Description
Silky strawberry cheesecake delights dessert enthusiasts with its creamy texture and luscious flavor. Graham cracker crust and fresh strawberry topping complete this classic American sweet treat you won’t want to miss.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 (8 ounces/226 grams) packages cream cheese, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 cups crushed graham crackers
- 1/2 cup (113 grams/1 stick) melted butter
Topping and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs and blend thoroughly with melted butter, creating a cohesive base mixture.
- Firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a springform pan, ensuring an even, compact layer.
- Using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese and sugar together until achieving a silky, lump-free consistency.
- Incorporate eggs individually into the cream cheese mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition to maintain a smooth texture.
- Gently fold in sour cream and vanilla extract, stirring until completely integrated.
- Carefully transfer the cream cheese blend over the prepared graham cracker crust, spreading evenly across the pan.
- Place the cheesecake in a preheated oven at 325F (163C), baking for approximately 60 minutes until the center appears set and slightly firm.
- Once baking completes, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool gradually inside with the door slightly ajar, preventing sudden temperature changes.
- Transfer the cooled cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 4 hours to allow complete setting and flavor development.
- Before serving, garnish the chilled cheesecake with fresh, sliced strawberries and a delicate drizzle of strawberry preserves for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Prevent cracks by avoiding overmixing the cheesecake batter, which can incorporate too much air and cause splitting during baking.
- Create a water bath by placing the springform pan inside a larger pan filled with hot water to ensure even, gentle heating and reduce cracking.
- Opt for room temperature ingredients like cream cheese and eggs to achieve a smoother, lump-free mixture that blends more easily.
- Customize the recipe for gluten-free diets by substituting graham crackers with gluten-free cookie crumbs or almond flour for the crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg