🍓**The Best Baked Strawberry Cheesecake (Gluten-Free Option)**🍓

This is THE BEST strawberry cheesecake you’ll ever try! With a creamy, rich strawberry filling and a syrupy strawberry topping, it bursts with flavor and is easy to make—no water bath needed!

Ingredients

For the Cheesecake Crust:

225 g (2 ¼ cups) finely crushed digestive biscuits 🍪
(Use gluten-free if needed)
75 g (⅔ stick) unsalted butter, melted 🧈
For the Strawberry Cheesecake Filling:

50 g (2 cups) freeze-dried strawberry slices 🍓
200 g (1 cup) caster or granulated sugar 🍬
600 g (2 ⅔ cups) full-fat cream cheese 🧀
115 g (½ cup) full-fat plain or Greek-style yogurt 🥛
3 large eggs 🥚
½ tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract 🌼
20 g (3 tbsp) cornflour (UK)/cornstarch (US) 🌽
Red food coloring (optional) 🟥
For the Strawberry Topping:

320 g (2 ½ cups) strawberries, halved or quartered 🍓
50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar 🍬
1 tbsp lemon juice 🍋
½ tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract 🌼

Instructions

For the Crust: 1️⃣ Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan with baking paper, including the sides.
2️⃣ Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Press it into the pan, forming a 1 ½ inch (4 cm) rim.
3️⃣ Bake for 10 minutes, then cool.

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Filling: 1️⃣ Lower the oven temperature to 285ºF (140ºC).
2️⃣ Blend freeze-dried strawberries with sugar until powdered.
3️⃣ In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Add eggs one by one, vanilla, strawberry sugar, and cornstarch. Stir gently.
4️⃣ Optionally, add red food coloring for a vibrant pink. Pour the filling into the crust.
5️⃣ Bake for about 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center wobbles slightly.
6️⃣ Let cool in the oven with the door ajar, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

For the Topping: 1️⃣ Mix strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Let them sit for 1-2 hours (or overnight).
2️⃣ Drain the juice and reduce it over medium heat until syrupy.
3️⃣ Combine the syrup with the strawberries and set aside.

Assembling: 1️⃣ Remove the chilled cheesecake from the pan.
2️⃣ Spoon the strawberry topping over the cheesecake just before serving.

🍰 Enjoy this beautifully rich, strawberry-packed cheesecake!

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days.