Combine graham cracker crumbs and cream cheese & get this tasty idea

Emily Monaco

Contributing Writer

Cheesecake is a Southern staple. Creamy, rich, and unctuous – it's a welcome addition to any dessert buffet. In the recipe below, however, the classic recipe gets a bit of a makeover with the addition of strawberries.

Strawberries contain quite a bit of water, so it's important to cook them down before adding them to the cheesecake. With this recipe, frozen strawberries are reduced until jammy and sweet before being swirled into the cheesecake. If you're short on time (or it's not strawberry season yet), heating strawberry jam with a touch of water and/or lemon juice will give you something similar. Because cheesecake is best served cold, make this dessert a day in advance.

Cooktop Cove

Southern Strawberry Cheesecake

30 minutes

1 hour 30 minutes

2 hours

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

32 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups sour cream

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries, hulled and quartered

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1 cup strawberries, sliced

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.

Wrap the sides of a spring-form pan in parchment paper after greasing them with butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until it is smooth followed by the sour cream.

Whisk in the sugar and whisk in each egg individually.

Add vanilla and mix well until smooth and evenly combined.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crust.

Place the cheesecake in a large pan of water and place in the oven.

Bake for 50 minutes, then, without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and allow to cool in the oven for 1 hour.

When the cheesecake is finished, remove it from the oven (and from the water bath), allow it to cool on the countertop and chill for several hours or overnight.

Combine the frozen strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl, cover it and microwave for 4 minutes. Strain through the mash strainer and set aside.

When ready to serve, release the cheesecake from the pan, garnish with sliced strawberries, and serve with the sauce on top.

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