This Strawberry Cheesecake features a creamy cheesecake on a graham cracker crust topped with fresh strawberry sauce.
Strawberry cheesecake
It’s no secret that I love a silky smooth cheesecake. I’ve made several of them over the last two years. My most popular one being a luscious Nutella cheesecake and followed by that is my favorite triple chocolate cheesecake.
But today we’re celebrating my supremely creamy cheesecake and I’ve topped it off with a homemade fresh strawberry topping.
You guys, this is one swoon-worthy dessert. I sent one to my husband’s new boss and got rave reviews.
There’s really nothing fancy with today’s recipe. It’s simple, light, and fresh. You’ll probably be able to enjoy more than one slice without feeling bogged down and heavy.
And with strawberries coming into season soon, I can think of no better way to highlight this bright red, juicy fruit.
How do you make a cheesecake base?
The base for this strawberry cheesecake is made with graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix all this together until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a springform pan. Bake it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes then let it cool completely.
Main ingredients for strawberry cheesecake
Cream cheese – choose a high quality, full-fat cream cheese for the best results.
Sugar – regular granulated sugar works best for baked cheesecakes.
Sour Cream – the secret ingredient to light and creamy cheesecakes.
Strawberries – pick ripe strawberries to use for the sauce. They’ll taste much better if they are in season!
How to make strawberry cheesecake?
Step 1: Make the graham cracker crust
Combine cream cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the creamy cheesecake filling
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar, sour cream, salt, and vanilla until well combined. Gently stir in lightly beaten eggs until well combined.
Pour the filling over the prepared crust and set inside a water bath. Bake in a 300°F oven for 1 hour then turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for another hour with the door closed.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Make the strawberry topping
Puree fresh strawberries with cornstarch. Add puree and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. This may take anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes.
Once thickened, stir in chopped strawberries and set aside to cool. Top the cheesecake with the strawberry sauce and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but overnight is best.
Tips for this strawberry cheesecake recipe
- Read my post on how to make the best cheesecake recipe for full details on how to achieve a creamy texture and zero cracks.
- Plan ahead. Cheesecakes take time to prepare and must refrigerate for several hours once finished.
Helpful tools
More strawberry recipes you’ll love
More strawberry recipes
- Strawberry Donuts with Lemon Glaze
- Strawberry Cake Donuts
- Strawberry Cheesecake Quesadillas
- Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
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Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups (168 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 2 sleeves
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 32 ounces (908 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cups (267 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (230 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
For the sauce
- 16 ounces (453 g) whole strawberries, diced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (288 g) finely chopped strawberries
Instructions
Make the crust
- Move the oven rack to the lower third position and heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outer bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 2-inches up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and sour cream, beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and salt, beat on low speed until smooth.
- Using a silicone spatula, gently stir in the eggs just until combined. Pour the batter over the prepared crust.
- Fill a roasting pan with a few inches of boiling water and place the cheesecake in the center.
- Bake for 1 hour, OR until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off, leave the cheesecake in the water bath in the oven for another hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place it on a wire rack. Run a small knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan and leave it to cool completely.
Make the sauce
- Add the diced strawberries and cornstarch to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the sugar.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and chopped strawberries. Set aside to cool for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Spread the topping evenly over the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove the sides of the pan just before serving.
Make ahead tip
- The cheesecake will keep for up to 4 days covered and stored in the refrigerator.
- The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Ashley says
May 6, 2019 at 3:52 pmThis was the first legit cheese cake I have ever made. It was the best cheese cake I have ever had, and every other person who tried it said the same thing. I now have several requests to make this for birthday parties. It took more time to make then say a regular cake but absolutely worth it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Jen Sobjack says
May 8, 2019 at 9:43 amThat’s fantastic, Ashley! Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Briana says
April 29, 2019 at 9:33 pmHello,
How many cups of purée does this make?
I don’t have a blender at the moment but I’d still like to make this.
I was going to substitute the purée for store bought stuff.
Jen Sobjack says
April 30, 2019 at 5:45 pmI didn’t measure the puree with cups but you can use 16 ounces of puree since the recipe calls for 16 ounces of strawberries.
pourgirl65 says
February 11, 2019 at 7:35 pmReally great recipe..but I had an issue with directions..the water bath method on the video shows the foil on the inside bottom of the spring pan…I followed the directions then after putting it in the oven..I realized that there was going to be foil under the crust. It tasted great but had to warn people there was foil on the bottom. Next time I’m putting the foil on the OUTSIDE BOTTOM of the spring pan.
Jen Sobjack says
February 14, 2019 at 9:18 amI like to put foil on the inside because it makes it easier to slide the cheesecake off the base of the pan onto a serving platter. Please line your pan whichever way works best for you!
