Everything Creamy!

• Cream Cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese at room temperature for the rich, smooth cheesecake filling I've come to love after years of testing.
• Sour Cream & Heavy Cream: This is my favorite combination! Sour cream adds a lovely tang, while heavy cream brings moisture and richness for a luxurious cheesecake texture.
• Eggs & Extra Egg Yolks: I add extra yolks for their fat and richness, helping create that wonderfully creamy cheesecake filling.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: I love the little vanilla bean flecks throughout the cheesecake, but vanilla extract works if that's what you have on hand.
• Strawberries: I cook most of the berries into a thick, jammy sauce, then add more strawberry pieces so you can still see and taste the fruit rather than having a completely smooth topping.

Now you don't need to make Homemade Whipped Cream but we love the whipped cream against the dense cheesecake texture.

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

From Creamy Filling to Strawberry Heaven

If desired add fresh whipped cream just before serving and enjoy. If you love strawberries don't miss my fresh strawberry pie recipe.

Don't miss my handheld mini cheesecake recipe or cherry cheesecake recipe.

What Hundreds of Cheesecakes Have Taught Me

• Use room-temperature ingredients. After baking hundreds of cheesecakes over the years, I cannot stress this enough! Completely softened cream cheese is essential for a smooth filling without lumps. I also recommend bringing your other refrigerated filling ingredients to room temperature before mixing.
• Use my double-pan water bath method. This is my biggest cheesecake-baking tip! Instead of wrapping the springform pan in aluminum foil, I place it inside a slightly larger cake pan, then set both inside a roasting pan filled with hot water. It creates a gentle baking environment without risking water leaking through the springform pan and ruining the crust.
• Don't overbake your cheesecake. I like to use an instant-read thermometer and look for an internal temperature of 140-145°F. The center should still have a slight jiggle when the cheesecake comes out of the oven. Remember, cheesecake continues to set as it cools and chills.
• Give your cheesecake plenty of time to chill. Cheesecake isn't a dessert you want to rush! I prefer making mine the day before serving so it has plenty of time to cool and set completely in the refrigerator. The texture is so much better once thoroughly chilled.
• Don't panic if your cheesecake cracks! Even experienced bakers occasionally get a crack. The good news is that the beautiful strawberry topping covers the surface, so no one will ever know. You can serve the sauce separately, but I love piling it on top for a gorgeous finish.
• For beautiful, clean slices, use a warm knife. Run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and clean it between each cut. This helps you get those gorgeous, clean cheesecake slices without dragging filling from one piece to the next.

Don't let cheesecake break your heart, check out all my cheesecake baking tips.

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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Recipe Card

Strawberry Cheesecake with Homemade Strawberry Topping

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5 from 2 reviews

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This Strawberry Cheesecake is rich, incredibly creamy, and packed with vanilla bean flavor, topped with a thick, jammy homemade strawberry sauce and juicy pieces of fresh strawberry. After testing hundreds of cheesecakes over the years, I've found that a combination of cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and extra egg yolks creates my favorite luxurious cheesecake texture. It's the perfect make-ahead dessert for birthdays, dinner parties, or any celebration that deserves a showstopping cheesecake!

• Total Time: 10 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 10-12 Slices 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Crust

• 150 grams (1 ½ Cups) Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 2 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 32oz (2 lbs) Cream Cheese, completely softened to room temperature
• 300 grams (1 ½ Cup) Granulated Sugar
• 2oz (¼ Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream or Double Cream
• 4oz (½ Cup) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste
• 4 Large Eggs + 2 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature

 Strawberry Topping

• Zest and Juice from One Small Lemon
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1.5lb (24oz) Strawberries, ¾ of them sliced and ¼ of them halved
• ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
• Optional: Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

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Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch springform pan then set aside. 
2. In a small bowl combine crushed graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Once evenly combined add melted butter to the crumbs. Mix until a wet sand texture is formed. Press into the bottom and slightly up upsides of the prepared pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes to set the crust. Let cool on a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 325F/ 163C.

Cheesecake

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes at low speed. It should be smooth with no lumps. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 2 minutes on low speed. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste mixing until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.
2. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. Pour into prepared pan. Place a 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch cake pan- place the cake pan in the 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.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes, the middle 2 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 140-145F.
4. Turn the oven off and open the door so it is cracked open, let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour then take it out of the roasting pan and cool on a wire rack for another hour. Then wrap the cheesecake with plastic wrap. Let chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours. 

Strawberry Sauce

1. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and lemon juice to create a slurry.
2. In a large pot add all ingredients, except the halved strawberries, and 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 berries will naturally sort of break down, I use a potato masher to slightly mash some of the berries to create more of a sauce. The longer you cook it the more reduced it will become.
3. Stir in the halved strawberries and transfer them to a heat-proof bowl to cool. Cover and cool in the fridge.

Assembly

1. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, I used an angled spatula pressed down the sides to gently loosen it before removing the sides. Transfer to a serving plate. When the strawberry sauce is cooled you can spoon it on top of the cheesecake, it will naturally drip down the sides a bit. Gently flip the halved strawberries so they face up. Chill the cheesecake for two hours so the sauce and cheesecake can be set together. 
2. If desired add fresh whipped cream just before serving and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Cordless Hand Mixer

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OXO Kitchen Scale

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Small Angled Spatula

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Springform Pan

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Thermapen Mk4

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Notes

I would recommend freezing only the cheesecake layer, the strawberry topping is best made fresh. To freeze the whole cheesecake let it chill in the fridge overnight, as if you were serving it the next day, then wrap in plastic wrap twice, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw the cheesecake place it in the fridge overnight.

You can also freeze cheesecake slices. To do this the cheesecake should have already chilled overnight, slice the cheesecake slices and wrap them in plastic wrap twice then place them in a freezer-safe bag and stash them for up to three months. To thaw the slices you can let them sit at room temperature for about an hour, depending on how large the slices are, OR you can plan the night before and let them thaw in the fridge.

• Author: Elizabeth Waterson
• Prep Time: 30 Minutes
• Cool/ Chill Time: 8 Hours
• Cook Time: 1 Hour 40 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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