Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Craving the perfect cherry cheesecake? Look no further. Explore our homemade recipe that will leave you wanting more with its creamy texture and sweet cherry topping.

Homemade Baked Very Cherry Cheesecake

I promise that if you love cheesecake, this will be the last homemade cheesecake recipe you will ever search for.

It’s the ultimate creamy cherry cheesecake that everyone will discuss at your next dinner party.

Don’t let the decadent cheesecake scare you away from making homemade because it didn’t scare me.

I watch the Food Network, family members in the kitchen, read recipes, and make mistakes, and that’s how I learn to cook and bake.

Making a cheesecake is very simple, but like anything, it takes time, and by trial and error, you will find what works best for you, as I have done over the years.

Cheesecake has long been a favourite dessert in many homes worldwide.

Purchasing a cheesecake from any bakery is costly but so easy to make.

Store-bought Cheesecake vs. Homemade Cheesecake

The last cherry cheesecake that I purchased was with my best friend since he’s a big fan of cherry cheesecake.

It cost $15.99 for a tiny homemade in-store cherry cheesecake (which he ate almost the entire cake).

There’s nothing better than seeing someone enjoy food as much as the expressions on their faces.

I lost count of how many times I heard him say, mmm.

It’s probably another reason I enjoy cooking and baking just for that reaction.

The cake was decadent, as it was bought at a high-end store in town that only used the best ingredients.

Was it worth the money?

Sure, when we wanted the cherry cheesecake, but I knew I could make an even better one for him, so today, I’ve done this.

I’ve created this cheesecake using ingredients that I thought would beat the traditional cherry cheesecake in the creaminess department with our available products.

Cheesecake Topping Ideas

The best part about this simple cheesecake recipe is that you don’t need to use cherries if you are not a fan of cherries.

Popular cheesecake varieties are blueberry, strawberry, chocolate, peach, and those topped with chocolate bars and cookies.

The base of this cheesecake is plain, with a hint of citrus in the crust, so the topping varieties are endless.

You could quickly leave no topping on the cheesecake and have a buffet of toppings for your guests, making this dessert much more fun.

How To Make A Cherry Sauce For Cheesecake

You can make a cherry sauce for cheesecake if you have cherries available, as I did in the summertime when I made cherry ricotta turnovers.

Making the cherry sauce is so simple you won’t buy it in the can in the off-season.

If you tend to use it quite a bit, maybe you can look into canning cherry sauce so you always have it in your pantry.

We don’t use cherry sauce enough to warrant canning it, but it may be an option for you.

I was going to opt in and make a simple no-bake cherry cheesecake, but then I wasn’t sure if it would have all the same flavors I was used to growing up.

Cherry cheesecake is not one of my favorite treats, although Mrs. CBB loves it.

Her memories of cherry cheesecake date back to the early 80s when her mother used to make it quite often in their house as an easy after-dinner treat.

She vividly remembers the cherry cheesecake not being made in a springform pan like I do today instead of in a rectangular glass dish.

She’d never forget to dig a spoon in the dish when no one looked and shove that piece of cherry heaven in her mouth.

Other times, her mother would make it into a pie dish that resembled a cherry cheesecake pie.

The taste of the Philadelphia cream cheese was so tangy in her mouth, mixed with the cheesecake crumb crust and cherries, that it was challenging to stop eating.

Related: Dad’s No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

How To Make A Cherry Cheesecake Crust

She says that one of the essential parts of the cherry cheesecake is the crust.

She didn’t want to skimp out on the crust, so it must be thick and flavourful, which was more than accomplished with this recipe today.

“There’s something about having a thick crust with the cheesecake filling and the hint of cherry flavour that brings the cheesecake all together in your mouth,” she says.

I agree with her because this would have tasted like a slice of cheesecake filling without the thicker graham cracker cheesecake crust.

Some people may enjoy that, but for this cheesecake, I made sure the crust was on the bottom of the cherry cheesecake and all around the sides.

What Is A Springform Pan?

Our cheesecake is made in a 10-inch springform pan, so with only the two of us here, it took us a while to get through it.

A springform pan has a lever to remove the pan from around the cake.

From there, you can remove the bottom easily to set it on a decorative plate.

We have three sizes of springform pans in our baking pantry for variety.

You can make this recipe in advance if you have a gathering to attend or want to serve it at your dinner party.

I suggest making it in advance to get the best-tasting cherry cheesecake you will ever put in your mouth.

The flavors in this cheesecake are so delicate and creamy that you will be shocked to find out I used ricotta and Greek yogurt in the filling.

How To Make Cherry Cheesecake

• Recipe Type: Cherry Cheesecake
• Author: Mr. CBB
• Prep time: 20 mins
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Total time: 1 hour 20 mins plus 3 hours chilling time.
• Serves: 10

This is a homemade cherry cheesecake made with cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and Greek Yogurt.

Crust Ingredients

• 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons melted butter

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

• 2 pkgs full-fat cream cheese
• 1 450g container of full-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (or plain)
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• Zest of one lemon
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup of evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tablespoons of vanilla extract

How To Make Cherry Topping

• Cherry Topping Recipe: You will need 2-3 cups of filling.

Ingredients for cherry pie filling

• 2 cups of pitted, cleaned, sweet cherries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• Rind of one lime
• 2 teaspoons of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water mixed

Directions

• Add your cherries, lime rind, lime juice, sugar, and honey in a pot, and let reduce on med-high until the cherries are soft.
• In a small bowl, add your water and cornstarch and mix to combine
• Add the cornstarch mixture to the cherry filling in your pot and continue stirring until the mixture is thick.
• Remove from stove and cool before use.

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl and mix until combined. It would be best to have a wet crumb that you can easily press into your sprayed 10-inch springform pan evenly at the bottom and around the sides. If the crumbs are not wet enough, they will not stick, so you may need to add more butter.
3. Once the crumbs are pressed into the springform pan, bake the crust for about 10 minutes until it turns golden brown. Don’t overbake your crust; set a timer.
4. Set the crust aside to cool while you are making the cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake Filling

1. Add sugar, cream cheese, ricotta, and Greek yogurt to your mixer and mix until blended.
2. Add in your vanilla extract and eggs and mix until combined.
3. Add in your lemon zest evaporated milk and flour and mix until combined.
4. Pour the mixed batter into the cooled graham cracker crust you prepared earlier.
5. Place the springform pan into the oven and bake for about one hour or until the cheesecake is firm but still wobbly. I test the center by putting in a toothpick to see if it comes out clean, but I also set a timer.
6. Once out of the oven, let the cheesecake cool, then refrigerate for 2-3 hours to chill.
7. Once chilled, add a topping of choice over the cheesecake.
8. Serve at room temperature, but making it a day or two in advance will help all the flavours come together.
9. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.

Cherry Topping: If you want to make the homemade cherry topping as I did.

Here is my recipe for Cherry Pie Filling, or you can use canned from your local grocery store.

I hope you enjoy this cherry cheesecake as much as we do.

Discussion: What is your favourite cheesecake flavour?

Leave me a comment below, and if you have tried my recipe and love it, comment.

Thanks for reading,

Mr. CBB

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