24 To-Die-For Cheesecake Recipes

By Southern Living Editors
Updated September 10, 2019
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Death by cheesecake isn’t likely—but it wouldn’t be the worst way to go, especially if you’re digging into one of our smooth and creamy cheesecake recipes. We’ve got a cheesecake that’s right for every occasion, whether you’re baking for the holidays, a special dinner party, or just to satisfy a weeknight cheesecake craving. If you're hosting a crowd, we've got big-batch cheesecake recipes or mini cheesecake recipes for easy serving. Take your pick from more than 20 cheesecake recipes including decadent chocolate, tangy lemon, banana pudding, and more. Our easy cheesecake recipes will become staples in your dessert recipe rotation.

Start Slideshow

1 of 24

Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

As pretty as petits fours, these luscious little two-bite gems can be finished with any kind of berry or preserves. Get ahead, and bake the cheesecakes in advance. After baking, they'll freeze up to one month. Thaw and top with preserves and fruit before serving.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 24

Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon Bar Cheesecake

This indulgent recipe marries two delicious desserts: lemon bars and cheesecake. Using a dark springform pan ensures a golden brown crust on this tart dessert recipe without having to bake before adding the filling.

3 of 24

Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake

This sinfully sweet dessert is the perfect blend of fresh bananas, creamy cheesecake, and crunchy vanilla wafers.

Advertisement

4 of 24

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Let this elegant chocolate cheesecake be the centerpiece of your holiday tablescape featuring a gorgeous White Chocolate Snowflake in the center.

5 of 24

Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

Test Kitchen Professional Pam Lolley combined the flavors of three favorites—pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and cheesecake—to create this luscious holiday dessert.

6 of 24

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake

If you love both red velvet cake and cheesecake, this perfect sweet-meets-rich-meets-creamy concoction is bound to be your new favorite dessert.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 24

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake

We use a mix of chocolate and cinnamon graham cracker crumbs here to give the crust a dark color with notes of chocolate and a little spice. You can choose one or the other, so long as you use 1½ cups total. We also like to give the canned pumpkin a whirl in the food processor so it's nice and smooth in the creamy filling.

8 of 24

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

This dreamy cheesecake recipe combines two of our favorite desserts for a beautiful result you can make all year long.

9 of 24

Oreo Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Oreo Cheesecake

This kid-friendly cheesecake recipe uses Oreos in the crust, the filling, and the topping to ensure you get a little Oreo goodness in every bite.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 24

Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Dreamy Lemon Cheesecake

This ultra-smooth cheesecake recipe comes by its name honestly—we’re still dreaming about it long after our first taste.

11 of 24

Cheesecake Cookies

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies

This vintage cookie recipe will be a hit at the Christmas cookie swap.

12 of 24

Peach-Ricotta Cheesecake with Pecan Crust

Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach-Ricotta Cheesecake with Pecan Crust

Georgia-favorite peaches and pecans star in this summery cheesecake recipe.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 24

Cheesecake Tarts

Van Chaplin

Recipe: Cheesecake Tarts

These single-serve cheesecake tarts are pretty and light for a bridal or baby shower.

14 of 24

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

This swoon-worthy cheesecake recipe first appeared in our November 1995 issue, and it’s remained a reader favorite for decades since.

15 of 24

Instant Pot Double Chocolate Cheesecake

INSTANT POT®

Recipe: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Cheesecake

You already know your Instant Pot has dinner covered, but you’ll be blown away by what it can do with dessert.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 24

Star-Spangled Cheesecake

Southern Living

Recipe: Star-Spangled Cheesecake

Your Fourth of July party’s finale fireworks can’t compete with this star-studded, big-batch cheesecake recipe.

17 of 24

Nancy's Passover Cheesecake

Katie Rousso

Recipe: Nancy’s Passover Cheesecake

During Passover seder, many families expect a week of limited menus, but the Rousso family can’t wait for Nancy’s famous Passover cheesecake.

18 of 24

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue

Jody Horton

Recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue

Your fall and Thanksgiving guests won’t miss the pumpkin pie with this incredible cheesecake tart on the table.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 24

Grapefruit Cheesecake

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Grapefruit Cheesecake

This cheesecake recipe’s beautiful fruit topping should be added just before serving to ensure it doesn’t get soggy.

20 of 24

Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This dessert sandwiches a dreamy white cake between two red velvet cheesecakes for the most stunning cake you may ever make.

21 of 24

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Carrot Cake Cheesecake

This wonderfully spiced cheesecake sits on top of a thick layer of carrot cake for your new favorite way to enjoy carrot cake.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 24

Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Pecan Pie and cheesecake meet in beautiful harmony with this dessert that we’ll surely be serving at Thanksgiving from now on.

23 of 24

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

If you want to serve cheesecake to your Memorial Day or Fourth of July crowd but a single pie dish won’t feed everyone, these delectable cheesecake bars will do the trick.

24 of 24

Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze

Southern Living

Recipe: Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze

You can make the glaze for this beautiful holiday dessert up to two days in advance to help with prep time the day of your gathering.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Southern Living Editors