The cherry cheesecake is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert: a layer of cookies covered with a sweet ricotta cream and a rich cherry topping. An irresistible dessert that alternates the crunchy texture of the cookies with the creamy cheese filling until reaching the sweetness of the cherry compote with whole pieces. A dessert that is baked in the oven but gains flavor and sets thanks to the rest in the fridge, so we will enjoy it cold to savor its full goodness!
The preparation is very simple: we prepare the classic base of crumbled cookies and butter and pour it into a pan. For the filling, we mix the eggs with sugar, ricotta, lemon juice, yogurt, and cornstarch. It is ready in less than 5 minutes, and we can pour it into the pan over the cookies. Bake for about an hour and let the cheesecake cool well before covering it with the cherry sauce. We prepare the sauce by simply pitting the cherries, mixing them with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch, and cooking them over high heat with a splash of water until it starts to boil and a thicker compote forms. Once cold, we pour it over the cheesecake, and it’s ready.
For the perfect result of this cheesecake, it is naturally important to choose the right ingredients, starting with cookies like digestives or in general dry cookies that will crumble easily but at the same time will remain compact after baking. As cheese, we have used well-drained ricotta, but you can certainly use good spreadable cheese, or alternatively, mascarpone or other types of creamy cheeses. As for the cherries, naturally use fresh, possibly organic ones.
A perfect dessert to serve as a dessert after an important lunch or dinner with friends, but also great to enjoy for a sweet snack. Moreover, a very versatile and scenic dessert that you can conveniently prepare in advance and store in the fridge. Just take it out of the fridge at least ten minutes before serving, and you’ll make a great impression! If you have fresh cherries available, take advantage of them immediately to prepare this delicious and irresistible cheesecake!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 16
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 237.96 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.98 (g) of which sugars 19.09 (g)
- Proteins 6.18 (g)
- Fat 10.82 (g) of which saturated 6.60 (g)of which unsaturated 3.86 (g)
- Fibers 0.79 (g)
- Sodium 90.58 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for preparing the Cherry Cheesecake
- 7 oz Digestive cookies (or other dry cookies)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 18 oz ricotta (or other spreadable cheese)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 14 oz cherries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Tools for preparing the Cherry Cheesecake
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Springform pan
- Parchment paper
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Stovetop
- 1 Oven
- 1 Refrigerator
Steps to prepare the Cherry Cheesecake
Prepare the cherry cheesecake by crumbling the cookies. Gather them in a bowl and add the melted butter.
Mix well to combine the ingredients and pour the crumbled cookies into a pan lined with parchment paper. Press well on the bottom of the pan and put it in the fridge while preparing the filling.
Break the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar. Mix with a whisk until the eggs are light and frothy.
Add the ricotta and mix with a spatula.
Finally, add the lemon juice, yogurt, and cornstarch and mix until a homogeneous cream is obtained.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan and slightly tap the pan on the table to distribute it evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 60 minutes. Even if the center is a bit soft or wobbly, don’t worry, as it will firm up completely as it cools. Let it cool in the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar.
In the meantime, prepare the cherry topping: wash the cherries well, remove the stems and pits by cutting them in half.
Add the sugar and cornstarch and mix.
Pour the cherries into a small saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water and cook until it comes to a boil and a cherry compote begins to form. Let it cool.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven onto a serving plate once it’s cold and pour the cherry compote over its surface.
At this point, you can serve the cherry cheesecake or place it in the fridge until it’s time to serve.
Simo and Cicci recommend
You can store the cherry cheesecake in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it.
We recommend letting the cheesecake cool in the oven, as this will prevent temperature shocks that could crack the cheesecake.
Digestive cookies are excellent for the base, but in general, you can use good dry cookies.
For the filling, use creamy cheese like ricotta or spreadable cheese like Philadelphia.
Besides cherries, this dessert is excellent with peaches or other seasonal fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or a mix of these berries.
