This homemade Strawberry Cheesecake is simply irresistible and is my go-to dessert all year ’round. It’s creamy and rich and is topped with a generous layer of luscious strawberry jam and adorned with fresh, juicy strawberry slices. Each delicious bite melts in your mouth, blending velvety cheesecake with the burst of sweet strawberries, creating a dessert experience that’s simply out of this world!
The Best Strawberry Cheesecake
Imagine sinking your fork into a creamy, luscious strawberry cheesecake, where each bite is a harmonious blend of velvety cheesecake filling, sweet (yet bright) strawberry jam, and juicy, fresh strawberries. From my days in undergrad (go Heels!) to now, I’ve been perfecting the art of making the ultimate strawberry cheesecake and I have done it.
This recipe begins with a buttery graham cracker crust, providing a perfect contrast to the silky smooth cheesecake filling. Blending cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract, the filling achieves a luscious, tangy texture that melts in your mouth with every forkful. What sets this strawberry cheesecake apart is the layer of homemade strawberry jam, made from ripe strawberries bursting with natural sweetness. This adds a delightful, bright fruity element that complements the richness of the cheesecake, while fresh strawberry slices on top enhance both flavor and presentation.
Whether you’re planning a cozy family dinner, a festive holiday gathering, or simply craving a delightful treat to brighten your day, this strawberry cheesecake fits the bill perfectly. Its rich flavors and vibrant presentation make it a showstopper on any dessert table.
More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
- The Best Passionfruit Cheesecake
- Strawberry Crisp Cheesecake
- The Best Mango Cheesecake
- Easy Mini Cheesecakes
- Homemade Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Key Lime Cheesecake
- Birthday Cake Cheesecake w/ Edible Cookie Dough
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Strawberry Cheesecake
Cream Cheese Filling
Cream Cheese: No cheesecake is complete without cream cheese! It forms the base of the filling, creating the thick texture and tangy flavor we need. For the best results, use full-fat brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese from a tub.
Eggs: These help create a custard and bind the filling together.
Sugar: Granulated sugar offsets the tanginess for a well-rounded taste.
Sour Cream: This is how you achieve restaurant-quality flavor! The sourness adds another layer to the tangy flavor while enhancing the creamy consistency and actually helps temper the cream cheese, softening its texture.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract infuses the filling with a sweet vanilla flavor.
Lemon Juice and Zest: The bright, tart citrus flavor adds a pop of fruitiness that pairs well with the strawberries.
Strawberry Topping
Strawberries: We use strawberries for our jam and we add fresh slices as a topping. Make sure to use ripe, fresh strawberries. Frozen varieties won’t have as much flavor and are too mushy to create the thick consistency we want with our homemade jam.
Sugar: Granulated sugar dissolves seamlessly into the jam enhancing the natural sweetness of the strawberries. Feel free to add more than the recipe calls for if you have a strong sweet tooth like me.
Vanilla: This adds extra depth to the jam, infusing it with sweet vanilla flavor.
Lemon Juice and Zest: The acidity helps balance some of the sweetness and activates pectin, which helps the jam thicken and firm up a bit so it doesn’t run all over the place.
Crust
Honey Graham Cracker Cookies: These form the base of the crust! You can also use pre-made graham cracker crumbs.
Unsalted Butter: We melt this to create a cohesive crust that’s easy to shape and mold yet bakes to golden perfection.
Sugar: Without this, the crust will be too savory!
How to Make This Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Create the Crust.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Place your cookies in a food processor or blender, and grind them until fine crumbs form. You can also transfer the graham crackers to a gallon-size plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin. Then, transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, and add the sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
Step 2: Next, pour the mixture into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan, spreading it out evenly. Press the crumbs down along the bottom and sides of the pan. Be sure to pat them evenly! Or, use the back of a measuring cup or spoon to pat the crumbs and form the crust. Then, bake for 10 minutes. Then, remove the crust from the oven, set it aside, and reduce the oven temperature to 325.
Step 3. Bring about 8-10 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.
Prepare a Quick Water Bath.
Step 4: Bring about 8-10 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.
Make Cream Cheese Filling.
Step 5. In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and sour cream. Blend until well combined (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed.
Step 6. Next, add eggs one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding another egg. Once well mixed, place the filling in the crust.
Prepare to Bake Cheesecake.
Step 7. Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack above the rack with the roasting pan of steamy water and close the oven door. Then, bake for 55-65 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake. It should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Once done, turn the oven off, and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour.
Step 8. Remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight.
Make the Strawberry Topping.
Step 9. Place your diced strawberries, lemon juice and zest, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to boil at medium heat. Use a potato smasher to break down the strawberries. Cook for about 10-13 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. It should be syrupy and a bit jammy (it will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from heat, set aside, and let cool.
Pro Tip: If you like strawberry pieces in your sauce, you can add them at the end of the cooking process. For this chunkier topping, you can use halved, sliced, or diced strawberries. Because the sauce is hot, the residential heat will cook and soften the strawberries, but you can cook for 1 minute if you want them even softer. I prefer fresh strawberries with my cheesecake. So, instead of putting my strawberries in the sauce, I’ll add them on top of the cheesecake, but do whatever works for you!
