This is a silky smooth cheesecake topped sky-high with gorgeous plump red cherries. This ultimate cherry cheesecake is completely made from scratch and is very easy to make. So, if you are looking for a showstopping dessert, look no further – this is it!
Nothing beats a decadent cherry cheesecake. There is just something classic and special about it. This particular cheesecake recipe is exceptionally smooth and creamy because it’s made mostly with sour cream instead of cream cheese. It has a unique tang to it and it’s lighter in texture than a traditional cheesecake because of the amount of sour cream in it. It’s also topped with a homemade cherry sauce, instead of canned, which is so much tastier and more satisfying. Here are some reviews:
“Lighter than most — cheesecake was amazing. No complicated water bath. I made one small addition to the sauce – just added a hint of brandy and let the alcohol evaporate before thickening the sauce. Used the PC Black Sweet frozen cherries. Beautiful, creamy dessert with a homemade topping that puts canned pie filling to shame . Will make again.” – Dawn
“Thank you for sharing! I loved your recipe with a couple of changes. I baked for one hour at 325 degrees in a water bath and then turned off the oven and opened the door and left the cheesecake to gradually cool without any cracks for an additional 30 minutes. For the cherry topping, I used one teaspoon of pure lemon extract instead of the almond extract to make it nut-free. The lemon cherry taste was a hit and the whole cheesecake was gone within an hour!” – Surinder
How to make cherry cheesecake:
- Mix together the honey graham cracker crumbs with some melted butter until all is moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9″ springform pan. Bake at 325F for 10 minutes. Set aside to let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between.
- Blend in the sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the batter over the crust and bake at 325F for about an hour or until almost set. Let cool in the oven with the door ajar for 1 hour and bring to room temperature on the counter. Then refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
How to make cherry topping for cheesecake:
- In a medium saucepan, heat up the fresh or frozen pitted cherries, granulated sugar, and water until heated through.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and almond extract. Continue to cook until sauce thickens.
Expert tips:
- Use good-quality cream cheese like Philadelphia brand. I’ve used no-name brands in the past and the results aren’t the same, so stick with the good stuff.
- Use full-fat sour cream for the creamiest cheesecake. You could also get away with low-fat sour cream in this recipe, but it won’t be as creamy as using full-fat. Do not use fat-free.
- How to tell when the cheesecake is done – Because there is a large amount of sour cream in this cheesecake it will jiggle more and have a larger soft spot in the center when done. Once the edges are lightly browned AND there is about 2-3 inches of the center still wobbly, the cheesecake is done.
Why did my cheesecake crack?
Cracks in cheesecakes are usually caused by one of these 3 reasons:
- Overmixing the batter – Only mix as much as you need to in order to make the batter smooth and mix in the eggs on low speed. Overmixing incorporates too much air and will cause the cheesecake to rise and then collapse as it cools.
- Drastic temperature change – Big cracks are often caused by drafts or drastic temperature changes. So try not to open your oven door unless necessary and slowly cool your cheesecake by leaving it in the oven with the door ajar for an hour.
- Overbaking the cheesecake – If a cheesecake is overbaked, it will be dry and crack once settled. This is often the main reason.
What to do if your cheesecake cracks:
If your cheesecake cracks while it’s cooling, don’t worry, it will still taste great. Just cover it up with some toppings and no one will know the difference. Now, if your cheesecake cracks while it’s baking, then chances are it won’t be as creamy, but don’t throw it out. Top it with some whipped cream or sweetened sour cream and everything will be just fine.
You might also like:
- Eggnog Cheesecake (If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen)
- Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars (We Are Not Martha)
- Best Pumpkin Cheesecake
- White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Low-Fat Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
This cheesecake is perfect for any special occasion. Not only is it beautiful to present, but it also tastes amazing. Each bite consists of a creamy melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake and juicy cherries bursting with flavor.
**DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE KINDLY LEAVE A COMMENT AND STAR RATING BELOW.**
PrintThe BEST Cherry Cheesecake
This is a silky smooth cheesecake topped sky-high with gorgeous plump red cherries.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 1&1/4 cup (145g) honey graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp (45g) melted butter
- 2–250g pkg cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups (750ml) sour cream (full-fat or light, not fat-free)
- 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
Cherry Topping
- 5 cups (1&1/2 lbs) frozen pitted cherries
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 (60ml) cup water
- 1 tbsp (15ml) cornstarch
- 1 tsp (5mL) almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease the sides of a 9″ springform pan.
- Mix the cracker crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Press into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until combined.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between on low speed.
- Blend in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Gently pour the batter over the crust.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the edges are set and 2-3″ of the center is still wobbly.
- Turn off oven and run a thin knife along the edge to loosen the cake from the sides. Let cool in the oven for an hour with the door ajar. Then cool to room temperature before refrigerating for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Cherry Topping
- In a medium saucepan, heat the cherries, sugar and 3 tbsp of the water until heated through. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1 tbsp of water. Stir in the cornstarch and almond extract and continue to cook until sauce thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Let cool completely. Spoon over cheesecake before serving.
Notes
This cheesecake is best made a day in advance. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Expert tips:
- Use good-quality cream cheese like Philadelphia brand. I’ve used no-name brands in the past and the results aren’t the same, so stick with the good stuff.
- Use full-fat sour cream for the creamiest cheesecake. You could also get away with low-fat sour cream in this recipe, but it won’t be as creamy as using full-fat. Do not use fat-free.
- How to tell when the cheesecake is done – Because there is a large amount of sour cream in this cheesecake it will jiggle more and have a larger soft spot in the center when done. Once the edges are lightly browned AND there is about 2-3 inches of the center still wobbly, the cheesecake is done.
Keywords: cherry cheesecake recipe, best cherry cheesecake, cherry topping for cheesecake recipe
Recipe adapted from Canadian Living.
This recipe was originally published on Feb 12, 2016. It has been recently updated with step-by-step photo instructions and more information.
How To Make A Cheesecake
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Bakery Style Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Mini Turkey Pot Pies
Homemade Black Forest Cake
I just made this cake and it was a big hit at our family gathering! Tasted very light too, which I loved. I always use your recipes. Thank you!
★★★★★
You’re very welcome, Luna! And thank you for your lovely review:)
Fantastic recipe! Never baked one before so thought I would and it was a big hit:). Will definitely be doing this one again. I actually doubled the crust ingredients though and glad I did because the cream cheese layer was thicker.
★★★★★
Thank you for your lovely feedback and I’m so glad it was a big hit! Have a happy New Year!
Sorry Lily still can’t find Graham Crackers anywhere near where we live in Sydney Australia
Hi Wallis,
You can use any kind of crispy cookies like digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, speculoos or Anzac cookies. I hope that helps!
Unable to find honey graham crackers would you please suggest a substitute, thank you Lily
Hi Wallis,
You can use regular graham crackers and add 2 tbsp of sugar. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!
Can I sub an alcohol (I.e. brandy, Grand Marnier for water in this recipe?
Yes, I don’t see why not. That’s a great idea!
Hello, is it 250g of cream cheese for this recipe? Thank you
It’s two 250 gram packages of cream cheese for this recipe, so 500 grams total. I hope that helps and please feel free to reply back if you have any other questions.
Thank you for sharing! I loved your recipe with a couple of changes. I baked for one hour at 325 degrees in a water bath and then turned off the oven and opened the door and left the cheesecake to gradually cool without any cracks for an additional 30 minutes. For the cherry topping, I used one teaspoon of pure lemon extract instead of the almond extract to make it nut-free. The lemon cherry taste was a hit and the whole cheesecake was gone within an hour!
★★★★★
You’re very welcome Surinder, and thank you for your lovely feedback – much appreciated!
How do I adjust baking time for a 9×13?
I’m not sure as I’ve never made this cheesecake in a 9×13 pan. I would guess increase the recipe by 1.5, same baking temperature, and check at 1 hour to see how it’s coming along. Oh, and also line the pan with foil with an over hang for easy removal. I hope that helps.
Absolutely yummy! I’ve made it twice so far!
I’d share a picture if I could post it.
