Peach Cobbler Cheesecake

This tall, luscious Peach Cobbler Cheesecake is bursting with fresh peach flavor from summer’s sweetest fruit. A buttery graham cracker crust and creamy cheesecake filling are the perfect complement to roasted peaches and a crunchy crumble topping.

This has been the summer of peach desserts for me and I’m not done yet! Along with my Fresh Peach Galette, Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Peach Crumb Bars, and creamy Fresh Peach Dessert, I decided I had to add just one more peach cobbler-inspired treat.

We are not just topping a plain cheesecake with peach topping. Instead, we are layering peaches and cobbler crumble topping throughout the cheesecake so there are bits of peach cobbler in every bite!

My peach cobbler cheesecake combined elements of many of my other desserts like my favorite New York-style cheesecake base and crust with the same crumble topping from my peach cobbler pound cake. It’s a total showstopper and the perfect finish to wow guests at your next summer dinner party. Perhaps the best part is that you can make it a day or two ahead and have it ready to go in the fridge for easy entertaining.

A full peach cobbler cheesecake on a white cake plate.

An overhead image of a peach cobbler cheesecake made with fresh peaches and buttery crumble.

A close up image of sliced roasted peaches.

What You’ll Need

There are a few different pieces to this recipe – crust, filling, and topping – but none of them are difficult or even all that time consuming to make aside from cooling and chilling time.

Cream Cheese – Go for the full-fat variety for the best texture and flavor.
Sugar – You will need both granulated sugar and brown sugar to make this cheesecake and the topping.
Fresh Peaches – I highly recommend using ripe, fresh peaches for this recipe. Yes, you can make it with canned peaches that have been drained well or frozen peaches that have been thawed, but this is one of those recipes that I only make seasonally for the best results.
Fresh Lemon Juice – This helps keep the peaches bright instead of browning once sliced and roasted.
Eggs – Make sure to use room temperature eggs so they mix into the cheesecake batter well.
Sour Cream – Adds a wonderful tang to the cheesecake that perfectly complements the peaches.
Heavy Cream – I feel like this helps make my cheesecakes extra smooth and creamy instead of using just sour cream.
Flour – After making many, many cheesecakes I have found that I get the most consistent results by adding a small amount of flour to my cheesecake batter. You also need flour for the crumble topping.
Graham Crackers – I love a classic honey graham cracker crust on my cheesecakes but you could use Nilla Wafers or other cookies instead. I feel like Biscoff cookies or even gingersnaps could work well here, if you want a little more spice.
Ground Cinnamon – Peaches and cinnamon are a wonderful flavor combination. The amount was carefully chosen to complement and highlight the peaches without overpowering them.
Salted Butter – You’ll need this both for the crust as well as the buttery crumble topping.

Ingredients for a peach cobbler cheesecake.

Let’s Make a Peach Cheesecake!

Roast the peaches. Wash, pit, and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch slices. There is no need to peel the peaches unless you want to. The peels soften significantly during the roasting process and aren’t noticeable at all. Plus, I think they look better in the final presentation. Toss the peach slices with a little lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon until evenly coated, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes at 400°F until softened but not mushy. Set aside to cool.

PRO TIP: You can roast all of the peaches for both the filling and the topping at the same time and reserve half of them in the fridge to top the cheesecake the next day, but when time allows I actually prefer to roast the peaches for the topping the same day that I plan to serve the cheesecake so they are room temperature and give the best presentation.

A baking sheet lined with parchment paper with sliced peaches on it.

Make the crumb topping. Meanwhile, make the crumb topping by combining flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk or stir together, then add the melted butter and vanilla extract and stir until everything is evenly moistened. Squeeze fistfuls of the crumble mixture to compress some of it into larger bits, then scatter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and break up larger clumps while still warm. Set aside.

Adding melted butter to dry ingredients to make a crumble topping.

Crumble topping on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the crust. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor (affiliate link) or in a large ziploc bag using a rolling pin (affiliate link) until they are fine crumbs. Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse again until evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan that is at least 3 inches deep. Use a flat bottomed glass to compact the crust on the bottom and about 1 ½ to 2 inches up the side of the pan.
Bake the crust. Bake the crust in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Combining crushed graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a food processor.

A graham cracker crust in a springform pan for a cheesecake.

Make the cheesecake filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer until smooth. This is much easier to accomplish if the cream cheese has had an hour to soften to room temperature. Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and flour, beating until combined and stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. On low speed, beat in the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Be sure to pause and scrape the bowl again partway through mixing so the batter gets evenly mixed.

PRO TIP: Don’t overmix (too long or too fast) your cheesecake batter when adding the eggs. This can add too much air and cause the cheesecake to crack more later while it bakes.

Adding eggs and vanilla extract to cheesecake batter.

Cheesecake batter in a glass mixing bowl.

Layer. Add a little less than half of the cheesecake batter to the prepared graham cracker crust. Spoon about half of your roasted peaches on top of the cheesecake filling, then sprinkle with all but about 2/3 cup of the crumble topping. Add the remaining cheesecake filling and rap the pan against the counter a few times to remove trapped air bubbles. The pan will be very full (almost to the brim).

