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Home » Recipes » Sauces & Dressings

Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake

Modified: Mar 4, 2025 · Published: Jan 31, 2019 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 922 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article.

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Strawberry topping for cheesecake is a homemade strawberry sauce that's made on the stovetop with a few simple ingredients. This sweet strawberry topping is perfect for more than just mini cheesecakes - try it on pancakes, pound cake, and waffles!

I make this recipe as a no-bake cheesecake topping two or three times a year. My family loves it. ★★★★★ - Dorothy

A white bowl filled with strawberry cheesecake topping.

Why make strawberry topping?

It's fresh and bright. This recipe is made with real strawberries for an intense berry flavor (no artificial flavors or colors needed!).

Can be made year round. Strawberries not in season? Use frozen instead.

It's simple and quick. You only need four ingredients and a saucepan to make strawberry topping from home in 20 minutes.

Use on: Mini Cheesecakes, No-Bake Cheesecake Bars, and Buttermilk Pancakes

Similar to: Raspberry Sauce For Cheesecake and Lemon Blueberry Topping for Cheesecake

Jump to:
  • Why make strawberry topping?
  • Ingredients and substitutions
  • How to make strawberry topping
  • Tips and tricks
  • Storage
  • Uses
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Recommended
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients on a counter top.
  • Strawberries - Fresh or frozen strawberries work in this recipe. If your strawberries are frozen and whole, you'll want to let them thaw first. Then dice your strawberries as directed in the recipe card (frozen strawberries should already be hulled).
  • Granulated sugar - Adds sweetness and helps create the sauce when melted with the other ingredients.
  • Lemon juice - Brightens the flavor of your sauce and helps cut the sweetness with a little acidity. Does not make your sauce taste lemony.
  • Cornstarch - Thickens your sauce made with the juices from the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar. Depending on the juiciness of your strawberries, you may want to add a few tablespoons of water. I've made this recipe dozens of times and the juiciness of your strawberries can vary greatly. Fresh picked, in season strawberries are usually very juicy and require no extra water. Out of season strawberries tend to be a little dry in comparison.

How to make strawberry topping

Strawberries cooking down in a sauce pan.
  1. Add your ingredients to the pan. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water (this depends on how juicy your strawberries are).
  2. Stir until the sugar has melted and ingredients are incorporated.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
  4. Once your sauce has thickened and looks glossy, remove from heat and allow to cool before serving over cheesecake.

Tips and tricks

How to hull strawberries - Use a paring knife to cut in a circular motion around the stem of the strawberry and into the white flesh underneath. Remove the hull, discard, and give your strawberries a good rinse before dicing.

Not enough liquid? - The strawberries slowly release their juices as they cook. The cornstarch works with the juices in the pan to create a thick, glaze-like sauce. Strawberry juiciness can vary depending on the season, so you may find it necessary to add a small amount of water to the pan. I'd suggest starting with 1-2 tablespoons and add more as needed.

Sauce sticking to the pan? - If the sauce is sticking to the bottom of the pan, the heat is too high. Turn the heat down slightly and add a splash of water.

Storage

Strawberry topping will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

It also freezes well for up to six months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator and allow to thaw overnight.

Uses

  • Topping for Mini Cheesecakes, No-Bake Cheesecake Bars, and Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
  • Layer with Lemon Mousse or Cheesecake Mousse
  • Filling for Strawberry Filled Cupcakes and Strawberry Filled White Cake
  • Serve with Buttermilk Pancakes or Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits
  • Topping for your morning yogurt

Frequently asked questions

A white bowl filled with strawberries and a spoon.
Can this sauce be canned?

No. I don't recommend canning sauces that are thickened with cornstarch because it can interfere with the heat penetration while canning.

How do I fix sauce that's too thick?

If your sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water and stir to incorporate. This can happen with out of season strawberries that aren't very juicy.

How do I fix sauce that's too thin?

