Strawberry Cheesecake

This strawberry cheesecake is smooth and creamy, as dreamy as you'd want any good cheesecake to be, and it's baked on a crunchy graham cracker crust, which lends a contrasting texture to the silky cheesecake for the perfect bite. The strawberry topping includes fresh, juicy berries coated in a sweetened strawberry puree — almost like an irresistibly sticky, sweet jam — for a beautiful presentation on the dessert table at picnics, potlucks, BBQs, and more.

Learn how to make strawberry cheesecake, and give everyone in your family another reason to love strawberry season.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ingredients

All of the ingredients to make strawberry cheesecake are readily available at conventional grocery stores. But the list will be rather long as you're making three components for this dish: the crust, the filling, and the fruit topping.

To make the graham cracker crust, you will need:

• Graham cracker crumbs: You’ll need 15 graham cracker sheets to create the crumbs. (Or, if you don’t want to grind your own, you can also pre-made graham cracker crumbs here instead.)
• Unsalted butter: You’ll melt it before using it in the crust.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar lends sweetness to the crust but also helps hold it together.
• Kosher salt: A bit of salt balances the sweet.
• Cooking spray: Coat the springform pan with cooking spray for an easy release. Cut parchment paper to line the pan for extra assurance.

To make the cheesecake filling, you will need:

• Cream cheese: Buy three 8-ounce packages, and make sure you let them soften before mixing the cheesecake filling.
• Sour cream: This should also be at room temperature. Using ingredients at room temperature makes it easier to combine them without getting lumps or pockets of unmixed ingredients.
• Unsalted butter: Soften before using.
• Granulated sugar: For sweetness.
• Kosher salt: If you end up using salted butter, you may not need this extra salt.
• Eggs: Use large eggs, and bring them to room temperature before making the recipe.
• Vanilla extract: This baking essential rounds out and elevates all the flavors in this simple cheesecake filling.

To make the strawberry topping, you will need:

• Fresh strawberries: For the best flavor, use in-season berries. Bonus points if you picked them.
• Granulated sugar: Cooking berries with sugar will help to create the jam-like sauce for the strawberry topping.
• Lemon juice: Squeeze the juice you need from one fresh lemon. Citrus juice will brighten the fruit's flavor.
• Cornstarch: You'll make a cornstarch slurry with tap water to thicken up the topping and give it a rich, juicy texture.

How To Make Strawberry Cheesecake

This is a very brief outline of the recipe for strawberry cheesecake; the full recipe with step-by-step photos is further below:

• Step 1: Make the crust: Press a combination of graham crackers, butter, sugar, and salt into a springform pan that's been coated with cooking spray.
• Step 2: Make the filling: In a stand mixer, combine the ingredients for the cheesecake filling as directed. Be sure to use ingredients at room temp so they will incorporate well.
• Step 3. Bake the cheesecake: Pour the filling into the baked and cooled crust, and bake the cheesecake. Let it cool in the oven, then chill it, so the top does not crack.
• Step 4. Make the strawberry topping: Combine some of the fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until bubbly, and add a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the sauce. Finally, add the remaining chopped strawberries to the sauce, and spoon over the cheesecake before slicing and serving.

What Is the Difference Between New York-Style Cheesecake and Regular Cheesecake?

New York-style cheesecake is typically made with extra eggs and cream cheese. The result is a richer and denser cheesecake than other styles of cheesecake.

What Makes a Cheesecake Not Smooth?

There are multiple factors that can lead to a lumpy cheesecake. This most commonly happens when the ingredients in the recipe aren’t all at the same temperature — room temperature — before incorporating. Ingredients at different temperatures are harder to combine together and can create a lumpy filling, so it’s important to bring everything to room temperature before use.

Can You Make Strawberry Cheesecake Ahead?

The strawberry topping for this cheesecake can be made up to four days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. You can also store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to four days. Add the topping to the cheesecake just before serving.

Can You Freeze Strawberry Cheesecake?

Yes, cheesecake can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. However, we do not recommend freezing the strawberry topping. The fruit will become mushy and soft when thawed. Instead, plan to make the topping after the cheesecake has thawed and before you plan to serve it.

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe Tips

We made dozens of cheesecakes in an effort to get this strawberry cheesecake just right, so our Test Kitchen professionals are sharing their secrets and what they learned along the way:

• Bring all ingredients to room temperature before using; this makes them easier to combine for a smoother result.
• Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan.
• Plastic slow-cooker liners work great as a seal that keeps water from leaking into the springform pan.
  

More Great Cheesecake Recipes

If you're a big fan of cheesecake (and we are), we've got many more cheesecake recipes you'll want to try:

• Turtle Cheesecake
• Key Lime Cheesecake
• Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake
• Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
• Ambrosia Cheesecake
• Oreo Cheesecake

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.