Cherry Cheesecake with Oat Crumble
I was always intimidated by the thought of making a cheesecake at home, and I’m honestly not sure why. Maybe because it reminds me of a fancy dessert you get at the end of a nice steakhouse dinner or something you only have on a special occasion?
Luckily, after making it a few times myself, I now see it’s absolutely achievable to make great cheesecake at home!
Tips for Making Your Cheesecake
When making a cheesecake, there a few things to keep in mind in order to achieve the best result possible.
Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are room temperature! You will not get the smoothest or silkiest result if your dairy is still cold. You need to set your eggs and cream cheese out on the counter to come to room temperature for at least 3 hours before baking.
Use a water bath or a baking dish full of hot water underneath your cheesecake pan for a nice steamy environment in your oven. Water baths help cook the cheesecake evenly and can help prevent cracking. You can find more about water baths for your cheesecake here.
Allow your cheesecake to cool and set in the fridge COMPLETELY before slicing and serving. You do not want to cut into your dessert too soon and be left with a loose or runny cheesecake. I always bake my cheesecakes and let them set for 24 hours in the fridge. A longer setting time just ensures you will be able to get beautiful slices out of your cheesecake.
Ingredients to Gather
Cream Cheese
Room temperature cream cheese is crucial, the brand of cream cheese you use is not. I use the Kirkland cream cheese and it works great. No need to splurge on a specific brand.
Eggs
Make sure your eggs are room temperature too. You will need 3, two eggs and one egg yolk.
Sugar
You will need granulated sugar for the cheesecake batter and brown sugar for your cheesecake crust. I love way brown sugar lends a more depth of flavor to a dessert. It also compliments the honey notes in the graham crackers as well.
Mix Ins
Classic cheesecake is always delicious on its own, but if you wanted to add some mix ins, here are some suggestions. Jam, lemon curd, or fresh fruit of your choice adds a fun and unique touch to cheesecake. I love folding in a high quality jam to the batter before baking. This recipe has fresh cherries and an oat crumble on top to make it the ultimate summer dessert.
Ingredients for Cheesecake Batter
3 blocks room temp cream cheese
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk room temp
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (or 1/2 tsp of both!)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pitted and halved cherries
Ingredients for Crust
1 sleeve of graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/8 tsp salt
Ingredients for Oat Crumble
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cold cubed butter
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 and start to prep your 9 inch spring form pan. Lightly coat in a baking spray and line with parchment paper both on bottom and around the edge. If submerging in a water bath, cover bottom tightly and completely with foil.
Start making your crust by crushing your graham crackers in a ziplock bag or pulsing in a food processor.
Add the graham cracker crumbs to a bowl and add in your sugar and melted butter. Mix with a fork until it resembles wet sand.
Press the mixture into the bottom of your pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
While the crust bakes, cream your cream cheese in a separate bowl for about 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add in your sugar and cream for an additional 2 minutes.
Stream in your eggs and vanilla. Mix until completely incorporated and smooth.
Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom your bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure nothing is unincorporated on the bottom.
Make the crumble in a small mixing bowl by combining your flour, oats and pinch of salt. Use clean hands to break up the cold cubes of butter into the dry ingredients.
Pour your batter onto your baked graham cracker crust and layer in your halved and pitted cherries on top.
Sprinkle your crumble mixture on top of the cherries and batter. Make sure to cover the entirety of the top.
Bake for 1 hour. Make sure to check for a slight wiggle at the 60 minute mark. If your cheesecake it still very wiggly, bake for an additional 5-8 minutes.
Allow your cheesecake to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes before setting in the fridge to chill overnight.
Serve your cheesecake with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
How to Store Your Leftovers
You can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I have also just covered my cheesecake pan with some foil as well to keep it fresh in the fridge. I go in like a little fridge goblin and eat away at the crust. You can also freeze your cheesecake once it has completely cooled. You can tightly and gently wrap it in plastic wrap a couple times and set it out on the counter to thaw when you are ready to eat it. I recommend only keeping it frozen for about 2-3 weeks.
