If you are a fan of strawberry cheesecake, you have to try my strawberry swirl cheesecake recipe. It has a homemade graham cracker crust that is filled with a creamy vanilla cheesecake with a cooked strawberry sauce swirl on top.
Slice and serve up this incredible strawberry dessert recipe. Great for entertaining, potluck events, birthdays and more.
How to make Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
Graham Cracker Crust | This cheesecake uses a classic graham cracker crust. You will mix up the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until everything is coated in butter and then press it into a 9-inch springform pan. Use the pack of a measuring cup to help pack down the crust.
Place the graham cracker crust in the freezer or fridge to firm up.
Fresh Strawberry Puree | Strawberries and sugar are all that is required to make this strawberry puree. Cook on the stove to help break down the strawberries. Once it is done cooking, place it in a blender or food processor to make a smooth puree. Let cool while you work on the cheesecake.
Vanilla Cheesecake | A classic vanilla cheesecake is the cheesecake base for this strawberry swirl cheesecake recipe. Add the cream cheese to a large glass mixing bowl and beat using a hand mixer until creamed.
Beat in the sugar until combined. Add in the vanilla extract and then beat in each egg one at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each egg too.
Add in the heavy cream and sour cream. The batter should be loose at this point so you don't have to worry about lumps forming. Beat until the heavy cream is incorporated.
Pour the batter on top of the crust in the springform pan. Add the puree to a sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners. Swirl the cheesecake with the strawberry filling, and bake as directed.
How long will Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake last
You can expect your strawberry swirl cheesecake to store for around 5 days in the refrigerator.
The biggest thing is making sure to place your cheesecake in an airtight container. Otherwise, your cheesecake can take on other flavors that are in your fridge.
Can you freeze Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
This strawberry swirl cheesecake can be frozen if you don't plan to eat it all right away. I recommend slicing up the cheesecake and then freezing it. To keep the pieces from sticking together is placing parchment paper in between each slice so they don't stick together.
The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Use a freezer-friendly container or wrap in aluminum foil and then place in a sealable freezer bag.
If you're wrapping the cheesecake in foil, I would recommend place the cheesecake pieces or even whole cheesecake in the freezer until it's frozen solid first since the cheesecake is soft.
How do you make swirls in a cheesecake?
The tip I find helpful when making swirls is taking your strawberry mixture and pour into a sealable bag. Take scissors and cut off the side to make it pourable. Then lower the bag close to the cheesecake and begin squeezing some of the strawberry mixture onto the cheesecake.
Then with a skewer or toothpick you can swirl the strawberry mixture into the filling. The biggest thing is don't go too deep on swirling or you will not see the swirl on top of your cheesecake.
It adds some color and depth when you leave some red on top of the cheesecake.
Why Does Cheesecake Have to Set Up Overnight?
Cheesecake takes a long time to really cool down once it has been baked. That is why it is very important to allow the cheesecake to fully set up in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can slice and serve up a cheesecake that is rich, dense, and offers tons of flavor.
Interested in more cheesecake ideas
Variation To Crust For Strawberry Cheesecake
Go right ahead and swap out the graham cracker crust out with a vanilla wafer crust, shortbread cookies, Golden Oreos, or even an Oreo crust. It doesn't have to be the graham cracker if you have an idea of using something else to swap it out.
I loved the golden graham crust for this next to the strawberry, but by all means swap if you feel the urge.
Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
Strawberry Sauce
- 2 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Place a 3-inch wide strip of parchment paper on the sides of the springform pan.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter to a medium mixing bowl. Stir until the butter thoroughly coats the graham cracker crumbs.
- Pour the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and firmly press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Place in the freezer or fridge to set up while working on the sauce and cheesecake batter.
Strawberry Sauce
- Add the sliced strawberries and sugar to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook for 10 to 13 minutes. Break the strawberries down with a wooden spoon while they cook to help speed up the process.
- Remove from the saucepan and place in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the sauce is a smooth puree. Set aside and begin working on the cheesecake.
Cheesecake
- Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium until creamy.
- Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until combined.
- Add in the eggs one at a time and beat each egg just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding the next.
- Once all of the eggs are incorporated, add in the sour cream and heavy cream. Beat just until the sour cream and heavy cream is worked into the cheesecake batter.
- Just before adding the cheesecake mixture, wrap the outside of the springform pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty tin foil. You can skip the tin foil and add the cheesecake in a slightly larger pan to keep the cheesecake dry and then place the two pans in a third pan that's filled with about 1 inch of hot water.
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust.
- Pour the strawberry puree into a sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners.
- Place the hole of the sandwich bag barely in the cheesecake batter and begin piping a swirl with the strawberry sauce. Don't go too deep with the filling otherwise, you won't see it on top.
- Add a few swirls dragging a skewer through the cheesecake and fresh strawberry puree. Adding too many swirls will create cracks in the top of your cheesecake when it's baked so keep it to a minimum.
- Place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake are set and the center slightly jiggles like jello when the pan is wiggled back and forth and not like wet batter. This time may vary so always give it the jiggle test and bake longer if needed.
- Once done, leave the cheesecake in the oven, turn the oven off, and leave the door slightly ajar until the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature.
