Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe That’s Creamy and Crack-Free

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

This baked strawberry cheesecake is the dessert I pull out when I want to impress someone without saying a word about how much work went into it. A dense, creamy filling sits on a simple graham cracker crust, and a glossy fresh strawberry topping finishes the whole thing with bright, fruity flavor.

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Yes, a baked cheesecake asks for more preparation than a no bake version. You will wrap a pan, boil water, and wait. The result is worth every minute. This is a rich, indulgent slice that tastes like a celebration, it serves 10, and it holds up beautifully when you make it a day ahead.

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake

I have baked cheesecake in almost every form. Chocolate, chilled, plain, swirled, and once, out of pure curiosity, a savory one. This baked strawberry cheesecake is the one I always come back to.

The filling is thick and creamy, and the sour cream keeps it from tasting heavy or flat. The topping gives you two textures at once, soft pieces of fresh fruit and a glossy sauce that clings to every bite. The crust stays simple with classic graham cracker crumbs.

If you want to play around, the crust is the easiest place to experiment. I think an Oreo crust would be super tasty with the strawberry topping, and a shortbread crust works nicely too. Keep the filling and the topping exactly as written, though, because that is where the magic lives.

Ingredients

The list looks long, but it is mostly familiar cheesecake ingredients, and you probably have several of them in the kitchen already.

• Graham cracker crumbs. Buy them already crumbed, or crush whole crackers with a rolling pin or a food processor.
• Granulated sugar. It sweetens the crust and the filling, and it helps thicken the strawberry glaze.
• Unsalted butter. Melted butter moistens the crumbs and holds the crust together.
• Cream cheese. Use full fat blocks, not reduced fat and not spreadable cream cheese, and set them out ahead of time so they soften.
• Cornstarch. It thickens both the filling and the strawberry sauce.
• Eggs. Four large eggs plus one yolk add richness and help the cheesecake set.
• Sour cream and heavy cream. Full fat versions of both add creaminess and balance.
• Vanilla. Pure extract or vanilla paste is what I reach for.
• Lemon juice. A little acidity brightens the berries.
• Strawberries. Fresh, ripe berries go on top, and half of them get cooked into the sauce.

One note on the water: those 6 cups are not part of the batter. They go into the outer roasting pan to create the water bath that steams the cheesecake gently while it bakes.

How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake takes time, but it is not difficult. Prep time is about 30 minutes, the bake is roughly 70 minutes, and the total working time lands near 1 hour 40 minutes. Add at least 8 hours of chilling, and you have a dessert that is best started the day before you plan to serve it.

1. Take the cold ingredients out of the fridge and measure everything first. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Lay 4 sheets of foil in a cross and star pattern. Set the pan in the center and wrap the foil tightly on all sides, securing it at least halfway up the pan but not over the rim. Set it aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and melted butter until the crumbs are moist and look like wet sand. Pour them into the pan and press evenly into the bottom and about 3/4 of the way up the sides.
4. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, until golden brown. Remove it from the oven, set it aside, and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat again for 1 minute.
6. Add the sugar and cornstarch and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
7. Add the eggs and the yolk and beat on low until blended. Stir in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla with a spatula until just combined.
8. Boil about 6 cups of water. Set the springform pan inside a larger roasting dish, pour the filling over the crust, then place both pans in the oven. Before closing the door, pour the hot water into the outer pan so it reaches about halfway up the springform pan.
9. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 230 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for 1 hour. Do not open the door.
10. Turn the oven off and open the door a few inches, not all the way. Let the cheesecake cool in the residual heat for 1 hour, then cool fully on the counter. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, overnight is best.

That long stretch of waiting is the part that makes people nervous, but it is also the reason the texture comes out so smooth.

Strawberry Cheesecake Glaze

Make the glaze while the cheesecake cools, ideally when the cheesecake is almost set, so the sauce can cool in the pan and be poured straight onto the cheesecake while it is still in its pan.

You can make it whenever it suits your schedule, but it has to cool and set, so do not stir it together right before serving.

Combine half of the chopped strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens, stirring constantly so nothing burns.

Pull the pan off the heat, stir in the rest of the fresh fruit, and let it cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until completely cold.

To finish, release the cheesecake from the pan, stir the sauce, and spread it evenly over the top. A spoonful of freshly whipped cream on each slice is a lovely touch.

How to Prepare a Springform Pan for A Water Bath

Plenty of methods will get the job done, but this is the setup I trust to keep water out of the cheesecake.

