Old-Fashioned Baked Cherry Cheesecake

This Old-Fashioned Baked Cherry Cheesecake has everything you want in a classic dessert: a buttery graham cracker crust, rich vanilla cheesecake filling, and a bright cherry topping.

A touch of lemon zest balances the sweetness and complements the cherries without overpowering the creamy vanilla flavor. Top the finished cheesecake with homemade or store-bought cherry pie filling for an impressive dessert that’s surprisingly simple to prepare.

Any way you slice it, cheesecake is a favorite dessert of many. Some of my favorites are Chocolate Chip S'mores Cheesecake, Malted Milk Ball Cheesecake, and this Dutch Apple Cheesecake. You'd better go grab your fork...I'll wait!

The ingredient list for making old-fashioned cherry cheesecake:

*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.

• cream cheese
• graham cracker crumbs
• butter
• sugar
• sour cream
• eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• lemon zest
• milk
• flour
• cherry pie filling (store-bought or my easy homemade recipe)

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• hand mixer and a large bowl or stand mixer
• measuring cups and spoons
• spatula
• 9" round springform pan
• baking sheet
• parchment paper
• cooling rack
• baking spray
• citrus zester
• offset spatula
• kitchen timer

What Is a Baked Cherry Cheesecake?

A baked cherry cheesecake is a classic dessert made with a graham cracker crust, a rich cream cheese filling, and a sweet-tart cherry topping. Unlike a no-bake cheesecake, eggs and flour help give the baked filling its dense, smooth, and creamy texture.

Why this baked cheesecake recipe works:

Room-temperature cream cheese and eggs blend more smoothly and help create an evenly textured filling. Sour cream adds richness and a subtle tang, while a small amount of flour gives the baked cheesecake additional stability.

Vanilla provides its classic flavor, and lemon zest adds freshness that complements the sweet-tart cherry topping. The topping also makes decorating wonderfully easy—spoon it over the chilled cheesecake, and dessert is ready to impress.

Can alternate toppings be used?

Yes!

Feel free to make your own fruit compote or citrus curd (like this homemade orange curd).

Or, top it with your favorite flavor of canned pie filling.

You can even go wild and top it with chocolate ganache (find the recipe for chocolate ganache within this recipe for S'mores Cheesecake) if the mood fits.

How this recipe came to be:

My husband's favorite dessert is cherry cheesecake. He always orders it when we're out at a restaurant on the rare occasion he even has room for dessert.

We're the type of people who fill up on the breadbasket even before the entrees arrive and then we're hardly even hungry for what we ordered.

Sound familiar to anyone out there?

For my husband Mark's recent birthday, instead of going out to a restaurant to celebrate, I cooked him a meal fit for a king (see below).

I'm not saying that anyone had room for dessert, but afterward I served up this Traditional Baked Cherry Cheesecake and everyone had a slice. Just don't ask me where we all put it! LOL!

Can cheesecake be frozen?

It can, but I suggest freezing it without the topping (if possible) for the sake of neatness.

You can either freeze the entire cheesecake whole or freeze individual slices. The choice is yours.

If freezing the entire cake, pre-freeze (unwrapped) on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Once set, wrap the cake well in several layers of plastic wrap and return it to the freezer for up to 3 months.

Baked Cherry Cheesecake Recipe Quick Take:

• Best For: Holidays, birthdays, Easter, Christmas, and special occasions
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Bake Time: 1 hour
• Cooling Time: At least 2 hours
• Make Ahead: Yes—ideally one day before serving
• Flavor Profile: Creamy, rich, vanilla-forward, and lightly tart

Alternate method for crushing graham crackers:

A large zip-top bag with a rolling pin works great, and you'll have less dishes to wash up afterwards.

You can additionally purchase store-bought graham cracker crumbs which make very fast work of the entire graham cracker crumb crust process.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• One cheesecake provides 16 rich and satisfying slices.
• It has the classic flavor and texture of an old-fashioned baked cheesecake.
• The creamy vanilla filling is balanced with fresh lemon zest.
• You can use homemade or store-bought cherry pie filling.
• It makes an impressive dessert without complicated decorating.
• Cheesecake is an excellent make-ahead dessert for entertaining.

How to make a traditional baked cherry cheesecake (step-by-step photos):

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees F (175 C).
• If making homemade graham cracker crust, pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
• Add melted butter and sugar and pulse again until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Pour into the bottom of a 9" round springform baking pan that has been sprayed with baking spray.
• Press the crumbs evenly into the pan to form a uniform layer and bake the crust for 10 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.
• Place the pan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Remove and cool while making the cheesecake filling.

• Add softened cream cheese to a large bowl, along with sugar, vanilla extract, milk, sour cream, lemon zest, and flour.
• Blend until creamy.
• Add eggs (one at a time) to the cream cheese mixture, blending well after each addition.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared springform pan and use an offset spatula to spread the mixture evenly in the pan.
• Place the cheesecake into the 350-degree preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cheesecake is only very slightly jiggly in the center.
• Turn off the oven and open the door so the cheesecake cools down slowly for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife or offset spatula around the sides of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan.
• Allow the cheesecake to cool completely on a wire rack (at least two hours) before carefully removing the collar.
• Spoon the cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• For best flavor, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for at least 60 minutes before slicing and seving.

How to cleanly slice a cheesecake:

Tips for a Smooth and Creamy Cheesecake:

• Chill thoroughly before slicing for the cleanest presentation.
• Bring the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and milk to room temperature before mixing.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth before adding the remaining ingredients.
• Scrape the bowl frequently so no lumps of cream cheese remain.
• Add the eggs individually and mix only until each one is incorporated.
• Avoid overmixing once the eggs have been added.
• Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before adding the cherry topping.

Additional cheesecake recipes:

Lemon Drop Cheesecake with Lemon Curd Topping (shown below)

Chocolate Chip S'mores Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache Topping

Reese's Pieces Pumpkin Cheesecake

A meal fit for a king or queen:

Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Bourbon Gravy

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Candied Bacon

Beer Bread Biscuits with Herbs

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!

All of the recipes you'll find here on my website are in loving memory of my son, Greg, who left this earth far too soon and will be forever in our hearts.