Cherry Cheesecake
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Master the perfect dessert with my cherry cheesecake recipe! Featuring a tangy cream cheese filling with a sweet, refreshing cherry sauce, it’s impressive and foolproof!
Don’t come for me, but I think cherries are the OG of cheesecake toppings. Other fruits are nice for a change, but cherries are where it’s at.
When paired with a rich, tangy cream cheese filling, the cherries add acidity and much-needed brightness. Pair that with a crumbly pie crust, and you have a very decadent dessert indeed.
I originally wanted to fold the cherries directly into the cheesecake filling, but the extra moisture made the filling too soft. Instead, I made a simple cherry topping that naturally seeps into the cheesecake as it chills, adding cherry flavor throughout without compromising the texture.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Deceptively easy. I know, I know, cheesecakes can be tricky, but I promise this one is very straightforward (even my sister, who struggles with toasting bread, can make this).
- Rich, creamy, and tart. The cream cheese and cherry combo is perfect, and the fruity syrup soaks into every bite.
- Use fresh OR frozen cherries. I’ll use fresh when I have them, but I always keep some backup cherries in the freezer for cheesecake emergencies.
- No water bath needed! I wanted this recipe to be as approachable as possible, so I skipped the water bath entirely. The cheesecake still bakes up crack-free and smooth.
Key Ingredients
- Pie crust. Use a store-bought crust or make a graham cracker crust by combining 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons of sugar, and 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Blend until smooth, then press into your 9-inch pie pan.
- Cream cheese. I tested fat-free, low-fat, and full-fat cream cheese, and full-fat cream cheese yielded the richest cheesecake. Remember to leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before mixing!
- Sour cream. Adds a lighter texture and tangy flavor. Similarly, with the cream cheese, I prefer full-fat sour cream.
- Sugar. To sweeten the filling.
- Vanilla extract. Adds a subtle vanilla flavor that pairs well with the cherries’ tartness.
- Eggs. Room-temperature eggs prevent the filling from firming up as it’s mixed in. I just remove them from the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand.
For the cherry topping:
- Cherries. Use fresh cherries with the pits removed, or frozen cherries thawed, with the excess juice drained. This is super important because even a little bit of excess liquid can affect how thick the topping is.
- Cornstarch. To thicken the cherry sauce.
- Sugar. For sweetness and to cut through the cherries’ tartness.
How to make cherry cheesecake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the filling. In a large bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in the eggs until combined.
Step 2- Bake. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pie crust and bake for 60-70 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Chill completely.
Step 3- Make the topping. In a food processor, blend ⅓ of the cherries with cornstarch until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and add sugar. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until thick. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the remaining cherries. Let it cool completely.
Step 4- Top and serve. Pour the cooled filling over the cooled cheesecake.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a springform pan. For easier removal. I’ve made this both ways, and let’s just say I have a newfound respect for springform pans.
- Stop periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you’re mixing. You don’t want clumps of egg yolk or cream cheese.
- Cracks in the cheesecake? It could be because of overmixing or overbaking the cheesecake. Don’t worry; the beauty of my cheesecake is that the cherry topping will cover any cracks.
Frequently asked questions
You’ll know it’s ready to come out of the oven when the edges of the cheesecake look firm and have lightly browned. The middle will still be a bit jiggly, but it will firm up overnight in the fridge.
I originally tried this recipe with cherry preserves on top instead of a cherry topping, and found that the jam wouldn’t adhere to the cheesecake well and was WAY too sweet. The homemade cherry topping has a fresher flavor and better texture.
Cherry Cheesecake
Video
Ingredients
Pie crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 150g
- 5 tablespoons sugar 63g
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, 85g
Filling
- 4 cups cream cheese 900g
- 1 cup sour cream 240g
- 1 1/3 cups sugar 265g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs whisked
Cherry cheesecake topping
- 22 oz cherries pitted and divided, 625g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 16g
- 1 cup sugar 200g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F.
- Blend the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until smooth, then press into a 9-inch springform pie pan.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and sugar and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla. Gently fold in the eggs one at a time until combined.
- Transfer the cheesecake filling to the pie crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the edges are set and the middle is still slightly jiggly when touched. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely.
- In a food processor, add around 2/3 of the cherries with cornstarch and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and add the sugar. Cook over medium heat for around 10-15 minutes, until it is thick.
- Remove the filling from the heat and add the remaining chopped cherries. Let the mixture cool completely, stirring it regularly throughout.
- Once the filling has cooled, spread over the top of the cheesecake.
Notes
Nutrition
More easy cheesecake recipes
- Chocolate no bake cheesecake
- Raspberry cheesecake
- Baklava cheesecake
- Biscoff cheesecake
- Mango cheesecake
Originally published March 2023
Will monk fruit sweetener be a good sugar substitute? Or what would be your recommendations on a sugar substitute?
I would recommend allulose, Anthony- it dissolves like white sugar and unlike monk fruit or other sweeteners, it doesn’t crystallize or leave things grainy 🙂
Making this for Mother’s Day. Does it need to be red cherries or are black cherries ok? Does one taste better than the other?
Hi Faith, it really depends on your taste preferences. Red cherries can be a little more tart, where as black cherries are generally sweeter and won’t release as much moisture as they bake, which is usually ideal!
Oh this is delicious
Thank you for your lovely review, Nadine!
Why does it look like cherry is swirled into the cheesecake ?
Hi Selena! That is what happens as the cherry topping sits on the cheesecake and firms up- it seeps into the cheesecake filling without affecting the texture 🙂
Easy to make and fluffy and light!
It looks really sweet this. So red and nice colour. Could try.
Why does the pic look like a graham cracker crust
Hi! It is a graham cracker crust 🙂
Because it is graham cracker crust. The recipe said you could use either/or