White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake (No Water Bath!)

Ingredients for white chocolate raspberry cheesecake

A full list of the ingredients for the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake is in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips:

• Frozen raspberries: Frozen is easy because they're available all year round, but you can also use fresh raspberries.
• White chocolate chips: My favorite are Ghiradelli. The better the quality, the better the final flavor will be.
• Half-and-half: I don’t recommend substituting milk, because the fat content in the half-and-half impacts the final texture of the batter.
• Cream cheese: Soften it before using by leaving it on the counter until it is room temperature and easily dents when pressed with a spoon.
• Eggs: Bring to room temperature before using, or set them in a bowl and cover with slightly warm water for 10 minutes.

Helpful kitchen tools

Crust

For the crust, add the oreo cookies, sugar, and melted butter to a food processor (affiliate). Pulse it until the cookies are fine crumbs. Done!

Raspberry sauce

For the sauce, combine raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat on the stove until it is thick (5-6 minutes). Pour it through a mesh strainer to remove any lumps and seeds. The resulting sauce should be a smooth, glossy, and thickened raspberry mixture.

Cheesecake batter

Melt the white chocolate and half-and-half in the microwave until smooth.

Next, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until ultra smooth. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is just incorporated. Lastly, add the white chocolate mixture and vanilla and continue to mix on low until fully combined. The final cheesecake mixture should be thick and very smooth.

How to swirl a cheesecake

First, prepare a 9 inch springform pan (affiliate) with parchment paper. Clamp one large piece into the bottom, then trim the edges and spray the sides of the pan lightly with baking spray.

Firmly press the cookie crumbs into one even layer on the bottom of the pan, then pour half of batter into cheesecake pan. Use a spoon to drizzle 3 tablespoons of the homemade raspberry sauce over the batter (picture 3). Then repeat with the remaining white chocolate cheesecake filling and 3 more tablespoons of raspberry filling (pictures 4 and 5).

To make the swirl, stick a wooden skewer or toothpick into the batter and gently swirl the sauce. I tend to make a few larger strokes to start, then use small circular motions to form the fine details. Swirl all the way to the edge (picture 6).

No water bath (alternative baking method)

To avoid extra hassle, we bake this creamy cheesecake with no water bath. Before baking, preheat the oven to 325°F and place a 9x13 baking pan on the lower rack. Pour 3 cups of hot water into the pan, then place the cheesecake on the center rack, close the oven door, and bake for 55-70 minutes.

The pan of water adds moisture to the oven without risk of leaking and causing a soggy crust. There are definitely benefits to the traditional method, but if you want to keep it simple try this alternative and make your white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake without a water bath.

Topping

This cheesecake is beautiful serves as is, but it also is delicious with an extra drizzle of raspberry sauce and sprinkle of powdered sugar.

To decorate it as pictured whip up some heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Place it in a piping bag and with a large tip and swirl evenly around the outside edge of the cheesecake. Place a fresh raspberry on the top of each swirl.

For a crowd

Cheesecake is a great crowd pleaser. Baked White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake in particular is a rich dessert, so small slices go a long way. When you are cutting thin slices, I recommend wiping the knife off with a paper towel after each cut to keep the slices clean.

How do I prevent cracks in my cheesecake?

Cheesecakes crack for three main reasons.

1. Too much air in the batter: Mix the cheesecake batter on medium-low speed at first, and only on low speed after you add the eggs. Eggs incorporate air easier, so mix the batter until the eggs are just combined, then stop.
2. Over cooked: See my section below about how to know when your cheesecake is done.
3. Cooled too fast: To prevent this, use a progressive cooling timeline as described in the recipe card.

If your cheesecake does have cracks, don’t fret too much! You can leave it as is, or you can cover the top with raspberry sauce, white chocolate shavings, or whipped cream.

FAQs

Tips & Tricks

• Use very softened cream cheese to avoid lumps. The best way to soften it is to leave it on the counter until it is room temperature and very easily dents when pressed with a spoon or finger. If it feels slightly firm or cold, it is not ready yet. 
• Make sure it's smooth before adding the eggs. After you add the eggs it is difficult to remove lumps without adding air to the batter.  
• Don’t over mix the batter - this is key! Keep the mixer on medium-low before adding the eggs, and only on low after adding the eggs. Mixing on high speed will add air and cause cracks. 
• Don't over bake. It will be dry, cracked, and too brown when over cooked. See my notes above for knowing when it's done.
• Cool progressively. Crack the oven for 30 minutes, then open the oven all the way for another 30 minutes. Lastly bring it to room temperature before refrigerating.

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