Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake
This Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake is packed with fresh summer blueberries…and it’s a fun dessert to serve on a warm summer evening!
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To borrow a line from one of my favorite Broadway shows: “Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year?” The song goes on to suggest “In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.” I’d like to offer my own version of this song…from a Dad’s point of view.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year? In diapers, in tantrums, in nightmares at midnight, in sippy cups of milk. Wait. That sounds depressing. Sure, being a Dad has it’s moments, but diapers and tantrums are not the way to measure a year. Let’s try again. Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year? In giggles, in games, in hours spent reading together. In Robbie-Daddy time, in blanket forts, in dancing around the kitchen. Ah, much better. That’s how you measure a year!
Laura and I were walking through a department store the other day, and Robbie was marching along in front of us…leading the way. An older gentleman was standing off to the side, and as I passed him, he leaned over and said “Don’t ever let him grow up.” That comment really struck me. These days really are wonderful. And as all parents of toddlers know, these days are also sometimes wonderfully trying.
You know how Facebook occasionally pops up with memories of a photo that you posted years ago? A ton of younger Robbie photos have been popping up lately, and I admit that it makes me sad in a way. That little guy is growing up so fast! As someone told me when Robbie was born, the days are long, but the years are short. No truer words have ever been spoken!
I was just looking through photos on my phone, and I came across these photos from when we took Robbie out to pick blueberries a year ago. A year! Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. It sounds like a long time, but it’s not. Here we are in the middle of fresh blueberry season again, and I swear it seems like we were just there last week! I mind how fast the years fly by, but I don’t mind the fresh berries one bit. We keep bags of ’em frozen for nearly the entire winter, and I often reach in and pull some out for baking projects. Projects like this Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake.
Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake
In case you can’t tell, we love cheesecakes around our house. No-bake, swirled into brownies, sandwiched in between traditional layers of cake, topped with chocolate, topped with peanut butter, topped with brownies, topped with caramel apples. Whew, this list could keep on going for a long time. If it’s a cheesecake, I’ll eat it! I’ll make it, and I’ll eat it. Heck, I even made a savory cheesecake as a fun holiday appetizer. But this Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake moves the game piece forward one space. I’ve never made a cheesecake using pureed fruit. But it turned out surprisingly well…and look at that blue color. How fun is that?
I used ground vanilla wafers to make the crust for this cheesecake, and they were delicious! In fact, I almost called this a Blueberry Vanilla Cheesecake as the vanilla flavor really comes through thanks to the crust. If you aren’t a big vanilla fan, then I’d just use a standard graham cracker crust instead. It’ll be delicious either way!
Needless to say, this Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake is packed with blueberry flavor. The top did brown slightly while baking, so I opted to cover the cheesecake with a layer of lightly whipped cream. Add in a few (more) fresh berries as a garnish, and you’ve got a dessert worthy of a summer day. Or a summer evening spent out on the back porch with friends and family. No matter how you enjoy this Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake, I hope it becomes a favorite in your house! It sure is a favorite here. And don’t forget to stop and count those minutes. It’ll be next summer before we know it. Cheers, friends!
Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Blueberries
- 4 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey
For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- 1½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs ~40 wafers
- 3 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cheesecake
- 32 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 whole large eggs
- 2 additional large egg yolks
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
- whipped cream for topping
- additional fresh blueberries for serving
Instructions
For the Blueberries
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside.
- Using a medium bowl, mix together blueberries, brown sugar and honey. Spread blueberries on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Transfer blueberries (and any liquid) into a food processor; puree mixture until smooth. Set blueberry puree aside.
For the Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
- Using a food processor or mini-chopper, pulse the vanilla wafers until finely ground.
- Using a medium bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter; stir until well combined.
- Lightly butter or grease a 9” springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. (Tip: A flat-bottomed glass helps pack the crust mixture down evenly.)
- Bake crust at 375°F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the Cheesecake
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
- Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth (~3 minutes).
- Add flour and sugar; mix until well combined. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to fully incorporate the sugar.)
