Easy Strawberry Cheesecake

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This 9×13 Strawberry Cheesecake recipe is super easy to make, and it’s a fail-proof dessert for a crowd! Smooth and creamy, it’s topped with delicious strawberries and homemade strawberry sauce – the perfect summer recipe treat!

If you love strawberry cheesecake but don’t want to have to do any baking, be sure to try this easy No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake recipe instead.

Best Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Easy Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake

So I chatted a bit about our IVF transfer yesterday over on the Lifestyle section. It was officially a week ago today and we have until Monday before we know if it was successful or not. Ahh! Thank goodness it’s Friday and we have plans every day this weekend. 🙂

We are getting together with our church group tonight, pedicures with friends tomorrow and hanging out with some other friends on Sunday. Busy! Distracted! That’s how I like it. 🙂

The only thing that could make a weekend better is sitting down with a pan full of this Easy Strawberry Cheesecake! It’s got all the things I love – a good thick crust, super creamy vanilla cheesecake and it’s covered in strawberry sauce and strawberries. No joke, I could demolish this thing. Just pass me the pan and a fork!

If you think you’ll feel the same way, you should totally whip it up. It’s such an easy cheesecake to make. I love making my beautiful round 9 inch-ers that are nice and fancy, but sometimes fancy is unnecessary and more than you want to deal with. Plus, baking in this 9×13 pan makes it especially easy to transport for sharing. And isn’t summer all about getting together with friends and sharing? I think so.

Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

How to Make the Best Strawberry Cheesecake

So to put the cheesecake together, we start with the graham cracker crust. A total classic! I like to add a touch of sugar to sweeten things up because I’m me and I like things sweet. No surprise there. 🙂 Plus, it really does make the crust just that much better.

Next you’ve got the cheesecake filling. Pretty straight forward, just try not to over mix things too much. You’re more likely to add air bubbles to your batter and get cracks, although this cheesecake should do a good job of not cracking.

Then the best part – it’s baked without a water bath. Yay! No extra step of wrapping a pan and putting it in another pan – just bake! I do still utilize the slower cooling process to help make sure you don’t get cracks. It’s just good practice. 🙂

The topping is the most delicious homemade strawberry sauce with fresh chopped strawberries! It’s not super thick like Jello, it’s more like a sauce. It’s baked right on the stove and the longer it cools after cooking, the more it thickens up. If you prefer an even thicker sauce, feel free to add another tablespoon of cornstarch and cook it a bit longer. Either way the flavor is amazing and SO good with the tasty crust and creamy cheesecake.

This Easy Strawberry Cheesecake is a delight to eat! So summery, light and fresh. Grab a fork and dig in!

Best Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”yjvW0UQa” upload-date=”Fri Jun 30 2017 05:07:57 GMT+0000 (UTC)” name=”Easy Strawberry Cheesecake” description=”This Easy Strawbery Cheesecake if smooth and creamy, and topped with delicious strawberries and sauce – a perfect summer treat!”]
Read transcript

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon
Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Recipe

Strawberry Cheesecake

  • Author: Life Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 12-15 Servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This easy Strawberry Cheesecake recipe is perfect for the summer! Smooth and creamy, it’s topped with delicious strawberries and homemade strawberry sauce. !


Ingredients

CRUST

  • 2 1/4 cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tbsp (39g) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (112g) salted butter, melted

FILLING

  • 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

STRAWBERRY TOPPING

  • 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups pureed strawberries (from about 1 lb strawberries)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chopped strawberries

WHIPPED CREAM

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9×13 pan.
2. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (148°C).
5. In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar and flour on low speed until well completely combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract mix on low speed until well combined.
7. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
8. Pour the batter into the pan with the crust and spread evenly.
9. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes.
10. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 20 minutes.
11. Crack the door of the oven, with the cheesecake inside, for 15 minutes. This slow cooling process helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
12. Put the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely, 3-4 hours.
13. To make the strawberry topping, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Stir in the strawberry puree.
14. Cook over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture thickens and come to a boil, about 15 to 20 minutes.
15. Allow to boil for 1 1/2 minutes, then remove from heat.
16. Stir in vanilla extract and chopped strawberries and allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
17. Pour the topping over the cheesecake. You can add the sauce while the cheesecake is chilling and let it all cool together, or let the sauce cool on its own and add it to cheesecake before serving, or even add it as you cut slices. The topping will thicken as it cools.
18. To make the whipped cream, add everything to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve slices of the cheesecake with the whipped cream, if desired.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 459
  • Sugar: 47.4 g
  • Sodium: 363.6 mg
  • Fat: 19.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63.8 g
  • Protein: 7.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 91 mg

Filed Under:

Enjoy!

