Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

By
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
Kathy Kingsley
A former bakery owner, Kathy Kingsley is a food writer, recipe developer, editor, and author of seven cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/7/22
Tested by
Laura Manzano
laura manzano
Tested by Laura Manzano

Laura Manzano is a food stylist, recipe developer, and writer living in Brooklyn, New York. Her favorite food is all sandwiches.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Chilling: 5 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake

Swirled with jam, this raspberry cheesecake is as pretty to look at as it is delicious. Strawberries certainly get a lot of attention as a go-to fruit to pair with cheesecake, but raspberries may surprise you. With their balance of sweet and tart flavors, raspberries play well off cheesecake's creaminess. Cheesecake with raspberries: It's a great contrast that's hard to say no to.

If you've never made a cheesecake before, it's helpful to review some cheesecake baking tips to ensure a beautifully finished dessert. For example, if your cheesecake always cracks, try this: Before heating the oven, place a baking pan half-filled with hot tap water on the bottom rack. Bake the cake on the middle rack above the pan and don't peek. That little bit of extra moisture helps prevents cracks. Cheesecakes aren't hard to make, though they require some attention to detail. And even if the top does crack, it will still be delicious.

"I loved this recipe! Adding lemon juice to the raspberry jam was a small step that made a big difference—the contrast of the tart jam with the creamy cheesecake provided perfect balance." —Laura Manzano

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Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 3 ounces (6-tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, more for the pan

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

For the Filling:

  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1/3 cup raspberry jam, seeded or seedless

  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Fresh raspberries, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

    Springform pan lined on the bottom with waxed paper

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  3. In a medium bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Toss with a fork until evenly moistened.

    Graham cracker crumbs and melted butter tossed together in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  4. Press the mixture over the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

    Graham cracker mixture made into a crust in the prepared pan

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  5. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary, about 4 minutes.

    Cream cheese and sugar beat together in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  6. Beat in the sour cream until blended.

    Sour cream beat into the cream cheese and butter mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  7. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

    Eggs added to the cream cheese filling

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  8. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.

    Cheesecake filling poured into the crust in a springform pan

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  9. In a small bowl, combine the jam and lemon juice, stirring until smooth.

    Raspberry jam and lemon juice combined in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  10. Drizzle 1/4 of the jam mixture in stripes over the batter.

    Raspberry jam mixture poured on top of the cheesecake filling

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  11. Spoon the remaining cheesecake batter over the jam, then drizzle with the remaining jam. Swirl the batter gently with a thin knife to create a marbled effect.

    A knife alongside the raspberry cheesecake with swirls across the top

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  12. Bake the cheesecake for 60 to 70 minutes until firm around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center.

    Baked raspberry swirl cheesecake on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  13. While still in the pan, set the cheesecake on a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap the cake pan in plastic and chill for at least 5 hours. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

    Raspberry swirl cheesecake covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

  14. Remove the pan sides and place the cake on a serving platter. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if using, and serve.

    Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake with fresh raspberries on top

    The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

Tips

  • A cheesecake is done when the edges are slightly puffed and an area the size of a silver dollar in the center is moist and soft. It will firm as the cake cools.
  • If you have trouble cutting this raspberry cheesecake, try cutting it with dental floss or fishing line. Simply stretch a length across the top of the cake and, holding it taut, bring it down to the bottom of the cake. Let go of one end and pull the floss out with the other. You may want to do so before guests arrive.
  • Pressed for time? Use a store-bought graham cracker crust instead.

Variations

How to Store and Freeze Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

The raspberry swirl cheesecake can be wrapped well and refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months. It can be helpful to freeze cheesecake slices individually if you don't want to defrost multiple slices. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
441 Calories
31g Fat
35g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 441
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 18g 88%
Cholesterol 130mg 43%
Sodium 254mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 93mg 7%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 145mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)