Just whipped up the most delicious Summer Berry and Peach Cheesecake!
This classic cheesecake has become our favorite summer dessert, perfect for showcasing all the beautiful fresh berries available this time of year.
And it looks impressive enough for special occasions but is actually quite straightforward to prepare.
I prepared it yesterday afternoon and my daughter helped wash all the berries and mixing parts.
Ready to tackle this incredibly simple cheesecake recipe for your summer BBQs and get togethers?
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cream cheese
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Sour cream
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Graham crackers
- Butter
- Fresh summer berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, whatever looks good!)
- Sliced peaches
- Jelly or jam (optional)
How to Make This Summer Berry& Peach Cheesecake
Pan Options:
You can either use:
- Two 6-inch round cake pans (what I usually do so I can freeze one for later!)
- OR one 9-inch round cake pan
You’ll also need a larger pan that can hold your cake pan(s) for the water bath. I just use my big lasagna dish or roasting pan.
Steps to Make My Summer Berries & Peach Cheesecake
Make the Crust:
- Heat your oven nice and hot. Line pans with parchment circles and spray with non-stick spray.
- Mix those graham crumbs with sugar and melted butter until it looks like wet sand.
- Press the mixture into your pans. My youngest loves using a glass to smoosh it down real firm.
- Bake the crust until it smells amazing and gets a little golden. Let it cool while you make the filling.
Mix the Filling:
- Turn the oven down lower – cheesecake likes gentle heat.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until super smooth and no lumps. This is so important for a perfect texture!
- Add your eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. The youngest always wants to crack the eggs but that can get messy!
- Stir in the vanilla, salt and sour cream until everything is smooth and silky.
- Pour this mixture over your cooled crusts. Give the pans a little tap to pop any air bubbles.
Bake and Cool:
- Set up a water bath by placing your pans in a bigger dish with hot water. This keeps everything moist and prevents cracks.
- Bake until the centers still have a slight jiggle – like Jell-O but not soupy.
- Let cool on the counter until you can touch the pans comfortably.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight. No shortcuts here – it needs time to set properly!
Finish and Serve:
- Run a knife around the edges and flip the cheesecake out of the pan.
- Warm up some jelly in a small pot and brush it over the top. This makes your berries stick and look glossy.
- Arrange all those beautiful berries on top however looks pretty to you. My middle daughter loves creating patterns with the different colors.
- Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve!
Summer Berries and Peach Cheesecake Recipe
This is my trusted (never fail to disappoint guests) dessert recipe that looks super impressive.
The creamy texture is just devine, not too heavy or too sweet, and the fresh berries and peaches on top make it look like something from a fancy bakery (hello mom-points when guests come over!).
I love that I can make two smaller ones and freeze one for later when I need a quick dessert solution.
The water bath method means no cracks on top, and using regular cake pans instead of springforms means no more soggy bottoms!
Plus it’s totally customizable with whatever berries look best at the store that day. Trust me, once you make cheesecake this way, you’ll never go back to complicated recipes again!
Summer Berries and Peach Cheesecake
Print RecipeIngredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs or 22 whole biscuits, broken down
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
For the Filling:
- 3 packages 8 oz each original cream cheese (not spreadable)
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
For the Topping:
- 1 small jar of fruit jam or jelly I used grape jelly
- 4 cups fresh mixed berries washed and dried
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Cut circles of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your pan(s). Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray and place parchment in bottom
- Mix graham crumbs with sugar, then add melted butter and combine
- Press mixture firmly into parchment-lined cake pans using a flat-bottomed glass
- Bake crust at 350°F for 10 minutes, then let cool
For the Filling:
- Reduce oven temperature to 250°F
- Beat room temperature cream cheese and sugar until smooth
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each
- Mix in vanilla, salt and sour cream until smooth
- Pour into prepared pans with pre-baked crust
- Place in water bath (hot water halfway up sides)
- Bake until mostly set with small jiggly center (1 hour 30 minutes for two 6″ pans or up to 2 hours for one 9″ pan)
- Remove from water bath and cool to room temperature
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
- Run a knife around edges to loosen, then submerge bottom in hot water before flipping out
For the Topping:
- Warm jam in a small saucepan and pour over cheesecake
- Cut up any berries that are too large
- Arrange fresh berries on top
Get Your Tastebuds Hot for This Summer Berries and Peach Cheesecake
This Summer Berry Cheesecake has saved me so many times when I need something special without spending hours in the kitchen.
Plus, it stays fresh in your fridge for up to 1 week (covered).
You can premake several of these cheesecakes and freeze (without the topping) when wrapped for up to 3 months.
If you’re making it for a family dinner or bringing it to a potluck, this cheesecake is guaranteed to disappear fast.
Just don’t forget to snap a picture before serving, it’ll be gone before you know it!
Pin this for later and make sure to follow on Pinterest for dessert recipes!