 

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake - thick crust, creamy vanilla cheesecake and a homemade strawberry topping!

Share a Comment

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you and seeing what you made!

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

179 Comments
  1. Dustin

    Made it for the gf for her birthday, she’s a huge cheesecake lover, lol, gunna make it again for valentine’s day, but this time I’m gunna try cutting the middle out in a heart ❤️ shape, and fill the space with the topping, maybe add chocolate covered strawberries around the outside edge, and a chocolate 🌹






  2. Kaila

    Absolute FAVORITE go-to cheesecake recipe, fool proof. I have loved ALL the recipes I’ve followed of yours! Looking forward to trying the German Chocolate next!






  3. Lori

    This was the Best cheesecake I have ever had!!! I made it for company and everyone absolutely had a fit over it. Thanks for the great tips and super delicious recipe.

    1. Lindsay

      So glad to hear that! You could freeze the cheesecake itself, but I would add the strawberry topping before serving.

  4. Joanne B

    Excellent ! But this is a lot of cheesecake for a smaller family. I’m wondering if I cut recipe in half what the pan size and cooking/cooling times would be






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! If you cut the recipe in half, you could try an 8 or 9 inch pan. Not sure of the exact bake time.

  5. Candice

    So this can be made completely a day before and then refrigerate? I just want to make sure because I am thinking of Easter and try to do as much assembly of all food as possible as not to be so rushed after church services. Thank you.

  6. Deb

    I’ve made this recipe twice. Each time it was absolutely delicious. I would not call this a hard recipe but I wouldn’t call it easy, either. No matter, it’s worth the time and effort!

  7. Shay Lee

    Hello there! So I want to make two cakes. Do I double everything if I want to just mix it all together or do recommend doing them mixing each cake individually?

    1. Lindsay

      You could probably do it either way, if you’re able to divide everything evenly after mixing it and your bowl is big enough for a double batch.

  8. Vivian

    So just to be clear, after adding the strawberry topping, does it get refrigerated again for another 3-4 hours or just set aside at room temperature for 3-4 hours?

    1. Lindsay

      You can add the strawberry topping during the initial cooling time, when the cheesecake is cooling. You mainly want the strawberry topping to have time to cool completely and thicken up a bit.

  9. Caroline

    Probably the best cheesecake ever!! And I’ve made plenty!! I love the thinner cheesecake too. The thick ones get to be too much!! Let be made this several times, and each time people rave and want the recipe!! Feeds more this way too!!






  10. Kate

    This is the best! It was requested I make it again for Christmas, so here we are! Yum! Can I also make this same recipe with peach purée?

  11. David Derrough

    Thanks so much for this recipe! It was a big hit. I cut the sugar in half, which I usually do, and the sweetness was spot on. Was wondering if I wanted to use this recipe for a blueberry cheesecake, would it work?






    1. Lindsay

      I’m not sure I understand your question. That’s how long it takes to bake. It’s not a regular 9 inch cheesecake, so it takes less time.

    1. Josephine Vihlman

      I made this using a foil pan, I also made using glass and both are just perfect! I thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
      Now my question I would like to make a mangoe flavor one I wonder how will this work?

  12. Nathan

    I love this recipe! It’s is full proof and delicious! I am planning on making two of these cheesecake’s at the same time in separate pans but does the cooking time vary or anything of that sort? Or does everything stay the same? 






    1. Lindsay

      I would guess that if you have two in the oven at the same time, you’ll need a longer bake time. Glad you love it!

      1. Caroline

        No. Same times. I cook two pound cakes in huge angel food cake pans and it takes no longer than one in the oven.

  13. Shay

    My cheesecake is in the oven now and I did exactly what the directions said. Is majority of the center of the cheesecake suppose to be really giggly when it comes out of the oven? Because I know it’s suppose to cool in the fridge for 3-4 hours.. 

    1. Lindsay

      It’s been a while since I’ve made this particular cheesecake, but I don’t think it supposed to be too jiggly. There can be variation between ovens, so it’s possible you may need to bake it a little longer.