An image of cheesecake filling in a graham cracker crust.

Adding sliced, roasted peaches to a cheesecake.

Bake. Decrease the oven temperature to 325°F. Nestle your 9-inch springform pan inside a 10-inch cake pan, then nest both of those into a larger 12-inch cake pan. Transfer to the oven and carefully pour boiling water (or super hot tap water) into the outer ring of the 12-inch cake pan. This easy, foolproof water bath is the best method I have found for achieving great cheesecake results every time without leaks. You can also use the approach of wrapping your pan in aluminum foil, if that works for you, but I always struggled with that method. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes until set around the edges but still jiggly in the center.
Cool slowly. Once the cheesecake is done, do not remove it from the oven! Instead, turn the oven off and crack the door to let it cool slowly for 30 minutes before removing it to cool the rest of the way at room temperature. Run a thin, sharp paring knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake so it doesn’t stick to the sides of the pan as it cools. Once the cheesecake has cooled for about 2 hours, you can transfer it to the fridge to chill all the way, at least 4-6 hours or overnight.

PRO TIP: When checking for doneness, a cheesecake should be set around the edges but still have a wobble in the center like a just-set jello. You can also test for doneness with an instant read digital thermometer inserted into the center of your cheesecake. A cheesecake will have an internal temperature of between 145°F and 150°F when it is done.

A finished baked cheesecake before topping with roasted peaches and crumb topping.

Finish. Top with remaining roasted peaches and sprinkle with reserved crumble topping. If you roasted all of your peaches at once on the first day, you can zhuzh it up by warming them in the oven or microwave and tossing them gently to freshen them a bit or just pile them on cold. I like to let my cheesecake sit out for 20-30 minutes to take off the chill so the flavors are more pronounced before serving.

An overhead image of a baked peach cobbler cheesecake.

Storing Leftover Cheesecake

You can store leftover cheesecake in the fridge for 4-5 days and it will still be good. If you have not topped your cheesecake with peaches, you can also get away with freezing slices of cheesecake for 2 months and letting them thaw completely in the fridge overnight before serving, but you will want to make the topping fresh. I don’t recommend freezing the topping because the peaches will end up limp and mushy and watery when thawed.

A side angle of a slice of peach cobbler cheesecake on a plate in front of the rest of the cheesecake on a cake stand.

An overhead image of a cheesecake with peach topping.

Substitutions and Variations

Add oats! Want to make more of a peach crisp version with a chewy peach crisp topping? Use equal parts old-fashioned oats and flour (¾ cup each) to make the topping. The rest of the ingredients can stay the same.
Swap out peaches for other seasonal fruits. You can absolutely use this recipe to make a cheesecake with other similar fruits like plums, strawberries, or cherries.
Add more spices. Feel free to boost the amount of cinnamon or use your favorite warm spice blend like apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice to make the crumble topping and roasted peaches if you want even more spice.
Change the crust. You can use your favorite cookie to make the crust if honey grahams aren’t your jam. Nilla Wafers give a sweeter finish, Biscoff cookies have a rich, mild spice, and gingersnaps give a definite kick. Even golden Oreos will work.
Make it gluten-free. You can easily make this cheesecake gluten-free by swapping the all-purpose flour for a one-to-one gluten-free substitute and using gluten free graham crackers.

A slice of peach cobbler cheesecake laying on its side next to the rest of the cheesecake.

An overhead image of a peach cobbler cheesecake with a couple of slices removed and one slice laying on its side.

A side view of a New York style cheesecake with peaches on a white cake plate.

Recipe FAQ’s

Do I have to use a water bath?

No, definitely not. You’ll get better results with a water bath, for sure, but you can absolutely bake a cheesecake without one. It will bake faster so plan on around 50 to 60 minutes but you can use the same tests of wobbling the cheesecake and checking the internal temp to test for doneness. The main differences are a greater likelihood of cracks (not a big deal since you’re going to cover the top of the cheesecake with roasted peaches anyway), possibly a higher edge instead of being flat across the top (again, the better to hold in the peaches, my dear), and maybe a slightly less creamy texture. But honestly I baked cheesecakes without a water bath for years and it’s still going to taste great.

Why did my cheesecake crack?

If you used a water bath and are still dealing with cracks, it’s usually one of 3 things. First, make sure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs all have a chance to come to room temperature. It definitely makes a big difference. Second, don’t overmix the cheesecake batter once you start adding the eggs (no big deal to up the speed of the mixer to get the cream cheese and sugar smooth, but once you start adding eggs you want to mix slowly and just enough to incorporate everything). Third, overbaking and/or cooling the cheesecake too fast. Baking the cheesecake too long can cause cracks but so can pulling a hot cheesecake out of the oven and shocking it in a cold room. Cracking the oven and letting the cheesecake cool slowly can prevent the shock of a temperature change that causes cracks.