cherry pie cheesecake

cheesecake with cherry pie filling and lots of vanilla bean whipped cream!

First and foremost, I apologize for not posting as much! I needed a little creative break. Thank you guys for being patient with me. ilysm!!!

CHERRY PIE CHEESECAKE

A classic, creamy cheesecake topped with fresh cherry compote and lots of vanilla bean whipped cream.

I made this one because cherry season collided with a very serious holiday in my family. Being raised by two of the strongest women on this earth is a gift I cherish deeply, which means Mother’s Day is basically a festival in my world.

Cherry cheesecake also happens to be my grandma’s favorite dessert ever, so making this for Mother’s Day was mandatory. And tbh…A carne asada with this for dessert is one of the best meal combos ever btw.

diesmillo preparado, hot links, green spaghetti, gma’s mac salad, pico de gallo, grilled zucchini, grilled onions, fresh tortillas, queso fresco & a COLD MUNDET 🫦

*I knowww Mother’s Day was a week ago, but I still want to send out a reminder to some of my readers:

I want to send love to all of my lovelies who may have lost a mother or whose mothers may be…less than cute to keep in their lives. This holiday can bring up difficult emotions for some, so may this day become a day to celebrate you. An ode to your strength, grief, overcoming, and the unwavering love you still show yourself and others.

Let’s get into the recipe!

Heads up! This cheesecake needs to chill in the fridge overnight before serving. The cherry pie filling also needs to be chilled completely before serving on cheesecake.

I provided a suggested time frame for you to follow below the listed ingredients <3

EQUIPMENT

10 inch springform pan

Large roasting dish that fits the springform pan in the center

Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

Rubber spatula

Aluminum foil

Small-mediumish sized sauce pan

INGREDIENTS

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 2 1/4 cups (225 g) Graham crackers, ~15 full cookie sheets

• 3 tbsp (38 g) sugar

• 10 tbsp (142 g) salted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 20 oz (567 g) cream cheese, soft & room temperature

• 3/4 cup (170 g) sour cream, room temperature

• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar

• 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract

• 2 large (100 g) eggs, room temperature

• 1 large (18 g) egg yolk, room temperature

• 3 tbsp (45 g) heavy cream

CHERRY PIE FILLING? COMPOTE? IDK !!!

• 1/2 lb (227 g) fresh [Bing] cherries, pitted (I recommend this pitter)

• 2 tbsp (30 g) lemon juice

• 1/2 cup (120 g) water

• 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar

• 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch

• 1/4 tsp (1 g) almond extract, or to taste! I added 1/4 tsp more*

VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 tsp. vanilla paste

SUGGESTED TIME FRAME:

The day before serving:

10 AM: Begin Making Cherry Compote/Pie filling

4PM: Begin cheesecake

5PM: Bake Cheesecake

Morning of serving: Assemble/Decorate

METHOD

Step 1: Make the Cherry Pie Filling

* MAKE THIS ONE FULL DAY AHEAD OF ASSEMBLY

1. In a saucepan, mix together the pitted cherries, lemon juice, water, sugar, and cornstarch until fully combined. Place over low-medium heat and cook, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to make sure you are including the bottom and sides of the pan. Continue until the mixture comes to a low boil and the cherries begin to release their juices. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 10 minutes. This will help release more juice from the cherries.

2. Remove lid and continue to stir.

3. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 5–10 minutes, stirring often, until the compote is glossy, thickened, and coats the back of a spoon. The cherries should be softened but still retain some shape. This may take awhile, it took me an hour or two. Be patient.

4. Remove the compote from the heat and stir in the almond extract. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled and thickened.

Step 2: Make Graham Cracker crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easier release.

2. Grab your blender & make sure it doesn’t smell like yesterday’s batch of salsa that your abuelita made (speaking from personal experience). Throw your graham crackers in there and pulse. You don’t want the crackers to become a complete powder but you do want an even sand-like crumb.

   1. ***If your blender happens to smell like salsa, make sure to take apart your blender and wash each piece. Reassemble and drop in a couple tablespoons of white vinegar and a cup of water. Blend for 20 seconds and discard the solution. Rinse with water. Now it should smell like a regular person’s blender. We can thank my talented friend Tati for this tip! <3

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed Graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly coated and resemble wet sand. If you squeeze a handful in your hand and it retains shape, you’re golden.

4. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared springform pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to create an even, compact layer.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool for 30 minutes.

6. Continue on to make the cheesecake filling.

Step 3: Make Cheesecake Filling

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent lumps.

   1. ENSURE ALL OF YOUR INGREDIENTS ARE ROOM TEMP OR ELSE YOUR FILLING WILL BE LUMPY!!! The cream cheese will be your enemy if it is the slightest bit cold.

2. Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, then mix on low speed just until smooth.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined after each addition. Make sure you’re scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated!

4. Continue mixing just until the cheesecake batter is smooth & silky. Avoid overmixing, as the excess air will cause cracking during baking!

Step 4: Bake The Cheesecake

1. Pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Tap the pan gently against the counter several times to release any trapped air bubbles.

2. Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with several layers of heavy-duty foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, then carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

3. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 1 hour, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle when gently shaken. Avoid opening the oven, as sudden temperature changes can cause cracking.

4. Once the cheesecake is finished baking, turn off the oven and crack the oven door open slightly. If the door will not stay open on its own, place a wooden spoon in the door to keep it ajar. Allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for 1 hour to cool gradually, which helps prevent cracking.

5. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath, then let it cool completely at room temperature for about 3 hours.

6. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6–8 hours, or preferably overnight, before slicing and serving.

Step 5: Make Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

1. Add the cold heavy whipping cream, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla paste to a large mixing bowl.

2. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed JUST until soft-to-medium peaks form. The whipped cream should be light, smooth, and hold its shape without appearing grainy.

3. Continue on to assembly or refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble.

Step 6: Assembly

i usually practice my piping on my [clean] counter before i commit to decorating my cake. just a tip to anyone out there who is still learning, like me :D

1. Either pipe decoratively or spread the vanilla bean whipped cream evenly over the chilled cheesecake.

   1. The way I did this was pipe the borders with whipped cream to make a circular frame. Then I filled the center with the cherry filling. I used the Wilton 1M.

2. Spoon the chilled Cherry pie filling over the top, then spread and decorate as desired. Finish with extra whipped cream, fresh cherries, graham cracker crumbs, or any additional toppings you like. There is no wrong way to do this. Do whatever your heart calls you to do!