Cherry Mascarpone Cheesecake

A ruby layer of spice-infused fruit tops this festive, luxurious dessert.

Makes
One 10-inch cake
Time
1 hour, plus cooling and chilling

TRISTAN DEBRAUWERE

Published on November 25, 2025

Creamy, rich, and just sweet enough, this cheesecake from The Turk’s Inn in Brooklyn bakes up silky smooth, thanks to the addition of mascarpone from Wisconsin’s BelGioioso Cheese. It gets crowned with a glossy cherry topping that adds gentle warmth from cardamom, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. It’s an easy, elegant dessert for holidays, dinner parties, or any time you want a standout treat with minimal fuss.

Ingredients

For the crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 graham crackers)
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. sugar

For the filling:

1 lb. cream cheese (2 cups)
1 lb. mascarpone, such as BelGioioso Cheese (2 cups)
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs

For the topping:

1 lb. fresh or thawed frozen cherries, pitted and halved
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. allspice berries
1 Tbsp. green cardamom pods
2½ tsp. whole cloves
Two 2-in. cinnamon sticks

Instructions

Step 1

Make the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with three layers of foil. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar, then press into the springform pan. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 2

Make the filling: To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat on medium until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Pour the filling on top of the crust.

Step 3

Place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the filling is just set with a light jiggle in the center and some golden brown spots, 25–30 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and set the pan aside on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Step 4

Make the topping: To a medium pot, add the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. In a layer of cheesecloth, wrap the allspice, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks and tie with kitchen twine. Add to the pot and continue simmering until the liquid starts to thicken, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely, then remove and discard the spice bundle.

Step 5

To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan, unmold the cheesecake onto a plate, and spoon on the spiced cherry topping.

Make the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with three layers of foil. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar, then press into the springform pan. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the filling: To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat on medium until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Pour the filling on top of the crust.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the filling is just set with a light jiggle in the center and some golden brown spots, 25–30 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and set the pan aside on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Make the topping: To a medium pot, add the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. In a layer of cheesecloth, wrap the allspice, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks and tie with kitchen twine. Add to the pot and continue simmering until the liquid starts to thicken, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely, then remove and discard the spice bundle.
To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan, unmold the cheesecake onto a plate, and spoon on the spiced cherry topping.