cherry cheesecake

Recipe by
Beth Pierce
Ofallon, MO

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. Forget the cheesecake bath and add a dish full of hot water on the rack below it.

yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 35 Min
cook time 1 Hr 10 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For cherry cheesecake

  • GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
  • 1 3/4 c
    graham crackers crumbs
  • 1/3 c
    granulated sugar
  • 7 Tbsp
    butter melted
  • CHEESECAKE FILLING
  • 32 oz
    full-fat cream cheese softened
  • 1 c
    sugar
  • 1/2 c
    sour cream room temperature
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp
    lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp
    lemon zest
  • 4
    eggs room temperature
  • 21 oz
    can of cherry pie filling

How To Make cherry cheesecake

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
  • 2
    Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press it into the bottom and up to about an inch on the sides of the pan.
  • 3
    Bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust fully cool before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
  • 4
    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.
  • 5
    Using a stand mixer with 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.
  • 6
    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.
  • 7
    Place the cheesecake on a wire rack to fully cool. Once the cheesecake cools cover the springform pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate 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 on the bottom rim, gently spoon the cherry filling onto the cheesecake.
  • 8
    Refrigerate until ready to serve. Promptly refrigerate leftovers.
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