Strawberry Cheesecake
Creamy, tangy cheesecake surrounded by a simple graham cracker crust, topped with fresh sliced strawberries and a homemade strawberry sauce.
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 40 ounces cream cheese at room temperature (5-8 oz. packages; 2 1/2 lbs total)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
For the Strawberry Topping:
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries divided
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place oven racks in the center of the oven. Then preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
- Stir together graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. The mixture should look like damp sand. Dump the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup (with a flat bottom) press the crust down and halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 7 minutes then set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 F degrees.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the room temperature cream cheese for 30 seconds until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula then add in the granulated sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix, scrape the sides and mix again until everything is incorporated.
- Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and beat well with a fork. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the eggs into the cream cheese mixture until incorportated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again. You want the entire mixture to be smooth. If there are a few small lumps, try to fold in using a rubber spatula.
- Once the batter is completely smooth, tap the bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. As you tap the bowl you should see bubbles popping on the surface. Pour the cheesecake batter into the center of the graham cracker crust and gently smooth the top. It will be very full!
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325 F degrees. Then reduce the temperature to 250 F degrees and continue baking for another 45 minutes. At this point turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes more for some carryover cooking without opening the oven door. After 30 minutes, crack open the door to let the cheesecake cool for one hour before completely removing it. The cheesecake should be warm at this point. Bring it to room temperature on the counter (3-4 hours) before covering it with plastic wrap and transferring it to the fridge.
- Refrigerate until chilled completely (6 hours to overnight). Open the springform pan and remove the collar.
- Wash and slice one pound of strawberries. Place into a small saucepan and sprinkle in sugar and water. Over medium heat bring it all to a simmer. Cook strawberries for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and pour in the vanilla extract. Blitz into a blender until completely smooth. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes in a shallow dish.
- Wash and slice the remaining one pound of strawberries and decorate the chilled cheesecake with them. Pour half of the strawberry sauce over the top of the entire cheesecake. Cut into slices and serve with the rest of the sauce.
Notes
For clean and beautiful slices: Dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe off any excess water, and slice. I like to dip my knife in water between each slice to get really clean-looking pieces.
Nutrition
Calories: 606kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 9gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 1678IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 1mg
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