Back to the Eighties Cherry Cheesecake

Cherry Cheesecake is a classic Valentine’s Day dessert.  It’s red so it fits the color theme of the day. It’s rich and decadent. And lastly, you can justify the calories as it’s Valentine’s Day which only comes once a year.

I know that fancy flavored cheesecakes like salted caramel chocolate-pecan or pumpkin spice are more popular now, but you can buy those ready-made or order them in a restaurant if you want to try a piece. For real cheesecake I prefer the no-bake variety, from a recipe I inherited from my mother in the eighties – it’s quick, easy and delicious, not to mention rich and creamy. I find many baked cheesecakes tend to be on the dry side. I think the recipe originated on the side of the Philadelphia cream cheese box. My mother often made this as an Easter dessert but one year she bought the onion-flavored cream cheese by mistake, and my SIL took the first bite and said, well this certainly tastes different! Needless to say, the rest of it went in the garbage. For a crowd, she would double the ingredients and make it in a long 9X13 glass pan, so it was quite a waste.

So, let’s travel back to the decade when hair was big, shoulder pads were bigger, music was loud and cholesterol didn’t exist. You can throw this cheesecake together in five minutes, because as an Eighties Chick you have more important things to do, like listen to rock and roll! (Musical interlude – insert your 80’s song of choice here)

The ingredients:

One 6oz. round ready-made graham cracker pie crust (unless you prefer to make your own and/or have a heart shaped pan).

1 can (14 oz – 420ml) sweetened condensed milk   (Do not confuse with evaporated milk – Canadian cans are 300ml so I had to buy two cans and waste half)

1  package (8 oz – 250g) Philadelphia cream cheese (softened at room temperature)

1/3 cup lemon juice – bottled or fresh  (or to taste. When I googled this old recipe there were some complaints about 1/3 cup being too much and making it too runny, some people used 1/4 cup (60ml) or even less, so I started at 30ml and adjusted to taste using about 60ml total, but I think I could have used the 80ml. My lemon juice was a mixture of water, lemon juice and lemon oil. You have to add some lemon juice to cut the sweetness.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 can (21 oz – 540ml ) cherry pie filling  (I like E.D. Smith brand, the Regular one not the or Light and Fruity which has 1/3 less sugar and calories but a tarter taste. I wouldn’t want to calculate the overall calorie count and saturated fat percentage for this dessert as in the 80’s we didn’t worry about those things. A night of dancing would wear that off in no time.)

 The Directions:

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Beat in sweetened condensed milk.

Add lemon juice and vanilla and stir until well mixed.

Here I am chillin in the fridge surrounded by all the healthy stuff like oranges, yogurt and blueberries.

Pour filling into crust and chill for 2-3 hours – it will be softer than a baked cheesecake.

Top with cherry pie filling.  I often don’t do this until a few hours before serving, to make sure the mixture has set properly.  Really the whole thing is better made the day before to allow the flavours to blend.  

Rich and creamy.
These plates were a thrift store find.

I made this for a Harvest Tea several years ago pre-pandemic and the Group of Six art ladies really enjoyed it.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

28 thoughts on “Back to the Eighties Cherry Cheesecake”

  2. Dave says:
    Reply

    I agree with your opinion on new flavors of cheesecake, Joni. Fruit is the only worthy topping (and only cherries or blueberries at that). The best cheesecake doesn’t need any topping at all but I’m guessing a recipe like that takes a lot more time than yours.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      Agree re the flavours and yes the traditional recipes usually require 4 eggs/sour cream/sugar and a whole afternoon of baking. I did have a really good cheesecake once at a charity dinner – you had a choice of toppings – cherry, blueberry and lemon – the toppings were excellent and all homemade – I would have loved the recipe for that one.

      Liked by 2 people

      • Dave says:

        “… a whole afternoon of baking.” Just as I suspected. I don’t have time for that, so I’ll gladly prefer your own quick-and-easy recipe and pay dearly for others to make the fancier version for me 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Ally Bean says:
    Reply

    I’m getting hungry just looking at your cheesecake. I agree with you. I prefer a basic cheesecake with some fruit on top– or plain even. Your table setting is perfect for Valentine’s Day. So pretty

    Liked by 2 people

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      Good song choice! I was going to put in Shake It Up – by The Cars, but the video was stupid, and then it got too late to search for another. I was hoping by posting the recipe a bit early to inspire people for Valentine’s Day!

      Liked by 2 people

      • Joni says:

        I bought a store brand graham cracker crust and it kind of fell apart on me when I tried to slice it, but it was the only one they had. Will have to try a different grocery store next time.

