Red Velvet Cheesecake

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Red velvet cheesecake with swirls of delicious creamy flavors is easy to make and a showstopper for any gathering. You don’t have to be a professional chef to make this gorgeous dessert.

Red velvet cheesecake on a white plate.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours and 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Preparation Level: Beginner +

What I Love About This Recipe

  • It’s a gorgeous red velvet cheesecake. Perfect for having as the centerpiece at a party.
  • The recipe is easy to make and tastes wonderful!
Red velvet cheesecake on a counter.

Ingredients

  • Finely crushed Nilla Wafer cookies
  • Unsalted butter, melted
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Softened cream cheese
  • Sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Eggs
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Red food coloring

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains a full printable recipe with measurements and instructions.

A slice of cheesecake on a spatula.

How To Make Red Velvet Cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crush the Nilla Wafers and add them to a bowl with the melted butter, sugar, and salt, and mix well. Next, press the crust into a springform pan. Place it on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool. 

Turn the oven down to 325 degrees. Add the cream cheese, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and mix well until smooth. Add the flour and mix. Then, beat the eggs one at a time.

Transfer two cups of the cream cheese batter to another bowl, stir in the red food coloring and unsweetened cocoa powder, and mix well. (Add more red food coloring if needed). Gently pour the red batter into the springform pan and spread out. 

Red velvet cheesecake batter in a springform pan on a counter

Next, pour the rest of the cream cheese batter on top of the red batter. Take a knife and swirl the two ingredients so the red starts to peek through. Be careful not to tear up the cookie crust. (Place the springform pan on top of a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil in case some of the batter leaks out while baking). 

Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a little bit jiggly. Next, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for another 20 minutes. 

After the cheesecake bakes, take a knife and gently run it around the edge, but don’t remove the side of the springform pan yet. Let it cool on a rack for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate it for about 4 hours before slicing. 

Red velvet cheesecake on a counter.

More Red Velvet Desserts

Red velvet cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake

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Julie Pollitt
Red velvet cheesecake with swirls of delicious creamy flavors is easy to make and a showstopper for any gathering. You don't have to be a professional chef to make this gorgeous dessert.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 708 kcal

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed Nilla Wafer cookies about 28 cookies
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Cheesecake

  • 4 8- ounce packages of cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon red food coloring

Instructions
 

  • Crust
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Crush the cookies and add them to a bowl with the melted butter, sugar, and salt, and mix well. 
  • Press the crust into a springform pan. Place it on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool. 
  • Cheesecake
  • Turn the oven down to 325 degrees. 
  • Add the cream cheese, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and mix well until smooth. Add the flour and mix. Then, beat the eggs one at a time.
  • Transfer two cups of the cream cheese batter to another bowl, stir in the red food coloring and unsweetened cocoa powder, and mix well. (Add more red food coloring if needed).
  • Gently pour the red batter into the springform pan and spread out on top of the cookie crust.
  • Next, pour the rest of the cream cheese batter on top of the red batter. 
  • Take a knife and swirl the two ingredients so the red starts to peek through. Be careful not to tear up the cookie crust. (Place the springform pan on top of a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil in case some of the batter leaks out while baking). 
  • Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a little bit jiggly. 
  • Next, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for another 20 minutes. 
  • After the cheesecake bakes, take a knife and gently run it around the edge, but don’t remove the side of the springform pan yet. Let it cool on a rack for about 30 minutes. 
  • Refrigerate it for about 4 hours before slicing the cheesecake. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 708kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 11gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 227mgSodium: 450mgSugar: 47g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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2 Comments

  1. Esme Slabbert says:

    So festive looking and cheesecake, only the best
    Saw your post at The Country Cook.
    My entries are Keto Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado and Fruity Christmas Cake

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Thank you so much!