“Real” Strawberry Cheesecake

Real Strawberry Cheesecake is a dessert for folks who love subtle strawberry undertones with none of the artificial strawberry flavorings. It’s a wonderful dessert for cheesecake purists! Don’t miss my Perfect Cheesecake and No-Bake Cheesecake recipes as well!

Real Strawberry Cheesecake

I recently posted a No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake that we love to make, but many of you asked for a version that used real strawberries.  This is the first time I am sharing my “real” strawberry cheesecake.  Anything smothered in whipped cream and fresh strawberries and chocolate sauce (yes, chocolate) is a perfect dessert, if I may say so myself.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Ingredients

Pureed strawberries are added to the creamy cheesecake batter for this strawberry cheesecake recipe. The ingredients are simple, but important to get right!

Strawberries: I used frozen, unsweetened strawberries that I let thaw before using.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature as well as your eggs. This will help to ensure lump-free cheesecake batter!

Almond Extract: Some folks have asked if they can leave out the almond extract I have to insist you leave it in, at least once. It adds a wonderfully light and refreshing flavor to this decadent dessert!

The Crust

I used a storebought chocolate cookie crust for this recipe. I used 2, 6-ounce packages of a crust and added 4 tablespoons of melted butter.  In a bowl, combine the cookie crust with the melted butter, making sure each crumb is coated in the butter. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

I have also made this strawberry cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and a shortbread cookie crust. The winner was the graham cracker crust! But, they all are delicious.

How to Make Real Strawberry Cheesecake

One of the most important steps for lump-less cheesecake is making sure you have is room temperature ingredients. If you have to heat your cream cheese in a microwave be sure to whisk it smooth before using it not only to ensure there aren’t lumps but that there are no “hot spots” throughout.

I prefer to let my cream cheese come to room temperature for about 4 hours before use. Another tip is to not overbeat the cheesecake filling. Otherwise, it may change the texture of your cheesecake.

Remember the chocolate I mentioned above? Well, I used this chocolate ganache recipe to add a rich layer of luscious silky chocolatey charm to the cheesecake.

5 from 1 vote

Strawberry Cheesecake

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Chill 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

A cheesecake using real strawberries and a dark chocolate cookie crust!

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Ingredients

Crust

• ▢ 2 packages (6 ounces each) chocolate cookie crusts
• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

• ▢ 10 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
• ▢ 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crust

• In a large bowl, add the melted butter to the crust crumbs and, using a fork, mix well. You want every crumb coated in the butter as this will be the glue that holds it together. Add more butter if needed.
• Pour the coated crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan. Pat them flat with your hand and then use a kitchen glass to press flatter. Set aside.

Cheesecake

• Puree thawed strawberries and juices in a blender until smooth. You should have about 1 cup of pureed strawberry sauce. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese and sugar and blend until smooth.
• With the mixer on low, add in flour and the eggs, one at a time.
• Mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add strawberry puree, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix until well blended. Transfer the filling to the prepared crust.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the center is softly set and the edges begin to color, puff, and crack. Refrigerate, uncovered on a rack, until cold, at least 4 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-3 days.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: strawberry cheesecake

Servings: 8 slices

Author: Amanda Rettke–iambaker.net

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