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together and add to the bowl in 3 additions, mixing fully after each addition.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add the blueberry puree; mix until well combined and no streaks appear. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of bowl.)
- Pour the batter on top of the cooled crust.
- Wrap the bottom of the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill pan with ½”-¾” of water. Bake at 325° until center of cake is just barely set (about 90-95 minutes). (Tip: Pull the cheesecake out of the oven when there is about 1" ring of "looser" filling left in the center of the cake.)
- Remove cake from oven and cool for 10 min. Wrap entire pan in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- The next day, remove the cake from the freezer and release the springform pan. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and defrost in a refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
- Top with additional fresh blueberries before serving.
This is such a beautiful cake! I can’t get enough berries in the summer (or the winter. . .or ever) and I love incorporating them into everything I eat–especially cheesecake :). And omg that pic of Robbie picking berries? So cute I can’t even handle it. When I was little my mom used to tell my siblings and me that she wished she could just freeze us. I guess that’s a universal feeling amongst parents. Except my dad, who just wanted quiet while he watched MacNeil Lehrer, haha!
I hear ya on berries, Kelsie! I’m pretty sure I could live on a diet of berries alone. Maybe some nuts. And some bread. Come to think of it, maybe I should have just been a caveman. 🙂 Well, except for the whole T-rex eating me part. Hah! Oh, I totally understand your Mom’s comment about freezing you…and I totally understand your Dad’s comment about quiet. Except I’m usually watching the World Cup or the Tour de France instead of MacNeil Lehrer. Hah! Hope you had a great weekend, my friend!
Very handsome son. I have two granddaughters. That’s when time flies and love goes even deeper!!!!!
Thank you so much, Randy! I couldn’t agree more about time flying. The days are long and tiring, but I wish I could just freeze time right now. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment! 🙂
I love your recipes. I am making this right now!
Thank you so much, Grace! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment…it means so much to me. And I hope you liked this blueberry cheesecake as much as we do! Cheers, my friend! 🙂
What a great summer dessert. I’m sure it’s as delicious as it is pretty! Your little guy is darling. As a mom of a 12 & 14 yr old, time sure does fly by, but every stage seems seems better than the last. 🙂 Good think the blueberries will never grow up and go away to college. 😉
Wow, 12 and 14? I can’t imagine Robbie being that old…but I’m sure it will be here before I know it. And hilarious comment about blueberries going off to college. 🙂 Thanks so much, Valentina!
Awww that guy is right. Our family just talked about how our little guy grew up so fast. He’s 10 years now and we kept posting photos when he was 2 saying we missed him being that little. Enjoy every moment with your little Robbie. And I’ll do the same with this cheesecake. Nothing beats fresh berries!
They really do grow up so fast, Linda. Laura and I were just talking yesterday about how Robbie is a little boy now instead of a baby. He jumps around like crazy, sprawls out on the couch and generally acts like a little boy. I love it! I wish I could freeze these days. 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!
Hi David. This cheesecake is my son’s dream come true! He loves blueberries and cheesecake and this is the best of both worlds. He would try to hide it from everyone else! Every second, minute, day and year are so precious with your child! I remember dancing in the kitchen with my son when I was making dinner 🙂 Those are memories you will hold onto forever!
Hah…I am picturing your son hiding this cheesecake in the back of the fridge or (even better) under his bed. 🙂 It really is fun to make…and it highlights fresh summer berries, so that’s a bonus! And you’re totally right about memories. Each weekend we try to get out and do something different…and we’ve got such great memories from those trips. This past weekend was an air show in western Mass. Robbie hasn’t stopped talking about it for 2 days! Thanks so much, Dorothy!
ohhh, I’m so excited to try this, David! Blueberries are just coming in to season here in Oregon and this looks AMAZING!
Blueberries are just coming in season here, too, Marissa! In fact, we’re heading back up to the blueberry farm this weekend. 🙂 Maybe another one of these cheesecakes will be in our near future. Haha!
