Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake is a stunning dessert to serve any time of year, but it’s especially lovely with summer’s sweetest fresh raspberries. This rich raspberry cheesecake is a favorite family recipe that’s surprisingly easy to make!
This Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake recipe is my favorite indulgent raspberry dessert. It’s super creamy and luscious, delicately tangy, and swirled with the softly sweet taste and scent of fresh raspberries. We make it every summer when our raspberry patch is heavy with fruit, picking almost a gallon of fresh raspberries every day. I can’t bear to let a single sweet ruby red berry go to waste! During this season, we also make a few batches of quick and easy freezer jam: simple Raspberry Freezer Jam, or we add some blackberries and make Raspberry Blackberry Freezer Jam – both are so deliciously fresh-tasting and beautiful!
Why We ❤️ This Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe
This cheesecake ranks right up at the tippy-top for our family, thanks to those glorious fresh raspberries, plus a few other factors…
- Sour cream makes the cake – in so many ways! I love that this raspberry cheesecake includes a bit of sour cream; it adds beautiful tang and makes for the perfect creamy cheesecake texture. It also helps resist cracking and simplifies the baking process by letting me forgo the more complicated water bath baking method – a definite plus in my book!
- Gorgeous and truly special. The beautiful berry marbling always elicits oohs and ahhs. Every time I make it, I’m reminded of the expression on my mother-in-law’s face when I made this for the first time on her birthday many years ago. I thought she was going to cry. (These Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries are another show-stopper, when you want a simpler cheesecake in bar form!)
What You’ll Need
The (rather short) ingredient list for this raspberry cheesecake may surprise you — for such a fancy dessert, you really don’t need all that much! Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
Raspberry Sauce:
- Raspberries – Having a raspberry patch in our yard is a wonderful bonus when we make this cheesecake. But it’s definitely not a requirement to use fresh berries – you can use frozen raspberries to make the raspberry sauce. When using fresh raspberries, just make sure they’re ripe and sweet.
- Sugar – The berries already bring a lot of sweetness to the table, so we just need a touch of sugar.
- Lemon juice and water – The water helps us get the right consistency for a swirlable sauce, while the lemon makes the flavor pop with bright freshness.
Crust:
- Graham cracker crumbs – You can make your own by blitzing graham crackers in your food processor or simply buy graham cracker crumbs in the baking aisle.
- Sugar and butter – These help bind the graham cracker crust together and make it very, very yummy.
Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream cheese – You’ll need full-fat bricks of cream cheese, not the whipped tubs and not the light stuff. (We are making cheesecake here, and that’s no time to be cutting corners!)
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness.
- Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream makes the filling creamier, amps up the tangy flavor, and helps create a thick cheesecake that can be baked without a water bath (and doesn’t crack!).
- Vanilla extract – This gives a lovely flavor. Or us almond extract instead, which pairs well with raspberry and will give your cheesecake a different spin.
- Eggs – These give cheesecake its structure, plus added richness and flavor.
How to Make Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make this stunningly beautiful cheesecake for your next get-together.
- Make the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a pan set over medium-low heat. As the mixture cooks, crush the berries – then once they’ve released their juices, increase the heat to medium. Cook until the berries are broken down and the juices are thickened slightly.
- Strain the sauce. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and press the berries with a spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Add 2 teaspoons of the seeds to the juice, then discard the rest of the seeds (or add them to bowls of yogurt or ice cream!). Let the sauce cool.
- Make the graham cracker crust and press into pan. Stir the crumbs and sugar together, then stir in the melted butter. Press this mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan coated with nonstick spray.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar. Add the softened cream cheese blocks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth.
- Finish the filling. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla on low speed, then beat the eggs in a small bowl and slowly add these to the filling mixture as the mixer runs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Assemble. Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing it with a spatula. Dot 6 teaspoons of the raspberry sauce on top of the filling, then swirl it in. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.
- Bake. Place the pan in a 325º F oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set, but still a just a bit jiggly in the very center. Then turn off the oven and crack the door open a few inches, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven undisturbed for 1 hour.
- Cool. Transfer cheesecake to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Serve. Slice and serve the cheesecake with the reserved fresh raspberry sauce, plus additional fresh raspberries.
Tips & Variations
- Remember to soften the cream cheese. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about hour before you plan to use it so it’s soft enough to blend smoothly and create a creamy, dreamy cheesecake. If I forget to do this, our microwave has a “soften cream cheese” feature, which works really well.
- Use room temperature eggs. Just like with the cream cheese, make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using them in the batter. I take them out at the same time as the cream cheese. Again, sometimes I forget – so I just crack the eggs into a bowl and let them sit, which helps them come to room temp faster.
- Experiment with different crusts. While graham cracker crust is traditional for cheesecake, a chocolate Oreo crust would also work well with the raspberry cheesecake filling (similar to my Oreo Cheesecake Bites recipe).
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter can cause undesirable air bubbles to form, which can lead to cracks on the surface of your cheesecake. Mix just until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Serving Ideas
To fancy things up, swirl or drizzle some of the reserved raspberry sauce onto plates before adding the slices of cheesecake.
Otherwise, I usually just add a small spoonful of the raspberry sauce to the top of each piece and sprinkle some fresh berries. A dollop of sweetened whipped cream is also a classic option that my family loves!
How to Store
- Refrigerator: If you have leftovers, cover your raspberry swirl cheesecake with a cake lid or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator – or place slices in airtight containers. It will keep well for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze the whole cheesecake or individual slices. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then in foil to prevent freezer burn. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Yield: 12 servings
This rich raspberry cheesecake is sure to make your all-time-favorites list. It's rich, creamy, and elegant – and surprisingly easy to make!
