Description
Creamy New York-style cherry cheesecake blends rich cream cheese with sweet cherry compote. Guests will savor each delectable slice, experiencing classic dessert perfection that leaves you craving more.
Ingredients
Scale
- 32 oz cream cheese (full-fat, softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 7 tbsps butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsps lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly butter a 9-inch springform pan, covering bottom and sides up to 1½ inches.
- Create graham cracker crust by mixing crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into pan bottom and slightly up sides. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Place a large water-filled baking dish on lower oven rack to create moisture and prevent surface cracking.
- Using a mixer, cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping bowl periodically. Incorporate sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and zest until well blended. Gradually add eggs at low speed, mixing minimally between each addition.
- Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing the surface evenly. Bake for 70 minutes. After baking, turn off oven and slightly open door using a wooden spoon. Allow cheesecake to rest inside for 1 hour.
- Transfer cheesecake to wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 6 hours or overnight. Carefully loosen edges with a thin knife before removing springform pan sides.
- Garnish with cherry pie filling just before serving. Keep refrigerated and consume chilled.
Notes
- Prevent Crust Crumbling by pressing graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the pan, ensuring a compact and stable base that won’t fall apart when slicing.
- Smooth Cream Cheese Technique involves bringing cream cheese to room temperature and beating at medium speed to eliminate lumps, creating a silky-smooth filling without overmixing.
- Water Bath Hack helps create a moist baking environment, preventing surface cracks and ensuring a creamy, crack-free cheesecake texture by placing a large pan of hot water on the lower oven rack.
- Dietary Modification options include using gluten-free graham crackers for a celiac-friendly version or substituting low-fat cream cheese and sour cream for a lighter, reduced-calorie dessert.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 414 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 195 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 104 mg