White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cherry Topping Recipe

How to recreate the diner dessert of your dreams.

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated April 14, 2024
White chocolate cheesecake with cherry topping, with a slice being lifted out.
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Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

Why It Works

  • The graham cracker crust is pre-baked to keep it crunchy.
  • Melted white chocolate is folded into the batter to balance the tangy sour cream/cream cheese mix.
  • The cheesecake is gently baked in a water bath to minimize cracking.


When I was in my early twenties (just a few years back...sort of), weekend nights with my hometown buds were built on Fuzzy Navels, White Russians, and throwing down some sweet moves at a club called Let's Dance in Poughkeepsie, NY.

After hours of drinking and sweating it out, some serious munchies were in order. We'd hit up one of the few spots in the area that was still serving. We'd sometimes land at Denny's, where I'd slide a greasy Grand Slam Breakfast down my pie hole and sip burnt Bunn-o-matic coffee from the thick ceramic mugs. If there was too much of a line, we'd head over to the 84 Diner, set off a highway and a popular spot with the truckers.

The atlas-sized menu spanned the cuisine of the world, but I only had eyes for one thing: the bright red cherry cheesecake that was spinning around in the revolving pastry case. The massive slice of sweet cream cheese, canned-cherry-topped, graham cracker-y goodness hit the spot and readied me right for bed.

This weekend we had company at our house, so I had the perfect excuse to bake one of these luscious babies. I don't normally bake whole cheesecakes when I'm alone because I lack all self control when it comes to anything with cheese. Morning, noon, and night I'd be in heaven till it was devoured...Then I'd start popping buttons around my waist. When it comes to making cheesecake, the more people I have to share it with, the better.

To put my chocoholic spin on the diner version, I fold a heaping dose of melted white chocolate into the batter. White chocolate has an unequivocal creaminess, which perfectly balances the tangy cream cheese, sour cream, and hint of lemon. The buttery crushed graham cracker crust is pre-baked to help keep it crunchy, and baking the cheesecake in a water bath gently cooks the filling to keep it smooth, creamy, and sliceable. For the topping, say what you will, but nothing says diner cheesecake to me more than canned cherry pie filling, and it's still got me hooked even after all these years.

February 2012

Recipe Details

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cherry Topping Recipe

Prep 20 mins
Cook 100 mins
Active 30 mins
Chilling Time 7 hrs
Total 9 hrs
Serves 12 to 16 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • Nonstick baking spray

  • 8 ounces graham crackers, finely crushed

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 pound cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 2 1/2 cups sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

  • 15-ounce can cherry pie filling (see notes)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray inside of 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. In medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and butter to moisten. Firmly press into bottom of springform pan. Bake until edges are just starting to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

  2. In heatproof bowl set over pan of barely simmering water, gently heat white chocolate until melted. Remove from heat. Be careful to not let any water get into the chocolate, and don't overcook it.

  3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, turning off mixer and scraping down paddle and sides of bowl as necessary. Add eggs, one by one, until smooth, scraping bowl as necessary. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in melted white chocolate until smooth.

  4. Wrap outside of springform pan with foil to create a waterproof seal. Pour batter into springform pan and set into large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and fill with 1 inch hot water.

  5. Bake until edges are set and center jiggles just slightly, 60 to 75 minutes. Turn oven off and let cheesecake sit 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from roasting pan and chill in refrigerator until completely cold and set, 4 to 6 hours.

  6. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the springform pan and remove ring. Spoon cherry topping over cheesecake and serve, dipping a knife into hot water for easy slicing.

Special Equipment

9-inch springform pan, large roasting pan, aluminum foil, standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment

Notes

If canned cherries aren't your thing, they can be replaced with any kind of berry (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), white chocolate shavings, or just left plain.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
460Calories
31gFat
41gCarbs
6gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories460
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g40%
Saturated Fat 17g86%
Cholesterol 103mg34%
Sodium 203mg9%
Total Carbohydrate 41g15%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2mg11%
Calcium 127mg10%
Iron 1mg5%
Potassium 212mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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