Cat says
January 9, 2019 at 9:18 pmWould this be ok to bake in a silicone 20cm dish?
Jen Sobjack says
January 10, 2019 at 12:18 pmI honestly don’t know. I’ve never baked in a silicone dish before.
Zainab says
January 8, 2019 at 4:23 pmWould the frozen cheesecake taste the same after thawing as the cheesecake that was freshly baked and refrigerated overnight?
Any tips for properly freezing it for the best results?
Thank you.
Jen Sobjack says
January 9, 2019 at 4:46 pmI’ve never had any issues with the taste being off after freezing. Just be sure to wrap it tightly with several layers of plastic wrap. I like to place the cheesecake in the freezer for about an hour before wrapping it. This sort of “sets” the outside so it doesn’t get smashed from the plastic wrap. Once you’ve wrapped it, add a few layers of aluminum foil as well.
Laura says
December 23, 2018 at 11:26 amEveryone thinks im a superstar baker now thanks!
Richard says
December 16, 2018 at 7:27 pmAm going to have a crack at this recipe, I’m a big cheesecake lover as well! Just one question, will adding the diced strawberry’s to the sauce while is still hot make them soggy? There is nothing a hate more than mushy fruit in a sauce topping… Also is it necessary to put the foil under the cracker crust, or can I pam spray the bottom of the springform, and just foil the outside of the pan for the water bath?
Jen Sobjack says
December 17, 2018 at 10:57 amYes, the strawberries will soften. You could wait to add them until you’re ready to serve it. As for the lining the pan, I find it’s easier to remove the cheesecake by lining the bottom. You can just lift the cheesecake off the base by the sides of the foil. But, it’s not completely necessary. Do what works for you!
Tera says
December 3, 2018 at 9:15 amI made this for dessert for Thanksgiving along with some other desserts and this cheesecake was gone! I managed to save a tiny sliver for myself the next day and I was shocked on how delicious this was! My family has requested for me to make this again for dessert for Christmas. This was hands down the best cheesecake ever!
Taylor says
November 28, 2018 at 4:52 pmIf I wanted to add some lemon flavor to the cheesecake, can I just add a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice? Will that affect the baking at all?
Jen Sobjack says
November 29, 2018 at 12:28 pmI would add a few tablespoons of finely grated lemon zest to the cheesecake, then add lemon juice to the strawberry topping. I haven’t experimented with adding lemon juice to this recipe so it’s really hard to say how much to use and/or what other changes would need to be made.
Taylor says
December 1, 2018 at 8:02 amI just want to say this cheesecake came out better than I could have ever dreamed. I ended up adding the juice of one large lemon to the batter and while it didn’t add that punch of lemon flavor I wanted, this is the creamiest cheesecake I’ve ever had. Not a single crack, and the strawberry sauce is just perfect. Definitely making this again and again.
Jen Sobjack says
December 1, 2018 at 10:23 amSo happy to hear it came out okay. Maybe add grated lemon zest next time with the lemon juice for more lemony punch.
Teresa says
November 26, 2018 at 11:28 amOur daughter made this for her 9 yr old daughters birthday because she wanted strawberry cheesecake for her 9th birthday. All i can say is IT WAS DELICIOUS. I normally dont eat cheesecake but i had a piece. So worth the calories.
Jen Sobjack says
November 27, 2018 at 3:30 pmThis is one of our favorites. I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. And Happy Birthday to your daughter!!
nebiyah haniah says
November 24, 2018 at 1:57 pmThis was the first cheesecake I ever made and I love the results! It is so rich and creamy. Will definelty be making this again, thank you !
Chynna says
November 19, 2018 at 9:52 pmHi! Making this tomorrow. Will my 10.25 inch spring pan work?
Jen Sobjack says
November 21, 2018 at 9:54 amIt will be much thinner than pictured and you may not have enough crust to cover the bottom of the pan. The bake time may also need to be adjusted.
Massi says
November 18, 2018 at 5:14 amI tried this recipe for the first cheesecake I ever made and I am obsessed with the result! The flavours blend together perfectly, the cheesecream itself is soft yet firm.
5 stars definitly!
Only for the next time I would use a bit more of the crushed crackers as I didn’t have enough to cover the entire bottom at first.
Jen Sobjack says
November 18, 2018 at 9:19 amI’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Colin williams says
October 16, 2018 at 12:54 pmCant I take the sides and bottom away and place it on a silver board, 5 hours before eating ?
As I’ve been asked to do it for a birthday surprise. Or is it to gtagile
Jen Sobjack says
October 17, 2018 at 8:14 amYou can remove the sides and bottom anytime after the cheesecake has had time to set in the refrigerator. It’s recommended to let it refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.