The crazy thing is that you normally don’t see/realize you getting older (or maybe it’s kind of denying). People who surround you – kids, siblings or even artists you used to love when you was a kid – a good indication we’re getting older crazy fast. And this delightful cheesecake is insanely delicious. It looks so juicy that I thought it’s a no bake one. Also, can you count the year in eaten blueberries? 🙂
You know, you’re totally right, Ben. You don’t realize you’re getting older until one day you wake up and you’re like “hey, when did I turn 40?!” Funny that we’re talking about age as today is actually my birthday. I’m not 40 yet, but it’s not far away!
And you’re right that this cheesecake looks like a no-bake version. Hmmm…maybe I’ll need to come up with a no-bake version now. We’re heading back to the blueberry farm this weekend, so we’ll have plenty of blueberries on hand to experiment with! 🙂
A good reminder to count our happiness and blessings instead of focusing on the day to day grind! This blueberry cheesecake looks yummy and I’d count every bite as a way to count the days! 🙂
You are so right, Kathy! It’s easy to get lost in the daily grind and focus on the next thing on the list…but then all of a sudden you forget to stop and smell the roses. Or stop and watch Robbie pick berries. 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend! I hope you had a great weekend.
This cheesecake is just stunning. Too much baking for me – I’d have to ruin this. Great photos.
Haha! But the baking is the easy part, Mimi. The hardest part is picking all of the blueberries…and that’s not even hard. Well, it is if you eat every other berry. 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!
Big hit at our house! I’m eating a piece now even though it’s only 11:30 am. We have 14 mature blueberry bushes so I’m always looking for ways to use them. Loved this. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hey Grace! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. And I’m really happy to hear that the cake is a big hit at your place! We have a couple small berry bushes in our yard, but the critters usually get all of our berries before we do. Enjoy that cheesecake! 🙂
It’s amazing how fast the years go by. When my kids were little I thought they would never grow up, but now they are all adults and with babies of their own. May sure you cherish every minute with Robbie. Love this blueberry cheesecake. Totally love anything made with blueberries.
That’s crazy, Dawn! I mean I’m sure Robbie will be grown up himself before I realize it, too. It’s scary how fast it happens! It felt like overnight that he went from a baby to a little boy. We really do cherish the time we spend with him, too. Some days can be trying, but that’s part of being a parent, right? Anyhoo, thanks for the kind words about the cheesecake. It’s a fun one! 🙂
As the mother of an almost college sophomore – yup. yup, they grow up WAY WAY too fast! Loved that quote – in the early days the days are indeed long (especially when you are a single parent) and the years are incredibly short – but then I got to a time (around 3rd / 4th grade) when I simply enjoyed my crazy kid and even the days seemed shorter! A single dad once told me that he couldn’t bare to think of his kid going off to college and hoped he’d do an online course or something – I didn’t quite get it then, but now am so glad I get to be in my kids life even now – and yup, those days are still too short for me!
That picture of Robbie ahhhh he is just so adorable! That smile – looks like he is enjoying y’all as much as y’all are him!
Gah – I’ve gone on and on and not addresses the cheesecake on the plate! What a beaut she is – loving the fresh blueberry twist – though now am trying to decide if I should have the lemon one or this blueberry one? Maybe I should send my drone up to grab a slice of each? Or – maybe you could make a lemon blueberry one next?
College sophomore!? No. When did that happen!? In my head, Lil Shashi is still a junior/senior in high school. I can’t even imagine the whole single parent angle here, Shashi. You really do deserve an award…or perhaps a slice of blueberry cheesecake! 🙂 Now as far as the blueberry vs lemon? That’s a tough question. Let’s make a swirled version so you can have the best of both worlds!
I think I would’ve covered the top with cream regardless, or even sweetened sour cream. I love the color of this cheesecake, and I’m sure I’d love the flavor, too!
I think you’re onto something here, Jeff. Sweetened sour cream is a classic, and I should’ve thought about that for this cheesecake. Either way, it’s a delicious one…who knew you could make blueberry curd!? Cheers, my friend!