  14. Gabriela Orozco

    Made this for my first time, followed all the steps exactly as they were and it came out PERFECT!!! It was the best cheesecake I had ever had! I had some extra filling left over, how long with the cheesecake mixture last in the fridge for?? Checkout my Instagram @sweetsbybrieluh to see the result 😍






  15. Madi

    Can you bake the cake in a 9 inch round springform pan? If so, do you add water in a pan halfway to prevent cracking? Also, how do you adjust the ingredient amounts?

  16. Carmen

    Used this recipe twice and both times it turned out very well done! I can’t seem to perfect the strawberry topping though.






  17. Diane Perris

    this looks luscious! Any thoughts on making it with a shortbread crust instead of graham crackers? I love strawberries and shortbread! Thanks!

  18. Natalee Newcomb

    Hi, I’m trying to make this for my boyfriends moms birthday, I was wondering was strawberry purée you used and if you made it or bought it from the store? 

  19. Sierra Minor

    This turned out so amazing! Like seriously, wow! My whole family had to be careful not to eat too much at once haha!






  20. Melissa Claudio

    This was my first time making cheesecake and OH MY GOD! It came out perfect. I followed your exact directions and everyone loved it! I would love to write about it on my blog and will definitely link to your post if that is ok with you! Amazing Recipe!






  21. Elizabeth G.

    I am making this for a family crawfish boil and so far, it tasted delicious. It’s in the oven, hopefully I don’t mess anything up! Needed a recipe to get rid of a bunch of strawberries and it definitely  did the job! Super excited!






  22. ShayMarie

    I made this cake a few days ago and O…M…G!!! It was amazing! The recipe was very detailed and super easy to follow. Also it was my FIRST cheesecake and man it was a HIT! Everyone loved it! Lindsay girl, you rock. I’m a follower for life!






  23. Dayana

    I only have a pyrex 9.5” glass pie plate  How would the cooking times differ? I made a cheesecake in that pyrex using a different recipe and the cook time was way too long and my cake overcooked a little. So I don’t want that to happen again. 

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say because I haven’t actually baked a cheesecake in a pie plate before. You probably only need about half of the filling, so I’m guessing you may want to cut the baking time in half or so.

  24. Abigail

    Hi! I am super interested in baking this but I prefer to use my 9″ round pan. How should I reduce the ingredients?

  25. Mary Livas

    Hi, I’m making a cheesecake for the first time and I’m using your recipe, what I’m missing is how to make the strawberry purée?? 

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Cheesecake generally does freeze pretty well. I would just wrap it well and then thaw it in the fridge.

  26. Erica

    This was my second time to make a cheesecake, the first tome was more than ten years ago. I was nervous how it would turn out because I didn’t follow the cardinal rule of room temperature ingredients but I did allow for some extra cooking time. The result? Minimal air pockets in the cake, no cracks, beautifully smooth and rich creamy texture, simply delicious. I will try again in the near future with room temperature ingredients and indulge once more! Thank you I will follow your recipes forever ❤️






  27. Kaycelyn Rodriguez

    I made this cheesecake and it was my first time ever making one. I made it and it came out perfect. I gave it to my aunt as a gift and she absolutely loved it!






  28. Ida Martins

    This was the most amazing Strawberry Cheesecake ever! Family and friends all loved it! I would like to know if I can use the exact same recipe substituting blueberries or cherries for the strawberries? What changes if any would I need to make? Thanks in advance for any help!






    1. Lindsay

      Awesome, I’m so glad it was a hit! Other fruits should work just fine. You might just need to thicken the sauce with a little more cornstarch for certain fruits.

  29. Stacy

    Do you think I could use this recipe for the cheesecake itself and combine the lemon blueberry cheesecake recipe topping to make a blueberry cheesecake? If so do you think I’d need to double the topping? Thank you in advance!

    1. Lindsay

      I would imagine it would be fine. The main thing is the beginning with mixing the cream cheese. You don’t want it to be lumpy or have to whisk it too much.

    2. Spencer T.

      Hey, might be a little late for feedback, but maybe I’ll help other people reading this. Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature, even a bit warm helps a lot when mixing by hand. Baking was invented long before the food processor and mixing stand. Get your arm workout in for the day too!

  30. Alyssa

    This looks amazing! For the sauce, will it be okay to make it, put it in the fridge overnight, and then place it on top when ready to serve? Thanks!






  31. Aureline Hedgepeth

    Fresh strawberries like the Driscoll ones are hard to comeby in my country. The local produce are small ones. Can I use frozen ones?

  32. Nancy Jean

    Do you think I would be able to make this recipe into vegan? removing the eggs and using the egg replacer since I already have the vegan sour cream margarine instead of butter?

