Silky Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe with Fresh Berry Glaze

This easy raspberry cheesecake features a smooth, creamy filling topped with a bright raspberry sauce and plenty of fresh raspberries.

If you love raspberries, this raspberry cheesecake is a must-try. It’s a take on a classic New York–style cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust, a rich and velvety cream cheese filling, and a simple homemade raspberry sauce finished with fresh berries on top.

This dessert shines in summer when raspberries are at their peak, but it’s also festive enough for holidays year-round. For a holiday touch, lightly dust the raspberries with powdered sugar to make them look snow-kissed for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Ingredients

• Graham crackers – Crush into fine crumbs using a food processor or place in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
• Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese, softened. Microwave at 50% power in 20-second intervals if needed.
• Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream yields the best flavor. For an extra-silky texture, replace half the sour cream with heavy cream.
• Eggs – Use at room temperature to ensure a smooth batter.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar that dissolves easily in the filling.

Raspberry Topping

For the raspberry topping you’ll need only a few ingredients:

• Fresh raspberries – For garnish.
• Fresh or frozen raspberries – To cook into a sauce.
• Sugar – To taste, usually a few tablespoons.
• Lemon juice – A splash brightens the sauce.

Step by Step Photos

1. Make graham cracker crumbs in a food processor. Add melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt, then pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
2. Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment and double-wrap the pan in heavy-duty foil. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides, then bake the crust for 8–10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Reduce the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or a hand mixer until smooth and lump-free. Scrape the bowl as needed.
4. To remove air bubbles and reduce the risk of cracks, beat on the lowest speed for 1–2 minutes and bang the bowl or pan lightly on the counter to release trapped air.

5. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and tap the pan to settle the batter and remove any remaining bubbles.
6. Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour hot water a few inches up the sides to create a water bath. The gentle, moist heat helps prevent cracks and overbrowning.

7. Bake at 325°F for about 75 minutes. When baking is complete, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake inside with the door cracked open to cool slowly for one hour.
8. After it sits in the cooling oven, remove the cheesecake, unwrap and let it come to room temperature. Cover loosely and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture.

Add the raspberry topping:

1. Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high while mashing the fruit to release juices. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat, taste, and adjust sugar or lemon as needed.
2. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove seeds, thin with small amounts of water if needed, and cool completely before spreading an even layer over the chilled cheesecake. Top with fresh raspberries and serve.

Note: If you prefer a quick alternative, warm seedless raspberry jam until fluid and thin with 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

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5 from 219 votes

Servings: 8

Raspberry Cheesecake

By Jamie

This easy raspberry cheesecake has a smooth and creamy base topped with bright raspberry sauce and fresh berries.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Resting Time: 1 hour hr

Total: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

• 7 inch Cheesecake Pan – Springform Pan
• 7 inch Round Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, See Note 1
• 2 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
• pinch of salt

Cheesecake Filling

• 2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Raspberry Topping

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, for sauce
• 3 to 5 tablespoons sugar, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 6 oz fresh raspberries, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a springform pan with a parchment round for easy removal, then double-wrap the pan in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Crust

• Make graham cracker crumbs and mix with melted butter, sugar, and salt until the mixture holds together when pressed. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 8–10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Cheesecake Filling

• Make the batter: Reduce the oven to 325°F. Beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed and finish on low speed for 1–2 minutes to remove air.
• Water bath: Pour the batter into the crust, tap to release bubbles, then place the springform in a larger pan and add hot water a few inches up the side.
• Bake: Bake at 325°F for 75 minutes. Turn the oven off and crack the door open to let the cheesecake cool slowly for one hour, then remove and cool to room temperature.
• Chill: Remove the foil and chill the cheesecake, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Raspberry Topping

• Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot over medium-high heat, mash the fruit, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust. Strain to remove seeds, thin if necessary, and cool.

Add raspberry topping and serve

• Spread the cooled raspberry sauce over the chilled cheesecake and arrange fresh raspberries on top. For clean slices, dip a thin knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts. Serve with extra sauce if desired.

Notes

Makes one 7-inch cheesecake (about 8 servings).

Tip: Seedless raspberry jam warmed and thinned with a little hot water is a quick shortcut for the sauce.

1. Graham cracker crust – Halve the crust recipe if you prefer only a bottom crust.
2. Cream cheese – Use full-fat for the best texture. Soften at room temperature or briefly in the microwave at half power in short bursts.
3. Sour cream – Replacing half the sour cream with heavy cream yields a silkier, softer cheesecake.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze the plain cheesecake (without fresh raspberries) for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh raspberries and sauce before serving. Store leftover raspberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Tips:

• Pressing the crust: Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to pack the crumbs evenly.
• Avoid cracks: Minimize air in the batter and cool the cheesecake slowly in the oven with the door cracked for an hour after baking.
• Chill overnight for the best texture and easiest slicing.
• Make-ahead: The cheesecake can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated until serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

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