With a smooth, silky, and creamy base and a sweet and sour cherry topping, this creamy cherry cheesecake is the ideal dessert! This homemade cherry cheesecake recipe is truly the best and will become a favorite all year round! Also, the sweet flavors of the cherries are a delicious complement to the creamy filling and crisp crust.
Equipment for Making Cherry Cheesecake at Home
Ingredients:
For Crust
- 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (see note)
- 2 1โ2 tbsp Butter (melted)
- 1 1โ2 tbsp Sugar
- pinch Salt
For Cheesecake Batter
- 16 oz Cream cheese (softened, see Note)
- 2 Eggs
- 2โ3 cup Sugar
- 2โ3 cup Sour cream (see Note)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 1โ4 tbsp Salt
For Cherry Topping
- 1 lb Pitted cherries (fresh or frozen; about 3ยฝ cups)
- 6 tbsp Sugar (start with less and adjust)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Corn starch
- 4 tbsp Water (start with less and adjust)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line the bottom of yourย springform panย with aย parchment paper round for simple removal. Then,ย double-wrap the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Make Crust
- Mix the Graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, sugar, and salt. It should resemble wet sand and hold its shape when pressed. Put the crumbs in the pan and press them down to cover the bottom and sides.ย
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Make cheesecake filling.
- Make the batter. Reduce the oven to 325ยฐF. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy on medium-high speed.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom halfway through. Lastly, remove large air bubbles by reducing the speed to the lowest setting for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan, then bang the pan onto a kitchen towel-lined counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Put the springform pan into a larger roasting pan and add hot water halfway up the side to create a water bath.
- Bake Set the oven to 325ยฐF and bake for 75 minutes. Turn off the oven and use a wooden spoon to crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake slowly reduce in temperature for one hour, then remove it from the oven.
- Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and remove the foil. Once it reaches room temperature, loosely cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours overnight.
Make a cherry topping.
- Mix the cornstarch with water to make a cornstarch slurry (if using frozen cherries, use less water). Add the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry to a pot and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning.
- Once the sauce thickens, reduce the heat and taste. As cherries naturally vary in sweetness, adjust with more lemon juice, sugar, or water as needed. Sour cherries may need more sugar, and sweet cherries may need more lemon juice. For a thinner sauce, add a ยฝ tablespoon of water at a time.
- Note: The sauce will thicken as it cools.
For Serve
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and add as much or as little of the cherry topping. After dipping a thin knife in hot water and wiping it dry after each slice, cut it into slices. Enjoy!
Note:
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe yields a single 7-inch cheesecake, roughly equivalent to 8 servings.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. I don’t recommend freezing the cherry topping, as it gets watery when thawed.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving, then garnish with a cherry topping.
ย - If you only want a bottom crust without any sides, then reduce the amount by half. ย
- Cream cheese: Useย full-fat cream cheese for best results.ย To soften, leave at room temperature or microwave for 20 seconds at a time until soft (my preferred method).ย ย
- Sour cream: Sourย cream helps give the cheesecake a creamy, soft texture. For an even softer and silkier texture, replace half the sour cream with heavy cream. This will give you a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake that’s velvety soft. I highly recommend this for those who prefer soft cheesecakes over dense ones.ย
Tips:
- Crust: Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup with straight sides to easily press down the Graham cracker crumbs.ย
- Crack-free cheesecake: Cracks can form in cheesecakes due to air bubbles, overmixing, and improper temperature. Once the batter is smooth and creamy, mix it at the lowest speed for 2 minutes to push out any large air bubbles. Slowly pour the batter from a height of 8 inches to pop more air bubbles and bang the pan on the kitchen counter several times. Avoid opening the oven during baking to keep the temperature consistent.ย
- After baking, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door open for an hour to gradually lower the temperature. This prevents the cake from collapsing and cracking.
- Once the cheesecake reaches room temperature, cover it loosely to prevent any condensation from dripping onto it.
- Chill overnightย for best results.
- Add the cherry topping once it’s atย room temperature. Warm cherry sauce will melt the cheesecake.