  33. Megan

    I made this and it was beyond delicious! I was wondering if I can use this same recipe for a strawberry “jam” to put between 2 layers of cake? Or will it make the cake mushy?






  34. Trudy

    Hi there, I tried this and everything turned out great, except the sauce!
    It tasted great, but it looked nothing like yours. It quickened quickly on the stove, and it was pink! Lol.
    Was I meant to put liquids in the purée?
    Or maybe I’ll adjust the amount of cornstarch next time.
    Everyone says it was it delish, so it was a win. 

    1. Lindsay

      Hmm, pink? I assume it was red before you added the other ingredients? Considering it thickened quite a bit, I’m assuming maybe you used more cornstarch? That would be the only thing that would lighten the color as well. I’m glad everyone enjoyed it!

  35. Ash

    I haven’t tried this yet, but I plan on it on Thanksgiving. My question is, that in this recipe it said “vanilla” did that mean vanilla extract?






    1. Ash

      Thank you so much. I cant wait to make it. One more question. Could you use vanilla wafers instead of Graham crackers?

  36. Pat Deters

    I have made the strawberry cheesecake twice now and have gotten rave reviews.  It’s an easy recipe mand love making it.






  37. Joyce

    Hi Lindsay! Chanced upon your recipe, looks great & I am really hoping to make it next week for a special occassion. Just a question about the baking temperature – you stated 163°C  then turned down to 148°C, may I know at which oven setting (I normally bake my cookies at 180°C ‘upper/lower heat’ setting), or is this fan setting – which is normally 20 degrees less, eg some of my cakes i bake at either 160°C FAN or 180°C upp/lower heat… which temperature setting is yours? Thank you so much!

      1. Joyce

        It’s upper/lower heat setting! I already made it 3 days ago – followed your recipe for the crust & filling steps (with some tweaks in the ingredients list) & did my own topping with raspberries, all turned out great, thank you! 

  38. Josephine

    I’m making this for a finnish celebration They call mid summer. Can’t wait to bake it. It’s my first time to bake cheesecake. Thanks for this

  39. Charmaine

    There’s no sour cream where I live, would the recipe be okay without it? I would love to try out this recipe!

  40. Grace

    This was a fabulous cheesecake ! 
    It turned out so creamy . I brought it to a lunch party and everyone loved it , most of them had seconds!! 

  41. Clare

    OMG, this is simply the best cooked cheesecake I’ve ever made and possibly even eaten! The texture is perfect, not too heavy, not too light and so creamy.
    I didn’t put sugar in the base as I used Digestive biscuits which are sweet enough plus used half the sugar in the topping and it was more than sweet enough.
    Next time I’m going to try using lemon zest and juice instead of vanilla and also put the fresh strawberries on top of the glaze instead of in it. I think that will help cut through the lovely richness of this dessert.

  42. Linda Lee Bell

    How soon ahead can I make this cheesecake? It’s Monday and I want it for Thanksgiving on Thursday. Thanks.

    1. Lindsay

      The cheesecake will be fine for a couple of days, though I’d recommend adding the strawberry topping either the day of or the day before you are going to serve it.

  43. Shay Holloday

    Hi, 
    i wanted to ask you if you are making this in an 8×8 pan, are you suppose to change the cooking time? I don’t think I’m suppose to cook it that long or it will burn. Im making 3 in 8×8 pans but i wanted to know how to adjust the cooking time and the ingredients? I wanted to make this for my family for thanksgiving this year. Please if you could help me adjust i don’t want to make it wrong or mess it up looks to amazing.Please HELP!!! Please and thank you so much.

    P.s. you just gained a new fan!

    1. Lindsay

      Cutting it in half might give you a little too thin of a cheesecake, so you might want like 2/3 of the recipe. Baking time wouldn’t be too much different – maybe 20-25 minutes.

      1. sav

        if youre making it in separate round pie tins, would you bake it normal or in a water bath? this is gonna be my first time making a cheesecake from scratch for my boyfriend!!! im a sucker for no bakes haha. any tips?

      2. Lindsay

        I haven’t tried cheesecake in a pie pan before. My guess is that it will be thicker than a 9 x 13 Pan but thinner than a 9 inch spring form pan. Since I haven’t tried it before, it’s hard for me too suggest a baking time, but it might be best to try with a water bath to be sure that it doesn’t crack.

  44. R

    I’m looking to make this recipe as a gift for a friend of ours, and was wanting to make it easy and bake it in a disposable pan. Would that work? Or would that affect the baking times, etc? And could you half the recipe and make it in an 8×8 pan?