Cut 4 pieces of foil, each one large enough to cover the bottom of the pan and reach about halfway up its sides.

Lay 2 pieces crossing each other, then add the remaining 2 in another crossing arrangement, turned a little so the overall shape looks like a star.

Set the pan in the center and fold the extra foil up along the sides, fastening it under the rim instead of over it.

Why 4 sheets and not 3? Foil tears, and 3 sheets do not always give full coverage. If you want extra insurance, tuck a layer of plastic between the foil sheets. A chicken roasting bag secured between the second and third foil layers works beautifully and removes any possibility of a leak.

A leak proof wrap is the difference between a creamy cheesecake and a soggy crust, so take the extra minute with the foil.

Tips for the Best Cheesecake

• Use room temperature ingredients. Soft ingredients mix together more easily and give you a smoother batter.
• Do not overbeat the filling. Overmixing is the most likely reason a cheesecake cracks. Use the electric mixer for the cream cheese and sugar, then finish by hand.
• Do not open the oven door. High heat at the start and a slow cool down are what give you the best texture. Opening the door lets heat escape and can make the cake sink or crack.
• Do not skip the cooling times. The hour in the cooling oven and the long chill are part of the recipe, not optional extras.
• Cut it cleanly. Use a large, sharp knife dipped in hot water, and wipe the blade with a clean paper towel between slices.

Follow those five and you will pull a tall, smooth cheesecake out of the fridge that looks like it came from a bakery case.

How to Store

Cheesecake always belongs in the refrigerator, and this one freezes well too.

• To store: cover the cheesecake loosely with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• To make ahead: make the cheesecake and the topping, cool both, cover them, and store them separately. Add the sauce just before serving.
• To freeze: double wrap the plain cheesecake in plastic and then in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and serve it with fresh strawberry sauce.
• Freezing the sauce: not recommended, because the fruit turns mushy after thawing.
• Freezing leftovers: scrape the sauce off the top first, then wrap and freeze as above.

A slice straight from the fridge, with the sauce spooned over just before it reaches the plate, tastes as good on day three as it does on day one.

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Strawberry Cheesecake

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Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe This baked strawberry cheesecake is the dessert I pull out when I want to impress someone without saying a word about how much work went into it. A dense, creamy filling sits on a simple graham cracker crust, and a glossy fresh strawberry topping finishes the whole thing with bright, fruity flavor.

• Total Time: 100 min
• Yield: 10 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large eggs + 1 yolk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 cups water, for the water bath

For the Strawberry Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped, divided

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2-Lay 4 sheets of foil on a: Lay 4 sheets of foil on a work surface in a cross/star pattern. Place the pan in the center and wrap the foil tightly on all sides, ensuring there are no tears. Secure it at least halfway up the side of the pan but not over the rim at the top. Set aside.
3-In a medium bowl, mix the graham: In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and melted butter. Stir until all the crumbs are moist, then pour them into the prepared springform pan. Use a measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and about 3/4 of the way up the sides.
4-Bake the crust for 8 minutes or: Bake the crust for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Then, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C).
5-In a separate large mixing bowl, beat: In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free with an electric mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and beat again for 1 minute.
6-Add the sugar and cornstarch and beat: Add the sugar and cornstarch and beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
7-Add the eggs and egg yolk and: Add the eggs and egg yolk and beat on low until well blended. Finally, add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla and stir with a spatula until just combined.
8-For the water bath: For the water bath: boil about 6 cups of water. Place the springform pan with the baked crust into a larger pan or roasting dish. Pour the filling over the crust, then place the two pans into the oven. Before closing the door, pour the hot water into the outer pan, around the springform pan. It should reach about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
9-Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the: Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 230 degrees Fahrenheit (110°C) and continue baking for 1 hour. Do not open the door.
10-After 1 hour, turn the oven off: After 1 hour, turn the oven off and open the door a few inches. Do not open it all the way. Leave the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour in the residual heat. After an hour of cooling in the oven, take the cheesecake out and leave to cool fully on the counter. Then, place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours – overnight is best.
11-While the cheesecake cools, make the strawberry: While the cheesecake cools, make the strawberry sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine half of the sliced strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the sugar dissolves and the sauce has thickened. Stir constantly to keep it from burning. Then, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the remaining fruit, and leave to cool. Finally, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
12-When the cheesecake is fully set, remove: When the cheesecake is fully set, remove it from the springform pan and place on a serving plate. Stir the strawberry sauce and spread it over the top. Serve with fresh whipped cream, and enjoy!

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 70 min
• Method: bake