New York Strawberry Cheesecake with Sugar Cookie Crust

My hubby describes this cheesecake as “hugging your soul on a bad day” haha, and he’s not wrong! This New York strawberry cheesecake with a sugar cookie crust checks every box: a buttery base, rich and creamy filling, and a homemade strawberry glaze on top. It’s about to become one of your favorite cheesecake recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No graham cracker crust here. Instead, you get a buttery sugar cookie crust — basically a dessert layered on top of another dessert. I like to give my recipes a bit more lemon and vanilla. Whenever I see a recipe that calls for one teaspoon of vanilla I usually add another, same for lemon and this recipe is no different! 

• No water bath needed
• Rich, creamy texture without cracking
• Unique sugar cookie crust
• Perfect for hosting + holidays

Plus it can easily be adapted into a lemon cheesecake by adding more lemon flavors. I can’t wait to try that next! 

Ingredients Overview

• Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Lemon Juice
• Vanilla Extract
• Sour Cream
• 5 Cups of Fresh Strawberries

I also used a simple glaze to top the strawberry cheesecake with too. It’s just frozen strawberries and 1/2 cup of sugar. Once you boil it down you have a nice sweet glaze and it’s so delicious once topped over everything. 

Also, you will need to make this baked strawberry cheesecake in a springform pan. 10 inches will be perfect for this recipe. 

How to Make New York Style Cheesecake with Strawberries (Step-by-Step)

One thing I’ve learned from my mom about baking and cooking in general is that the better ingredients you use the better your recipe will come out. Not to say that simple ingredients won’t give you great results, but it’s more about the quality of those ingredients. So for this recipe using Philadelphia cream cheese instead of the generic will just give you those better results! But before we get to that you’ll want to make the crust!

Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Crust 

Once you’ve made your crust using all the ingredients found in the recipe,  you’ll want to add the crust mixture to a lightly greased, springform pan. Originally I used an 8-inch pan when I made this but you will have so much cheesecake left over! So use a 10in springform pan for best result. 

Press the crust into the pan and go up about 1/4-1/2 inch up the sides of the pan. I used the back of a spoon to help me press and move the crust the way I wanted. 

Put it in the oven for 15 minutes. Once it’s done let it cool completely and set it aside for later.

Cheesecake Filling

To make the filling, get out your stand mixer. If you don’t have one, I rounded up kitchen tools just for you! but a hand mixer works just fine too. The stand mixer just saves time and keeps the mixture smooth.

Mix all the ingredients together as directed in the recipe. But make sure not to over beat. This means slow and steady. Because of the eggs, if you over beat it might make the cake rise too much and then end up cracking. 

Baking Instructions

Then bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes. The cheesecake will seem to be undone in the middle when you check on it. That’s ok. Just turn the oven off and continue to bake it in the oven with the oven door open, for 1 hour. 

Cooling process

After that remove the cheesecake and let it cool completely. Place it in the fridge until it’s time to serve! 

Homemade Strawberry Glaze 

Now for the other yummy part! The strawberry glaze. My dad made this all the time growing up and would put it over his vanilla ice cream. It’s so dang good! Give the strawberries a good rinse and simply add sliced strawberries and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then turn off and let cool. ( See the full recipe below)  

Pour over the cooled cheesecake along with fresh strawberries if you like! Serve and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Strawberry Cheesecake

• Use room-temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese leads to lumps. Pull it out 1–2 hours before mixing for the smoothest filling.
• Don’t over-mix. Beat slowly and just until combined. Too much air in the batter is the #1 cause of cracks.
• Use a 10-inch springform pan. An 8-inch pan will overflow with this recipe trust me, I learned the hard way!
• Cool slowly. Turn the oven off and crack the door this gradual cool-down keeps the top smooth and crack-free.
• Chill overnight if you can. Cheesecake tastes even better the next day after the flavors have time to meld.
• Add the glaze just before serving. This keeps the topping glossy and the cheesecake from getting soggy. Also works for our No Bake Cheesecake Recipe.

Strawberry Cheesecake FAQs

Do I need a water bath for this cheesecake?

Nope! That’s one of the best things about this recipe. The sugar cookie crust and the slow oven-cooling method (turning the oven off and leaving the door cracked open for an hour) help prevent cracks without the hassle of a water bath.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Frozen strawberries work beautifully for the glaze — that’s actually what I use! For the fresh topping on the cheesecake, stick with fresh strawberries so they hold their shape and look pretty when sliced.

How long does strawberry cheesecake keep?

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this cheesecake will keep for up to 5 days. You can also freeze slices (without the glaze) for up to 2 months — just thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

Cracks usually happen from over-mixing the filling (which adds too much air) or from cooling the cheesecake too quickly. Mix slow and steady, and let it cool gradually in the turned-off oven for the best results.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely and I’d actually recommend it! Cheesecake tastes even better after chilling overnight. Make it a day ahead, then add the strawberry glaze and fresh berries just before serving.