Cherry Cheesecake Recipe: 3 Revolutionary Methods You Need To Know
Tired of cracked cheesecakes that sink in the middle or turn out grainy and dense? You’re not alone. Traditional cherry cheesecake recipes often leave home bakers frustrated with inconsistent results, despite following instructions to the letter. But what if I told you there are three game-changing methods that professional pastry chefs use to create flawless, creamy cheesecakes every single time?
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs ((about 16 crackers))
- ½ cup ½ cup unsalted butter (melted (1 stick))
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
For the Filling:
- 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature ( (4 packages, 8 oz each))
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest ( (optional))
For the Cherry Topping:
- 21 oz cherry pie filling (or homemade) ( (or homemade))
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and ¼ cup sugar until combined.
- Press mixture firmly into bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
- Make the Filling: 5. Lower oven temperature to 325°F (for water bath method). 6. Beat cream cheese alone for 3-4 minutes until completely smooth. 7. Add 1¼ cups sugar and flour, beat for 2 minutes. 8. Add eggs and yolks one at a time on low speed, mixing just until incorporated. 9. Gently fold in sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Bake Using Your Chosen Method:
- Method 1 - Water Bath (Recommended): 10. Wrap springform pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil. 11. Place in roasting pan and pour hot water halfway up sides. 12. Bake at 325°F for 60-70 minutes until edges set but center jiggles.
- Method 2 - New York Style: 10. Bake at 475°F for 15 minutes. 11. Reduce to 200°F and bake 60 more minutes without opening door.
- Method 3 - No-Bake: 10. Add 2 teaspoons gelatin (dissolved in 3 tbsp water) to filling. 11. Replace heavy cream with additional sour cream (1 cup total). 12. Pour over chilled crust and refrigerate 6 hours.
- Cool and Finish: 13. Turn off oven, crack door, cool in oven for 1 hour (baked methods). 14. Remove and cool to room temperature. 15. Refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. 16. Top with cherry filling before serving.
Notes
- All ingredients must be at room temperature for smooth texture
- Don't overmix after adding eggs - this causes cracks
- Center should jiggle slightly when done - it firms while cooling
- Cheesecake can be made 2 days ahead without topping
- Store covered in refrigerator up to 7 days
- Freeze without topping for up to 3 months
- For best results, use full-fat cream cheese blocks, not spreadable
- Cherry topping can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned cherries