The 27 Dreamiest Cheesecake Recipes

A True Slice of Heaven

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/14/21
Maple walnut cheesecake recipe

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Yes, it's possible to make a perfect cheesecake at home! Whether you prefer fruit, chocolate, or even donuts (yes, donuts!) as part of the creamy classic dessert, there's a recipe waiting for you to bake up. This collection of our best cheesecakes is sure to delight and just about everyone will cheer when you bring one out to the dessert table.

  • 01 of 28

    New York Cheesecake

    New York Cheesecake

    Lew Robertson / Getty Images

     

    Wonderfully dense and creamy, New York cheesecake is a restaurant favorite for good reason. Just two ingredients go into the tasty homemade graham cracker crust, which holds a silky smooth cream cheese filling that's spiked with lemon juice for extra zing. Serve it with a few of your favorite fresh berries on the side.

  • 02 of 28

    Key Lime Cheesecake

    Key Lime Cheesecake

    Brian Leatart Photolibrary / Getty Images

     

    If you enjoy key lime pie, you'll adore this citrusy cheesecake with a fabulous tangy flavor from key lime juice and zest. It's baked in a springform pan with a buttery graham cracker crust for a lovely crunchy-creamy contrast. Decorate it with candied lime peel or wafer-thin slivers of fresh lime.

  • 03 of 28

    Krispy Kreme Donut Cheesecake

    Krispy Kreme Doughnut Cheesecake

    The Spruce / billnoll-iStock

     

    Donut worry, be happy! Krispy Kreme donuts are the star ingredient of this recipe, which will surely earn you a reputation as the best baker in town. From the golden graham cracker crust down to a filling made with actual doughnuts and the sweet vanilla glaze, this is one downright decadent dessert.

  • 04 of 28

    Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes

    Mini Red Velvet Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

     

    Who doesn't love miniature desserts at parties? This recipe for individually-sized red velvet cheesecakes makes a fabulous dinner party meal capper or a winning potluck contribution. The adorable little cakes can be topped with a swirl of vanilla icing for a more sophisticated look.

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  • 05 of 28

    Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

    Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

     

    Bring serious wow factor to your dessert table with a lovely lemon raspberry cheesecake. Featuring a crunchy graham cracker base to complement its creamy filling and the sharp tang of lemon to balance out the tart fresh raspberries, this baked cheesecake is a delicious exercise in dessert harmony.

  • 06 of 28

    Strawberry Cheesecake

    Strawberry Cheesecake

    The Spruce Eats / Anita Schecter

    The top of baked cheesecakes can crack, but this strawberry cheesecake fights that battle on two fronts. The combination of cream cheese and ricotta reduces the chance of cracks, then a fresh strawberry compote hides any flaws that do appear. It's a recipe that you'll come back to often because it is so delicious, and it always looks fabulous.

  • 07 of 28

    Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

    Peppermint bark cheesecake slide on a serving plate

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    Delicious any time of year, but especially at Christmas, this peppermint bark cheesecake hits all the right notes. It combines peppermint bark, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes for garnish. This is a great way to use up all that leftover holiday candy.

  • 08 of 28

    Italian Cheesecake

    Italian cheesecake on a tea towel on a wooden table

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni 

    Instead of cream cheese, ricotta is used in this Italian cheesecake recipe for a lower-fat, higher-protein version of the traditional dessert. It's also made without a crust so it's gluten free, and the citrus flavors of orange and lemon coupled with almond and rum extracts make for a very unique spin.  

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  • 09 of 28

    Salted Caramel Popcorn Cheesecake

    Salted Caramel Popcorn Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

     

    Be warned, this salted caramel popcorn cheesecake is seriously addictive. We challenge you to eat only one piece of the over-the-top treat. Featuring a mascarpone cheese filling, crushed cookie crust, and generous sprinkling of salted popcorn, it makes for a showstopping dessert for birthday parties and game day gatherings.

  • 10 of 28

    Coconut Cheesecake

    Coconut cheesecake on a serving plate

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    This coconut cheesecake gets a quadruple dose of coconut. Sweetened and shredded coconut is used in the crust and filling, cream of coconut also is used in the filling, and toasted coconut is sprinkled on top of the baked cheesecake for garnish. Now that's the perfect dessert for a coconut lover.

  • 11 of 28

    Turtle Cheesecake

    Slice of turtle cheesecake on a white serving plate

    Te Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    If you like the flavor combination of pecans, caramel, and chocolate, this turtle cheesecake recipe is right in your wheelhouse. Named after the candy developed in the 1900s, this decadent treat begins with a pecan and graham cracker crust that is filled with a classic cream cheese filling. Once cool, homemade caramel sauce is poured on top along with chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips.

  • 12 of 28

    Oreo Cheesecake

    No-bake Oreo cheesecake slice on a serving plate

    The Spruce / Jessie Sheehan 

    Crushed Oreo cookies make up the crust of this no-bake Oreo cheesecake. They also are folded into the creamy filling. This dessert comes together in minutes and is the perfect make-ahead dessert since it needs to chill in the fridge before serving anyway.

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  • 13 of 28

    Black Forest Cheesecake

    Black Forest Cheesecake

    The Spruce Eats / Jessie Sheehan

    Black forest cheesecake is as delicious as it sounds! This decadent dessert begins with a chocolate cookie crust, which is filled with chocolate cheesecake. The cherry-flavored whipped cream includes a fruit brandy and the cheesecake is finished with a heaping pile of cherry compote. You can make it up to three days early and everyone is sure to love it.

