Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake is an extra creamy vanilla cheesecake topped with fresh strawberry sauce and a crunchy golden Oreo and freeze-dried strawberry mixture. It is a delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F). Wrap the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. This will keep water from the water bath out.
In a medium bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, salt, and sugar until well combined. The mixture should be the texture of wet sand.
Use the bottom of a clean cup to firmly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
For Vanilla Cheesecake Filling:
Set a large pot of water to boil while you start the cheesecake filling.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled graham cracker crust. Place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan or deep baking dish. Pour the water into the pan. It should come up about ⅓ to ½ of the way up the cheesecake pan. Place the pan in the oven.
Bake the cheesecakes for 55-70 minutes. It should be set around the outside and slightly jiggly in the center. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for 30 minutes. Crack the oven door open and allow it to sit until cooled to room temperature.
Transfer cheesecake to the fridge until ready to serve.
For Strawberry Sauce:
Add the strawberries and sugar to a blender. Blend until smooth.
For Strawberry Crunch:
In a small bowl combine the crushed Oreos, freeze-dried strawberries, and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
For Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Assembly:
Pour the strawberry sauce over the cooled cheesecake.
Sprinkle the strawberry crunch mixture over the top of the strawberry sauce.
Notes
Beat at a low speed.Beating your cheesecake filling at a low speed will prevent air bubbles from forming. It takes a bit longer, but it is worth it in the end.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. If all of your ingredients are at room temperature they will combine a lot easier and it will prevent lumps from forming.
Scrape down the bowl. I scrape down the bowl often while making the cheesecake filling. This ensures that everything is getting well combined.
Don’t over-bake. A lot of times we think cheesecake isn’t done baking because it is still jiggly, but this is when we want to stop the baking process. If you let the cheesecake cool in the oven and then in the fridge, they will set up and be a perfect consistency.
The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.