Strawberry Cheesecake
Creamy Strawberry Cheesecake: New York-style cream cheese filling, crunchy graham cracker crust, and the most gorgeous strawberry topping!
Today’s recipe is truly a stunner: Strawberry Cheesecake!
Just look at that crown of glossy berries! Isn’t it to die for?
We absolutely devoured this strawberry cheesecake recipe. It’s incredibly creamy, with the sweet fragrance of vanilla and tons of seasonal fruit, all layered over a crunchy Graham cracker crust with just the barest whisper of cinnamon. Heaven!
I love making cheesecakes because they’re so rich and decadent, and they’re pretty easy too! While they do take a while to bake and cool, the active time is only around 25 minutes.
I’ve made all sorts of different cheesecake recipes here, from lemon cheesecake to chocolate cheesecake to red velvet cheesecake, and beyond!
I’ve had tons of practice and I’ve developed a method that is absolutely foolproof. So if you’ve ever had issues with cracking, this is the recipe for you! I have never once had it crack.
Keep reading to learn all about how to make the best ever strawberry cheesecake!
Table of Contents
- What is strawberry cheesecake?
- Why this is the best strawberry cheesecake recipe
- What does strawberry cheesecake taste like?
- Ingredients
- Special equipment
- How to make strawberry cheesecake
- How to serve strawberry cheesecake
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- A few more of my best cheesecake recipes
What is strawberry cheesecake?
This recipe features a creamy New York-style cheesecake filling infused with vanilla, layered over a crunchy Graham cracker crust and topped with juicy sweet glazed fresh strawberries.
Why this is the best strawberry cheesecake recipe
- Tastes amazing: The combination of flavors is just out of this world!
- Few ingredients: You’ll only need a handful of staples to make it.
- Easy to make: Although it needs time to bake and chill, there’s only about 25 minutes of active time.
- No cracks: My foolproof method ensures flawless results!
What does strawberry cheesecake taste like?
This cheesecake is creamy as can be with a hint of sweet vanilla. The strawberries are bursting with summery flavor and there’s just the barest whisper of cinnamon in the buttery, crunchy crust.
Ingredients
Graham cracker crust: My Graham cracker crust recipe has Graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. You can read all about it here: Graham Cracker Crust. Use gluten-free Graham cracker crumbs if you have an intolerance. If you aren’t able to find Graham cracker crumbs, substitute with the same amount of Lotus Biscoff Cookies.
Cream cheese: You’ll need 3 bricks of cream cheese. They should be softened to room temperature.
Sugar: Regular granulated white sugar is fine, or any other sweetener that can sub 1:1.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an odorless and flavorless white powder that will strengthen the cheesecake and help it to firm up as it bakes.
Eggs: Large chicken eggs or a plant-based substitute. You’ll need 4 whole eggs plus 1 additional yolk. Save the white for making Swiss meringue buttercream!
Cream: Heavy cream gives this strawberry cheesecake the most incredible velvety texture.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract lends a sweet perfume that compliments the strawberries.
Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the star of the show! Keep them whole but trim off the stem and leaves.
Jam: Strawberry jam glazes the berries and gives them the most gorgeous shine! You could also use raspberry jam, red currant jam, or apricot jam.
Special equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons: Follow my guide on how to measure.
- Bowl: One bowl for making the crust and another for the filling.
- Silicone spatula: For stirring, scraping, and getting every last bit out of the bowl.
- Pans: You’ll need an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan, as well as a larger pan for the water bath.
- Mixer: Either a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer.
- Pastry brush: For applying the glaze to the strawberries.
How to make strawberry cheesecake
This easy recipe comes together in 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Make the Graham cracker crust
Start by placing Graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
Give them a quick stir, just to get them combined.
Then add the melted butter.
Stir it in until it’s evenly combined, then press the mixture into the bottom of the cake pan.
Step 2: Make the cheesecake filling
Next, place the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch in your mixing bowl.
Stir these ingredients together until smooth.
Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with the silicone spatula, then add the first egg.
Once that’s completely incorporated, continue adding the eggs (one at a time) allowing each one to fully blend in before adding the next.
Stir in the additional yolk, along with the cream and vanilla extract.
Pour the batter over the crust.
Step 3: Bake
Place the unbaked cheesecake in a larger pan, and pour water into the larger pan until it comes about an inch or two up the sides of the pan.
