This delicious strawberry cheesecake is a great recipe idea for any special event or family celebration. It has the right balance of crunch, creaminess, and flavor that combines to give you the perfect dessert.
Why choose strawberry cheesecake?
The smooth, velvety texture of the cream cheese, the crunchiness of the graham cracker crust, and the juicy strawberry topping make this strawberry cheesecake recipe simply divine. You can whip up this recipe for social events and show off your baking skills, or you can use it to create that heartwarming and homey feeling for family and friends.
Ingredients you'll need for strawberry cheesecake
For the crust
Granulated sugar
Light brown sugar
Unsalted butter melted
For the filling
Granulated sugar
Sour cream
Vanilla extract
Eggs (room temperature preferred)
For the topping
Strawberries
granulated sugar
Cornstarch
Lemon juice
Water
Ingredients notes
Cracker crumbs and butter
The cracker crumbs combined with melted butter and sugar create the crunchy shell that holds the moist goodness of the cream cheese and the gooey strawberry topping in place.
Cream cheese and eggs
The egg acts as a binder that holds the cream cheese in place while it bakes. It also gives it that beautiful golden color.
Strawberries
This ingredient provides the vibrant color and rich flavor that complement the creamy, velvety texture of the filling.
Sugar
To keep the color of the topping clear while adding the needed sweetness, it is best to use granulated sugar. This is also key for having a nice, lightly colored cheesecake too. The brown sugar in the crust adds both sweetness and a deep flavor.
Cornstarch
This ingredient helps your topping to have the perfect consistency. Use less for a runny sauce, but add more if you want it to be thick and stay in place.
Sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla
The perfect strawberry cheesecake has the right amount of tartness, and this is where the lemon juice and sour cream come in. The vanilla adds an extra layer of flavor and gives you that awesome feeling as the velvety cheesecake melts in your mouth.
How to make strawberry cheesecake?
To make this strawberry cheesecake recipe, you'll be doing three main things. You'll make the crust, bake the cream cheese filling, and then you'll do the strawberry topping.
Make your crust
Combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and cracker crumbs in a medium-sized bowl. Add the melted butter to moisten the mixture. Using a measuring cup or glass, press this mixture into the bottom and sides of your baking tin, then set aside the crust.
Prepare your cheesecake filling
Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, creamy, and well blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is nicely mixed together.
Gently stir in the sour cream and vanilla (try not to overmix).
Add the eggs one at a time while mixing only enough to combine the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan with the pie crust and bake at 325°F (160°C) for approximately 45-50 minutes. (You may place an oven-proof container with water in the oven or use a water bath in this step, or you can do without it. It's entirely up to you.)
Turn off the heat and crack the oven door as you allow the cake to cool gradually. (This will help to prevent cracks.)
Strawberry Topping
Set the stovetop to medium or low heat and whisk the cornstarch and sugar together.
Add the water, lemon juice, and half of the strawberries. Keep stirring as you allow the strawberries to get tender, and the sauce will thicken.
Remove from heat, add the remaining half of the strawberries, then place in a bowl to cool. (If you want to speed up the process, you may place the bowl in the refrigerator).
You may pour the cool topping on the entire cheesecake before serving, or you may add it to individual slices before serving.
Recipe tips for strawberry cheesecake
Temperature
To get the best results, make sure that your cream cheese and your eggs are at room temperature before you start baking your strawberry cheesecake.
A few seconds in the microwave may help your cream cheese to get to room temperature and help you to speed up the process if you are in a hurry. You may also place your eggs in tepid water to hurry the process along if you forgot to take them out of the fridge.
Water bath
Many bakers swear that a water bath is helpful in preventing cracks, but then there is the chance of your cheesecake getting waterlogged.
To prevent water getting in your strawberry cheesecake, you can use a regular tin instead of springform tins, or you can try my other waterproof method, which is placing a container of water in the oven but not putting the cheesecake tin in the water.
Testing
If you need to test the strawberry cheesecake for doneness, open the oven door, insert your skewer quickly, and close the oven door immediately to prevent the cheesecake from falling or cracking.
Cooling
Gradually cooling your strawberry cheesecake is the key to preventing cracks. When you are done baking, turn off the oven, then partially open the door to allow the cake to cool slowly.
Crust
A high crust will help to keep all the topping on the cheesecake. If you prefer the strawberry cheesecake to have the syrupy goodness running down the sides, then you don't have to make the crust too high around the sides of the cake.
Filling
The key to a thick topping is cornstarch. If you need your filling to be runny and drip to the side of the slices, then you may reduce or omit the use of cornstarch for your strawberry topping.
Serving ideas for strawberry cheesecake
This amazing strawberry cheesecake is a classic idea to pair with some of our other recipes, like filet mignon, chicken piccata, or even this country salad.
Here are some other dessert recipes to try out and a cheesy recipe that's very easy to make.