- For the holidays, you can make cherry cheesecake up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge.
Cherry Cheesecake Recipe
Description
With a smooth, silky, and creamy base and a sweet and sour cherry topping, this creamy cherry cheesecake is the ideal dessert! This homemade cherry cheesecake recipe is truly the best and will become a favorite all year round! Also, the sweet flavors of the cherries are a delicious complement to the creamy filling and crisp crust.
Ingredients
Cooking Mode Disabled
For Crust
For Cheesecake Batter
For Cherry Topping
Instructions
Video
-
Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line the bottom of yourย springform panย with aย parchment paper round for simple removal. Then,ย double-wrap the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Make Crust
-
Mix the Graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, sugar, and salt. It should resemble wet sand and hold its shape when pressed. Put the crumbs in the pan and press them down to cover the bottom and sides.ย
-
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Make cheesecake filling.
-
Make the batter. Reduce the oven to 325ยฐF. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy on medium-high speed.
-
Scrape down the sides and bottom halfway through. Lastly, remove large air bubbles by reducing the speed to the lowest setting for 1 to 2 minutes.
-
Pour the batter into the springform pan, then bang the pan onto a kitchen towel-lined counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Put the springform pan into a larger roasting pan and add hot water halfway up the side to create a water bath.
-
Bake Set the oven to 325ยฐF and bake for 75 minutes. Turn off the oven and use a wooden spoon to crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake slowly reduce in temperature for one hour, then remove it from the oven.
-
Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and remove the foil. Once it reaches room temperature, loosely cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours overnight.
Make a cherry topping.
-
Mix the cornstarch with water to make a cornstarch slurry (if using frozen cherries, use less water). Add the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry to a pot and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning.
-
Once the sauce thickens, reduce the heat and taste. As cherries naturally vary in sweetness, adjust with more lemon juice, sugar, or water as needed. Sour cherries may need more sugar, and sweet cherries may need more lemon juice. For a thinner sauce, add a ยฝ tablespoon of water at a time.
-
Note: The sauce will thicken as it cools.
For Serve
-
Carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and add as much or as little of the cherry topping. After dipping a thin knife in hot water and wiping it dry after each slice, cut it into slices. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 256kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 9g14%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 60mg20%
- Sodium 187mg8%
- Potassium 188mg6%
- Total Carbohydrate 42g15%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 34g
- Protein 3g6%
- Vitamin A 306 IU
- Vitamin C 5 mg
- Calcium 43 mg
- Iron 1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Recipe Notes:
- This recipe yields a single 7-inch cheesecake, roughly equivalent to 8 servings.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. I don't recommend freezing the cherry topping, as it gets watery when thawed.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving, then garnish with a cherry topping.
ย - If you only want a bottom crust without any sides, then reduce the amount by half. ย
- Cream cheese: Useย full-fat cream cheese for best results.ย To soften, leave at room temperature or microwave for 20 seconds at a time until soft (my preferred method).ย ย
- Sour cream: Sourย cream helps give the cheesecake a creamy, soft texture. For an even softer and silkier texture, replace half the sour cream with heavy cream. This will give you a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake that's velvety soft. I highly recommend this for those who prefer soft cheesecakes over dense ones.ย
- Tips:
- Crust: Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup with straight sides to easily press down the Graham cracker crumbs.ย
- Crack-free cheesecake: Cracks can form in cheesecakes due to air bubbles, overmixing, and improper temperature. Once the batter is smooth and creamy, mix it at the lowest speed for 2 minutes to push out any large air bubbles. Slowly pour the batter from a height of 8 inches to pop more air bubbles and bang the pan on the kitchen counter several times. Avoid opening the oven during baking to keep the temperature consistent.ย
- After baking, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door open for an hour to gradually lower the temperature. This prevents the cake from collapsing and cracking.
- Once the cheesecake reaches room temperature, cover it loosely to prevent any condensation from dripping onto it.
- Chill overnightย for best results.
- Add the cherry topping once it's atย room temperature. Warm cherry sauce will melt the cheesecake.
- For the holidays, you can make cherry cheesecake up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge.
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