Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake topped with whipped topping and a strawberry on a plate

This stunning layered Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake will be the centerpiece of your next gathering with its beautiful pink hue, buttery graham crust, creamy and delicious cheesecake filling, and lovely layered effect.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time9 50

Servings

Table of Contents

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients
6 Simple Tips To Prevent Your Cheesecake From Cracking
How To Serve Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake
Storing This Cheesecake Recipe
More Strawberry Cheesecake Recipes
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You know those desserts that look like they came from a bakery window but secretly take way less effort than you’d think? This Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake is that kind of recipe. It’s rich but not heavy, sweet but not over the top—and it absolutely melts in your mouth.

Close-up of a slice of strawberries and cream cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, swirled whipped cream, and a whole strawberry on top, with text overlay reading "Strawberries & Cream Cheesecake."

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake raw ingredients that are labeled

Ingredients You’ll Need

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cheesecake Filling

32 ounces full-fat cream cheese
1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
½ cup full-fat sour cream
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup strawberry syrup (Mix Masters brand)
½-1 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)

Garnish

4 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
10 small fresh strawberries

6 Simple Tips To Prevent Your Cheesecake From Cracking

Cracks don’t affect flavor, but let’s be honest—everyone wants that picture-perfect, ultra-smooth cheesecake. Here’s how to get it right:

1. Use a water bath (yes, it’s worth it!)
A water bath keeps the oven temperature gentle and even, which helps prevent overbaking—a common culprit of cracks. Wrap your 9-inch springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty foil, all the way up the sides—this protects it from leaks when sitting in hot water.

👉 You can bake this cake without a water bath. However, a water bath helps regulate the temperature and prevents the cheesecake from cracking during baking, resulting in a smooth and creamy texture. 👈

2. Don’t skip the boil
Set a large pot of water to boil while you prep your cheesecake. Once the foil-wrapped pan is in a large roasting pan and the oven is fully preheated, pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about one inch up the side of the springform. Take your time here—avoid splashing water into the cheesecake batter.

3. Bake low and slow
You’re looking for a gentle set: the center should wobble slightly like Jell-O when tapped. If it’s liquidy, it’s not ready. If it’s puffed or cracked already, it’s overbaked.

4. Cool it gradually
Sudden changes in temperature can shock the cheesecake and cause it to crack. Turn off the oven and crack the door just slightly—one to two inches max. Let the cheesecake sit inside for one hour while the oven cools slowly.

5. Loosen the edges
After removing the cheesecake, unwrap the foil and run a thin knife gently around the edge of the cake. This keeps it from clinging to the pan as it contracts during cooling—which can create deep cracks along the sides.

6. Chill completely
Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 8 hours (overnight is best). This fully sets the texture and makes slicing clean and easy.

Side-by-side overhead view of the cheesecake showing the decorating process: one half with plain whipped cream dollops and the other half with strawberries placed on top of each dollop.

How To Serve Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake

For neat, bakery-style slices, use a long sharp knife and dip it into hot water between each cut. Wipe the blade clean every time—yes, every time. It might sound fussy, but it’s how you get those clean, defined layers without dragging crumbs through the filling.

Want to dress it up? Add dollops of whipped cream and fresh strawberries before serving. You can even scatter some white chocolate curls or a dusting of powdered sugar for extra flair—especially if you’re serving guests.

A slice of strawberries and cream cheesecake being lifted from a whole cheesecake on a marble cake stand. The slice shows distinct layers of pink strawberry and creamy vanilla cheesecake on a graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream and a fresh strawberry.

Hosting? Go ahead and slice the cheesecake in advance. Arrange slices on a platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and pop them back in the fridge. Come dessert time, all you’ll have to do is pour the coffee and enjoy the praise.

Storing This Cheesecake Recipe

Cheesecake keeps like a dream. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to five days. You can just pop the whole springform base into an airtight container—saves messing up another plate.

Want to freeze it? Absolutely. Slice it up, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then pop the slices into a zip-top bag or airtight container. They’ll keep for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and you’ve got instant dessert ready to go.

Strawberries and cream cheesecake on a cake stand with one slice removed, topped with whipped cream dollops and fresh strawberries, set against a tea-time backdrop with cups and a pink teapot.