Your sauce can turn out thin if you're using very fresh, in-season strawberries. Add a bit more cornstarch, stir to combine, and continue cooking.

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📖 Recipe

A white bowl filled with strawberry cheesecake topping.
Pin Print Rate
4.77 from 127 reviews

Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake

Strawberry topping for cheesecake is a homemade strawberry sauce that's made on the stovetop with a few simple ingredients. This sweet strawberry topping is perfect for more than just cheesecake - try it on pancakes, pound cake, waffles, and more.
Prep Time10 minutes minutes
Cook Time6 minutes minutes
Total Time16 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 47kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Stir to combine. If your strawberries are not very juicy, add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed.
  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture has thickened and looks glossy (this could take up to 6-8 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Store topping in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Equipment Recommendations

  • Lemon Juicer
  • Red Spoonula Set
  • Dry Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons

Notes

  • Yield: About 1 ½ cups of strawberry topping
  • Look for visual cues: This recipe is less about time and more about the thickness of your sauce, so watch it carefully and remove from heat when your sauce has thickened.
  • Storage: Strawberry topping will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. 
  • Freezing: Strawberry topping can be frozen for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container. 
  • Uses: Use your strawberry topping to top cheesecake, mini cheesecakes, pancakes, pound cake, as a cupcake filling, or as an ice cream topping.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 3tablespoons | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 34.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

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    4.77 from 127 votes (112 ratings without comment)

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  1. Barbara J Dawes

    May 01, 2025 at 4:22 pm

    Can I use frozen strawberries for sauce fir cheescake

    Reply
    • Heather

      May 01, 2025 at 4:49 pm

      Yes, you can use frozen strawberries.

      Reply
  2. Dorothy Stohl

    January 03, 2025 at 11:48 am

    I make this recipe as a no-bake cheesecake topping two or three times a year. My family loves it.

    Reply
    • Heather

      January 29, 2025 at 10:09 am

      Thank you Dorothy, I'm so glad to hear it!

      Reply
  3. Alicia Dumoulin-Harstone

    July 18, 2024 at 12:03 am

    Made strawberries and then followed the same for blueberries. Both turned out fantastic. Super easy and delicious!

    Reply
  4. Alice

    September 08, 2023 at 8:10 pm

    Made this looks good. Haven’t put on my cheesecake yet.

    Reply
  5. Desi

    June 11, 2023 at 10:51 pm

    Made this and it was great! Eady to follow directions.

    Reply
  6. Mary

    December 21, 2022 at 7:36 pm

    Can put it on top of the whole cheesecake vs topping per slice? I’m thinking of whip cream border and then putting the sauce in the middle.

    Reply
    • Heather

      December 21, 2022 at 7:42 pm

      Yes, you can cover the entire top of the cheesecake, then slice. A whipped cream border sounds lovely!

      Reply
      • Stacey Thompson

        December 09, 2023 at 4:04 am

        Can I make this but swap strawberries for cherries? I made your strawberry it was good

        Reply
        • Heather

          December 09, 2023 at 10:33 am

          I haven't tried this recipe with cherries so I can't say for sure how the ingredient ratios would work out. I do have a recipe for cherry pie filling that makes a great cheesecake topping: https://thetoastykitchen.com/cherry-pie-filling/

          Reply
  7. Krystal

    November 02, 2022 at 12:17 pm

    Hi there, is the video for this still available? I feel like I watched it before and it was helpful but cant seem to find it now on the page

    Reply
    • Heather

      November 02, 2022 at 12:36 pm

      Hi Krystal, the video can be found in the recipe card, just below the notes. You can also click the 'Jump to Video' button at the top and it will take you directly to the video (it may take a few seconds to load). You can also find the video on our Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39EGI2XqIdY

      Reply
  8. Joni

    September 09, 2022 at 2:07 am

    8 servings? Ummm.. Ok. Wanting to use this for a cupcake filling. One serving is 1 Tbsp? 3 Tbsp? Or... 8 servings is a Cup? 2 cups? 24 cupcakes. Do I buy 1 lb of strawberries or 4 lbs? Ugggh!!

