Cherry Cheesecake with Cookie Crust
With a buttery oat crust, rich cream cheese filling, and a tangy sour cream topping, this baked cherry cheesecake checks all the boxes. No water bath, no fancy tools – just a reliable, crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesecake
If you’re a fan of no-fuss recipes that still impress, this baked cheesecake is for you. The crust is a buttery blend of oats, pecans, and brown sugar that gives it a cookie-like bite. The creamy filling stays smooth thanks to a low(ish)-temp bake, and a quick sour cream topping seals in the moisture. You can even swap in different toppings for holidays or parties. It’s make-ahead friendly and almost impossible to mess up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Chopped pecans
- Old-fashioned oats
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Vanilla
- Cherry pie filling or fruit topping of your choice
Ingredient Tips
- Be sure your cream cheese is room temperature before mixing – this helps avoid lumps.
- You can substitute the pecans with almonds or walnuts if preferred.
- Greek yogurt can stand in for the sour cream in a pinch.
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray your springform pan with non-stick spray. In a food processor, combine oats, pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Pulse until the mixture is well combined. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let the crust cool.
- Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice at medium speed until smooth and well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in 1 cup of sour cream.
- Bake the Cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust. Bake at 350°F on the middle rack for 60 minutes or until set. The cheesecake should not be jiggly in the center when done.
- Add the Sour Cream Layer: Allow the cheesecake to cool for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Spread this mixture over the cheesecake.
- Chill and Add Cherry Topping: Loosen the cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then cool completely before removing the rim. Once cooled, refrigerate the cheesecake for several hours or overnight. Before serving, spread the cherry pie filling over the cheesecake.
💡 Want a cool, no-bake option instead? Try my No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Jars—creamy, chocolatey, and ready in a snap.
Cheesecake with Oatmeal Cookie Crust
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the springform pan by spraying it with non-stick spray.
- Combine oats, nuts, brown sugar and melted butter. Mix well. Press onto bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
- Combine cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice, mixing at medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in 1 cup of sour cream. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for about 60 minutes until set.
- Allow cheesecake to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well in small bowl. Spread over cooled cheesecake.
- Loosen the cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then cool completely before removing the rim. Once cooled, refrigerate the cheesecake for several hours or overnight.
- Before serving, spread the cherry pie filling over the top of the cheesecake.
Nutrition
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Pro Tips for Cheesecake Success
- Avoid overbeating: Too much air in the batter = cracks. Mix just until smooth.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Cold cream cheese and eggs can lead to lumpy batter—and nobody wants that.
- Cracked top? Don’t sweat it: The sour cream topping smooths everything out like a charm. Call it edible concealer, then top with cherries and pretend it never happened.
- Cool it gradually: Sudden temperature changes can cause sinking or cracking. Let it rest in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for 30 minutes.
- Slice like a pro: Dip your knife in hot water and wipe between cuts for clean, café-style slices.
Serving Suggestions
- Slice and serve straight from the fridge for the cleanest cuts.
- Drizzle chocolate sauce for a Valentine’s Day variation.
- Swap the topping and crust for seasonal spins—apple topping in fall, strawberry in spring, lemon curd for Easter.
FAQs
I’ve made a lot of cheesecakes over the years, but this one has stood the test of time. It’s the kind of dessert that disappears fast and always earns a few recipe requests. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out—especially if you put your own spin on it!
Last Bite
💬 Drop a comment below and let me know your favorite cheesecake topping. Or tag me on Instagram @southernkissed if you make it – I’d love to see your creations.
OMG I have to make these one day this week!!
Be sure to prepare in separating ingredients before baking
I also use cooking spray in measuring cups when using molasses, honey, corn syrup etc. and Pam baking spray is my best friend.
I have been thinking about making a cheesecake a lot lately — it is one thing I have never made and I am a bit intimidated by it … but your recipe looks so good that I think I will have to take the plunge and give it a try! YUM!
YUM. Cheesecake… my weakness.
Brianna took my best tip LOL We go through a LOT of foil here. Other tip though – clean as you go. Even if it is just rinsing. Makes clean up easier and less stress trying to maneuver around dirty dishes.
oh my wow! this looks SO incredibly yummy! Shame we are dieting at our house 🙁
Planning ahead and setting everything out ahead of starting to cook.
Okay, that crust sounds AMAZING. I don’t think any of it would actually make it into the pan. 🙂
Wow, that recipe looks delicious! Pam is something that I use on a daily basis, especially with all of my Christmas baking!
make sure you have the right amount of the ingredients needed before starting to cook
Yum. Your cheesecake looks delicious. What would we ever do without Pam? One of the best inventions ever.
A favorite tip of mine is when measuring honey, spray the measuring cup with cooking spray first and the honey will slide right out, leaving you with less mess and less waste 🙂
Thank you for the reminder. I hate being in sticky situations!
I love Pam and it is a great tip in itself. ALWAYS use it! I remember having to grease and dust the pans when I was young. Now with Pam, there is no need, just spray and you are good to go. What a time saver!
I, too, like that PAM has a baking spray. I remember getting grease all over my fingers getting pans ready.
For boiling milk, first stir in a pinch of baking soda. It will help keep the milk from curdling.
That’s new to me. Thank you so much for the tidbit!!
My best tip is to make sure you have ALL the ingredients before you start- I’ve ruined a few dishes by trying out last minute substitutes!
I have done that, too. Thanks for sharing.
I use Pam every single time I cook or bake!…I’ve even used it on my grandchild’s bicycle chain when I couldn’t find any WD40!
One of my favorite smart tips is to always line a pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray, foil, or parchment to make clean up a breeze. Washing cookie sheets in a sink is kind of a pain sometimes and treating the pan with something makes it so much easier.