- Once the cheesecake has cooled, move to the fridge and allow to chill overnight to set up.
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
Annabel says
Totally recommend this recipe. My dad loves cheesecake. So for his birthday I decided I’d make him one. This was my first time making a full size cheesecake. It was a total hit. Everyone that tried it raved about it. I was a little impatient and took it out before it was cooled to room temperature, so it did crack slightly. But I just covered it with some fresh fruit.
Coleen says
I made this cheesecake for Valentine's Day my husband said it's the best cheesecake I have ever made so I will definitely be making this cheesecake from now on.
Adriana says
I used this recipe over the wknd and it came out amazing! I’ve only made one other cheesecake in the past and this recipe is definitely a winner! The cake was fluffy, not super sweet and a hit with my partners family! I’ll be making another for Xmas in 3 days time! So excited to have entered the world of cheesecake baking!
DeAnna McGarr says
Awesome recipe. I made it for my twin sister for our Birthday which is Christmas day. Thank you for this.
Mobleym83 says
Super easy instructions to follow and it cane out great. My only struggle was my strawberry sauce was not the bright red represented in the picture. I ended up with an opaque strawberry color. I'm not sure if I cooked it wrong, any tips?
Miranda C. says
The opaque color could be from cooking the sauce too long. That is my only guess! I'm sure it still tasted fantastic though!
grandma says
My question is for bigger cheesecake in slices you use the same
9in. pan?
9in.
Miranda C. says
I always bake this cheesecake in a 9" springform pan. It makes pretty big slices when cut!
Brenda Black says
My grandson asked for a Strawberry Cheese Cake for his birthday. It was a huge success. The entire family loved it. Looks like I will be making this recipe often. It was delicious!!!
Miranda says
Awesome! I'm so happy it turned out for you!!
Hannah says
Just put this in the oven. My sauce was super runny and pretty much made a puddle on top and I only used half of it. I tried to mix it in. Hopefully it turns out!
Miranda C. says
I hope it is delicious! Maybe try cooking the sauce a little longer next time to thicken it more. Enjoy!
Lorraine says
First time I ever made a cheesecake! Turned out delicious and looked professional. Will definitely make this again!
Miranda says
I'm so glad to hear!
sierra says
Hi,
I really want to try this recipe out but is there a way to adjust this recipe to fit in a 7-inch springform pan?
Miranda C. says
To use a 7" springform pan I would cut the recipe in 3/4. This can be trick but just multiply the quantity of each ingredient by .75 so, for example, 1 cup of sugar becomes 3/4 cup. It takes a little math but it will work!
Tam says
Hello! I'm preparing to make this for my son's birthday. I've never made cheesecake before so I have what's probably a dumb question. Could you explain step 5? I'm not sure why I need to wrap the outside of the springform pan w foil or use another larger pan to keep the cheesecake dry. I do a fair amount of baking, but I'm still unclear about this step. Thank you!!
Miranda says
I do this to leak-proof the springform pan since we're putting the cheesecake in a water bath.
Dominique Wolff says
Hello! Your instructions were a bit unclear because I did not realize this cheesecake was doing in a water bath! Maybe change up the wording a bit!!
Miranda C. says
Sorry for any confusion! I will think about how to reword 🙂
Doretha Brown says
Lovely strawberry cheesecake. I wish I had cooked the strawberries until thickened instead of time suggested. My son wants one for his birthday, so I will increase the cooking time for the strawberries.
Miranda says
Hi Doretha! Thanks for your feedback on the time.
Taylor Bowers says
Taste like sour cream cheesecake lol horrible
Miranda C. says
Sorry you didn't like the recipe! It is a little tangier than a regular cheesecake but that is part of the appeal for many!
Grace says
I made it and it turned out kinda chunky. I don't know why. Also the strawberry swirl didn't go very deep into the cake. Could've been better.
Miranda C. says
Sorry it wasn't perfect for you, Grace! Definitely mix the sugar and cream cheese well and then add the rest of the ingredients slowly to ensure there are no chunks. Swirl the strawberries deeper with a knife or a spoon before baking to really make sure they go into every bite. Hope this helps if you make it again!
Carol says
This strawberry cheesecake was delicious and very easy to make , thank you.!
Mary says
How can I convert the recipe for mini 4 inch pans?
Miranda C. says
This recipe will make three, 4" mini cheese cakes. Start by prepping three mini pans then divide the crust between the three pans, followed by the cheesecake mix and the strawberry swirl. The mini cheesecakes will only bake for about 30-40 minute. I hope this helps!
TL says
First time making and only my 2nd cheesecake ever. It came out well but you have to make sure you swirl the strawberry sauce deep enough into the batter or the cheesecake isn’t sweet enough by a mile. I didn’t get my sauce deeper than maybe the top inch or so and the cheesecake had no sweetness to it past that sauce portion.
Lisa says
Miranda. I just made this recipe. I'm waiting for it to chill but I am worried about the strawberry swirl. In the recipe the Ingredients say 2.5 cups of berries and 125 ml of sugar, but in the instructions there is no mention of cooking the strawberries with the sugar
. I am worried this will taste like sugary jam cake. Was I supposed to put the 125ml of sugar into the swirl ??? Please let me know.
