23 Outstanding Cheesecake Recipes

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on March 8, 2023

No-Bake Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Recipe — Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer

Creamy, tangy, and rich, cheesecake is a timeless dessert that we can never get enough of. While we love a classic cheesecake recipe with graham cracker crust, there are also plenty of other delicious versions that we'd happily make again and again — including Justin Chapple's No-Bake Peaches and Cream Cheesecake and Marcela Valladolid's Dulce de Leche Cheesecake. Read on for more of our best cheesecake recipes.

01 of 23

St. Louis–Style Cheesecake with Blueberries

St. Louis Style Cheesecake with Blueberries Recipe — Johnny Autry

Hidden beneath a mound of juicy summer berries (chef Andrae Bopp uses Washington-native huckleberries, but blueberries are fine), a thin layer of sweetened sour cream crowns this luscious no-fuss cheesecake based on his great-grandmother's recipe. Dollop the fluffy batter into the pan gently for the best results.

02 of 23

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes with Jam. — © Tina Rupp

In these single-serving desserts, rich and creamy cheesecake is baked atop a chocolate wafer base. You don't need any special equipment to make them — just a muffin tin and foil liners.

03 of 23

Triple-Cheese Cheesecake with Amaretti Crust

Triple-Cheese Cheesecake with Amaretti Crust — © Johnny Miller

This killer cheesecake has an ethereally light, creamy texture and fantastic crunchy crust made from honey graham crackers and amaretti cookies.

04 of 23

Mini Chocolate-Hazelnut Cheesecakes

Mini Chocolate-Hazelnut Cheesecakes — © Fredrika Stjärne

Whole, cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies are broken up in a food processor with hazelnuts and butter to create a super-crunchy crust for these delectable little cheesecakes. The cream filling in the cookies both sweetens the crust and prevents it from becoming too crumbly.

05 of 23

Basque Cheesecake

Basque Cheesecake Recipe — Cedric Angeles

2020 F&W Best New Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph bakes a perfectly creamy cheesecake, without a water bath and with no risk of a cracked or sunken top, by incorporating whipped cream cheese with heavy cream in the batter. To make the cake properly, you're going to have to burn it. The more caramelized it gets, the sweeter and creamier the batter becomes, intensifying the flavor.

06 of 23

Bananas Foster Cheesecake

Bananas Foster Cheesecake — Bananas Foster Cheesecake.
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Creamy bananas and spiced rum-brown sugar caramel come together for both the filling and the topping in this cheesecake mashup. The cinnamon-scented buttery crust doubles down on nutty flavor by using both pecan sandies and pecans. The cheesecake is made extra silky with the addition of sour cream, but the real flavor magic happens thanks to vanilla and more spiced rum.

07 of 23

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Swirl — © Alexandra Rowley

These rich chocolate-crusted bars are topped with a homemade caramel that sinks into the pumpkin cheesecake batter during baking.

08 of 23

Limoncello-Ricotta Cheesecake

Limoncello Ricotta Cheesecake — Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Limoncello — the sweet, potent Italian lemon liqueur made by steeping lemon peel in grain alcohol or vodka — is the star of this silky, creamy dessert. The filling is lightened by the addition of ricotta cheese and boasts citrusy flavors from both the fresh lemon juice and limoncello.

09 of 23

Icebox Chocolate Cheesecake

Icebox Chocolate Cheesecake — © Con Poulos

Chocolate cookies are brilliantly layered with a quick mix of cream cheese, chocolate syrup, and a little water to form this icebox cheesecake. The cookies soften as the cake chills overnight, creating a perfectly moist, chocolaty dessert.

10 of 23

Mini Cheesecakes with Wine Gelées

Mini Cheesecakes with Wine Gelées — © Anna Williams

Pastry chef Kate Zuckerman uses goat cheese to lighten the texture and tangy crème fraîche to cut the sweetness in these mini cheesecakes. They're topped with wine gelées for the finishing touch.

11 of 23

Cheesecake Bars with Candied Orange and Pizzelle Crust

Cheesecake Bars with Candied Orange and Pizzelle Crust — Cheesecake Bars with Candied Orange and Pizzelle Crust.
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

This elegant dessert showcases a mild anise-flavored pizzelle cookie crust with rich cheesecake and glossy candied orange slices. The perfect ratio of cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs yields a creamy and dense cheesecake filling that requires no water bath to bake.