You and I need to get together. You bring this cheesecake and I’ll bring my appetite. Haha.
That sounds fair…although I was hoping you might bring some Michigan blueberries.
What a huge hit this was today!! Will be making again for another BBQ in a couple of weeks. I’m always nervous when sharing something for the first time without tasting it myself. This was just awesome!! Thank you.
And I forgot…everyone commented on the tartness. Not too sweet and light and creamy…I’m not a fan of dense cheesecakes so this was perfect. And the vanilla wafer crust..,
Hey Susie! I’m really happy that everyone loved this cheesecake. Like you, I don’t often like serving recipes for company that I haven’t tried out first. But I’m glad it worked out! 🙂
You’re right that these cheesecake is nice and light, and it’s not overly sweet. In fact, I’m craving a slice now…I need to see if I have any slices left in the freezer! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, too. I really, really appreciate it!
Hi David, thank u for the recepi. My fam n friends love it for sure 😘😘 it’s soft n crunchy, the taste just perfect 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hey Lavi! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cheesecake…it really is a fun one. 🙂 Thanks so much for coming back and leaving a comment, too! Cheers!
Can u tell me why u freeze it I make a lot of cheesecake and I have never heard this I am making it so I am curios thank u so much fir a great recipe please use lower case for my email
Great question! I wondered that myself. But I don’t care the reason since it was amazing!!
Hey Susie! Not sure if you got the response when I replied to Rose Ann, but freezing the cheesecake is a trick I learned years ago when I took baking classes. Professional bakeries often freeze their cheesecakes, and it makes the cheesecakes pop out of the pan without breaking. Of course, you don’t need to freeze the cheesecake at all! And if you slice a semi-frozen cheesecake, it will give you those nice “perfect” slices of cheesecake, too. Just a couple tips…but certainly not required at all! I hope you enjoy this cheesecake as much as we do! 🙂
Hey Rose Ann! So the freezing is an old trick I learned back when I was taking baking classes. Professional bakeries often freeze their cheesecakes, and it makes the cheesecakes pop out of the pan without breaking. Of course, you don’t need to freeze the cheesecake at all! It’s just a little tip that I picked up, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I hope you enjoy this one! 🙂
I made your fresh blueberry cheesecake everyone loved it. I was wondering can I make a strawberry cheesecake the same way???
Hey Diane! I’m so glad this cheesecake was a big hit. It is a fun one, and it’s unique for sure. You know, I’ve never done this with strawberries, but it should work just as well. You might need to roast the strawberries just a little longer to make sure they are soft enough to puree, though. (Of course, they might be just fine after 20 minutes.) Also, I might consider a graham cracker crust with the strawberries…but either one would be tasty. Let me know if you make a strawberry version! I’m curious now. 🙂
Hello David! Your little guy is so sweet. Enjoy him while you can. Goes so darn fast. I have two amazing son’s ages 52 and 44. Time is perious. I made your blueberry cheesecake and was a huge hit. It will be our number one for all occasions. We just cant get enough of those blue’s. Thank you for the recipe and all our best to you and your family. Always Blue in California, Mickie
Hey there, Micaela! You said it about time flying. I feel like it was just yesterday when Robbie was born, but he’s growing like a weed. Either way, thank you SO much for not only making this recipe, but also coming back to comment. Funny enough, Laura and I just spent this past weekend out on your side of the country (Napa). We loved it! Enjoy those blueberries (and the cheesecake), my friend!
Hi,
Just wondering if there’s an alternative to freezing the cake overnight? Will it set sufficiently if I chill it in the refrigerator overnight instead?
Kind regards,
Dave
Hey Dave! You can absolutely chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight. Freezing cheesecakes is a little trick I learned years ago to help you cut nice clean slices. However, refrigerating this cake for anywhere from 4-5 hours to overnight will work just fine, too. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do here!
Great, thanks for the quick reply!