Cheesecake might be my favorite dessert, next to lemon bars. (Can I pick two?) I grew up eating cheesecake with a thin layer of sweetened sour cream spread over the top. I still love it, but you can delete it in this recipe, if you like. Try using fresh blueberries in place of the strawberries or add 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend (like how I do in my Sugar and Spice Cheesecake) to the batter and drizzle with caramel instead of the fruit topping. Or make it gluten-free with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs. Any way you enjoy it, you can master this basic recipe to make it your own!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Graham crackers: you can make this recipe gluten-free with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs!
- Cream cheese: bring your cream cheese to room temperature before baking to make it easier to incorporate with the other ingredients.
- Vanilla: feel free to use pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or fresh beans from 1 vanilla bean.
- Sour cream topping: this topping is delicious but also completely optional!
- Strawberries: the strawberries can be swapped for your favorite fruit, such as blueberries! You can also leave the fruit out altogether and opt for a plain cheese vanilla cheesecake or top it with a caramel drizzle.
Storage tips
- To store: Refrigerate the cheesecake and strawberries, covered or in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
More dessert recipes you’ll love
This Vanilla Cheesecake with Strawberries is one of my favorite recipes from my latest book, Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life. For more recipes like this one, grab your copy today!
Vanilla Cheesecake with Strawberries
This classic Vanilla Cheesecake recipe is topped with fresh strawberries and a sweet sour cream layer for a beautiful and delicious dessert! The toppings are adaptable and any way you enjoy it, you can master this basic recipe to make it your own!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 5 double graham crackers)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling
- 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or beans from 1 vanilla bean
- 4 large eggs
Sour Cream Topping (optional)
- 1 pint sour cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberry Topping
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- For the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and butter in a bowl. Stir to combine. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.
- For the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated and stopping again to scrape down the sides if necessary.
- Pour the filling into the springform pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Bake until the center is barely set, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the optional sour cream topping: In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Stir well to blend. Spread the mixture over the top of the cheesecake, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight to set the topping.
- Just before serving, make the strawberry topping: In a bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Taste, adding a little more sugar if desired. Top the cheesecake with the strawberries and serve at once.
Notes
- To store: Refrigerate the cheesecake and strawberries, covered or in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
- Reprinted from Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life, by Amanda Haas with permission from Abrams Books, 2023. Photographs © Kathleen Sheffer.
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