Strawberry Cheesecake

This Strawberry Cheesecake recipe is delicious, easy to make & a hit! With photos to guide you along the way, you will have no problem with this Classic Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe!

Ingredients

I am not going to sugarcoat it, this is a bit of a process, but in my opinion, not a hard process. Just be patient.

The crust is made up of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Make your life easier and buy the box of pre-made graham cracker crumbs instead of having to pulse graham crackers in a food processor.

For the cheesecake filling you will need:

• Cream Cheese. Your cream cheese needs to be completely softened to room temperature
• Granulated Sugar. The sugar mixes into the cream cheese to loosen it up.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. This adds extra moisture to the cheesecake.
• Sour Cream. I love the tang and texture sour cream adds to the cheesecake.
• Vanilla Bean Paste. You get vanilla bean flecks throughout the cheesecake if you use the paste or a vanilla bean, as opposed to using vanilla extract you just get the flavor.
• Large Eggs. You will need whole eggs and an additional egg yolk, which adds extra richness for an ultra-creamy, decedent cheesecake.

And the strawberry topping will need:

• Lemon. Zest and Juice from One Small Lemon.
• Cornstarch. This thickens the strawberry sauce.
• Strawberries. You will slice ¾ of them and ¼ of them halved.
• Granulated Sugar. This sweetens the berries.

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.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch springform pan then set aside. 

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 the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes to set the crust. Let cool on a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 300F/ 149C.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat the cream cheese for 3 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, vanilla bean paste- mixing until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.

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. Baking the cheesecake in a water bath creates a moist, more even-tempered cooking environment for the delicate cheesecake to bake and cool without cracks. I prefer to place the springform pan in a large cake pan instead of wrapping it in aluminum foil to prevent ANY water from getting in the cheesecake.

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- but be careful when you poke as if you are not covering the top in whipped cream you will see the mark.

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. 

In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and lemon juice to create a slurry.

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.

Stir in the halved strawberries and transfer them to a heat-proof bowl to cool. Cover and cool in the fridge.

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. 

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

Store any strawberry cheesecake leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Don't miss my handheld mini cheesecake recipe!

How to freeze

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.

Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.

More strawberry recipes

For a similar recipe, but slightly easier, check out this strawberry cream cheese pie.

This delicious recipe for strawberry cupcakes is great for a party.

For a spectacular breakfast try my Nutella Strawberry French Toast Recipe.

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

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