Then bake the cheesecake until it’s set around the edges but still just a little bit wobbly towards the center. It will continue to firm up a lot as it cools.
Step 4: Top
Once the cheesecake has cooled completely, arrange your fresh strawberries all over the top.
Stir the jam together with a little hot water until it’s a nice, syrupy consistency.
Brush this glaze all over the berries to make them glisten and to add a little sweetness.
How to serve strawberry cheesecake
This dessert can be served chilled or at room temperature.
If you’d like to jazz it up, try sprinkling on a little citrus zest. You could also serve it alongside a dollop of whipped cream.
Expert tips
Use the bottom of a measuring cup: The flat bottom of a measuring cup is a great tool for pressing the Graham cracker crust into an even layer.
Scrape frequently: As you’re making the filling, it’s a good idea to stop often to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. This will help to incorporate any stiff lumps of cream cheese that may be clinging there, and ensure that your cheesecake filling is velvety smooth.
Add eggs one at a time: Allow each egg to fully blend in before adding the next one. This slow addition of liquids will also help to avoid lumps in the batter.
Don’t whip: If you whip a lot of air into your cheesecake batter, it’s more likely to crack as it bakes. Just get things smooth, there’s no need to whip.
Cool slowly: A slow bake and a slow cool help to make sure you don’t get any cracks. Allow yourself plenty of time!
Frequently asked questions
Don’t even get me started.
I do not like springform pans for cheesecakes. Not one bit.
They always, always leak. Even when wrapped in foil. Even when encased in plastic wrap. Even when you put a shower cap around the bottom. Believe me, I’ve tried all the tricks!
In my experience, nothing is better than an 8-inch diameter round cake pan with high sides. It seals out the water so your crust is always crispety-crunchety.
And as long as you’ve given it plenty of time to cool, it slips right out. Just place a plate on top and flip. Then invert it onto your serving platter.
If it gives you any trouble at all, just warm the bottom with a towel dampened with hot water. This will soften the butter in the crust and allow things to slide right out.
You’ll want to allow yourself plenty of time with this cheesecake recipe. It needs over an hour to bake and even longer to chill.
For a no-bake version of this, click over to my no-bake cheesecake recipe.
Follow the recipe as written; once it’s firm you can add the glazed berries.
It’s fine to leave this out at room temperature for a couple of hours, but any longer than that and it should probably go into the fridge.
Cover it lightly with plastic wrap and it should keep for a week or so.
This cheesecake freezes beautifully, but you’ll probably want to leave off the berries. They could shrink and run as a result of the freeze/thaw process.
Just wrap it up tight and it should last in the freezer for several months.
Thaw it in the fridge.
This strawberry cheesecake recipe cuts into 8 generous slices.
The nutritional info below is for one slice, or 1/8th of the whole batch. It does not include whipped cream.
A few more of my best cheesecake recipes
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust*
- 1 1/2 cups (126 g) Graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup (g) light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.75 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces (680.39 g) cream cheese, (3 bricks), softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (g) cornstarch
- 4 (176 g) eggs, large
- 1 (18 g) egg yolk, large
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Cheesecake Topping
- 32 ounces (907.19 g) strawberries, fresh
- 1/4 cup (85 g) strawberry jam
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) hot water
Instructions
To Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Place the Graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Stir in the melted butter until evenly mixed.
- Press the mixture into an even layer in the bottom of an 8-inch diameter, 3-inch tall cake pan.
To Make the Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch together on medium speed until smooth (approx. 3 minutes).
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then stir in the eggs (one at a time) allowing each one to fully incorporate before adding the next.
- Stir in the cream and vanilla, and pour the batter over the Graham cracker crust.
- Place the unbaked cheesecake in a larger pan and pour water in until it comes an inch or two up the sides of the cake pan.
- Bake the cheesecake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, then turn the oven temp down to 300 degrees F and continue baking until the sides are set but the center is still slightly wobbly (approx. 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes).
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to slowly cool with the door ajar for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and chill for 2 hours.
- Flip the cheesecake out of the pan and then onto a serving platter (you may need to warm the bottom of the pan slightly to help it release).
To Top the Strawberry Cheesecake
- Place hulled strawberries all over the top of the cheesecake.
- Stir the jam and hot water together until smooth, then brush over the strawberries with a pastry brush.
