If you’re looking for the easiest upgrade to classic cheesecake, you can’t get much better (or easier!) than a sweet strawberry topping. Our recipe adds a 2-ingredient syrupy strawberry glaze to a fresh strawberry topping, making this cheesecake not only extremely delicious, but completely wow-worthy. If you’re looking for an impressive Valentine’s Day dessert or a summer treat to cool off with, you can’t go wrong with this classic.
Top tips for strawberry cheesecake:
— Let it cool. By letting your cheesecake cool in an off oven, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of cracking.
— Don’t skip the water bath. Using a water bath is as simple as pouring water in a pan, but incorporating it into this recipe will help your cheesecake bake more evenly.
— Avoid overbaking. You still want a slight jiggle in the center when you take it out—your cheesecake will continue to bake as it cools.
The strawberry topping.
The real star of this classic cheesecake is the homemade strawberry glaze. Our recipe is all about the sweet strawberry syrup, but don’t be fooled—it’s incredibly easy to make. All you need are strawberry preserves and lemon juice to create this spectacular topping.
Can I make it ahead?
Absolutely, cheesecake is a great dessert to make in advance due to its need to set in the fridge. Prepare and bake your cheesecake, then refrigerate for at least 4 but up to 24 hours. When you’re ready, make your strawberry glaze, assemble, and serve!
Have you made this recipe? Let us know how you liked it in the comments below.
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- Yields:
- 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 20 mins
- Total Time:
- 6 hrs 30 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 389
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
- 3
(8-oz. blocks) cream cheese, softened
- 1 c.
granulated sugar
- 3
large eggs
- 1/4 c.
sour cream
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp.
lemon zest
Sliced strawberries, for garnish
For the crust
- 15
graham crackers, crushed
- 5 Tbsp.
butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp.
granulated sugar
pinch of kosher salt
For the sauce
- 1 c.
strawberry preserves
- 2 tsp.
water (or lemon juice)
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 325º and grease a 9” springform pan with cooking spray.
- Step 2Make cheesecake mixture: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until combined. Add eggs and beat until combined, then add sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Step 3Make crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt until completely moist. Spray a 9” springform pan with cooking spray and press graham mixture into prepared pan until packed. Pour cheesecake mixture over crust.
- Step 4Bake until slightly jiggly in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool 1 hour in oven, then refrigerate until completely cool, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Step 5Make glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberry preserves and lemon juice. Whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth.
- Step 6Top the cheesecake with strawberries, then brush the glaze over strawberries. Slice into wedges and serve cold.
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