A rich and creamy no-fail New York Style Cherry Cheesecake with an easy three-ingredient graham cracker crust and a sweet cherry topping. This easy cheesecake has a touch of lemon for a little zippy flavor and a touch of sour cream to soften the texture and make it ultra smooth.
The Best Cherry Cheesecake
This tasty treat is a friend and family favorite, and it is so easy to make. Forget the cheesecake bath and add a dish full of hot water on the rack below it. It will keep the oven steamy and full of moisture to prevent cracks in the cake. I like to use premium canned cherries, but if desired, make it from scratch.
If you love cherries, try my cherry cobbler, cherry bars, cherry crisp, and cherry dump cake. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Ingredients in Cherry Cheesecake
- Graham cracker crumbs: store-bought or fresh
- Granulated sugar
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Cream cheese: full-fat
- Sour cream: also full-fat
- Vanilla extract: the real thing
- Lemons: for juice and zest
- Eggs: large ones, please
- Cherry pie filling
How to make Cherry Cheesecake
Start by making the crust. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Then press it into the bottom and up about an inch on the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Now bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. Let the crust fully cool before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
Preheat the oven and carefully add a casserole dish filled with hot water to the rack below the middle. Then, using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy while scraping down the bowl and the beaters several times. Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl again. Now turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust. Bake the cheesecake for 70 minutes on the middle rack and then turn the oven off. Using a wooden spoon, prop open the oven door about 1 inch. Leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down slowly for about an hour.
Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool. Once the cheesecake cools, cover the springform pan with wrap and refrigerate overnight. Now, using a sharp, thin knife, run the rim of the pan, loosening the cheesecake from the pan. Unbuckle the pan and carefully lift the ring up. Leaving the cheesecake in the bottom rim, gently spoon the cherry filling onto the cheesecake.
Cherry Cheesecake recipe tips
- Crush your own graham crackers in a food processor for the crumbs. It is less expensive and tastes fresher.
- Great cheesecake is not difficult to make; however, it does require planning and cooling time. The graham cracker crust must fully cool before adding the cheesecake batter, and the cheesecake must fully cool before covering and placing it in the refrigerator but do not go longer than 2 hours. Then, it must chill for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Soften the cream cheese and bring the sour cream and eggs to room temperature.
- Take the time to get the cream cheese and sugar smooth and creamy. This takes several minutes and requires scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl several times.
- It is very important not to overmix the batter with your electric mixer. You may incorporate air into the batter, causing it to rise and fall, leaving cracks behind.
- If time permits and you love to cook, try making homemade cherry pie filling.
- Don’t peek in the oven much, or better yet, not at all. Fluctuations in oven temperature can cause cracks. Minimize opening the oven as much as possible.
- The cheesecake will still be slightly jiggly in the middle but set on the sides with very light brown edges when you turn the oven off.
- Serve the cake right on the base. Even the pros do, so don’t risk damaging or dropping your cheesecake.
How to properly cut a cheesecake
Now that you have made this gorgeous company-worth cheesecake, you need to cut the pieces and plate them as carefully and cleanly as possible. Fill a tall glass with hot water and put a fairly long, thin, sharp knife into it. Make sure you have carefully eyed the center of the cheesecake. You can even temporarily create a hole by clearing a cherry out of the way.
Now dry the hot knife with a towel and make the first cut. Then rinse the knife in the hot water and dry again to make the second cut. Use a pie or cake server to gently move the cut slice to a serving plate. Repeat this procedure for every slice you cut, changing the glass of hot water when needed.
How to freeze cheesecake
First, allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then cover the springform pan with plastic wrap and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Now slice it if you are freezing individual portions. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place it in a zipper freezer bag. If freezing the whole cake, keep it on the base and wrap it several times in plastic wrap, followed by heavy-duty aluminum foil. Don’t freeze for more than a month to avoid changes in flavor and texture. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
More Cherry Treats
Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons butter melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 21 ounce can of cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press it into the bottom and up about an inch on the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust fully cool before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Fill a large baking dish with hot water and place it on the rack below the middle rack.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer on medium speed beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy while scraping down the bowl and the beaters with a rubber spatula several times. Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing until incorporated, scraping down the bowl again.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust. Bake for 70 minutes, and then turn the oven off. Using a wooden spoon, prop open the oven door about 1- 1 1/2 inches. Leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down slowly for 1 hour.
- Place the cheesecake on a wire rack to fully cool. Once the cheesecake cools, cover the springform pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours up to overnight. Using a sharp thin knife, run the rim of the pan, loosening the cheesecake from the pan. Unbuckle the pan and carefully lift the ring up. Leaving the cheesecake in the bottom rim, gently spoon the cherry filling onto the cheesecake.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Promptly refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
Nutrition
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Amanda
What a delicious cheesecake! It was so rich and creamy, and the cherry topping was divine. Perfect summer dessert!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Amanda! So glad that you liked it!
Sharon
It doesn’t get better than this classic cheesecake topped with lots of cherries! The perfect dessert.
Katherine
The perfect classic cherry cheesecake! Yum!
Juliane
Tried this dessert last night and we all enjoyed it!!
Sara Welch
Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it was both equally delicious and decadent! Easily, a new favorite dessert; my whole family loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sara! So glad that your family liked it!
Jess
My favorite dessert ever! Such a classic!
Alisa Infanti
I have always been intimidated to make this but you have made it so easy!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Alisa!
Shanika Graham-White
This recipe was fantastic! Thank you so much!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Shanika!
Burnetta Bankston
Beth is there way that you can strawberry swirl New York cheesecake my husband is allergic to cherry
Beth Pierce
Yes you can swirl strawberry sauce that has been thickened with a little cornstarch into a cheesecake.
Vikki
Delicious and beautiful!
Sandra
Everyone at my house was impressed!! It was so good! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
Such a fabulous dessert! My family loved it!
katerina @ diethood.com
I LOVE Cherry Cheesecake! My favorite dessert! YUM!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Cherry Cheesecake was absolutely divine. My family loved it so much. There is not even a crumb left.
Amanda
This cheesecake turned out perfect! It was easy and so delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Amanda! So glad that you liked it!
Amanda
Cherry is my favorite flavor of cheesecake! I cannot wait to give your recipe a go!