One of my all-time favorite desserts is cheesecake! It’s such a classic, comforting treat. And to me, the ultimate guilty pleasure food. I love to eat a slice very slowly, enjoying every-single-second of it. Sometimes I’ll even sneak a slice in with my morning coffee. There’s just something about a sliver of cake in those early morning hours that makes life feel extra luxurious.
This brown sugar raspberry swirl beauty is a fun, fruity twist on traditional cheesecake. The crust is made from chocolate animal crackers! And the filling boasts all brown sugar and a gorgeous raspberry swirl. The brown sugar was an experiment I’ve been tinkering around with for a while, and finally got it right! It adds a light caramel undertone to the cheesecake that’s just lovely!
The next time you get a hankering for cheesecake, I highly suggest giving this beauty whirl. I promise it’ll take you to creamy, dreamy, cheesecake heaven! xoxo
Brown Sugar Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the cheesecake batter:
- (3) 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups FULL FAT sour cream
- 5 large eggs + 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the raspberry swirl:
- (1) 12 oz bag raspberries
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
For the Chocolate Animal Cracker Crust:
- 2 cups chocolate animal crackers, pulsed into crumbs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
For the raspberries:
- In a small saucepan combine sugar and raspberries. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a steady boil and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until slightly thickened. Strain the mixture through a small sieve and into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature.
For the crust:
- In the body of a blender combine animal crackers, salt, and sugar. pulse until the crackers have been completely smashed to crumbs. Add melted butter; stir well to combine. Press down into a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
For the batter and assembly:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
- Beat cream cheese and sour cream in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar, pulse until well combined. Add flour and vanilla and pulse for another 30 seconds, or until flour has completely disappeared into the batter. Don’t over mix!
- Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly. Dollop raspberry filling on top, and swirl gently with a knife.
- Wrap the bottom of the pan WELL in aluminum foil. Place pan in a large, deep dish, then fill the dish half way with HOT water from a kettle. This is your water bath. NO CRACKS 🙂
- Place pan in the oven and cook cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn oven off and let the cheesecake sit for 30-35 minutes inside the oven. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly just in the center. Remove cake from oven, run a knife very gently around the edge of the cake, and let it sit in the pan for 15 more minutes before covering loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerating for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, top with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!
marcie says
I was just thinking why I haven’t ever made a cheesecake with brown sugar before, and wondered what it would look like color-wise. I love the way yours looks, and this flavor combo with the brown sugar, raspberries, and chocolate animal cracker crust sounds amazing. Pinning!
bakerbynature says
Thank you, sweets! I know you’d LOVE this!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
K. This is on my must make list. I never used to be much a dessert person, but cheesecake was ALWAYS something I was obsessed with, I love the endless combinations you can come up with flavor wise, and this is no exception. Totally obsessed.
bakerbynature says
Yay!!! I hope you make it, girly!
Millie l Add A Little says
This looks amazing Ashley! 🙂 love the raspberries on top!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
bakerbynature says
Raspberries make me weak in the knees 😉
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Be still my cheesecake-loving heart! Brown sugar cheesecake is AMAZEBALLS, Ashley!
bakerbynature says
You melt my <3 COME TO NYC asap, please!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Cheesecake is my absolute fav and I LOVE that you used animal crackers for the crust – love doing that! This baby is calling my name! Pinned!
bakerbynature says
Thank you, girl! xo
Tieghan Gerard says
Oh yum! I love using brown sugar, so this is so my kind of cheesecake!
bakerbynature says
Thanks, Tieghan! I know you’d love this one 🙂
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
This cheesecake is just gorgeous! I’m going to have to try a brown sugar cheesecake now, and that raspberry swirl looks amazing!
bakerbynature says
Hi Kristine! Thank you so much. I think you’ll love this 🙂
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Everything about this is creamy and dreamy! I’ll take a slice, please!
bakerbynature says
Coming right up 🙂
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
Brown sugar is an interesting cheesecake partner!! Love the sound of it with raspberries 🙂
bakerbynature says
It makes the cheesecake almost taste like caramel 😉
Kathryn says
I love the idea of using brown sugar in a cheesecake for a more complex flavour – this sounds utterly divine!
bakerbynature says
Thank you, gorgeous lady! xo