Lemon Bliss Strawberry Cheesecake

There’s something about lemon and strawberry together that just feels like sunlight after rain. Sweet, bright, soft — all the good things. This cheesecake is the kind of dessert you make when you want to feel something again — when life’s been a bit too serious and you need a dessert that reminds you what joy tastes like.

I made this one afternoon after finding a basket of strawberries that were a day past perfect — the kind that smell like summer but look like they’re on borrowed time. I didn’t want to waste them, so I thought, “Why not throw them on a cheesecake?” And because plain cheesecake sometimes feels too heavy, I added lemon — not enough to make it tart, just enough to make it breathe.

The crust is buttery and just crumbly enough to melt when you bite it. The cheesecake filling is creamy but light, with that hint of lemon that wakes you up instead of weighing you down. And then the strawberries — glossy, syrupy, soft — just slide over the top like a sunset you can eat with a fork.

It’s not fancy. It’s not perfect. Sometimes it cracks. Sometimes the strawberries run down the sides and make a little mess. But honestly? That’s what makes it beautiful. It looks real. Like something that came out of your kitchen — not a magazine.

This is the cheesecake I bring when I want to make people quiet for a moment — that soft silence that happens after the first bite, where everyone’s just… happy.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted

For the filling:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 2 cups strawberries, sliced
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Directions

1. Make the crust.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press it into a 9-inch springform pan and bake for about 8–10 minutes, just until it smells like toasted cookies. Let it cool.

2. Make the filling.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth — no lumps, no rush. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Then mix in the eggs, one at a time, just until they disappear into the batter. Don’t overmix — cheesecake doesn’t like to be fussed with.

3. Bake.
Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes — until the edges are set but the center still has that soft little wobble. Turn the oven off and let it cool in there for a bit with the door cracked open. Then chill it for at least 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.

4. Make the topping.
Toss the strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for 15 minutes — they’ll start to make their own syrup. If you want it thicker, stir in the cornstarch slurry and warm it gently in a pan until it looks glossy. Cool before spooning over the cheesecake.

5. Serve.
Spoon the strawberries over the top. Let it be a little messy. Slice it. Eat slowly.

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I use store-bought crust?
Yes. Nobody’s judging you. If that’s what gets cheesecake on your table faster, go for it.

2. What if my cheesecake cracks?
Then it cracks. Cover it with strawberries and call it rustic. Tastes the same.

3. Can I make this ahead of time?
Definitely. It actually tastes better the next day once it’s had time to chill and set.

4. Do I have to use fresh strawberries?
Nope. Frozen works fine — just thaw them and drain off the extra liquid. You can even simmer them a bit to make a thick sauce.

5. Can I skip the lemon?
You could, but don’t. The lemon is what gives this cheesecake life. It’s what keeps it from feeling too heavy or sweet. It’s the “bliss” in Lemon Bliss.

There’s something really grounding about baking cheesecake — maybe it’s the slow pace of it, or the patience it asks for. You can’t rush it. You have to wait for it to chill, to rest, to become what it’s meant to be. Kind of like people, honestly.

Lemon Bliss Strawberry Cheesecake

Recipe by Salma Recipe

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

350

kcal

Ingredients

• *For the crust:*

• * 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

• * ¼ cup sugar

• * ½ cup butter, melted

• *For the filling:*

• * 16 oz cream cheese, softened

• * ¾ cup sugar

• * ¼ cup sour cream

• * ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• * Zest of 1 lemon

• * 3 large eggs

• * 1 tsp vanilla extract

• *For the topping:*

• * 2 cups strawberries, sliced

• * ¼ cup sugar

• * 1 tbsp lemon juice

• * 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Directions

• *1. Make the crust.*
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press it into a 9-inch springform pan and bake for about 8–10 minutes, just until it smells like toasted cookies. Let it cool.
• *2. Make the filling.*
• Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth — no lumps, no rush. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Then mix in the eggs, one at a time, just until they disappear into the batter. Don’t overmix — cheesecake doesn’t like to be fussed with.
• *3. Bake.*
• Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes — until the edges are set but the center still has that soft little wobble. Turn the oven off and let it cool in there for a bit with the door cracked open. Then chill it for at least 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.
• *4. Make the topping.*
• Toss the strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for 15 minutes — they’ll start to make their own syrup. If you want it thicker, stir in the cornstarch slurry and warm it gently in a pan until it looks glossy. Cool before spooning over the cheesecake.
• *5. Serve.*
• Spoon the strawberries over the top. Let it be a little messy. Slice it. Eat slowly