    Reply
    • Heather

      September 09, 2022 at 9:32 am

      8 servings (about 3 tablespoons per serving) refers to its use as a cheesecake topping. This recipe makes about 1.5 US cups of strawberry topping. I also use this filling in my strawberry filled cupcakes recipe, and a 1/2 recipe fills 15 cupcakes. So, one full recipe should fill about 30 cupcakes - a little less than one tablespoon in each cupcake. This may vary based on how much you core out of your cupcakes. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  9. Gail

    June 12, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    This recipe was easy to follow and turned out great! I used it for my cheesecake as a topping. My question is, can this sauce be canned? I would love to make good use of strawberries in season but have limited freezer space. Would processing be the same as it is for pie filling?

    Reply
    • Heather

      June 12, 2022 at 6:17 pm

      I haven't tried canning this recipe, so I can't say for certain how it would turn out. However, this topping is basically like a jam, so following any recipe for canning jam should work.

      Reply
  10. Kristie

    March 28, 2022 at 8:06 pm

    I live in south Texas and was able to pick strawberries from a local farm! This recipe is perfect on top of homemade cheesecake. Thank you!

    Reply
  11. MJ

    February 13, 2022 at 7:01 am

    If you only have 1 T liquid how do you bring to a boil without strawberries burning

    Reply
    • Heather

      February 13, 2022 at 8:24 am

      The strawberries release their juices as they are warmed up (the post shows a process shot of this above). I've used fresh picked, in-season strawberries that needed no additional liquid. You're welcome to add as much water as you need to make the topping, depending on the juiciness of your strawberries.

      Reply
  12. Brenda Griffith

    January 15, 2022 at 9:10 pm

    I can't wait to try these filled cupcakes they sound & look so good. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. annie

    December 14, 2021 at 7:59 am

    can we use water instead of lemon juice

    Reply
    • Heather

      December 14, 2021 at 8:03 am

      The lemon juice is added to cut the sweetness of the sauce - it can be substituted with lime juice, orange juice, or omitted entirely if you don't have these on hand. Water is added in step one (as needed) to thin your sauce if your strawberries are not very juicy.

      Reply
  14. Christy

    May 08, 2021 at 10:20 pm

    Made this tonight for the first time and turned out amazing! Strawberries are out of season where we live so I added 2tbs of water and it looks so good! I’m excited to put on my homemade cheesecake in the morning! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  15. Shawn Hasting

    February 11, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    Is this firm enough to be used for a cake filling?

    Reply
    • Heather

      February 11, 2021 at 8:38 pm

      I haven't tried using it between layers of cake, but I do use this same filling in my strawberry filled cupcakes and it works great! https://thetoastykitchen.com/fluffy-white-cupcakes-strawberry-filling/

      Reply
  16. Dottie

    December 26, 2020 at 10:20 pm

    WOW! This was so easy and tastes good!! Can’t wait to put it on my Cheese Cake 🎂 I added some Strawberry Ice Cream Topping Syrup!
    Thanks 🤩

    Reply
  17. Lucy

    December 01, 2020 at 10:09 am

    Can we use frozen strawberries for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Heather

      December 01, 2020 at 10:14 am

      Frozen strawberries will work as long as they've been thawed beforehand.

      Reply
  18. Cynthia

    October 30, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Would this work with cherries instead of strawberries? Or other berries? If so, would I need to make any alterations?

    Reply
    • Heather

      October 30, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      You may want to adjust the sugar based on how sweet your fruit is, but otherwise the same process would work for any berries!

      Reply
  19. Carol

    October 07, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    Is this topping served warm or can it be made the day before and served chilled?

    Reply
    • Heather

      October 07, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      It can be made the day before and refrigerated. You can serve it warm, room temperature, or chilled!

