Cheesecake is great and all, but why keep it plain when you could easily turn it into a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake? With added white chocolate chips and raspberry jam, you can completely upgrade the usual dessert with a unique taste that will please all your family and friends.
Plus, this white chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe is easy to throw together and incredibly versatile. Prefer dark chocolate? Like strawberry jam more than raspberry? Swap it out and make the cheesecake your own! This is also your opportunity to use up that homemade raspberry jam.
Ingredients for White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Crust:
- Graham crackers: Crushed graham crackers are used to create the homemade graham cracker crust. You can crush up graham crackers in a food processor, a blender or in a sealed plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Sugar: Sugar is added to the graham cracker crust to sweeten up this white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.
- Butter: Melted butter is necessary to bind the graham crackers and sugar.
Filling:
- Cream cheese: The base of this cheesecake is a softened cream cheese. You can soften cream cheese by letting it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is. If you don’t have enough time, use the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Sugar: More sugar goes into the cheesecake filling to sweeten the deal.
- Sour cream: Sour cream is added to the cheesecake mixture as well to give this dessert a smooth and creamy finish.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is added to provide texture for the cheesecake mixture, making it a little more cake-like.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is blended into the cheesecake mixture to help cut the tangy taste of the cream cheese and sour cream.
- Eggs: Eggs are beat into the cream cheese mixture to create that custard-like texture of a cheesecake. Bring the eggs to room temperature before adding them in by letting them sit in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- White baking chips: White baking chips, or white chocolate chips, are mixed in to create melty bits of white chocolate within the cheesecake.
- Raspberry jam: Seedless jam is warmed, then swirled around the top of the cheesecake. Feel free to get creative with your design!
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press the mixture into a greased 9-inch springform pan, then set it aside.
Step 2: Combine the cheesecake ingredients
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Then beat in the sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add in the eggs and beat on a low speed until the eggs are just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips, then pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the prepared crust.
Step 3: Swirl raspberry jam on top
Melt the raspberry jam in a microwaveable bowl, then stir until the jam is smooth. Drop teaspoons of jam on top of the batter, then use a knife to swirl the jam across the cheesecake.
Step 4: Prepare to bake
Place the pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches square). Securely wrap the foil around the pan, then place it in a larger baking pan and add 1 inch of hot water to the large pan.
Step 5: Bake, then cool
Bake the cheesecake until the center is just set, 80 to 85 minutes. Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake, then let it cool for one hour longer. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to serve, remove it from the pan.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Variations
- Use dark chocolate chips: If you prefer a dark chocolate and raspberry combination, swap out the white baking chips with dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead. The chips will melt in the cheesecake and create mini swirls, providing a different flavor profile.
- Melt the chocolate: Instead of using whole chips, melt the white chocolate chips before stirring them into the batter.
- Try a different jam: Not a fan of raspberry? This cheesecake recipe is versatile enough to use different types of jam. Swap out the raspberry with strawberry. Peach, blackberry, cherry or even a mixed berry jam would work well here.
- Make an Oreo crust: While this recipe calls for a graham cracker crust, you can easily swap it out for an Oreo crust instead. Crush Oreo cookies either in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, then proceed with the recipe.
How to Store White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Unlike a normal cake that can sit at room temperature, a cheesecake needs to stay refrigerated or the ingredients will go rancid because they are perishable. Store the raspberry white chocolate cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Plus, cheesecake tastes better when it’s chilled.
How long does white chocolate raspberry cheesecake last?
Homemade cheesecake will last in the fridge for five to seven days. If you don’t plan on eating the rest of the cheesecake, you can store it in the freezer for up to three months. When it’s time to eat it, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for 8 to 12 hours.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Tips
Is it better to make cheesecake the night before?
Yes! Cheesecake is best after it has set and chilled in the refrigerator. It needs at least four hours, but for the best results, leave it overnight and serve it the next day
Is it bad if my cheesecake cracks?
The cheesecake is still perfectly edible with cracks, even if it’s not as aesthetically pleasing. Cracks happen if the cheesecake has been overmixed, creating air pockets, or overbaked. A cheesecake should be just set, if not still slightly jiggly, when you take it out of the oven.
Can you use a store-bought graham cracker crust?
While you might have to buy multiple graham cracker crusts to use up all the cheesecake filling from this recipe, a pre-made graham cracker crust will work for this recipe, no problem.
