Sweet Strawberry Cheesecake
Hellooooo sweet summertime dessert. It’s downright shocking how long it’s taken me to get this strawberry cheesecake up on the blog to share. Perhaps my most requested cheesecake twist (and one of the most classic flavors), this site has been sorely missing this sweet-tart-tangy-creamy-out-of-this-world treat. Today I add it to the ranks of my other decadently jazzed-up cheesecakes like my key lime cheesecake and peppermint bark cheesecake, and let me say it’s a welcome addition. My recipe uses my crisp graham cracker crust, creamy, classic cheesecake filling, and a vibrant, sweet strawberry topping. Like my other cheesecake recipes, this strawberry cheesecake is made without a water bath and is 100% from scratch. The topping comes together quickly and can be made with fresh OR frozen berries. So easy! Cracks aren’t much of a concern here since we will be covering the top of our cheesecake, but I’m personally a stickler about making sure my cheesecake never ends up with them. If you are a beginner or also are a perfectionist, definitely read through this post in its entirety for lots of tips for smooth, crack-free results.
What You Need
Surprisingly, this strawberry cheesecake requires just 11 ingredients, and that’s accounting for the crust, filling, and the strawberry topping. As a bonus, I’d be willing to bet most of them are already in your kitchen. Here are a few key notes before we begin:
Cream cheese. If you’ve made any of my other cheesecakes, you know just how important it is to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Low-fat cream cheese or the type sold in tubs just won’t give you the proper texture, unfortunately. Let the bricks come completely to room temperature before beginning so you have smooth, lump-free results. Eggs. It’s very important that your eggs are at room temperature; eggs that are too cold won’t incorporate easily, which can cause you to over-beat your batter. Not only can this cause cracks, but it can also cause your strawberry cheesecake to puff up, then sink. Sour cream. I love the depth of flavor from sour cream; to me, you simply can’t make cheesecake without it! Plain, full fat Greek yogurt will also work here. And yes, this ingredient should ideally be at room temperature too, though it’s not as critical as the cream cheese or eggs. Strawberries. The flavor of your strawberry topping is highly dependent on the flavor of your berries, so make sure yours are juicy, ripe, and flavorful. This recipe is perfect for fresh-picked summer strawberries, but it also works well with frozen berries. Cornstarch. This creates a stable strawberry topping, but it will slightly cloud the vibrant red color. I include notes in the recipe card if you prefer to not use the cornstarch (just save the sauce separately and top individual slices after cutting).
SAM’S TIP: In case you can’t tell, it’s important to make sure ALL of your cheesecake ingredients are at room temperature before starting! This is critical for ensuring a smooth, beautifully-textured cheesecake. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake
Graham Cracker Crust
Cheesecake Filling
Strawberry Topping
SAM’S TIP: As tempting at it may be, do not open the oven to check on your strawberry cheesecake unless you are very close to the end of the bake time. Opening the oven frequently or too soon can cause a drastic change in temperature which causes…you guessed it: cracks! Love fruity cheesecakes? Try my blueberry cheesecake or lemon cheesecake next! Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Related Recipes
