A little reason to celebrate
National Cherry Cheesecake Day
Food ยท April 23
A day for cherry cheesecake, the creamy baked dessert crowned with cherries, from bright sour cherry topping to deep, sweet dark cherries.
National Cherry Cheesecake Day falls on Friday, April 23, 2027. That is 178 days away.
Cherry cheesecake comes down to a choice of cherry. Sour cherries, the kind usually baked into pies, cook down into a sharp, ruby topping that pushes back against the cream cheese. Sweet dark cherries make something mellower and closer to jam, with a wine-colored syrup that pools at the edge of the plate.
Under either one sits the same familiar base: cream cheese, sugar and eggs baked slowly on a crust of crushed graham crackers or cookies, then chilled until it slices cleanly. The cherries usually go on last, spooned over the cold cake so the glaze stays glossy.
The classic diner version uses canned cherry pie filling, thick and very red, and plenty of people would not have it any other way. Home bakers often make their own topping by simmering pitted cherries with sugar, a little lemon juice and a spoonful of cornstarch until it turns clear and thick. Frozen cherries work well for this and spare you the pitting, which is the slowest part of the job and the messiest.
Cheesecake is a refrigerator dessert, so keep it cold and put leftovers back in the fridge rather than leaving them out on the counter. It also tends to taste better the day after baking, once the texture has settled.
If you are torn between the two cherries, a no-bake cheesecake in small jars lets you top half with sour and half with sweet and decide at the table.
Ways to celebrate
- Try sour cherries and sweet cherries side by side on plain cheesecake.
- Simmer a quick homemade cherry topping from frozen pitted cherries.
- Make no-bake mini cheesecakes in small jars with cherry on top.
- Order the cherry cheesecake at a local diner or bakery counter.
- Ask an older relative how their cherry cheesecake was made.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, April 23 |
| 2027 | Friday, April 23 |
| 2028 | Sunday, April 23 |
| 2029 | Monday, April 23 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, April 23 |
Also on April 23
- National Picnic Day
- National English Muffin Day
- National Lost Dog Awareness Day
- Talk Like Shakespeare Day
- National Take a Chance Day
- Movie Theatre Day
Categories: Food days