The Heartwarming Story Behind Cher's Favorite Cheesecake Recipe

Pie may be the reigning favorite when it comes to holiday desserts, but in Cher's family, it's all about its denser cousin, cheesecake (which isn't technically a cake at all). More specifically, the iconic musician and her family would go nuts for her mother, Georgia Holt's, cheesecake at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

The music artist told All Recipes that holiday gatherings were always littered with desserts including apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies. Still, it was her mom's cheesecake that had attendees wanting to dive straight into dessert – so much so that the Grammy winner said many would pre-slice their dessert and hide it throughout the house to ensure they'd get a piece. Yet, Cher never worried about missing out on the treat. Though she wouldn't indulge in pre-dinner cheesecake, she revealed that she "always reserved a second one in the back of the fridge for later, because the cheesecakes were always the first to go."

After Holt passed in December 2022, the "Believe" singer feared that her favorite holiday dessert would be retired forever unless she could figure out how to turn back time. However, in a heartwarming turn of events, her sister stumbled upon a handwritten copy of the recipe on an old piece of notebook paper dating back to 1962, allowing her to relive the delicious flavors of her beloved mother's cheesecake once again.

Cher tweeted the above photo of her mother's infamous dessert in 2015. And while it may not look much different than your average New York-style cheesecake, the "Mamma Mia" actor has assured fans that no recipe could come near the Holt family matriarch's version. "I Know ppl [love] Things Their Moms Make...BUT!!!! WHEN IT COMES TO CHEESECAKE.....'NO ONE' TOUCHES MY MOM. CAN'T TOUCH THE HEM OF HER APRON," she wrote in another 2015 tweet.

If you're chomping at the bit to try the legendary singer's favorite comfort food, don't worry. Cher's got you, babe. Unfortunately, not with an invitation to her next holiday party – though this might be the next best thing. Believe it or not, Cher actually divulged her mother's exact cheesecake recipe to All Recipes, as well as her tried-and-true approach to indulging in it. "I preferred two smaller slices ... So I would start off with a normal-sized piece and then go back for the other one in the middle of the night."

Those worried about doing right by Georgia Holt might have another option worried about aren't entirely out of luck, either. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you could also try the famous dessert in frozen form from the singer's new gelato brand, Cherlato, which recently introduced the flavor "Cher's Mom's cheesecake" to its menu.