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t ever made a cheesecake in a disposable pan, but I would think it’d be fine. And 8×8 should be ok.

      1. Melody

        I wanted to use a round dish for this recipe. What size would you recommend and how would it change the cooking temp/length of cooking?

    2. Kathy J Burrell

      This cheesecake was excellent! My men raved over it!!! I’ve baked cheesecakes for years. I never really craved them because they were too tart for me. But, this recipe has just the right amount of sweetness. Not too tart and not too sweet. My husband says its better than Cheesecake Factory. My son requested strawberry cheesecake for his birthday. As a rule, I don’t like trying new recipes for special occasions. Man was I glad I broke my own rule! The recipe is a keeper. And, what a brilliant idea to bake in a 9 x 13 pyrex. My son loves cheesecake so I did doubled the recipe and the bake time (from 20 to 40 min.). I had to waste a bit of the batter, but it was worth it. The glaze fit nicely at the top and the end result was wonderful. Thank you for this delicious recipe.

    1. Roxy

      What happened to my cheesecake? I followed all the steps and it ended up gooey. 🙁 It taste good tho but the presentation is off as the cream cheese itself is still runny even if its is already in the fridge overnight. 🙁 

  45. sandy j Richardson

    This is a wonderful dessert! The cheesecake is so smooth and creamy. Your instructions for the cheesecake were great and was the best I’ve ever made! My family went crazy over it . thank you for sharing.

  46. Naomi Aguirre

    Question. Do you have to let cheesecake cool the 3-4 hours before adding the strawberry sauce and cool another 3-4 hours?
    My first time doing.

    1. Lindsay

      It’s up to you. The recipe is written that way, yes. But if you’d prefer to serve the cooled cheesecake with strawberry sauce warm on top, you certainly can.

      1. Roxy

        when I take the cheesecake out the oven after it is cooked can I add the strawberry topping then refrigerate overnight

  47. Madison

    This cheesecake looks delicious but I just wondering how did you make the strawberry purée and what ingredients did you use

  48. Carolyn McIntyre

    Oh My! I made the cheesecake last night and been in the refrigerator….just made the sauce and it is wonderful….cant wait to put it on the cheesecake and take to friends for dessert later! I guarantee it is going to be a hit!

  49. Jackie West

    WOW! This looks amazing..I am making this for 4th of July BBQ..ITS EASY TO MAKE..BUT TIME CONSUMING..I will let you know how it turns out!..thank you for posting..I dont like to cook..Im not good at it..but I do like to make amaaazzing desserts with clear directions..You did an awesome job from step 1..Thank you THANK You!

    1. Ashley

      Best and most delicious cheesecake ever! I skipped a few steps for the topping so it was more runny but regardless was so delicious! Actually sad it’s all gone that I need to make another one! Haha. 






  50. Yvonne Loong Brandt

    Amazing recipe I tried this today and cut down on the sugar for the strawberry sauce by 100gram and no sugar in my whipped craem too. Everyone in my family loves it. I still have the strawberry sauce and the filling left. How many days can they hold in the fridge as I would like to make this into cupcakes on Monday.
    Yvonne

  51. Karen @ The Food Charlatan

    Busy! Distracted! That’s the way to go. 🙂 Praying and hoping for the best Lindsay! This cheesecake looks killer 🙂

      1. Arista Corica

        I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this delicious recipe !!! It was my first time trying to make cheesecake and I was extremely nervous. My husband and I loved it !!! So so happy :))))






  52. Marvis Seche

    I can upon your blog while searching for cake recipes and I’m so impressed!!! I signed up to your news letter and received this cake recipe today which I’m going to try out for my son’s birthday next weekend.
    I am not good at baking but I’m hopeful.
    I don’t have a food processor and was wondering if an electric hand blender, at what speed should I use it?

  53. Cindy from The Sweet Nerd

    Lindsay – I’m big on presentation and I love the 9×13 with the rows of heart-shaped strawberries with dollops of whipped cream. Thanks for sharing! 

  54. Julie G.

    That looks so refreshing and delicious! I make cheesecakes all the time but I can’t wait to try this one. That strawberry topping looks divine and I imagine it would be great on ice cream too.

      1. Aimee Goodman

        Strawberry cheesecake is my husbands favorite and he says this is the best cheesecake he’s ever had! He absolutely LOVES it!! And so do I …the strawberry topping is so delicious…and so worth making this!! 






Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29