Description

This Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake is an easy-to-make, creamy, and crunchy delight featuring a smooth strawberry-flavored cream cheese filling on a golden Oreo cookie crust, topped with a unique freeze-dried strawberry and cookie crunch. Perfect for summer or any special occasion, it combines vibrant flavors with a satisfying texture contrast.

Ingredients

Scale

For the crust:

2 cups Golden Oreos or vanilla sandwich cookies, crushed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
½ cup strawberry puree (fresh or frozen, blended)
Red or pink food coloring (optional)

For the strawberry crunch topping:

1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
1 cup Golden Oreos
2 tablespoons melted butter

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Instructions

Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides to prevent sticking.
Make crust: Mix crushed Golden Oreos with melted butter until evenly combined. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool.
Prepare filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla extract, mixing well until combined.
Add eggs and additional ingredients: Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Then add sour cream and strawberry puree, mixing until the batter is smooth. Optionally add red or pink food coloring to enhance color.
Assemble cheesecake: Pour the strawberry cream cheese filling over the cooled crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about 1 inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan to create a water bath for even baking.
Bake cheesecake: Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly when gently shaken. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
Chill: Remove cheesecake from the oven and water bath. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully set and develop flavor.
Prepare topping: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries and Golden Oreos in a food processor until crumbly but coarse in texture. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Serve: Evenly sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the chilled cheesecake just before serving. Optionally garnish with whipped cream or fresh strawberries for extra freshness and presentation.

Notes

Freeze-dried strawberries provide an authentic strawberry shortcake ice cream bar flavor to the topping.
Store cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
For best results, gently fold food coloring to avoid overmixing the filling.
The water bath helps prevent cracks and keeps the cheesecake moist.