LISA
Miranda C. says
Hi Lisa- yes, the strawberries and sugar cook together in the pan for the strawberry swirl. Hopefully your berries were cooked long enough to thicken and your cheesecake should taste just fine. The sugar will dissolve during the cooking process so it will hopefully still be a nice swirl.
brian says
is it supposed to bake in the pan of water?
Miranda C. says
Yes! Cheesecakes bake best when placed in a water bath. It helps cook the cheesecake slowly and keep it creamy and dense.
Kim Stiens says
I love this cheesecake. Can it be made into mini cheesecakes? Thank you.
Karen says
This was exceptionally awesome. It turned out so good and easy. A little expensive to make but worth the price! Thanks for the recipe.
Ginger says
I am wanting to make this recipe for cheesecake cupcakes. Any suggestions on how long I should cook it?
Miranda C. says
when turned into cupcakes, you will only need to cook theses for about 30-40 minutes. I still recommend putting the cupcake pan in a waterbath to make sure the cheesecakes are silky smooth!
Terri says
Hi!! How did these turn out? I'm curious as I'd like to make for a baby shower:)
B T says
I want my cheesecake to be the center layer of the cake. Can I make this without the crust?
Miranda C. says
Yes you can! I recommend lining the cake pan with parchment paper in the bottom to help it pop out of the pan easily. Be sure it is completely cool before unmolding the cake. You may even want to try freezing it to make the layer of cheesecake easier to handle when assembling your cake.
Elizabeth says
I made the cheesecake and I am disappointed that the top of my cheesecake is brown and looks nothing like the photos. I even turned off the oven five minutes earlier. How do I prevent browning?
Miranda C. says
Hi Elizabeth! So sorry to hear that the top of your cheesecake was brown. This can sometimes happen if the oven is too hot or the oven rack is too close to the top, causing the heat to be directly on the surface of the cheesecake. To prevent this, you can try moving your oven rack lower or, if you see that the top is starting to brown, place a piece of foil loosely over the top of the cheesecake to deflect the heat. This will stop the browning but let the cheesecake continue to cook. I hope this helps!
john lucha says
Made this for the first time and this recipe is a bit different than the other I’ve used. I ended up over mixing the ingredients and wonder if you have any tips or tricks for not doing that with the method used here.
Thanks,
John
Miranda C. says
One way to prevent over mixing is to beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy then use just a regular rubber spatula to fold the rest of the ingredients into the batter by hand. Mixing by hand will ensure you do not overmix! I hope this helps 🙂
Coleen says
I made this Cheesecake for my Husband's Birthday he requested it. It's our favorite.
Miranda says
Yay! I'm so glad!
Shannon says
The top of my cheese cake is nicely cooked maybe even a bit over done as it’s slightly brown but when I took the form off the cake it seems like the outside of it isn’t cooked I cooked it longer then it says not sure why it’s like that or if it will be cooked all the way through when I cut into it
Miranda C. says
If the top starts to get too dark but the cheesecake isn't cooked, place a piece of foil over the top of the pan just to cover the cheesecak from the direct heat. This will let it continue to cook without getting too dark. Also be sure you bake your cheesecake in a water bath and also chill it completely before cutting. It needs to be completely cold before sliced!
Jaci says
First time Cheesecake baker here and was able to do this one! It was a hit!! Family said it was the best cheesecake they had. The texture was light and fluffy compared to some heavier cheesecakes. Already plan to make it again this weekend. I do feel a lot of the strawberry swirl went to waste as i only used about 1/3 of it.
Tai says
Tastes good, however not sure where I went wrong as ours didn't turn out super creamy or smooth..
Miranda C. says
Make sure you beat the cream cheese and sugar until very smooth and soft. Scrap down the sides of the bowl several times when the cream cheese is beating to ensure you get every bit of cream cheese blended into the cheesecake mix. This will help make the cheesecake smooth and creamy.
Ruth says
Can I skip the vanilla in the cheesecake
Miranda C. says
Yes! If you do not have vanilla extract on hand, you can skip it and the cheesecake will still be quite delicious.
Monica says
We make a lot of cheesecakes in my house because it's the only sweet my husband likes. This was a fantastic recipe - thanks so much for sharing! Multiple people told me it was the best cheesecake they'd ever had! Great tip to use parchment paper - this prevented it cracking as it cooled, which I often have an issue with. I used a little less sugar (1/4c in the berries was more than enough for us, 3/4c in the cake was perfect), which is all just personal preference. But the creamy lightness of the cake and cutting it with the berries was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make this again.. many times! Thank you!
Hayley Fischer says
Followed directions exactly and cooked longer than stated but came out runny in the middle. Embarrassing because I made it for my daughters birthday. Flavour was good but didn’t at all hold it’s shape once cut. Not sure what happened.
Miranda C. says
So sorry to hear this Hayley! My only suggestions would be to make sure it is very cold before cutting (straight out of the fridge) and also to make sure the strawberry is swirled in well and not in one dense spot. Just a few guesses as to why it wouldn't set!