I really wanted to make something special for you for today!! A delicious red and white cheesecake!! Not an ordinary cheesecake, though; I wanted a Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake. One that didn’t weigh you down but was still rich and decadent to help celebrate a special day like Canada Day or any special event!!
This is one of my favorite cheesecakes as it is light and fluffy and not as filling as other cheesecakes that are so rich and dense you can barely get through a slice. If you love cheesecake, then you are going to love making this cream cheese mixture that is so much lighter and yet still so delicious. Also, try our No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake, which is so easy and perfect any time.
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Taking a slice of cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-taking-a-slice16.jpg)
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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What is in a Light and Airy Cheesecake?
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Ingredients for Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-ingredients-1.jpg)
When I was growing up, learning all about cooking, I left baking to a simple cookie, square, or maybe some fudge. If I did venture to a cake, it was always from a box. That has changed over the years, and I have more confidence in baking than I used to.
The ingredients for the cheesecake are very straightforward. There is only one technique that is a bit different than a classic cheesecake. Let’s continue on.
Ingredients
Vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
Butter
Sugar
Light cream cheese, at room temperature (you can also use full-fat cream cheese too)
Lemon juice
Sour cream (light or regular)
Eggs
Strawberry Topping
Strawberries, sliced
Sugar
Lemon zest
Lemon juice
Water
Cornstarch
Whipping cream with berry sugar (optional)
How to Make a Cheesecake Lighter?
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! A forkful of strawberry cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-forkful-25.jpg)
You can lighten up a cheesecake in a couple of ways. First by the ingredients and secondly by the texture. The texture is accomplished by adding in big fluffy egg whites to the batter that makes your cheesecake now lighter and airier.
This is a very simple technique of folding egg whites into the beaten cheesecake batter. The cake will rise high but yet still not crack. It sinks just slightly in the center, so this is perfect to hold a delicious topping like our strawberry sauce.
Can I use Light Cream Cheese for Cheesecake?
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Overhead of cheesecake before it is decorated](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-baked-cheesecake-9.jpg)
I almost always use a light cream cheese in all my baking and cooking. It just saves a few calories but doesn’t compromise flavor or texture in dishes. I also rarely use full-fat sour cream and find the light does the trick just as well too. But a no-fat sour cream can be waterier or not creamy enough, so I stay away from that for the most part.
Your baked cheesecake will be none the wiser for using lighter ingredients. So this cake is not only lighter in texture but also in calories. You would never know, though, by the taste!
How to Make a Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake?
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-crust-2-1-683x1024.jpg)
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-putting-the-crust-into-a-pan-3-683x1024.jpg)
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-whipped-cream-cheese-4-683x1024.jpg)
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-adding-an-egg5-683x1024.jpg)
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9″ springform pan with butter. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan, coming up the sides to 1/3 of the way.
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a standup mixer with a paddle attachment and whip. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the lemon juice and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well after each.
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-adding-in-egg-whites-6-683x1024.jpg)
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-batter-7-683x1024.jpg)
Egg Whites
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the standup mixer and fold in the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan; it will fill it but be careful not to overfill.
Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30-45 min., until just starting to brown. Reduce the heat to 300F. and continue to bake for a total of an hour. Reduce heat to 200F and bake for an additional hour. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for 1/2 hour while the oven cools. Cool completely on a rack.
There is no need for a water bath to prevent the top from cracking, I have never had this occur.
Cover loosely with foil, leaving an area open to vent so condensation doesn’t form.
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Overhead of strawberries, sugar and lemon zest in a pot](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-strawberry-sauce-ingredients8-1.jpg)
Strawberry Sauce
For the strawberry sauce, this can be made at any time and refrigerated until ready to use. I decorated the cake for you today but will serve the cheesecake with the sauce when serving each piece. Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 min. Skim off the foam.
Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the pan, stirring. Bring back up to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened.
Let the sauce cool, and then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with the cheesecake and with whipped cream if desired. Whip cream in a cold bowl with a cold whisk until thickened, add the sugar, and mix well. Or, for ease, buy ready whipped cream.
Also, if strawberries aren’t in season, a perfect substitute is cherry pie filling which is a very easy find in any grocery store.
