Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

By Naperville Magazine
February 2026 View more Recipe

By Kelli Ra Anderson

Loved for their rich flavor and creamy texture, New York–style cheesecakes are celebrated prima donnas of the dessert world. But knowing a few simple secrets can help make these finicky showstoppers easy.

First and foremost, use only room-temperature ingredients. Seriously. No fudging here. From eggs to dairy, ingredients at room temperature (68 to 72 degrees) will help sugar granules and other solids dissolve more completely, trap air, and cream thoroughly. (If in doubt, rub a drop of batter between your fingers to test for a silky or gritty texture.)

Second, bake low and slow. Use a hot-water bath (set a dish inside a larger pan filled halfway with hot water), which helps custards, like cheesecakes, heat slowly and uniformly, achieving a smooth texture. And finally, finish this baking process with a culminating trust-fall step: Crack open the oven door slightly, turn the heat off, and walk away for an hour.

No peeking.

Cheesecakes are one of the few desserts so good they can stand alone. But whether you top yours with fruit, whipped cream, and sauces or let it bare all, this is a treat well-worth the spotlight.

INGREDIENTS

3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1½ cups fresh raspberries
6 ounces white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 eggs, room temperature, whipped
1 cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cup graham cracker crumbs (150 grams for best accuracy)
5 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup sugar

PRO TIP: White chocolate products are created for different purposes. Some products use stabilizers to ensure chips remain whole during baking, while others are designed for melting, and yet others for candy dipping. Ghirardelli white chocolate is one of those more suited to incorporating into batters, so it’s ideal for this recipe.

DIRECTIONS

1. For the graham cracker crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, ¼ cup sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon salt until sandy. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (sides and bottom already buttered and lined with buttered parchment). Bake for 8 minutes. Remove and cool. Set aside.

2. For the raspberry sauce, stir together raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon water in a saucepan, then bring to a boil. Meanwhile, combine 1 teaspoon corn starch with 1 teaspoon water in a small dish to form a slurry.

3. Once at a boil, crush the berries, add the slurry, and stir well for 3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat, strain out seeds, and set aside to cool completely.

4. For the cheesecake filling, melt the white chocolate in a microwave or double boiler. Set aside to cool.

5. In a stand mixer whip room temperature cream cheese for 1 minute until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat. Add in white chocolate, sour cream, vanilla, and juice. Whip another minute to incorporate.

6. Mix remaining sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a bowl before adding to the cream-cheese mixture. Whip together for 3 minutes or until all sugar granules have dissolved and no gritty texture remains. Add in the whipped eggs and mix until just combined.

7. Pour the mixture through a strainer to remove any lumps and ensure it’s silky-smooth.

8. To assemble, pour half the filling over the prebaked crust in the springform pan. Drizzle half of the raspberry sauce over the top. Repeat with the final halves of the filling and sauce.

9. Lightly swirl a skewer tip through the filling and sauce to create a marbled pattern.

10. Wrap the springform pan securely in foil up the sides of the pan and place in a larger baking dish. Pour boiling water halfway up the springform pan (careful not to go over the top of the foil or else water will leak into the cake) and place in the oven.

11. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. The top will be a light brown. Turn off the oven. Crack open the oven door (can use a wooden spoon handle) and leave the cake to finish baking for another hour.

12. Remove, cool to room temperature and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

13. Remove from the springform pan, and decorate as desired.

Photos: Kellira Media