Print
Ingredients
Raspberry Sauce
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling
- 24 ounces brick-style, full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
Raspberry Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Use a fork to crush the berries a bit. Stir frequently, cooking until the berries start to release their juices. Increase heat to nearly medium, to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the berries are broken down and the liquid is deep pink to light red in color and slightly thickened.
- Remove saucepan from heat and pour raspberry mixture through a very fine mesh strainer into a bowl. If your strainer is not fine enough to strain the seeds, line it with a double layer of cheesecloth first. Use a spatula to press on the raspberry mixture in the strainer, to get as much juice as possible from the berries. Measure out 2 teaspoons of raspberry seeds from the strainer and add them to the raspberry juice. Discard the rest of the seeds in the strainer. Set raspberry sauce aside to cool – you should have about ⅓ cup of raspberry sauce.
Crust
- Place oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Very lightly spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and stir until evenly combined.
- Add the crust mixture to prepared 9" springform pan. Press mixture evenly up the sides, about 1¼" up (so the crust is as tall as the cheesecake filling), and onto the bottom of the pan. A flat-bottomed glass is helpful to gently and evenly press the crust mixture into place. Set crust aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, to ensure the mixture is free of lumps.
- Add sour cream and vanilla to cream cheese mixture and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. With mixer on low speed, very slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the cream cheese mixture. When nearly all combined, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix again to fully and evenly combine.
Assemble
- Pour cheesecake filling over prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Add six 1-teaspoon sized dots of prepared raspberry sauce to the top of the filling, spacing the dots out as much as possible. Use the tip of a chopstick, or something similar in your kitchen drawer, to gently swirl the raspberry sauce through the cheesecake filling to create a pretty, swirly pattern. Cover and refrigerate remaining raspberry sauce; save for serving time.
- Place cheesecake in oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until cheesecake is mostly set, with just the center being a little bit jiggly.
- Now turn off the oven, crack the door open 3"-4", and let cheesecake sit in the oven undisturbed for 1 hour. Then remove cheesecake to a cooling rack to cool, until it is no longer warm. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 6 hours. For the thickest, creamiest cheesecake texture, definitely chill overnight.
- Serve slices of raspberry cheesecake with fresh raspberries and reserved raspberry sauce. Dollops of freshly whipped cream are always welcome, too!
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 498kcal Carbohydrates: 49g Protein: 8g Fat: 31g Saturated Fat: 18g Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 146mg Sodium: 314mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 43g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was originally published in 2011, then updated in 2025 to include a slightly revised recipe that eliminates the need for a hot water bath baking method.
I’m making this cake today for a friend’s birthday..fingers crossed it looks and tastes as good as your one..In the oven now…the long wait begins…..
Thanks..
Hello! Do let me know how this turns out for you. I can smell it baking from here!
Hi turned out really good…have put up a picture on my flickr page…thanks a ton..everyone loved it. & looking forward to more cooking from your awesome blog….cheers…
It looks great – YAY! Thanks so much for returning to let me know!
I love the comment from “Mom” – sounds like something I would post on my daughter’s blog. :)
The cheesecake is gorgeous, and the raspberries make such a beautiful presentation. That is my favorite kind of cheesecake – one without flour – because it is so creamy. The raspberries would provide such a nice flavor combo.
A raspberry bush (or any kind of established berry bush) would be a BIG draw to me if I was looking for a house. ;)
So nice to hear from you, Linda – thanks!! And, yes, I love comments from Mom. :)
OH MY GOODNESS!! I am such a cheesecake fanatic and this is simply gorgeous!! I can’t wait to make this one weekend.
So nice to hear from you! I’d love to know what you think of this!
What a sweet looking cake! Your photos are lovely! Glad to find your blog! Now following RSS..
Thank you – for your lovely comment, your following along via RSS, and for just plain introducing yourself! :)
looks great i bet it is delicious
This looks absolutely heavenly! We had a large raspberry patch growing up. I have lots of fond memories of the hours I spent in the berry patch with my family. I am definitely saving this recipe to try in a couple of weeks when I get fresh berries from my parents. :)
Oh my gosh, this looks amazing and how blessed you are to have that supply of raspberries!
Wow! This cake is gorgeous. You have a gift for cheesecakes. Love the vivid colors.
Thanks, Kim – and nice to meet you!
That cheesecake looks absolutely amazing and is such a sight to behold. I doubt I’ll be able to get my grubby little hands on fresh raspberries, but I’m hoping frozen might do for this recipe?
Hi Melissa – I definitely think frozen raspberries would work for this, since it’s a puree. It might not have that brightness to the red, but I think you would get mostly the same effect and flavor.
What a GORGEOUSLY perfect cheesecake! You must have been so chuffed when it turned out so beautifully, well i know i would have been anyway! :) I can only imagine how wonderful it tastes too, cant resist anything raspberry :) Such a lovely post
It’s so beautiful :)
Very pretty… I’m sure it’s just delicious!
Thank you, Emily – lovely to hear from you!
This cheesecake looks just beautiful! I walked through the farmers’ market today and was just overwhelmed by the beautiful raspberries. What a perfect use for them!
So nice to hear from you, Katie! Raspberries are such a treat, and this is a lovely way to treat your family and friends.
Even your Dad thought the cheesecake looked irresistible!
I was just thinking… “I wonder if Farm Girl has some ideas for raspberries”.
I am going picking next week. Thank you!
Every time I am looking for ideas I go to your site first and you always have something I love!!
What a lovely note – thank you so much, Liz! Hope you like the cheesecake!
Wow! I’ve never seen a more beautiful cheesecake! I would love to try this if I could find fresh raspberries.
Stunning!
Gorgeous!!
This is the most gorgeous cheesecake I’ve ever seen! I’d bet it tastes amazing too.
Thanks, Miss! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
WOW, this just looks amazing. I love a good cheesecake and this one is calling my name.