Classic Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Topping

This cheesecake with strawberry topping is perfect. With a graham cracker crust, ultra-creamy filling, and a scrumptious fresh strawberry topping, it's a dessert to impress.

Ingredients 👩‍🍳

Crust

14 graham crackers
1/4 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Strawberry Topping

2 quarts fresh strawberries, stems removed and halved, divided
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Break graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor. Add sugar and pulse until large crumbs form. Add butter and pulse just until combined and mixture resembles slightly wet sand.
Lightly grease a 10-inch springform pan; press mixture lightly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until fragrant and slightly golden brown around the edges, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil.
Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, whip cheese on medium speed just until smooth, to avoid incorporating too much air. Add sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt and blend until just combined. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated, then mix until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour mixture into the prepared crust. Wrap bottom and sides of pan well with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place the pan inside a large deep roasting pan and set pan in the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan around the cheesecake without letting any water inside the foil wrap or the cheesecake.
Bake in the preheated oven until the center is very slightly jiggly, about 50 minutes. Carefully remove pans from the oven and allow cheesecake to cool in the water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. After about 10 minutes, just when cheesecake starts to release itself from the sides, run a knife around the sides.
Remove wrapped cheesecake from water bath and place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Unwrap cheesecake and place in refrigerator until fully chilled and ready to serve, at least 4 hours.
Place 1/2 of strawberries in a large saucepan and stir in sugar, lemon, vanilla, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium high and allow mixture to simmer until berries are softened.
Using a potato masher, mash strawberries until slightly chunky; continue to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining strawberries, and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve cheesecake slices with strawberry topping.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size	Amount	% Daily Value*
Calories	683
Total Fat	45g	58%
Saturated Fat	25g	127%
Cholesterol	195mg	65%
Sodium	476mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate	62g	23%
Dietary Fiber	3g	11%
Total Sugars	52g
Protein	10g	20%
Vitamin C	83mg	92%
Calcium	150mg	12%
Iron	1mg	7%
Potassium	400mg	9%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Tips and Variations

For a richer flavor, use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
For a lighter cheesecake, use low-fat cream cheese and sour cream. You can also reduce the amount of sugar used in both the crust and filling.
To prevent cracking, bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This helps to create a more even cooking environment and prevent the cheesecake from drying out.
For a fun twist, add a layer of fresh fruit or chocolate chips to the cheesecake before adding the strawberry topping.
Make ahead of time: The cheesecake can be made up to 2 days in advance. Simply store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.