★★★★★
Aww, thank you Sherri! I really appreciate your kind review:)
Hi Lily,
I’d like to surprise my wife on her bday by making this cheesecake, as it looks absolutely scrumptious. Just a few quick questions:
1. After the cheesecake cools down, how long would you refrigerate it for? I typically leave it min 6 hours to overnight, but trying to make this same day. Haven’t used sour cream before, so not sure if that changes the time.
2. For the cherry topping, how long do you typically heat it for, until the sauce is ready and can be cooled.
Baking is all about exact timing and measurements, so want to make sure I ace this 🙂
Thanks!
Hi John,
I would recommend refrigerating this cheesecake for a minimum of 4 hours. So you could make it the morning and it will be ready to be served by dinner time. As for the cherry sauce, I would heat it until it starts to bubble (about 5-10 minutes) then add in the cornstarch slurry and almond extract, and heat again until it thickens (about 2-3 minutes). I hope that helps. Please feel free to email me back if you have any further questions and I hope the birthday girl enjoys the cheesecake!
Hi Lily,
Thanks for the prompt response. I forgot to ask, is this meant for a 9″ pan?
Thanks!
Yes, a standard 9″ springform pan. Enjoy!
Since cherries are my favourite fruit, I love the mountain of cherries on top of the cheesecake. I made this the other day and me and my husband give it two big thumbs up!
★★★★★
Lighter than most — cheesecake was amazing. No complicated water bath. I made one small addition to the sauce – just added a hint of brandy and let the alcohol evaporate before thickening the saucs. Used the PC Black Sweet frozen cherries. Beautiful, creamy dessert with a homemade topping that puts canned pie filling to shame . Will make again.
★★★★★
Hi Dawn,
The addition of brandy sounds delicious! Thank you for your rave review:)
Hi, I don’t see where there is greek yogurt mentioned in this recipe. Would the greek yogurt be in place of the sour cream??
Yes, you can substitute the sour cream with full fat Greek yogurt. I’ve tried it with both and I found that using sour cream gives it a smoother texture, so I changed the recipe as so. Enjoy and have a lovely day:)
i always thought lemon or lemon zest was in cheesecake?
Hi Marianne,
It’s a matter of personal preference. I like vanilla, but you can add a little lemon and/or lemon zest to it. Hope you enjoy the cheesecake and happy new year!
Hi Lily,
Just a quick question please. Have you ever frozen the left-over? I know you can buy frozen cheesecake.but wondering how this r cope holds out freezing the rest. This ended up being more cheesecake than I think can be eaten in 1-2 sittings. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much! My mother was the best cheesecake -maker (german) in town, She was known for it..lol!
This is finally a recipe I am willing to give a try.
Thanks..making it now. 🙂
Hey Marianne,
I have not frozen this particular cheesecake. However, cheesecakes in general freeze well. So I would go ahead and freeze what’s left if you want to save it for another time. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
A month or so ago, I could not stop thinking about fresh cherries and could not find them anywhere (I live in New Jersey). I couldn’t find frozen ones either but finally found a bag after a few days of searching. I can’t wait to try this with fresh cherries.
Wow Lily!!! This cheesecake looks AMAZING! i NEED it in my life! Love the idea of using greek yogurt too, perfect!
Beautiful! Especially that generous pile of cherries on top. I love all the yoghurt you incorporated into the cheesecake, and it still looks just as rich and dense and luxurious as a full cheese-cheesecake!
WOW, this looks incredible! I’ve never had cheesecake with Greek yogurt in it, but it looks absolutely delightful. The cherries on top are making my mouth water!
Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous! I want to have a slice of this cake RIGHT NOW!
Thank you for bringing it along to FF – it’s been a highlight of the festivities 🙂
Ginger x
Thanks Ginger and you’re welcome 🙂
OMG! Lily, this cheesecake is calling my name! I really really need this in my life soon. Thanks for sharing this with us at FF!
You’re welcome Andrea, enjoy:)
This is one beautiful cheesecake that looks like it came from a restaurant! Perfect for Valentines Day or any special occasion!
Thanks Julie:) I always appreciate you stopping by.