Whether you’re making it for a special occasion or just because strawberries were on sale (no judgment here), this Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake is the kind of dessert that gets remembered.

Don’t be surprised when everyone goes back for seconds… or asks if there’s any left to take home.

More Strawberry Cheesecake Recipes

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 9 50

Servings

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Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 to 5 cups boiling water, for water bath

Cheesecake Filling

32 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (four 8-ounce blocks)
1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup full-fat sour cream
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup strawberry syrup, Mix Masters brand
½-1 teaspoon strawberry extract, optional – if a more intense strawberry flavor is desired

Garnish

4 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
10 small fresh whole strawberries

Instructions

To Make the Crust

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Tear off two large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using a 9-inch springform pan, set the pan on the first piece of foil and bring the foil up around the sides of the pan. Repeat with the second piece of foil. Be sure that the foil is tightly wrapped around the edges of the pan to ensure that no water from the water bath seeps into the pan as the cheesecake bakes.
Place a parchment paper round into the bottom of the springform pan, then spray the bottom and sides of the pan with baker’s spray. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter together until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Firmly press the graham cracker crust mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set the springform pan into a large roasting pan to cool as you make the cheesecake filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Start the water to boil for the water bath.

To Make the Cheesecake Filling

To make the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the cream cheese is fully and evenly combined.
With the mixer on low, add the vanilla extract and eggs, one egg at a time, beating just until each egg has been incorporated. You do not want to over-mix or incorporate too many air bubbles into the cheesecake batter.
Add the sour cream and heavy whipping cream to the cheesecake batter and mix on low just until fully incorporated.
Remove half of the cheesecake batter from the large mixing bowl and add it to a separate bowl. Set aside.
Stir in the strawberry syrup and optional strawberry extract, if using it, to the cheesecake batter remaining in the original mixing bowl until the batter is uniformly colored light pink. You should not have any white streaks remaining.
Pour the strawberry-flavored cheesecake batter into the graham cracker crust and spread it into an even layer.
Very slowly and carefully add the plain cheesecake batter to the top of the strawberry cheesecake layer. You can use a large spoon to gently spoon the batter over the strawberry layer so as not to combine the two layers. Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the plain cheesecake layer so that it bakes evenly.
Place the roasting pan with the cheesecake into the middle rack of the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan until it comes up about one inch on the side of the springform pan. Be very careful not to get any water into the cheesecake batter.
Bake the strawberries and cream cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until set. The cheesecake should not look like a liquid but should wobble just a bit in the pan when nudged. It will continue to cook as it cools.
At the end of the cooking time, turn off the oven, crack the oven door open (1-2 inches at most), and leave the cheesecake in the oven to sit for one hour. The cheesecake will finish cooking as the oven cools.
After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for an hour, remove the roasting pan from the oven, then remove the springform pan from the aluminum foil. Carefully run a sharp knife, with a thin blade, around the edges of the cheesecake to make sure it is not sticking to the sides of the pan (which would cause cracks in the cheesecake as it cools).
Refrigerate the strawberries and cream cheesecake for a minimum of 8 hours, but preferably overnight, to ensure that the cheesecake chills and sets up completely before slicing.
When ready to serve, garnish the cheesecake by placing the thawed whipped topping into a large piping bag fitted with a large piping tip and dollop ten decorative dollops around the edges of the cheesecake. Place a fresh whole strawberry into the center of each whipped cream dollop. Slice the cheesecake so each slice has the whipped cream and a strawberry.

Notes

If the cheesecake is sticking to the edges of the pan, it can cause cracks as it cools. Run the knife slowly and try not to damage the outside of the cheesecake.
Do not overmix the batter. You don’t want too much air in your cheesecake batter!
If you use a strawberry extract that is red in color, it will add more color to your batter.
You can check the cheesecake at the 1 hour and 15-minute mark to see if the top of the cheesecake is getting too dark. If so, you can lightly tent the cheesecake with a piece of aluminum foil, but don’t tightly cover it. You’ll trap in moisture which will ruin your cheesecake. Just fold the aluminum foil in half like a tent, then gently lay the foil over the top of the springform pan.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake