Today I’m so excited to show you how to make the best Cheesecake Recipe of your life. Simple, classic, and no water bath required!! The texture is smooth, rich, and creamy, served over a crisp homemade graham cracker crust.
I’ve included tons of detailed tips and important info in today’s post so you can make the perfect creamy cheesecake every time. For a visual how-to, be sure to check out my step-by-step video beneath the recipe!
The Perfect Cheesecake Recipe
This cheesecake recipe has been a long time coming.
For a recipe with so few ingredients (cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla & salt), it took a lot longer than you might think to develop the perfect version. I’ve shared a few cheesecake variations in the past, including my No-Bake Cheesecake, but getting a perfected classic version took lots of testing. Finally, here we are.
Oh, and we are skipping the water bath! I’ve always found them to be largely unnecessary with cheesecakes. Cook yours on a low temperature and follow my tips below and you’ll have a perfectly creamy and crack-less cheesecake without all the hassle of a water bath.
Other tested/perfected classics to try: my Pound Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Carrot Cake, (to name just a handful).
Must-Know Tips for Baking the Perfect Cheesecake (Without a Water Bath!)
Use room temperature ingredients
It’s important that your cream cheese comes to room temperature before you begin making your cheesecake. This will prevent any lumps and ensure a cheesecake with a smooth, creamy texture. However, to ensure that all of your ingredients blend together nicely and give you the desired result, they should all be at room temperature before you begin.
Take it easy on the eggs
Over-beating your eggs is one of the quickest ways to ruin a cheesecake. Over-beating can ruin the texture and can cause cracks. To prevent this, lightly scramble each egg before adding it into your batter. Keep your mixer on low speed and stir until just combined. Be sure to pause after each addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl.
Don’t open the oven!
I know how tempting it can be to want to check on your perfect, beautiful cheesecake, but wait until it’s finished baking (or close to it) before opening the oven door! Yes, you will have to test for doneness at some point and there’s a real possibility it will need more time in the oven, but minimize opening the oven as much as possible.
Opening the oven door can drastically reduce the temperature of your oven, which will slow the baking process and might cause your cheesecake to sink or crack.
Free your crust!
Once your cheesecake is done baking, allow it to cool for 10 minutes on top of the stove. Then, run a knife around the inside of the springform pan to loosen the crust from the sides.
As your cheesecake cools, it may to shrink a bit. If the crust is stuck to the pan, your crust won’t give but your cheesecake will (leaving you with cracks). Free the crust from the sides so it can contract with your filling as needed.
Cool at room temperature before moving to the fridge
I always let my cheesecake come to room temperature before chilling. For bests results, let it cool as gradually as possible. I put mine on top of my oven (the warmest spot in my house) so it can gradually cool off as the oven does.
This pre-chilling cooling period can take an hour or two, but it’s worth it. An abrupt temperature change (moving the cheesecake directly from oven to fridge) is likely to make it crack.
How to Store Cheesecake
Cheesecake should always be stored chilled in the refrigerator. When I’m ready to store mine, I’ll usually replace the springform ring and then cover the top with foil.
Cheesecake shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for more than 4 hours (or less if it’s particularly hot/humid!).
Can I Freeze Cheesecake?
Yes, you can freeze your cheesecake! Fortunately, this cheesecake recipe actually freezes very well. To freeze, first allow your cheesecake to cool on the stovetop and in the fridge as instructed. Once it’s chilled, you can freeze by wrapping thoroughly in plastic wrap and then wrapping in foil. Cheesecake will keep in the freezer for several months.
To thaw, transfer to the fridge and let it thaw there overnight.
Here’s a great source for more information on freezing cheesecake, including suggestions if you’d like to freeze by the slice.
Other Cheesecake Variations You Might Like:
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Or try something different and serve this cheesecake on an Oreo Crust!
Enjoy!
The BEST Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust¹
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (170g)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (can substitute white)
- 7 Tablespoons butter melted
Cheesecake
- 32 oz cream cheese² softened to room temperature (910g)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- ⅔ cups sour cream (160g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C).
- Prepare Graham Cracker crust first by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, and stirring well. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well.
- Pour crumbs into a 9” Springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl (using a hand mixer) add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy (don’t over-beat or you’ll incorporate too much air).
- Add sugar and stir again until creamy.
- Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until well-combined. If using a stand mixer, make sure you pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. To insure against leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil.
- Transfer to the center rack of your oven and bake on 325F (160C) for about 75 minutes. Edges will likely have slightly puffed and may have just begun to turn a light golden brown and the center should spring back to the touch but will still be Jello-jiggly. Don't over-bake or the texture will suffer, which means we all suffer.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of the oven³ for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes has passed, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks).
- Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours or until near room temperature before transferring to refrigerator and allowing to cool overnight or at least 6 hours. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Kat
Thank you for sharing such a detailed recipe, I’m about to try baking this in a few hours when my eggs and cream cheese are room temp! Any suggestions/changes for higher elevation? I’m about a mile above sea level
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kat! While we don’t have experience with high elevation baking, we have had one other high elevation reviewer comment that they had to turn their oven down to 300 and bake for less time, about 50 minutes. Hope this helps. Please let us know how it turns out for you!
Sarah
Hi! I just pulled this cheesecake out of the oven and it looks perfect, not a single crack and lightly browned around the edges. I don’t usually like cheesecake, I made it for my husband but I’m definitely going to try it! Thanks for the recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know how it went, Sarah! Enjoy ❤️
Cindy
Very easy to make, I prefer a flour crust over graham cracker crust. I topped it with fresh strawberries with glaze. It was delicious!
Brittany B
This was my first time making cheesecake, I made 2 back to back… both of them cracked. Any suggestion for next time? Thank you!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Brittany! We’re so sorry your cheesecakes cracked 🙁 The post has lots of tips for preventing cracks–definitely take a thorough read through there and watch the video as well. Hopefully that helps!
cameron
mine turned out like a sour burnt brick that could have just been us tho :]
Zoey
Can I had a fruit sauce to make it fruit swirl on top before cooking or will it mess up the recipe?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That should work fine. Enjoy, Zoey!
Katy
Hi, I was planning to use this recipe this weekend. Can I use a can of cherry pie filling for a topping? When and how would you add that to this recipe? Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Katy! You’ll want to spoon it over the top just before serving. Enjoy 😊
Gaby
I’ve made this cheesecake a few times, now, and I love almost everything about it. My only real critique is that the cooking time is way to long – I still get splitting and browning only baking for 50min. The splitting usually starts while it’s still in the oven, so it’s not an issue with how I’m cooling the cake. Otherwise, flavor and texture are always great!
Sam
Hi Gaby! If it’s splitting and browning that early it sounds like your oven temperature is running hotter than it’s letting on (you’re not in the minority, many ovens don’t run true to temperature). I would try reducing your oven heat or, even better, get an oven thermometer and adjust the temperature accordingly. This should help greatly with the splitting and with the browning. I hope that helps, and I’m so happy that you have otherwise been enjoying the cheesecake! 🙂
Elena
Took it out of the oven ten minutes early but it still ended up overbaked and the flavour was kinda boring and overly eggy.
Sam
Hi Elena! This sounds like an oven issue, unfortunately. If the cake was over-baked it will affect the flavor and will make it seem eggy, so unfortunately it does sound like that’s what happened. I would recommend an oven thermometer, if you can then adjust your oven to be the proper temperature that will help you get the intended results.
Elizabeth Hayden
This cheesecake was absolutely perfect. It only required 60 minutes in my oven. The entire family gave it 10 out of 10. Even my son-in-law who does not like cheese asked for a slice after trying a bite.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know how it went for you, Elizabeth ❤️
Paxon
Hate to be here with a negative experience. But I’ve never made cheesecake before. First time, and your instructions were not written for a novice. As such since it doesn’t specifically say what to do and when following along “take a knife and loosen crust from spring pan” made it seems like you’re supposed to remove the spring pan. You are not. And this just seriously ruined my night. Waste of time, money and energy.
Sam
I’m sorry you misunderstood, Paxon! I do not recommend removing the springform pan from the cheesecake and do not say to do so in my instructions so I am sorry about the confusion. It may also be helpful to watch the video or read through the post before beginning, especially if you are new to a recipe as I go into even more detail there, but I do include all the necessary details in the written recipe and I do not say to remove the ring because you should not. I purposely write my instructions for beginners and will take your feedback into account, thank you!
Paxon
Yes I know, but I read the entire recipe first. And again sorry, I’m a novice with making cheesecake. But nowhere in the instructions did it say when it’s safe to remove that. And perhaps now, maybe you can update your written recipe with a note to absolutely not remove the ring when you’re loosening the crust. Thanks.
Riz
Recipe is very easy.
I used a hand mixer. It doesn’t look like the tool of choice now that I’ve done it. The lowest setting is still quite fast in mixing. The cheesecake has cracks and rose high – but not a lot of cracks. I followed the temp but the cheesecake has a lot of browning. I even reduced the temp (300f) 30 mins in because I was seeing browning. At least it didn’t burn it. 😆
I may do this recipe again but do some adjustment.
Regardless, I still consider this first cheesecake undertaking to be a success.
Thanks for the recipe.
ariana b
is it ok to add heavy cream
Sam
Unfortunately that’s not a good idea here.
Leigh Ann
Hello
If I wanted to do a marble cheese cake with chocolate, would I just take some3 of the cheesecake batter and add cocoa an set-aside it? Do you have directions for this? My familt loves this and the chocolate cheese cake recipe and now they want the marble?
Sam
Hi Leigh Ann! Unfortunately without having tried it, it would be too difficult for me to give a recommendation as to how to do it. 🙁
Patti
In the intro you stated this could be made into mini cheesecakes. I have mini cheesecake pans which are smaller than cupcake size pans. Do you recommend this fur the mini cheesecake pans and also what would be the changes to baking etc.
Sam
Hi Patti! I’m not familiar with the pan, but it should work. You’ll definitely need to reduce the bake time, but without having used that particular pan I can’t say for sure how long it would need.
Charlotte
Hi! I made this a couple times before and honestly don’t remember if I used salted or unsalted butter. What do you use ??
Sam
Hi Charlotte! I typically use whatever I have on hand, most of the time it is unsalted, but either works. 🙂
Kansas
This truly is the best cheesecake recipe ever. It’s the best cheesecake I’ve ever had period. I have a couple notes/questions!
1) I have three 4-inch springform pans that I’d like to spread the recipe throughout – how much time would you recommend in the oven?
2) I’ve made this 3 times and all times had cracks (still tastes amazing), but my most recent time had the smallest crack of them all! That was because I decided to mix all the ingredients (except the eggs) together to reduce mixing time, and not in steps. Then I proceeded with the recipe as normal. Don’t know if that would help anyone else!
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so much! Unfortunately I have not baked it in a 4 inch pan so I can’t say for sure what the bake time would need to be.
Elena
Help my cheesecake rose and cracked in the oven like a basque cheesecake y wat hapnin
Sam
Hi Elena! I’m so sorry to hear this! It sounds like the batter may have been over-mixed causing it to rise too much and your oven temperature may be running a little bit hot. 🙁
Kim
I’m baking this recipe for the first time (right now) so I can’t tell you how it will turn out. I can tell you that I bake LOTS of cheesecakes and I always put a shallow baking pan on the rack below the cheesecake with water in it for the entire bake. Do not put the cheesecake in this pan, put it on the rack above. The water forms a steam in the oven that keeps the cake from cracking. Put in enough water to last for the entire bake. (Don’t let all the water steam away.) It should not crack with the steamed water while you bake. Report back how it works out for you. You can also always add a glaze or ganache on top of your cheesecake if it cracks, to cover up the cracks😁
Suzy
Hi! First, Thank You, for posting this recipe!! I have made this recipe quite a few times & tbh, I love it! In fact, I think I’ve become slightly addicted to it, as my waistline has expanded a bit!! I do have to adjust the time according to pan size {if making bars, minis, etc.} but it has only been slightly overcooked once, & I’m pretty sure it’s because I set my timer wrong!?! I’m actually in the process of making again!! Somehow I forgot a package of cream cheese tho so 🤞 I get the measurements correct!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy our recipe has become a staple in your home Suzy ❤️ Thanks for leaving a review!
Keri
I’ve tried this three times now. First two I must have overbaked because it was brown and cracked but still tasted amazing.
Today I split the recipe up into three 6” pans (the set of 3 you can get from the dollar tree) and reduced the baking time to 45 minutes. No browning. No cracking (yet).
I also used gluten free graham crackers which I feel elevates this recipe because those particular crackers are darker and almost taste carmelized.
It’s a MASSIVE recipe so we needed a way to freeze smaller batches since we area family of two.