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Overhead of strawberry cheesecake with a whipped cream edge](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-whipped-cream-border-11.jpg)
I knew I wanted this cheesecake to be light and airy, not heavy like a NY cheesecake usually is. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I was seeking something different. Experimenting, if you will!!
Amber, our daughter, came in to help. She is only 13 but knows her way around the kitchen pretty well. With instruction, she is good to go, mixing, whipping, melting, etc.
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Finished Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake on a cake stand](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-finished-cake12.jpg)
Low and Slow
The cheesecake turned out to be the best I have ever made. One trick is to be patient with it. Low and slow baking. To make it light as air, by whipping the egg whites and folding them in. Also, I added sour cream and eliminated any flour that would drag it down. The result was a deliciously tasting airy cheesecake with a scrumptious homemade strawberry sauce!!
If you make the crust gluten-free, then the whole cheesecake is gluten-free too.
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Overhead of a slice of strawberry cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-overhead-on-a-plate23.jpg)
The addition of lively lemon was added to the strawberry sauce to awaken the whole experience. Traditional yet with a new twist, at least a new twist for me!!
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Taking another forkful of cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-27.jpg)
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Slice of Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-1200-x-1200.jpg)
Pin it HERE!!
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake Pin](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake1000-x-2000.jpg)
Pin it HERE!!
![This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake won't weigh you down after a big meal. Egg whites are folded in to give this cheesecake a lighter than air feel but with all the flavor!! Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake Pin](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Light-and-Airy-Cheesecake-1000-x-1500.jpg)
![](https://noshingwiththenolands.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Light-and-Airy-Strawberry-Cheesecake-1200-x-1200-250x250.jpg)
Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
- 3 Tbsp. butter melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3-8 oz. pkg. light cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 cups sour cream
- 5 eggs divided
Strawberry Topping
- 1 1/2 lbs. strawberries sliced
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- I cup whipping cream with 2 Tbsp. berry sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9" springform pan with butter. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan, coming up the sides to 1/3 of the way.
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a standup mixer with a paddle attachment and whip. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the lemon juice and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well after each. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the standup mixer and fold in the egg whites.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan; it will fill it but be careful not to overfill. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30-45 min., until just starting to brown. Reduce the heat to 300F. and continue to bake for another 15-30 minutes for a total of an hour. Reduce heat to 200F and bake for an additional hour. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for 1/2 hour while the oven cools. Total of 2 1/2 hours. Cool completely on a rack. Cover loosely with foil, leaving an area open to vent, so condensation doesn't form.
- For the strawberry sauce, this can be made at any time and refrigerated until ready to use. I decorated the cake for you today but would serve the cheesecake with the sauce at the time of serving each piece.
- Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 min. Skim off the foam. Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the pan, stirring. Bring back up to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Let the sauce cool, and then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with the cheesecake and with whipped cream if desired. Whip cream in a cold bowl with a cold whisk until thickened, add the sugar and mix well.
Comments & Reviews
Desiree says
Mine cracked and I followed directions to a t, but the recipient in itself was so fab.
Tara Noland says
I am sorry it cracked on you. Ovens vary so much and you have to be careful not to overbake as that is usually the culprit for cracking.
Omer says
I am always looking for a new way of making cheesecake without starch/flour. This method are very welcomed and made me happy to hear. Great thanks for sharing this method..
John says
maybe reword the recipe to say …turn oven down to 300 and put cake in for another 15 minutes… then turn down oven to 200 for another hour
i had to go back and add up all of the different times to figure out what totalled to 2.5 hours….
Other than that…WOW…great product.
Tara Noland says
Okay, I reworded it a bit so hopefully, that is clearer. It did have a total bake time in the recipe of 2.5 hours too. So glad you liked it. I don’t like a really heavy cheesecake so this does it for me.
Sarah says
I made this for my in-laws Anniversary and it was a huge hit!! Absolutely delicious!! I’d share a picture if I could!!
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked it, I love how light and airy it is compared to a heavy cheesecake after a big meal.
ashley says
Just took this out of the oven, it puffed like a souffle! Looks so great. Added vanilla and choc chips and oreo crust ? I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Tara Noland says
OMG, that sounds amazing. Hope you love it!!
Rich Simon says
Hello 🙂 Your recipe looks delicious. Like most people, I am not a fan of dense cheesecake! Reading through your recipe, what I like about it is that you added a lemon juice instead of the zest, the last time i bake, the one with zest has a very strong flavor (which I didn’t like) compared to the one with a lemon juice.
Just a question thought, is your recipe texture similar to the japanese cheesecake? Thanks for sharing and I cannot wait to try your recipe 🙂
Noshing with the Nolands says
Hmm Rich, I have never had a Japanese cheesecake, but it is very light and airy, not like a dense cheesecake at all.
Rich Simon says
Hello Tara, great ! I’ll take that as a no then and a go signal that this is the recipe Im looking for 🙂 I really cannot wait to try it!
Noshing with the Nolands says
I hope you come back to tell me if you like it.
Maria B Rugolo says
My first ever cheesecake and it got rave reviews. The only downside, when I released the springform pan, the cake split apart. It looked awful but tasted great. I followed the recipe exactly. Any suggestions as to how to prevent this cake from cracking next time as badly as it did?
Tara Noland says
Usually, the reason a cheesecake cracks is that it is overdone, oven temperatures vary drastically. Have you ever tested your oven temp with a special thermometer? You may be really surprised at the difference in temp. The cheesecake can still have a 2 to 3-inch wobbly spot in the middle and be perfectly baked. That is when you should take the cake out.
Nettie Moore says
Hi Tara <3 ! Thank you for partying with us at Simple Supper Tuesday Linky Party! Your cheesecake has been featured at Moore or Less Cooking! Nettie LINK: http://mooreorlesscooking.com/2014/07/07/simple-supper-linky-party-18/
Nettie Moore says
Hi Tara <3 ! Thank you for partying with us at Simple Supper Tuesday Linky Party! Your cheesecake has been featured at Moore or Less Cooking! Nettie LINK: http://mooreorlesscooking.com/2014/07/07/simple-supper-linky-party-18/
Roz says
oh my goodness Tara! I could just love to jump completely into your beautiful cheesecake. Happy belated Canada Day! I love the friends that I have made from Canada! You’re the best! And thank you for this delicious recipe!
Roz
Roz says
oh my goodness Tara! I could just love to jump completely into your beautiful cheesecake. Happy belated Canada Day! I love the friends that I have made from Canada! You’re the best! And thank you for this delicious recipe!
Roz
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I hope you had a fabulous Canada Day, Tara! You totally hit it out of the park with this recipe – I can tell just by looking at your beautiful photos how light and airy this cheesecake is. I love the homemade strawberry sauce and the lemon twist. I wish I could reach into my screen and help myself to a few slices!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Nancy!!
Nicole Neverman says
This is a stunning cheesecake, and you know I love cheesecakes! Wonderful recipe 🙂
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you Nicole, I just snuck another slice 🙂
Heidy L. McCallum says
Happy Canada Day! This is the perfect Cheesecake for your celebration! I have to tell you that it’s definitely going to be part of mine!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Heidy!!
Linda (Meal Planing Maven) says
I am a cheesecake addict and soooo want to try yours! Beautiful photos as always Tara!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Linda!!
[email protected] says
Yes please…Looks soooo yummy!
Happy Canada Day Tara!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Nancy!!
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
Happy Canada Day! Your Cheesecake looks amazing!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Serena!!
Linda @ForkandForage says
Happy Canada Day! I love cheesecake (my hubby proposed to me by cheesecake) but am not always in the mood for the dense NY style. This looks fabulous. 🙂
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Linda, I loved that it is so light, same calories though 🙁
Heidy L. McCallum says
Happy Canada Day! This is the perfect Cheesecake for your celebration! I have to tell you that it’s definitely going to be part of mine!
Linda (Meal Planing Maven) says
I am a cheesecake addict and soooo want to try yours! Beautiful photos as always Tara!
Linda @ForkandForage says
Happy Canada Day! I love cheesecake (my hubby proposed to me by cheesecake) but am not always in the mood for the dense NY style. This looks fabulous. 🙂