Cherry Cheesecake Recipe & Graham Cracker Crust

Recipes for NY Style Cheesecake with Cherries & Graham Cracker Crust

Nov 18, 2008 Donna Diegel

Luscious New York style cheesecake in a graham cracker crust & topped with cherry pie filling. Ultra-creamy like NY Strawberry Cheesecake, it's a festive Christmas treat!

Just one bite of this extra-creamy New York style cheesecake topped with old-fashioned Comstock cherry pie filling, and it'll seem like cheesecake heaven! The slightly salty and crunchy texture of the graham cracker crust, compliments the silky-smooth baked cheesecake with a hint of lemon.

With its festive red and white Christmas colors, this Cherry Cheesecake would make a great centerpiece for the holiday table. Instead of serving this cheesecake with an ordinary glass of milk or cup of tea, try something different and serve it with a glass of chilled dessert Icewine!

How to Make the Perfect Gourmet Cheesecake

The most common complaint about making cheesecakes is that they're hard to make and tend to crack. For best results, be sure to read "How to Make the Perfect Cheesecake" before turning on the oven. It has all sorts of tip & tricks such as; how to use a springform pan, how to add melted chocolate to cheesecake batter, how to prevent unsightly cracks, and finally, how to serve and freeze cheesecakes. This is important info. Don't miss it!

Cherry Cheesecake Recipe with Graham Cracker Crust

Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely ground
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Cherry Cheesecake Filling

2 pounds (four - 8 ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
Sour cream topping (optional, see below)
1 can Comstock Cherry Pie Filling

Directions: How To Make a Cherry Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Take a 9 inch springform pan apart, line the bottom plate with aluminum foil, then reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven. Spray sides and bottom with vegetable spray.
Grind graham crackers in a food processor or crush until very fine with a rolling pin. Mix graham cracker crust ingredients and pat only on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven and close the door.
In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth ~ roughly 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides. Add sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest and beat again, scraping a few times during mixing. The batter should be smooth. Add vanilla and eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition until creamy. Slowly add the cream and beat only until the batter is lump-free and the filling is nice and fluffy. Scrape as needed.
Pour batter into prepared pan on top of graham cracker crust, and bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes.
Optional - If using the optional sour cream topping, stop here and follow directions below for Sour Cream Topping.
If continuing on with the Cherry Cheesecake Recipe, see the link above - "How to Make the Perfect Cheesecake"- for further baking, cooling, serving and freezing instructions.
When completely chilled, carefully spoon contents of one can of Comstock cherry pie filling over the top of the cheesecake.
Makes one 9 inch cheesecake. Serves 14. Wrap and refrigerate any leftovers.

Sour Cream Topping (optional)

2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

About 15 minutes before the cheesecake is done, mix all sour cream topping ingredients until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
When cheesecake comes out of the oven, carefully pour sour cream mixture on top of cheesecake. Immediately return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until set. Refer to "How to Make the Perfect Cheesecake" article link above for further cooling and serving instructions.

Here's a Great Selection of Christmas & Holiday Cheesecake Recipes:

NY Style Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe - The ultimate and most popular cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe with Gingersnap Crust - Perfect for the holiday buffet centerpiece!
Junior's Brownie Swirl Cheesecake Recipe - Straight from Junior's Cheesecake, this decadent cheesecake has a brownie crust and brownie swirl filling.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe - Another beautiful red and white cheesecake that would look stunning on the Christmas table!

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