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Heart shaped swirls in this Valentine’s Day Cheesecake are easy to make and beautiful to look at. This delicious valentines dessert is sure to impress your special someone.

Cheesecake with strawberry heart shaped swirl on top.

I am so beyond excited to share today’s recipe with you all! This Valentine’s Day Cheesecake makes me giddy! It’s cute, it’s creamy, it’s fruity, and it’s chocolatey. There are not enough words to tell you how delicious and fun this cheesecake is!

Basically, you should head to the grocery store and make this Valentine’s Day Cheesecake for your lover…or your kids…or yourself. There is no shame in baking and eating a whole cheesecake all to yourself.

I mean, I practically ate this whole thing, but I did let my kids have a couple bites. Okay they each got a small slice, but I won’t look down on you for wanting the whole thing.

VALENTINES CHEESECAKE COMPONENTS

There are three main components to this heart shaped cheesecake. They are:

  • Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
  • Lemon Cheesecake Filling (can substitute vanilla for lemon)
  • Strawberry Purée Hearts

You will pre-bake the crust and then add the cheesecake filling.

Valentines cheesecake with hearts.

HOW TO MAKE HEART SHAPED SWIRLS IN YOUR CHEESECAKE

The thing that really makes this cheesecake perfect for Valentine’s Day is the heart swirl pattern. And it’s easier to make than you think!

  1. First, you make this amazing strawberry coulis (sauce) and put it in a squeeze bottle.
  2. Then drop small dots into a swirl pattern over the cheesecake batter. Piping larger dots on the outside, and smaller dots as you go in towards the middle. (Save the extra strawberry sauce for serving.) 
  3. Next, take a toothpick or sharp pointy knife and drag it through the center of each circle beginning with the center circle, and working your way towards the outer circles in a spiral pattern. Be careful NOT to lift the toothpick until you have finished the very last circle.

Ta-da! Hearts! Bake the cheesecake low and slow in a water bath. Make sure to use heavy-duty foil to keep water out.

Slice of cheesecake with hearts.

VALENTINE’S DAY CHEESECAKE

We love the lemon-strawberry combo in this valentines dessert. If lemon isn’t your thing, just substitute it with 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract instead.

This Valentine’s Day Cheesecake is so fabulous and one of the creamiest cheesecakes I have ever had. It’s almost like it was key lime pie smooth and creamy.

You are going to love it! Get to the store, get the ingredients, and get to baking!

CRACKED CHEESECAKE HEARTS?

If you follow me on instagram you might recognize this next picture. Want to know why it looks perfect and the all my pictures above have cracks? I am so bummed about it actually.

Cheesecake in springform pan with strawberry hearts.

The original recipe wanted you to put the strawberry sauce on the bottom of the crust and then add the cheesecake filling with the dots and heart swirl.

Well, it made the bottom of the crust soggy, so when I went to move it off the bottom of the springform pan, it cracked where some of the hearts were. Bummer!

I have adjusted the recipe for you all so you should not have problems with soggy crusts or cracking! Enjoy!

MORE CHEESECAKE RECIPES

Valentine’s Day Cheesecake

Valentine’s Day Cheesecake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 16 slices

Heart shaped swirls in this Valentine's Day Cheesecake are easy to make and beautiful to look at. This delicious valentines dessert is sure to impress your special someone.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 6-7 grahams)

For the Cheesecake Filling:

  • 12 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • zest from 1 lemon

For the Strawberry Coulis (Sauce):

  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp corn starch
  • 1 Tbsp COLD water

Instructions

  1. FOR THE CRUST: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Prepare an 8" springform pan with baking spray.
  2. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs. Empty crumbs into prepared springform pan. Add sugar and melted butter. Mix together until all the crumbs are wet, then press onto the bottom and 1½ inches up the sides of the pan.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. LOWER THE OVEN to 280˚F.
  1. FOR THE STRAWBERRY COULIS: In a medium saucepan, heat the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice, until the strawberries are thawed and soft. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher, then puree them smooth with a hand/immersion blender.
  2. Strain the mixture over a wire sieve, to catch some of the foam and seeds. Clean saucepan and return the strawberry liquid to it over medium heat.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the corn starch and COLD water creating a slurry. Wait until the strawberry liquid comes to a boil and then add the corn starch slurry. Let it boil and thicken up.
  4. Remove from heat and place the saucepan on a hot pad in the fridge for 10 minutes or more to cool slightly.
  1. FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING: Using your food processor, process the cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add the sour cream, egg, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Process again until smooth and fully combined, scraping the bowl as necessary.
  1. TO ASSEMBLE: Prepare cheesecake for baking in a water bath by wrapping the outside of the springform pan with a double layer of foil. Spread the cheesecake batter into the chocolate crust shell. Carefully jiggle the pan to even out the top and release any air bubbles.
  2. Fill the strawberry sauce into a squeeze bottle with a tiny tip. Drop small dots into a swirl pattern over the cheesecake batter. Piping larger dots on the outside, and smaller dots as you go in towards the middle. (Save the extra strawberry sauce for serving.) 
  3. Next, take a toothpick or sharp pointy knife and drag it through the center of each circle beginning with the center circle, and working your way towards the outer circles in a spiral pattern. Be careful NOT to lift the toothpick until you have finished the very last circle.
  4. Place the cheesecake into a slightly larger roasting pan or baking dish and place it in the oven. Carefully pour hot water halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
  5. BAKE at 280˚F for a little over an hour, until the edges look set, and the center jiggles slightly. Turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake in there for 2 hours.
  6. Remove cheesecake from oven, take the foil off the pan and let it finish cooling in the refrigerator for 2+ hours. Cut with a hot knife for crisp, clean slices. Serve with extra Strawberry Coulis.

Notes

  • Store cheesecake covered lightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 7 days.
  • Don't like lemon? Substitute it with 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract instead.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 3g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.

author: Amber | Dessert Now Dinner Later / Category: Pies, Cheesecake, and Other Desserts
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Recipe adapted from A Cup of Sugar … A Pinch of Salt