        Liked by 2 people

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      I’m surprised how many people remember it! I think it fell out of favor when people discovered cholesterol and/or all those other flavors which you can easily buy in a grocery store.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      Thanks Eileen – it’s so easy to make and so good! I haven’t entertained any since pre-pandemic, so those are old pics, except for the new plates. I love visiting thrift shops for stuff like that.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      It was good! In fact I’m craving it right now. I made it last week hoping to inspire some Valentine’s Day desserts, and gave a few pieces away (Cholesterol!) but could eat it again!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Linda Schaub says:
    Reply

    Wow – it looks so delicious and cheery Joni and too bad it is all eaten by now, so you can’t offer me a piece. 🙂 I remember my mom making it back in the day, exactly the same with the cherries on top and we usually would have some type of dessert with cherries in it for Washington’s birthday which is February 22nd – too bad Lent begins the same day.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      Some people add Cool Whip to the mix to make it lighter, but I don’t like that stuff as it’s artificial. Too bad I couldn’t send you some virtually! I did give some away as I can’t eat that much high fat stuff due to borderline cholesterol. I did manage to lower it by a whole point by cutting out baking, chips and fritos etc, which I used to buy for mom so I did not have to go on cholesterol drugs. Do you ever have cholesterol tested? Sometimes ignorance is bliss….

      Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub says:

        You gave me an idea for a Fat Tuesday treat and I still have one can of Carnation Milk left from the Thanksgiving pie post and some pudding and some cherry pie filling and may make that as a treat for myself. It’s not really a fattening treat, but it will be kind of like the cheesecake. I made four cups of pudding with the Carnation Milk and coconut instant pudding – it was really rich and good, especially since I usually only drink skim milk. No, I have not had any blood work done since Good Friday 2009. I was off that day and went to the GP my mom went to because I was so tired, likely as I just didn’t get enough sleep -my mom urged me to go to make sure nothing was wrong. He told me to take Caltrate, did bloodwork and the next day was that fateful day that my I came home from the bank to find my mom dazed and a little confused and unsteady on her feet and she wanted me to walk with her to her bedroom. I forgot all about the doctor visit for me until the doctor called me and said my blood was fine. I really should go to a doctor for a physical and bloodwork – the allergist PA said my blood pressure was higher than it should be and to see a doctor. I told her I had a stressful work situation, listened to a barking dog and howling dog all week long and it all got on my nerves. Shortly after that visit I read an article that cutting your sleep could cause high blood pressure, so I’ve been getting 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep ever since. The dog on the corner no longer barks as I spoke to the Animal Control Officer – I have to get a white noise machine or something for this idiot howling/whining dog next door. She has been away all week and someone must go feed it, let it outside, but the rest of the time, it’s howling non-stop. I stuff my ears and during the day I wear earmuffs.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Joni says:

        I bought a new BP machine last week, one that detects atrial fibrillation, as they advertise on TV. It’s really nice compared to my old blood pressure machine which was over 10 years old, as it averages 3 readings in one sitting. It was about $130 but I used a hundred dollars of my Shoppers points and got the 20% seniors discount. It’s a BIOS Ultra brand. I also monitor mom’s blood pressure.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub says:

        I was using my mom’s blood pressure monitor and then decided last year, after she told me my BP was high, to get a wrist BP monitor. Got an OMRON 7 Series Wrist blood pressure monitor – I went on the website … it says it “detects irregular heartbeats, body movement, and the Hypertension Indicator will alert you if your systolic (upper) measurement is 130 mmHg or above and/or your diastolic (lower) measurement is 80 mmHg or above.” I stopped using it back in the Fall when the Doberman on the corner was barking – it was barking past midnight and one of the last times I called the police, it was 2:30 a.m. on Labor Day weekend. I decided not to look at my readings as they were high due to the two dogs. I need to go back to using it again – I was doing it in the a.m. and before bed. In the a.m. before coffee. I do like my coffee, just two cups a day, one dark roast and the other a medium French roast, but I use creamer in it and it is instant, so that is the my downfall as probably I should not be drinking coffee, but I eat so bland and boring that I don’t want to cut out this treat as I already don’t eat red meat, fried food, fast food.

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  12. J P says:
    Reply

    This reminds me of a recipe I had in the 80s for cheesecake cupcakes that were quick to bake, and easy with a vanilla wafer serving as a bottom crust. They were big enough for about 3 cherries apiece.

    Since getting married I have become a cheesecake snob. Marianne bakes such a good one I avoid ordering them in restaurants because I am usually disappointed. Yes, I’m a lucky duck!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Joni says:
      Reply

      Cheesecake is a good thing to be snobby about. I admit I have some difficulty indulging in it now that I have to watch my cholesterol more. The Alex Murdaugh verdict just came down – 3 hours must be a record. The whole thing reminds me of a John Grisham novel.

      Liked by 1 person

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