This Cherry Cheesecake is lush, velvety, and creamy finished with a generous heap of sweet homemade cherry sauce on top. It’s the perfect summer dessert to indulge in while cherries are in season. The crunchy graham cracker crust, rich vanilla cheesecake filling, and made from scratch cherry topping will easily rival your favorite bakery!
The best part? Making cheesecake from scratch is a lot easier than you think! This easy-to-follow recipe will walk you through making the perfect cheesecake for all occasions — whether you’re a baking beginner or a cheesecake expert. It’s broken down into a few simple parts to make baking the perfect cheesecake foolproof.
INGRIDIENT NOTES
To make this delicious Cherry Cheesecake, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
Graham cracker crumbs: - or an equal amount of Gingersnap cookie crumbs. You can also use Graham crackers and crush them manually in a food processor. For a gluten-free cheesecake, use gluten-free Graham cracker crumbs.
Butter - use unsalted butter, if possible. It contains less water than salted butter and gives you more control over the flavor.
Cream cheese - if you don’t have cream cheese on hand, swap it with blended cottage cheese, mascarpone cheese, or silken tofu.
Sour cream - you can also use plain Greek yogurt.
Lemon juice - fresh-squeezed lemon juice is best, but you can use lemon juice concentrate or white distilled vinegar.
White sugar - granulated white sugar can be substituted for any granulated sugar alternative, but the type you choose will affect the overall taste of the cheesecake.
Vanilla extract - you can also use vanilla bean paste at a 1:1 ratio.
Eggs
Pitted cherries - fresh cherries (like Bing cherries or morello cherries) are best, but you can also use frozen cherries.
Water
Cornstarch - if you’re out of cornstarch, try the same measure of rice flour or potato flour instead.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer), 9-inch springform pan, and a large baking dish (for the hot water bath)
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CHERRY CHEESECAKE
First, make the crust.
Combine ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, stir the Graham cracker crumbs and melted butter together until well mixed. (If using whole Graham crackers, add them to a food processor first and process until fine crumbs form).
Freeze. Press the crumbs firmly into a lightly greased 9-inch round springform pan. Freeze for 15 minutes, allowing the crust to set before filling.
Next, make the cheesecake filling.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to help mix evenly. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed until just blended. Repeat until all eggs are added and blended (Do not overmix to avoid cracking during baking).
Finally, assemble and bake.
Assemble. Carefully pour the cheesecake filling into the cooled crust and smooth out the surface. Gently tap the pan to remove any air bubbles from the filling.
Prepare boiling water bath. Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil and place the pan in a large baking dish. Fill the dish with 1 inch (2 cm) deep of boiling water.
Bake. Move the baking dish to the oven and bake in a 325F preheated oven for 1 hour in the boiling water bath (This helps prevent sudden temperature drop and cracking).
Rest. Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes, allowing it to continue baking slowly (do not open the oven door).
Chill. Take the pan out of the oven and run a paring knife gently around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Cover the pan with plastic cling wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (or overnight) to cool down and solidify.
Serve the cheesecake.
Remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Spoon the cherry sauce evenly over the cheesecake. Slice and serve.
HOW TO MAKE CHERRY SAUCE FOR CHEESECAKE
In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch, and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until the sauce thickens to a desired consistency, about 4-5 minutes.
Set aside and let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving over the cheesecake.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Make it extra creamy. Add in an extra ½ cup to 1 cup of cream cheese or mascarpone cheese for an even richer and creamier filling.
Add citrus flavor. The cheesecake filling has a hint of lemony flavor thanks to a bit. of lemon juice. You can make it extra citrusy by adding in some lemon zest into the batter.
Add chocolate. Make a chocolate cherry cheesecake by adding in some cocoa powder or melted chocolate into the cheesecake batter. You can garnish with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top too.
Change the topping. You can switch out the cherry sauce topping with something else. Try our Strawberry Sauce or top with fresh berries, peaches, mangoes, or other fruit of your choice.
Add caramel. Drizzle some caramel sauce over the cheesecake for delicious sweetness. Try our homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. I recommend adding a sprinkle of chopped nuts too for a perfect combination of flavors.
Top with whipped cream. Top the cheesecake with a dollop of light and airy whipped cream.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve this Cherry Cheesecake on it’s own or with some desserts and drinks that pair well with cheesecake such as:
