Your taste buds will be singing like angels for this Heavenly Strawberry Cheesecake! This slice of delight is creamy, rich, and basically melts in your mouth. It’s got a crunchy, buttery crust and a blissfully sweet strawberry sauce that will make you sing. Every bite of Heavenly Strawberry Cheesecake really feels like a massive blessing! Get ready to feel the purest joy ever!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more, to taste, softened, for greasing the pan
- 1 (7-ounce) package Marie-style cookies, such as Goya® Maria cookies, roughly broken, can substitute 28 graham cracker squares
For the cheesecake filling:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups caster or extra-fine sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 eggs, room temperature
For the strawberry topping:
- 1 pound strawberries, 1/2 pound diced and 1/2 pound halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons corn flour or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water, plus more, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 –Turn the base of an 8-inch springform pan upside down and use the extra softened butter to lightly coat it.
Step 3 –Place a square piece of parchment paper on top of the buttered base, then clip it into the top of the springform pan. It’s okay for excess paper to stick out.
Step 4 –Use more of the extra softened butter to line the sides of the springform pan.
Step 5 –In a food processor, add the cookie pieces and process until they form fine crumbs.
Step 6 –Add the remaining 8 tablespoons of the melted butter to the cookie crumbs and process until it is combined and resembles wet sand.
Step 7 –Pour the crust mixture into the prepared springform pan and use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and the walls.
Step 8 –Use something with a flat base and vertical edges, such as a measuring cup, to press the crust mixture to flatten the base and to push the crust up almost to the top of the sides.
Step 9 –In a bowl, add the cream cheese and use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat until it is just smooth, about 15-20 seconds.
Step 10 –Add the all-purpose flour to the whipped cream cheese and beat until just incorporated, about 5 seconds.
Step 11 –Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the sour cream, the caster sugar, and the lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-high speed until just combined.
Step 12 –Add the eggs, one at a time, to the filling mixture and beat after each addition, until just combined.
Step 13 –Beat the filling mixture once more until the eggs are fully incorporated.
Step 14 –Pour the filling over the prepared crust.
Step 15 –Bake the cheesecake until the top is very light brown and the filling slightly jiggles when the pan is shaken, about 55 minutes.
Step 16 –Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door open 8-inches wide.
Step 17 –Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Step 18 –Once the cheesecake has chilled, in a saucepan over medium heat, add 1/2 pound of the diced strawberries, the lemon juice, the white sugar, and the remaining vanilla and stir to combine.
Step 19 –Bring the strawberry mixture to a simmer and cook, until the fruit breaks down, about 10 minutes.
Step 20 –In a small bowl, whisk the corn flour and 2 tablespoons of the water together, then stir it into the strawberry mixture.
Step 21 –Add the remaining 1/2 pound of the halved strawberries to the topping mixture and cook for 1 minute.
Step 22 –Transfer the strawberry topping from the heat and let it rest until it has cooled and thickened.
Step 23 –Stir the cooled strawberry topping to ensure it has reached a jam consistency. If it is too thick, add a very small amount of the extra water and stir to combine. Be careful not to add too much.
Step 24 –Spoon the strawberry topping onto the cheesecake so it’s covered with a single layer of the halved strawberries. Flip the berry halves over so that they are face down. Reserve any of the remaining strawberry topping.
Step 25 –Chill the strawberry cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Step 26 –Slice the strawberry cheesecake and serve it drizzled with the remaining strawberry topping.