      Reply
  20. Olivia

    October 01, 2020 at 12:08 pm

    If I used this to fill cupcakes would they need to be refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Heather

      October 01, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      The sugar should help to preserve the filling, but I'd still recommend refrigerating them to be safe.

      Reply
  21. Mikayla Foster

    June 20, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    How long would you say it takes to cool? I need it for a cookout we’re having and it just got done about 5 minutes ago

    Reply
    • Heather

      June 20, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      I'd suggest transferring it to another dish and refrigerating to help it cool faster. Normally it may take 20 minutes or more to cool, but refrigerating should help cut down the time a bit.

      Reply
  22. Sheena

    June 10, 2020 at 12:30 am

    Great receipe, tastes great. Easy to follow the instructions and super fast.

    Reply
  23. Davina Hicks

    April 24, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Smells so good cooking and turned our perfect!

    Reply
  24. Heather

    April 17, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    Can I use lime in place of lemon? I also read orange liquor may work?

    Reply
    • Heather

      April 17, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      Yes lime juice will definitely work. I can't say for sure about orange liquor but if you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  25. Daniel

    January 30, 2020 at 11:33 pm

    Easy and delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
  26. Jenny Spillman

    December 25, 2019 at 12:40 am

    I’m sorry to say, but this turned out a terrible gloppy mess. I followed the recipe exactly but there was not enough liquid from the strawberries, and they formed into a big ball of goo. I think it was too much cornstarch… maybe it could’ve worked with berries in season but not for these winter strawberries.

    Reply
    • Heather

      December 25, 2019 at 9:25 am

      Hi Jenny, if your strawberries are not very juicy, they won't release enough liquid to make a sauce with the cornstarch, which sounds like what happened. A goopy, too thick sauce can easily be fixed with a bit of water. I'd recommend adding more liquid like stated in step one, plus more along the way if the sauce still looks too thick.

      Reply
  27. Marcia

    December 17, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    Can you freeze the strawberry topping?

    Reply
    • Heather

      December 17, 2019 at 9:31 pm

      Hi Marcia, yes you can freeze strawberry topping. I'd suggest transferring to the refrigerator the night before using so that it can thaw overnight.

      Reply
  28. Denise clark

    September 05, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    How can i make this keto friendly

    Reply
    • Heather

      September 06, 2019 at 9:14 am

      Hi Denise, I am not very familiar with keto friendly sugar substitutes, but from looking at a few other recipes it looks like you can simply swap the sugar in this recipe with your favorite sugar substitute, and omit the cornstarch. Another recipe mentions using xantham gum as a thickener.

      Here is one recipe that looks promising:
      https://lowcarbyum.com/how-to-make-strawberry-sauce-for-cheesecake/

      Reply
  29. Rebecca

    August 22, 2019 at 8:05 pm

    How early would you fill cupcakes before you serve them?

    Reply
    • Heather

      August 22, 2019 at 8:25 pm

      They are best the same day, but you can fill them the day before and they'd be just fine.

      Reply
  30. Janette

    August 06, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    How long will this recipe keep in refrigerator ?

    Reply
    • Heather

      August 06, 2019 at 6:09 pm

      It will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator before the strawberries start breaking down.

      Reply
  31. Nina Shano

    June 15, 2019 at 7:42 am

    Made this but instead of lemon juice , I used orange juice and it came out wonderful !!...Thank you. !!

    Reply
    • Heather

      June 15, 2019 at 9:08 am

      Thanks for sharing, Nina! That sounds like a great substitution.

      Reply
  32. Cheyenne Ballow

    June 06, 2019 at 11:41 pm

    Making cheesecake tonight for my husband's work potluck! Strawberry cheesecake, his favorite. <3

    Reply
    • Heather

      June 07, 2019 at 7:02 am

      Yum, sounds great! Let us know how it goes 😀

      Reply

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Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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