This creamy honey cheesecake is a baked cheesecake with honey with a graham cracker crust. It is topped with fresh raspberries and drizzle of honey. This cheesecake is great for spring and summer time when fresh raspberries are in season.
This post is sponsored by Local Hive™ Honey and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Stephanie’s Sweet Treats possible!
This honey cheesecake was created to pair with this Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey in mind. The cheesecake is very creamy and baked with the honey. It is topped with fresh raspberries and extra honey on top!
If you are looking for more cheesecake recipes, try Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake, Ultimate Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, and Monster Cookie Cheesecake.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Graham cracker crust- This crust is easy to make and goes perfect with this cheesecake!
- Honey cheesecake- The cheesecake is baked and extra creamy! It has both sour cream and honey to create the best texture.
- Fresh raspberries- The cheesecake is topped with fresh raspberries that pairs so well with the cheesecake.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients for this cheesecake. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Graham crackers- This use 2 sleeves of graham crackers.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar as well.
- Cream cheese- Use full fat cream cheese. Pull it out 2 hours before baking.
- Sour cream- Use full fat sour cream. Pull it out 2 hours before baking.
- Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey- This is a great honey from LLocal Hive™ Honey. It is a light honey that pairs so well in this cheesecake.
- Eggs- Pull the large eggs out 2 hours before baking.
- Raspberries- Use fresh raspberries for decoration.
What Honey To Use
Local Hive™ Honey just released a new honey called Washington Raspberry. It is a local varietal from beekeepers in Washington state. It is called Washington Raspberry because the bees collect pollen from the raspberry blossoms.
I love using this honey for this cheesecake because it a light and bright honey, which pairs well within a cheesecake. It is also why this cheesecake is topped with fresh raspberries!
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake this cheesecake. This recipe needs to be use a stand mixer or hand mixer (electric mixer).
STEP 1: Mix crust together. Use a food processor to blend the graham crackers into a fine crumb. In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, or melted butter.
STEP 2: Bake the crust. Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan. Use your hands to press it into the sides of the pan and compact the bottom.
Bake the buttery graham cracker crust for 12 minutes. This prevent a soggy crust.
STEP 3: Beat the cream cheese and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese on high speed for 1 minutes. Then, add in the white sugar and beat again.
STEP 4: Add the wet ingredients. Next, add in the sour cream, honey, salt and vanilla to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth. Then, add in the eggs one a time on low speed.
For preventing cheesecake cracking tips, see below.
STEP 5: Bake the cheesecake. Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform tin. Place the cheesecake in a water bath and place in the oven at 325F for 70-80 minutes.
Bake the cheesecake until there is just a slight wobble in the middle.
STEP 6: Chill the cheesecake. Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the oven, crack open the over door, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Then, transfer to a cooling rack and cool all the way. Wrap the cheesecake pan in aluminum foil and chill for at least 6 hours. I prefer a chill overnight for best results.
STEP 7: Decorate. Once the cheesecake is chilled, take off the pan and top with fresh raspberries and honey.
Preventing Cheesecake Cracks
Beat the wet ingredients minus the eggs on high speed. Everything need to be super creamy and smooth. Chunks of cream cheese can cause cracks.
Add eggs on low speed. The goal is to have as little air as possible when mixing the eggs. Too much air can cause big bubbles in the cheesecake batter. It will make the cheesecake rise and fall too quickly when baking. Which causes cracks.
Use a water bath. This is essential! See below for cheesecake tips.
Cool the cheesecake. Once the cheesecake is done baking, it needs to sit in the hot oven for 30 minutes. This lets it cool slowly.
If you were to put the cheesecake on the counter right after done baking, it will be too quick of a temperature change, which cause cracks.
Water Bath Tips
The water bath provides a moist environment for the cheesecake. This is because of the steam. When it is too dry, it will create cracks in the cheesecake.
Here are two techniques to try. They both use a roasting pan with hot steaming water.
- Place the springform pan inside a 10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in the roasting pan. Fill the pan with the hot water (about halfway up the cake pan)
- Wrap the springform pan with foil twice very tightly. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan. Fill the pan halfway up with hot water.
My favorite method is the first one. This won't let any water at all get into the crust. It makes baking cheesecake so easy!
The second option gives the chance to get water inside and create a soggy crust.
HOW TO EASILY REMOVE CHEESECAKE FROM PAN
First, spray the springform pan with baking non stick spray. Next, line the bottom of the pan with 9 inch parchment paper circle. Make sure to spray the pan again.
Then, after the cheesecake has chilled overnight. The springform pan should pop right off. If it doesn't very gently use a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to pop it off.
Then, you should be able to lay the cheesecake on it's side to take off the bottom of pan and the parchment circle.
FAQ
Yes you can! Let the cheesecake cool in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight. Then, wrap in foil or plastic wrap tightly and freeze up to 30 days.
Let thaw for 2 hours before decorating.
Yes you can! Divide the crust into halves and divide the cheesecake batter into 4ths. Bake in a muffin pan with muffin liners for 18-20 minutes. No water bath required.
Any fresh berries would be great! You can also though with a strawberry glaze or keep it plain!
Storing and Freezing
Store this honey cheesecake in the fridge in a airtight container like a cake carrier. Store up to 5 days.
Freezing
The cheesecake can be frozen in individual cake slices. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap or an airtight container. Freeze up to 30 days.
Thaw for 1-2 hours before eating.
Other Cheesecake Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Honey Cheesecake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs 2 packets of graham crackers.
- ⅛ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 10 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
Honey Cheesecake
- 32 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- ½ cup Sour cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs room temperature
- Fresh raspberries for topping the cheesecake
- Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey for topping the cheesecake
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom with a 9-inch parchment paper circle. Spray again.
- Use a food processor or blender to blend the graham crackers into a fine crumbs. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter with a fork.2 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs, ⅛ cup Brown sugar, 10 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- Pour crumbs into the pan. Use your hands to form the crust halfway up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crust.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
Honey Cheesecake
- Once the crust is done baking, start the cheesecake batter. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and add in the sugar. Beat for 1 minute on high. Scrape the bowl.32 oz Cream cheese, 1 cup White granulated sugar
- Add in sour cream, honey, salt, and vanilla. Mix on high until creamy. Add in the eggs on low speed one a time. Mix until just combined.½ cup Sour cream, ⅓ cup Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 4 Large eggs
- Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust.
- Water bath. Use one of these methods for a water bath. Both methods use a large roasting pan and hot steaming water. 1. Place the springform pan in a 10 inch cake pan. Place the cake pan in the roasting pan and fill with hot water halfway up the cake pan. This method prevent water getting into the crust.2. Wrap the springform pan tightly twice in aluminum foil. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan. Fill with hot water halfway up the springform pan. This method works great, but can sometimes leak water into the crust.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes. Bake until the edges are set and the middle has a slight jiggle. Once it is done baking, turn off the oven, prop the oven door open slightly, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack to cool completely. Then, cover and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
- Take the springform pan and the parchment circle off the cheesecake. Top the cheesecake with fresh raspberries and drizzle honey on top.Fresh raspberries, Local Hive™ Honey Washington Raspberry Honey
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