As a self-proclaimed cheesecake connoisseur (read: a woman with a cheesecake obsession) who loves to remake her favorites at home, this classic strawberry cheesecake recipe was a long time in the making. It’s simple to make, with no complicated water bath cooking method, but you’ll still end up with a perfectly creamy cheesecake.
The base uses sour cream and sweetened condensed milk for the perfect blend of sweet but slightly tart, and paired with the sweet graham cracker crust and strawberry topping, it should be on your list of desserts to make ASAP.
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
Graham Cracker Crust: You can use graham crackers you have lying around and use a food processor or blender to make crumbs, or you can buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs. Both work, but the important part here is to make sure you’ve got a fine, uniform crumb (no big chunks!). Add this to a little brown sugar and melted butter, and you’re set. If you’d like to substitute other crumbs (like nilla wafers or oreos), they will work great, just make sure you’ve got a fine crumb for best results.
Cheesecake Filling: When it comes to cream cheese, we are going FULL FAT, Philadelphia brand only at room temperature. We are not being paid to say that, but have found (and have had a few chef-friends corroborate!) that Philadelphia cream cheese is the best for baking. We added in sweetened condensed milk for extra creaminess, and the sour cream gives it just that little bit of tanginess, plus a lighter texture overall.
Strawberry Topping: We like to use frozen strawberries to save on time (no trimming leaves!) and cost, and makes it easier to make any time of year, even if fresh strawberries are not available. We added sugar, lemon for a little acidity, and cornstarch to thicken it up. While this can obviously be added to the top, we prefer to swirl it in for a restaurant-quality vibe.
The Science of a Perfect Cheesecake
- Room temperature ingredients: While it does take a little planning, using room temperature ingredients in your cheesecake will ensure a smoother cheesecake filling (no lumps!). Everything from the cream cheese, to the butter, to the eggs should be room temperature for the creamiest results.
- Don’t overmix: like a cookie, overmixing can result in a non-ideal texture. In the case of cheesecake, overmixing can mean extra air added to the filling, resulting in more cracks.
- Eggs + sour cream: some recipes call for one or the other, but this one uses BOTH. The sour cream gives it a little extra fat and moisture, without weighing down the mixture for a light, creamy texture. The eggs help bind the filling together, giving it that thick, custard-like texture of a New York style cheesecake you know and love.
- Gradual cooling: Last, but not least, let your cheesecake slowly cool (like this one, which cools overnight!). This helps it set and can also help prevent cracking, as well.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Cheesecake
1. Make the Crust:
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter in a bowl until combined. Press this into the bottom of a springform pan (or cake pan lined with parchment paper). Place this in the refrigerator to set while you prepare the rest of the cheesecake.
2. Prepare the Strawberry Sauce:
Blend together strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch, and vanilla extract until smooth. (Strain the sauce if you don’t want seeds!). Add the sauce to a saucepan over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened (2-3 minutes), then set aside.
3. Prepare the filling:
Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy, then add condensed milk and sour cream. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one, then fold in cornstarch and vanilla extract.
4. Bake and Cool:
Assemble the cheesecake by pouring half the filling into the graham cracker crust, then dot the top with 1 teaspoon drops of strawberry sauce and swirl them in. Pour remaining cheesecake filling on top, and add the remaining strawberry sauce. Swirl together with a chopstick or the tip of a knife. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until it’s cooked, but the center (about 2-3”) is still jiggly when you give a firm shake. Remove from the oven and set it aside to cool. Then put it in the fridge to let it chill overnight and set up fully.
Water Bath vs. No Water Bath
While a water bath can ensure a gentle, more even baking temperature (which can be very helpful in older or more unreliable ovens), it can also get a little tricky. If it’s not sealed, there is the potential of creating a mess of your cheesecake if there is a leak. We opted not to use a water bath with this recipe, so you don’t need to complicate your baking method. However, without that added steam, the focus is on the cooling process – letting it sit overnight in the fridge will help the cake settle and help reduce cracking.
Troubleshooting and FAQ:
As we mentioned above, avoid over-mixing, use room temperature ingredients, and slowly cooling and chilling the cheesecake will all help prevent cracking.
Runny cheesecake can be from undercooking (make sure only the middle 2-3” of it is jiggly) or from low-fat ingredients. This is not the time to use low-fat ingredients if you want it to turn out just right. Luckily, because we don’t use a water bath, it’s less likely to have a soggy crust. However, make sure you don’t add more butter than is called for in the recipe, because that could lead to a softer crust.
If you want to freeze the cheesecake, you’ll want to leave out the strawberry filling and instead, make it before serving and just add it to the top. To freeze, make sure the cheesecake has completely cooled, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator, then top with freshly made strawberry sauce before serving.
Yes! For the best results, including a creamy, non-lumpy texture, you’ll want to use room temperature ingredients (you can read more in the science of cheesecake section above).
A full-fat greek yogurt could work in place for sour cream. Just make sure you use “plain” and not flavored.
Classic Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 7 oz. graham cracker crumbs, about 2 cups
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the sauce:
- 1 lb. frozen strawberries, thawed
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cream cheese filling:
- 24 oz. cream cheese
- 6 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a cake pan, with a detachable bottom or springform pan with parchment paper, bottom and sides.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar in a bowl. Add melted butter and stir until all is well combined.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press the crust with a glass, bottom and sides, lifting the crust sides up. Refrigerate the crust while you make the rest.
Prepare the sauce:
- Make the strawberry sauce by adding strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch and vanilla extract in a food blender. Blend until smooth. If you want, you can strain the strawberry sauce to remove any seeds.
- Add the sauce to the saucepot and cook until slightly thickened, for 2-3 minutes. Reserve ⅓ cup of the strawberry sauce. Set aside.
Prepare the filling:
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.
- Add condensed milk and sour cream. Beat well.
- Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in cornstarch and vanilla extract.
Assemble the cake:
- Pour half the cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust. Add some of the strawberry sauce on top, in dots (1 tsp), then swirl it around.
- Pour the remaining cream cheese on top and add the rest of the strawberry sauce. Make swirls with a chopstick or with the tip of a knife. I added dots and just went through the center of each. This way, I created a heart-shaped swirl.
Bake the cake:
- Bake the cake in your preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. The center should still be jiggly. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool. Then, chill the cake overnight in the fridge.
Serve:
- Slice the cake and serve it with some extra strawberry sauce on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
