I’ll never forget the first time I pulled this Pink Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake from my oven. My entire kitchen was enveloped in the warm, buttery scent of toasted graham cracker crust, with a sweet, sugary strawberry fragrance weaving right through it. I’d been dreaming of a dessert that was equal parts nostalgic (remember those strawberry shortcake ice cream bars?) and elegantly decadent. This cheesecake was it. Seeing that vibrant pink layer topped with that iconic golden crunch was a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. It wasn’t just baking; it was creating a little edible happiness, and I’ve been making it for every special occasion since.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 24 oz (three 8-oz blocks) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup high-quality strawberry puree or melted strawberry preserves (for the pink layer)
- 2-3 drops pink or red gel food coloring (optional, for a vibrant pink)
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 3/4 cup vanilla sandwich cookie crumbs (like Golden Oreos)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Let me share a few ingredient insights from my many test runs. Using full-fat cream cheese and room temperature everything is non-negotiable for a silky, crack-free filling—I’ve tried rushing it with cooler ingredients, and trust me, it leads to a lumpy mess. For the strawberry flavor, I’ve tried both blended fresh strawberries and preserves. While fresh is lovely, preserves give a more consistent, bold strawberry punch and don’t add extra moisture that can ruin the texture. The gel food coloring is optional, but a tiny drop makes that gorgeous pink pop visually. Don’t skip the freeze-dried strawberries for the crunch topping; they provide an intense, authentic fruit flavor that fresh berries just can’t match in this context.(See the next page below to continue…)