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Looking for the best cheesecake toppings to level up your next dessert? This guide is packed with ideas for every craving. Fresh fruit to warm sauces, chocolate to even boozy options. Whether you’re making a classic baked cheesecake or a quick no-bake version, these topping ideas will help you dress it up for holidays, dinner parties, or birthdays.
Cheesecake is already kind of a show-off (and just so happens to be my personal favorite dessert). It’s creamy, rich, and somehow manages to be both fancy and comforting at the same time. If you’re anything like me, you know that what really takes it over the top is the topping.
Whether you’re throwing together a no-bake cheesecake for a weeknight dinner or going full-on baked NY-style for the holidays, the topping is where you get to have fun. Fruit sauces, chocolate drizzles, boozy sauces… there are so many ways to take that slice and make it yours.
This guide is here to help you answer the question of “what else can I put on this?”. It might even inspire a few combinations that you haven’t tried yet! Whether you want something sweet, tart, salty, crunchy, creamy, or spiked with something fun, this guide has you covered.
Once your cheesecake cools, top it off with your favorite from the list below!
cheesecake topping recipes
Easy Lemon Curd
This creamy homemade lemon curd recipe is a burst of tangy flavor for your desserts or breakfast spreads! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make the perfect lemon curd every time with this recipe.
Strawberry Coulis
Strawberry coulis is a simple, 4 ingredient sauce that is perfect for drizzling on ice cream, pancakes, cheesecake, waffles, and more! It’s the best way to make the most of fresh strawberries when they are in their peak season.
Baileys Hot Fudge Sauce
Baileys Hot Fudge Sauce is an easy indulgence that you will want to have in your refrigerator at all times. The homemade fudgy drizzle is ideal over ice cream, cookie skillets, or even used as a rimming mixture for your favorite Irish whiskey cocktails.
Cranberry Jam
Tart and sweet Homemade Cranberry Jam is an easy recipe that’s ideal for your favorite breakfasts, desserts, and more. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries. With just 5 ingredients, you’ll find yourself making this over and over again!
Smashed Raspberry Compote
Smashed Raspberry Compote is a fruity, summery sauce that goes great with anything you can think of! From ice cream to angel food cake to cheesecake, the tart compote is a great way to celebrate berry season.
Caramel Apple Dip
Homemade caramel apple dip is gooey, delicious, and perfect for dipping apples! With just 5 ingredients, you can make your own homemade dessert sauce easily. It’s much easier than making caramel apples and takes much less time.
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Cinnamon Whipped Cream is the easiest way to give your desserts an extra “wow” factor for fall and the holiday season! The homemade fluffy topping is full of flavor and all you need is three simple ingredients.
Strawberry Filling
This homemade strawberry filling is fresh, flavorful, and easy to make, adding vibrant flavor to your desserts and breakfast dishes. It works great as cake filling or as a topping for other sweet treats like cupcakes.
Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling
This homemade blueberry sauce is thick, juicy, and bursting with fresh berry flavor. Perfect spooned over classic cheesecake, swirled into parfaits, or sneakily eaten straight from the saucepan.
Mango Curd
Bright, silky, and just the right amount of tangy, this mango curd is basically sunshine in spreadable form. Add a dollop to your cheesecake for tropical vibes, or layer it between bites like the classy dessert genius you are.
Roasted Strawberries
These roasted strawberries cook down into a jammy, ruby-red sauce that brings deep flavor and just the right amount of syrupy goodness. A spoonful on cheesecake = instant upgrade.
Blueberry Ginger Dessert Topping
This sauce isn’t just pretty—it’s punchy, sweet, and spiced with fresh ginger for a twist that’ll make your cheesecake pop. Serve it warm or cold, it brings cozy-meets-fancy energy either way.
Citrus Curd (Lemon, Lime, or Orange)
Pick your citrus and go wild—this curd is luscious, zingy, and shockingly easy to make. Spread it thick across your slice for a cheesecake-meets-lemon-bar moment that’s next-level good.
Mixed Berry Compote
This quick berry compote is as simple as it gets—just three ingredients, one pan, and about 15 minutes to juicy, spoonable perfection. It’s like a fruit jam’s cooler, looser cousin. Pour it on thick.
Whiskey Caramel Sauce
Smooth, buttery caramel meets a splash of whiskey for a sauce that’s grown-up in all the right ways. A drizzle over cheesecake adds warmth, richness, and a touch of rebel spirit.
Cherry Glaze
This glossy cherry glaze is pure dessert drama—in the best way. Sweet, tart, and vibrant in color, it’ll cascade beautifully over your cheesecake and make you look like a pro (even if you’re winging it).
Raspberry Sauce
Tart, sweet, and vibrant, this raspberry sauce cuts through rich cheesecake like a flavor laser. Made with a few pantry staples, it’s the kind of topping that instantly feels fancier than it is.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Cranberry and orange get cozy in this zesty, maple-sweetened sauce with hints of cinnamon. It’s the fall and winter topping you didn’t know your cheesecake needed—but will not stop thinking about.
Butterscotch Sauce
Rich, buttery, and just the right amount of nostalgic, this butterscotch sauce is a five-ingredient wonder. Warm it up and drizzle away for peak dessert decadence.
Tools You’ll Need
If you’re wondering what kind of tools you might need to make these cheesecake toppings, let me help you out with a little list:
A small saucepan is ideal for for making fruit compotes, caramels, and sauces.
Grab a microplane or citrus zester to make tart and citrusy toppings. I use it all the time for lemon zest in all my favorite recipes.
A set of mixing bowls is always something we like to have on hand.
Use an offset spatula to spread the topping on the cheesecake!
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Serve With Cheesecake Toppings
Pair your sweet slices with a little something-something that makes dessert the main event:
- Strawberry or raspberry sauces → Serve with a glass of sparkling rosé or a berry-forward cocktail like a Blackberry Mojito.
- Salted caramel or chocolate ganache → Try with espresso martinis, bourbon manhattans, or an after-dinner stout.
- Citrus curd or tropical toppings → Bring the sunshine with a coconut mojito, limoncello spritz, or pineapple daiquiri.
Feel free to drop questions below, if you have them!
Be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make a recipe from this round up! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!
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about meghan
Meghan Yager is the recipe developer, food photographer, and creative force behind Cake ‘n Knife, where everyday moments are celebrated with bold, flavor-forward recipes. From cozy cocktails to bold appetizers and indulgent desserts, her approachable style brings people together around food worth sharing. Meghan’s work has been featured by Good Housekeeping, Oprah Daily, Today, Woman’s Day, and The Huffington Post. She lives in Denver, where she brings big flavor and a little sass to every bite.
