Easy Strawberry Cheesecake (Video)

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake is like a traditional baked cheesecake with a crunchy graham cracker crust, a creamy, light, and fluffy cheesecake filling, and a delicious strawberry sauce on top. It’s a classic dessert that everyone loves and is much easier to make than you think!

Although it is baked it is still served chilled which makes it a refreshing choice for summertime. You can showcase all of the beautiful fresh juicy strawberries that you picked or switch them up and use whatever fruit you like. You’ll notice that the cheesecake recipe itself is a blank slate for all kinds of flavors and sauces!

Strawberry just happens to be a favorite, because who doesn’t love strawberries?! It’s certainly a treat for summer BBQs and potlucks, but it’s also perfect for the holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s day, birthdays, showers, and more!

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe Tips

• Wash strawberries! Even if they are organic, it’s always good practice to wash your fruit beforehand.
• Line and prepare the baking sheet. There’s nothing worse than trying to serve a slice of cheesecake and having it stick to the bottom!
• Do not peek. As tempting as it may be to open the oven door to check on your cheesecake, don’t do it! The change in temperature will cause the cake to deflate and possibly crack.
• Serve the sauce on the side if you like. In fact, when you serve a crowd, you could make a few different sauces and allow people to pick their own!
• Start with room temperature ingredients. The cream cheese needs to be soft so it’s easy to cream and the eggs also need to be brought to room temperature to match. It helps with even baking.

Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake

For the Crust

• Honey graham crackers - You’ll need about 2 cups of crushed Grahams. You can do this yourself, or buy a package of crumbs.
• Butter, melted - This will help bind the crumbs together into a texture similar to wet sand. When baked it will come together and set nicely.

The Filling

• Cream cheese - Use a block of cream cheese at room temperature. Do not use the container of spreadable cream cheese, it has a higher water content which will affect the texture of the cheesecake.
• Flour - This gives the cake a lighter, more cake-like texture to every bite.
• Vanilla extract - A delicious flavor enhancer that makes everything taste better!
• Sour cream - This will help to lighten up the heavier cream cheese. It’s tangy and creamy but not nearly as thick, so they balance each other.
• Sugar - Needed to sweeten what would otherwise be a very tart cheesecake!
• Eggs - Also at room temperature, so be sure to bring them out ahead of time.

The Topping

• Strawberries - Sliced in half. If you have really big ones cut them into quarters. Don’t forget to save some extra for garnish.
• Sugar - When the strawberries are cooked, the sugar will help to break down the fruit making them soft and jam-like.
• Lemon juice - Brightens up the flavor in the strawberry topping. Adding a bit of citrus juice is a great way to mellow out the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract - Again, a yummy flavor addition.
• Cornstarch & cold water - Together, they make a cornstarch slurry that will thicken up the sauce.

How to Make a Baked Cheesecake From Scratch

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 320 degrees. If you have an oven with a fan, preheat it to 295 degrees.  First place a layer of parchment paper on top, then grease the bottom and the side of a round cake pan (springform works great) with melted butter or oil. See photos for details.

Step 2: To turn your graham crackers into fine crumbs, place them in a Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. You can also use a food processor or blender if you have one.

Step 3: Combine crumbs and melted butter into a bowl to form “sand”. Transfer that to the bottom of the cake pan and press it down using the bottom of a glass cup or measuring cup. This will help to compact it and level it out so that there is a distinct crust line. Set that aside.

Step 4: Make the filling by beating the cream cheese first until it’s smooth. Then, add in the flour and continue to beat until combined.

Step 5: Add vanilla, sour cream, and sugar and mix until everything is incorporated. Crack one egg at a time, beating in between each added egg until just mixed in. Be careful not to over mix.

Step 6: Pour filling into the prepared crust and bake for 55 minutes. Once the time is up, turn off the oven and crack open the oven door just slightly. This will avoid a sudden change in temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours or overnight.

How to Make Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake

This simple sauce can be made with any fruit or berries! Keep this recipe handy for the next time you need a delicious fruit sauce.

First, you’ll bring the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and let them cook down for about 8-10 minutes. Slowly add in the cornstarch slurry to thicken it up and let it cook for another couple of minutes. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Use it to top your cheesecake with a few extra fresh strawberries, and enjoy a slice or two!

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, keep them in the fridge, for up to 3 days!

More Dessert Ideas

• The Best Strawberry Pie
• Apple Fritters
• Strawberry Puff Pastry Dessert
• Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake 
• Easy Fruit Salad
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Bars Recipe
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffin

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