  • 14 of 28

    No-Bake Cool Whip Cheesecake

    No-Bake Cool Whip Cheesecake

    Leah Maroney 

    These individual no-bake cheesecakes combine cream cheese and Cool Whip dessert topping for a rich and fluffy treat. Top them with fresh berries, slices of kiwi, chunks of pineapple, or other favorite fruit. You can make these up to two days in advance and store them tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Add the fruit just before serving.

  • 15 of 28

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake

    Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake

     Kristina Vanni

    Fans of the old-fashioned pineapple upside-down cake will love this dessert recipe. A luscious cheesecake is topped with pineapple rings, maraschino cherries, and a sweet syrup, making for a festive looking and delicious tasting cheesecake.

  • 16 of 28

    Tiramisu Cheesecake

    Tiramisu Cheesecake

     Kristina Vanni

    All of the elements of a classic Italian tiramisu are found in this rich and creamy cheesecake. A coffee-flavored mascarpone filling is surrounded by ladyfingers, dusted with cocoa powder, and topped with a homemade whipped cream spiked with coffee liqueur.

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  • 17 of 28

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

    Beatriz Da Costa / Getty Images

     

    This indulgent recipe takes everything we love about chocolate chip cookies and wraps it up inside a cheesecake. It's baked in a chocolate wafer crust with extra chocolate chips and cream making up a silky smooth ganache on top.

  • 18 of 28

    Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Easy layered pumpkin cheesecake recipe

    ​The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    From the homemade cinnamon-spiced graham cracker crust, to the luscious, double layer, vanilla-scented pumpkin filling, this cheesecake looks and tastes like you spent half the day in the kitchen. You can make it in about an hour, and it freezes well for a great make-ahead holiday dessert. Serve topped with caramel sauce or whipped cream.

  • 19 of 28

    Nutella Cheesecake

    Nutella Cheesecake

    Kristina Vanni 

    Nutella lovers will rejoice when you serve them this decadent and creamy dessert. Nutella cheesecake doesn't require any baking, making it quick and easy to throw together. Assemble the chocolate cookie crust and chocolate cream cheese filling ahead of time so it has time to chill.

  • 20 of 28

    Pecan Pie Cheesecake

    pecan-pie-cheesecake-4767663-16

     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Pecan pie and cheesecake come together for a decadent dessert that's sure to impress guests. A creamy baked cheesecake is topped with a brown sugar pecan caramel sauce for a real show stopper. Pecan pie cheesecake is worthy of serving during the holidays or a fall dinner party.

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  • 21 of 28

    Eggnog Cheesecake

    Eggnog Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

     

    The popular Christmas beverage is transformed into an indulgent cheesecake in this festive recipe. Warming pumpkin spice mix and nutmeg are added to eggnog and cream cheese with a few other pantry ingredients to create the rich and irresistible filling.

  • 22 of 28

    S'mores Cheesecake

    S'mores Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    With a graham cracker crust, rich marshmallowy filling, and a topping of chocolate sauce and toasted marshmallows, this s'mores cheesecake is a work of art. It'll remind you of summer nights on the campground, but with a more sophisticated touch.

  • 23 of 28

    Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake

    Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Theerawat Kaiphanlert

     

    This light-as-air cheesecake with a sweet graham cracker crumb crust requires no baking, making it extra easy to prepare. Elegant in its presentation, and packed with antioxidants from matcha green tea, it's a dessert your foodie friends will love.

  • 24 of 28

    White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

    White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

    Impress your family and friends with a white chocolate raspberry confection that makes a pretty dessert for Mother's Day, fancy brunches, and other special occasions. Just a few ingredients, including healthy helping of white chocolate, are needed for the filling. It's finished with fresh raspberry glaze that's swirled throughout on top in a technique that's actually easier than it looks.

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  • 25 of 28

    Maple Walnut Cheesecake

    Maple walnut cheesecake recipe

    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

    Here is a lovely autumn dessert that gets its rich depth of flavor from sweet maple syrup and mouth-pleasing crunch from walnut pieces embedded inside the graham cracker crust. The recipe includes instructions for a maple cream sauce you can drizzle over top, but this cheesecake is also fantastic on its own.

  • 26 of 28

    Blueberry Cheesecake

    Blueberry Cheesecake

    Stefan Cioata / Moment / Getty Images

     

    Blueberry cheesecake is a popular dessert that's at its best in summer when fresh blueberries are in season, but you can make it year round by using frozen berries to create the glaze. Cottage cheese is mixed with cream cheese in the filling for a slightly lighter version of the classic dessert.

  • 27 of 28

    Mango Swirl Cheesecake

    Mango swirl cheesecake recipe

    ​The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

    Serve up tropical island flavors in the form of an impressive mango swirl cheesecake. The vibrant taste of the fruit blended into the filling is hard to beat.

  • 28 of 28

    Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake

    Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

     

    Kids will clamor for this delicious cheesecake with a great nutty flavor. It starts with a classic cheesecake and graham cracker base and finishes with a pretty peanut butter swirl. Add chopped peanuts on top for extra crunch, or garnish with chocolate shavings or whipped cream.