Step 10. Once the strawberry topping is cooled, adjust the sauce to your desired thickness by adding water to the sauce. Be sure to only add about 1 tsp of water at a time. I like my sauce to be slightly thick and jammy, but saucey enough so it’ll run off the sides a bit when I slice it.
Step 11. Once the cheesecake has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator and evenly add the sauce to the top of the cheesecake.
Step 12. Then, add your sliced strawberries to the top. I like to place them in a spiral design and garnish with mint springs. Pro tip: you can sprinkle a little sugar on top of the strawberries to make them glisten.
Step 13. Next, slice up a piece and serve with whip cream and enjoy!
How to Avoid Cracks in Your Cheesecake
Cracks in this strawberry cheesecake recipe aren’t the end of the world; however, there are some easy steps you can take to prevent them from occurring.
- Avoid overmixing the filling. Blend just until the ingredients are smooth. Continuing to mix will introduce too much air into the mixture. Excess air can cause the cheesecake to rise as it bakes only to deflate and crack as it cools. To help the process, allow your ingredients time to come to room temperature before you begin.
- Resist the urge to open the oven during baking. Unlike cookies or brownies, which can withstand a little temperature change, cheesecakes cannot. The rush of cold air is one of the most common reasons cheesecakes crack!
- Take your time. Avoid rushing the cooling process for all the layers but especially the filling. Removing it from the oven too soon will have the same result as opening the oven door while it bakes, causing a drastic temperature change that makes the filling crack.
- Use a Water bath. This recipe calls for quick water bath, which doesn’t require you to wrap your entire cheesecake in foil. All you have to do is place a roasting pan of steamy, hot water on the rack directly beneath the cheesecake. The steam will keep the cheesecake from cracking, provided you follow the other tips. The steam also ensures you’ll have a creamy and velvety cheesecake.
More Amazing Summer Desserts
Cover, and refrigerate the cheesecake for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can place individual slices or the entire cheesecake in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve. The jam will likely become a little watery and bleed into the filling, and the streusel topping won’t be as crisp, but it will still taste delicious!
The cheesecake is done when the edges are set, and the center is slightly jiggly. It should not be liquidy. The internal temperature should reach around 150°F (65°C).
Yes, store-bought strawberry sauce can be used as a convenient alternative to homemade topping, but I prefer homemade sauce.
I hope you love this Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe! It’s velvety, creamy, bright, fruity, and absolutely delicious! If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
The Best Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 32 oz 4 blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Strawberry Topping
- 32 oz strawberries divided in half (half diced, half sliced)
- 1/3 cup sugar more for desired sweetness
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tsp lemon zest about 1 lemon
Crust
- 2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
Create the Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. Place your cookies in a food processor or blender, and grind them until fine crumbs form. You can also transfer the graham crackers to a gallon-size plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin. Then, transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, and add the sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
- Next, pour the mixture into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan, spreading it out evenly. Press the crumbs down along the bottom and sides of the pan. Be sure to pat them evenly! Or, use the back of a measuring cup or spoon to pat the crumbs and form the crust. Then, bake for 10 minutes. Then, remove the crust from the oven, set it aside, and reduce the oven temperature to 325.
- Bring about 8-10 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.
Prepare a Quick Water Bath.
- Bring about 8-10 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.
Make Cream Cheese Filling.
- In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and sour cream. Blend until well combined (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed.
- Next, add eggs one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding another egg. Once well mixed, place the filling in the crust.
Prepare to Bake Cheesecake.
- Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack above the rack with the roasting pan of steamy water and close the oven door. Then, bake for 55-65 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake. It should still be a bit wobbly in the middle. Once done, turn the oven off, and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight.
Make the Strawberry Topping.
- Place your diced strawberries, lemon juice and zest, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to boil at medium heat. Use a potato smasher to break down the strawberries. Cook for about 10-13 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. It should be syrupy and a bit jammy (it will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from heat, set aside, and let cool. Pro Tip: If you like strawberry pieces in your sauce, you can add them at the end of the cooking process. For this chunkier topping, you can use halved, sliced, or diced strawberries. Because the sauce is hot, the residential heat will cook and soften the strawberries, but you can cook for 1 minute if you want them even softer. I prefer fresh strawberries with my cheesecake. So, instead of putting my strawberries in the sauce, I’ll add them on top of the cheesecake, but do whatever works for you!
- Once the strawberry topping is cooled, adjust the sauce to your desired thickness by adding water to the sauce. Be sure to only add about 1 tsp of water at a time. I like my sauce to be slightly thick and jammy, but saucey enough so it’ll run off the sides a bit when I slice it.
- Once the cheesecake has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator and evenly add the sauce to the top of the cheesecake.
- Then, add your sliced strawberries to the top. I like to place them in a spiral design and garnish with mint springs. Pro tip: you can sprinkle a little sugar on top of the strawberries to make them glisten.
- Next, slice up a piece and serve with whip cream and enjoy!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
Very delish. If you are a person that prefers sweets to be rich and not overly sweet, this is for you! I opted to add a 1/2 tsp of almond flavor in mine because I’m obsessed with almond flavor lol
So glad you liked it! And almond extract sounds like an interesting twist! My mom is also obsessed with almond and puts it in everything! I’ll have to tell her to try it in this recipe! 🤗