Yield: 12 servings

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 40 minutes

Make the perfect creamy Strawberry Cheesecake from scratch! This simple recipe includes all our tips and tricks for the best cheesecake with sweet strawberry flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 1 box (11 ounce) Nilla Wafer Cookies (about 80 cookies)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake

  • 2 packages (1 ounce each) freeze dried strawberries
  • 4 packages (8 ounce each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs

For the Topping

  • 8 ounce Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1 cup fresh diced strawberries

Instructions

  1. Prepare 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside. 
  2. Fill broiler pan with about 2 inches of water and place in BOTTOM of oven, on lowest rack. Preheat oven (with broiler pan of water) to 325°F.
  3. To make the crust, blend cookies and sugar in food processor until fine crumbs. Pour in melted butter and pulse several times until combined. Press crust into bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan (I go up about 1 inch on the sides). Set aside.
  4. In a food processor, pulse freeze dried strawberries until crumbs. It's okay if there are a few larger crumbs.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.. Add in freeze dried strawberry crumbs, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat for an additional 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  6. Slowly add eggs, one at a time until mixture is smooth. Do not over beat. Pour into prepared crust.
  7. Place cheesecake pan into the middle of the oven, I do the third shelf from bottom in my oven.
  8. Bake 70 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Turn off oven, crack door open, and let sit undisturbed for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and run a sharp knife gently along the edges to separate the cheesecake from the pan (do not remove the ring yet). Allow to cool on counter (in pan) for about 30 minutes, then place (in pan) in refrigerator for about 6 hours (or overnight).
  9. To serve, remove outer ring of springform pan. Spread Cool Whip over the top (or just dollop along the edges) and serve with diced strawberries in the center.

Notes

  • Don't over beat your cheesecake before baking it. Just stop it. You don't need FLUFFY....your goal should be CREAMY. Start with softened cream cheese (room temperature) in the first place!
  • Water bath. While it doesn't always PREVENT cracks, it does help add moisture to your dessert so the end result is melt in your mouth deliciousness EVERY time. And your springform pan doesn't need to SIT IT in the water bath. I just place a broiler pan in my oven on the bottom shelf with about an inch of water. It adds the right amount of moisture to the oven while cooking.
  • Freeze Dried Strawberries- I find them at Target and on Amazon. Using a little more will result in a pinker cheesecake.
  • Once your cheesecake is done baking (as directed below), turn off the oven, crack open the door, and allow the cheesecake to "cool" for about 15 minutes in the oven. This slow cool process cuts down on the cracking!
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
  • Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    12

    Serving Size:

    1 slice

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 351Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 99mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 0gSugar: 27gProtein: 5g

    *Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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