12 of 23

Fiadone (Corsican Cheesecake) with Chestnut Honey and Figs

Fiadone (Corsican Cheesecake) with Chestnut Honey and Figs — Photo by Cedric Angeles / Prop Styling by Stephanie Bohn

Fiadone, a slightly sweet Corsican cheesecake, is traditionally made with brocciu, a fresh goat or sheep's milk cheese, which gives it a crumbly texture. In this recipe from pastry chef Shawn Gawle of March restaurant in Houston, the cheesecake is topped with chestnut honey, which pairs perfectly with sweet caramelized figs and candied lemon zest.

13 of 23

Sour Cherry–Cheesecake Trifle with Black Pepper and Saba

Sour Cherry-Cheesecake Trifle with Black Pepper and Saba — Christopher Testani

Pastry chef Pichet Ong's variation on a proper British trifle retains the dessert's classic form while reinventing its components. Cheesecake stands in for egg custard; pound cake replaces ladyfingers. Rather than sherry, Ong's trifle uses saba, a syrup made from cooking down grape must, which has a flavor similar to balsamic vinegar.

14 of 23

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake — Antonis Achilleos

"The cheesecake itself is very straightforward — cream cheese, sugar, a graham cracker crust, and a water bath to ensure gentle heat; you know the drill," chef and cookbook author Marcela Valladolid says. "What's fun here is the dulce de leche marbling." She notes that dulce de leche is earthy and "finds a gorgeous home in this creamy classic."

15 of 23

Strawberry Almond Cheesecake with Matzoh Crust

Strawberry Almond Cheesecake with Matzo Crust — Abby Hocking

This silky cheesecake gets sweetness and tang from a blend of cream cheese and sour cream. Matzo meal and ground almonds replace the usual graham crackers in the crust for a nutty, toasty crunch. Topped with ruby-toned strawberries and toasted almond slivers, this cake makes a beautiful centerpiece.

16 of 23

No-Bake Peaches-and-Cream Cheesecake

No-Bake Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Recipe — Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer

With a perfect graham cracker crust and two layers of peach puree, this no-bake dessert from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple is a hit. The ideal ratio of cream cheese to ricotta gives the cake an extra-creamy texture.

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Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake — Abby Hocking / Food & Wine

Upgrade your classic cheesecake recipe with picture-perfect red velvet marble swirls. A hint of unsweetened cocoa powder, red food coloring, and a wooden skewer are the secrets to this luxurious vermillion-hued delight.

18 of 23

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Empanadas

Sweet potato cheesecake empanadas at Boricua Soul — Lauren Vied Allen

Puerto Rico and the American South intersect deliciously in this unique dessert empanada from Boricua Soul in Durham, North Carolina, which combines the flavors of marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole with spiced pumpkin cheesecake, encasing it all in caramel-drizzled, crisp pastry.

19 of 23

Blueberry-Coconut Vegan Cheesecake

Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

This vegan cheesecake is just as creamy and tangy as dairy-based cheesecakes thanks to cultured nut-based cream cheese from Miyoko's Creamery, founded by vegan visionary Miyoko Schinner.

20 of 23

Goat Cheese Cake with Wine-Poached Cranberries

Goat cheese cake with red wine poached cranberries — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Crowned with candied pistachios and draped in tart, glistening cranberry gelée, pastry chef Claudia Fleming's cheesecake is extra creamy thanks to a combination of tangy goat cheese and mascarpone. Be sure to beat in the mascarpone at low speed to preserve its extra-smooth texture. Don't skip straining the cranberry mixture after adding the gelatin; removing the foam is key to a clear, glossy gelée.

21 of 23

Lemon Ripple Cheesecake Bars

Lemon Ripple Cheesecake Bars — © Anna Williams

Elinor Klivans, the author of Fearless Baking and three other cookbooks, got her start as the "cheesecake specialist" at a restaurant in Camden, Maine. Her creamy, tangy lemon cheesecake bars are a success — plus, they're portable enough to bring on a picnic. For the best results, slice the cheesecake bars with a warm knife, wiping off the blade between cuts.

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Black Currant Cheesecake

Black Currant Cheesecake Recipe — Victor Protasio

This vibrant purple cheesecake, flecked with bits of fruit, sits in a sweet, buttery crust and gets topped with juicy, syrupy macerated currants. Folding egg whites into the batter creates a light, fluffy texture.

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Eggnog Cheesecake

Eggnog Cheesecake — Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

There's a lot to love about Eggnog Cheesecake, especially if the creamy, sweet drink is one of your holiday favorites. The filling is made with actual eggnog, as well as fragrant vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, and light brown sugar to really drive the flavor home. A crispy gingersnap and pecan crust makes it even more festive, as does the boozy whipped cream topping.

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