Our signature baked cheesecake is topped with a fresh cherry sauce. It requires no water bath and freezes beautifully, so you can make it ahead. Bake it the traditional way in a round pan or use a rectangular one, and make cheesecake squares to serve at gatherings, cookouts and potlucks.
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A classic cheesecake
This is one of my best cheesecake recipes, the one I bake most often when cherries (and other berries) are in season.
The cheesecake itself is wonderfully traditional on its own, but greatly enhanced by the graham base and sweet cherry topping (similar to cherry pie filling).
Though nothing is surprising about the ingredients of the different components or the fact that a cherry topping is fabulous on a cheesecake, it still bears making and repeating.
Simplicity is all we need sometimes. And a great addition to our cheesecake archive.
- Bake ahead: it's recommended that you bake it a few days before eating. That means you can serve a fabulous last-minute cheesecake for dessert with minimal fuss. It lasts 4-5 days in the fridge, in the pan it was baked, well covered, without the topping.
- Topping: can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for a week or frozen for at least a month.
- Dessert for a crowd: cheesecake is a favorite for most people, so bake this recipe in a rectangular pan (it will not be as tall, similar to this chocolate crust cheesecake). Then, you can cut it into smaller squares and feed many more guests. If you make two cheesecakes, you can serve dessert to 24 people or so, depending on the size of the bars.
Watch our step-by-step videos
Graham crust for cheesecake
- Graham cracker cookies are a classic ingredient and pair very well with the cheese filling.
- Unsalted butter: it's used melted to bind the cookie crumbs.
- For a sweeter crust, add a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the cookie mixture and subtract it from the ground cookie amount.
- Chocolate crust alternative: use a chocolate cookie crust, like the one we use for the baked cheesecake with berry topping.
Cheesecake filling
It's pretty straightforward and has few ingredients.
It doesn't have stabilizers like flour or cornstarch and instead relies on the baking and cooling process to achieve a creamy, perfectly firm and fantastic cheesecake.
Full-fat cream cheese: it's a must for consistency and flavor.
3 secrets for a creamy cheesecake
- Cheesecake batter: the key is not beating it, so we don't incorporate much air. If the ingredients are at room temperature, you should have no problem. I use that to know if they're at the right temperature: if I cannot easily mix the batter with a hand whisk, it's because the ingredients have not softened enough.
- Oven temperature: low is better than medium. I have gone back and forth for years testing this. Even though I might bake it at the standard medium oven temperature for ten minutes initially, the bulk of the baking is done at 300°F/150°C at the most, sometimes less than that. Like baking a flan recipe, where the low temperature ensures that the batter doesn't puff and the filling stays creamy. The cheesecake will rise slightly, but not much.
- Cooling process: this is crucial, and it consists of 3 steps: letting it cool for a while in the oven after it's turned off; letting it completely cool to room temperature on a wire rack; refrigerating it for at least 8 hours (a whole day is better). I have tested this thoroughly, and following all the steps renders the creamiest cheesecake.
Cherry cheesecake topping
Our very popular cherry topping is used for this dessert.
It's incredibly easy to make, and I enhance it with lemon juice to get a balanced sweetness. The syrup that forms is good enough to eat with a spoon!
You can adjust the level of sweetness and sourness and adapt the cherry sauce to your palate. You're the one eating it after all.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Ingredients: all filling ingredients must be at room temperature. This ensures they can be well incorporated without overbeating the batter, which is important and part of achieving a creamy consistency.
- Mixing: I recommend combining the ingredients with a whisk, but you can use an electric hand mixer for the first part, mixing cream cheese and sugar only. After that, continue by hand. If you're making a large batch (like double the recipe) and want to use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, do so at low speed just until it's all mixed. Cheesecake batters need to be combined or stirred, not beaten.
- Follow the instructions for cooling it down: every step is important, so don't skip or accelerate them. Also, I find the texture is superior when I refrigerate it for 1 or 2 days before removing it from the pan.
