Creamy Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake
Juicy, ripe strawberries, homemade shortbread crust and whipped cream make this strawberry shortcake cheesecake one of the best treats ever!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 1143kcal
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling:
- 32 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 whole eggs beaten
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon flour
Strawberry Sauce:
- ½ pound fresh strawberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Shortbread Crust:
- 2 sticks salted butter cut in chunks, extremely cold or frozen
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Macerated Strawberries:
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- 1 pound strawberries sliced
Whipped Cream (optional):
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
Cheesecake Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 300F degrees once you're ready to bake your cheesecake.
- Beat the cream cheese with a stand or hand mixer for about 1 minute, until creamy and lumps are minimal.
- Add the sugar and continue beating about 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the salt, vanilla, eggs, lemon zest and flour.
- Pour half the mixture into the cooled shortbread crust. **Bake the crust first and let cool before starting the cheesecake.
- Pour the cooled strawberry sauce on top, then top with remaining cheesecake mixture.
- Use a knife to swirl the strawberry sauce into the cheesecake mixture (see photos above).
- Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit in the oven for another hour.
- Remove and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight to let it set properly.
Strawberry Sauce:
- Cut the stems off the strawberries and puree them with a blender.
- Combine the pureed strawberries, vanilla and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Shortbread Crust:
- Chop the butter into small pieces and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Combine the chopped butter, flour, sugar and vanilla in a food processor and pulse until the dough starts to stick together. Do not overmix.
- Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides 1-2 inches of a 8 or 9 inch springform pan.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the crust are lightly browned. Let cool fully before adding filling.
Macerated Strawberries:
- Mix sugar and sliced strawberries in a bowl and let sit for 30-60 minutes.
Whipped Cream:
- Whip the whipping cream until frothy.
- Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until peaks begin to form.
- Add vanilla and lemon zest and whip until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over whip or it will become watery.
Notes
- Make the shortbread crust and the strawberry sauce before starting the cheesecake filling as they both need time to cool.
- Make sure the butter is extremely cold before making your crust. If it's too warm it could leak out while baking.
- The crust should be cooled fully before adding the cheesecake filling. You can make it in advance for convenience.
- Don't overmix the pie crust. As soon as it starts to stick together, it's done. It should be a little loose.
- Crust can be frozen and used when ready. Use straight from frozen.
- The macerated strawberries can sit in the fridge for 3-5 days in a covered container. They will continue to get juicier as they sit longer.
- The cheesecake should be chilled fully before serving for the best result. Otherwise, it may not set properly and the consistency will be off.
- You can substitute store bought whipped cream for the fresh made for convenience.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 1143kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 79g | Saturated Fat: 47g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 248mg | Sodium: 659mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 2898IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 3mg