- Freezing: cheesecakes can be frozen and sometimes are creamier and softer after a stay in the freezer. There’s probably a chemical explanation.
- Topping: keep in mind the ratio of filling and cherry sauce. If baked in a rectangular pan, it will not render a tall cheesecake, so adding a thick layer of sauce on top of it will not let the filling shine.
Related recipes you might like:
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Baked Cherry Cheesecake
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Our signature baked cheesecake is topped with a fresh cherry sauce. It requires no water bath and freezes beautifully, so you can make it ahead. Bake it the traditional way in a round pan or use a rectangular one, and make cheesecake squares to serve at gatherings, cookouts and potlucks.
Ingredients
For the cookie base:
- 2 cups graham crackers, ground
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cream cheese filling:
- 32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
For the cherry sauce topping:
- 24 ounces whole cherries, (about 3 cups pitted)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
For the graham cracker crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Spray or butter a 9-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom.
- Stir 2 cups graham crackers crumbs with ½ cup unsalted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. If grinding the graham crackers in a food processor, simply add the butter and mix.
- Put this mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly onto the bottom.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling. Don't turn the oven off.
For the cream cheese filling:
- Mix 32 ounces cream cheese in a large bowl until very smooth. You can use a handheld mixer or wire whisk. If the cheese is at room temperature, mixing it by hand should not be a problem. If using a hand-held electric mixer, use it only for this part and at the lowest temperature. We don't want to incorporate air into the batter.
- Gradually add 1 ¼ cups sugar and beat until sugar is very well incorporated.
- Add 5 eggs, in 2 additions, mixing until incorporated, and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Be patient and don't be tempted to beat much.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup sour cream and ¼ cup heavy cream, stirring to incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan of choice, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes at 325°F (165°C), then turn the oven down to 300ºF (150°C) and bake for another 50-55 minutes. At this point, the cheesecake should jiggle quite a lot in the center but not feel wet. This can vary depending on your oven and take longer. It will solidify a lot as it cools.
- Turn the oven off, open the door ajar, and let the cheesecake inside for 1 hour.
- Remove the springform pan from the oven and carefully run a smooth-bladed knife around the sides to loosen any stuck batter. If it's too tender, let it cool longer before doing this. This will help prevent cracks from developing as it cools and shrinks.
- Cool completely to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, cover in plastic wrap (still in the pan), and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. I find that 1 to 2 days in the fridge before removing it from the pan and eating it, renders the creamiest consistency.
- Top with the cherry topping and serve.
For the cherry topping:
- Wash and pit 24 ounces whole cherries. You'll have about 3 cups of pitted cherries. Leave whole or cut in half. Or half and half.
- Put them in a medium saucepan and add ¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice. Mix to combine.
- Cook over medium heat until it breaks a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in 4 tablespoons water until no lumps remain, and drizzle over the cherries.
- Stir constantly and cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool down.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or another airtight container.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Cheesecake batter: the key is not beating it, so we don't incorporate much air. If the ingredients are at room temperature, you should have no problem. I use that to know if they're at the right temperature: if I cannot easily mix the batter with a hand whisk, it's because the ingredients have not softened enough.
Oven temperature: low is better than medium. I have gone back and forth for years testing this. Even though I might bake it at the standard 350°F (180°C) for ten minutes initially, the bulk of the baking is done at 300°F (150°C) at the most, sometimes less than that. Like baking a flan recipe, the lower temperature ensures that the batter doesn't puff and the filling stays creamy. The cheesecake will rise slightly, but not much.
Cooling process: this is crucial, and it consists of 3 steps: letting it cool for a while in the oven after it's turned off; letting it completely cool to room temperature on a wire rack; refrigerating it for at least 8 hours (a whole day is better). I have tested this thoroughly, and following all the steps renders a very creamy cheesecake filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 878kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 13gFat: 60gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gSodium: 552mgPotassium: 454mgFiber: 3gSugar: 59gVitamin A: 2235IUVitamin C: 9mg
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