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.1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 7 Tablespoons butter
- 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).32 oz cream cheese²
- Add sugar and stir again until creamy.1 cup sugar
- 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.⅔ cups sour cream, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 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.4 large eggs
- 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 50-60 minutes (or longer as needed, see note 3). 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 oven⁴ 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). Do not remove the ring of the springform pan.
- 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. I remove the ring of the springform pan just before serving then return it to the pan to store. Enjoy!
Notes
1) Graham cracker crust
For more details on making this crust or to use whole graham crackers, please see my Graham Cracker Crust Recipe.2) Cream cheese
Make sure that you use the brick-style cream cheese, not the spreadable version that is available in tubs.3)Bake time
Exact bake time can vary depending on your oven, whether you bake your cheesecake on a baking pan or not, the color of your springform pan (light or dark), and even the precise temperature of your ingredients. Because of this I recommend checking your cheesecake at 50 minutes and adding time as needed. However, it is not uncommon for the cheesecake to take as long as 75 minutes to bake, but it's better to check sooner.4) Cooling cheesecake
I recommend the top of the oven because it is usually the warmest place in my house (after it’s been on for over an hour). This will help to cool the cheesecake more gradually and will also help avoid cracks).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.
Meg
Maybe you can update your recipe for the idiots out there like myself that didn’t use enough cream cheese. I only used 3 instead of the 4. For some reason I guess I thought 24oz and 32oz were the same. It has about 30 minutes left so there’s nothing I can do about it now. No telling how it will turn out but this was my first time ever attempting cheesecake so I knew I’d do something wrong. I just think putting 4 bricks (and then the 32oz in parenthesis would help). Maybe I’m the only one though!
ansar
My cheesecake is in the oven and it’s golden brown on the top but it’s still jiggly. Is that normal
Sam
Hi Ansar! I would check out the video for a good visual of how the top of the cheesecake should look when done. 🙂
Todd
64 year old grandpa who loves cheesecake, but never made one. Saw your recipe, and thought, what the heck, I’ll give it a try. Long story short, it turned out fantastic! Everyone loved it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Happy in Wisconsin!
Ally Black
Hi! How long can we leave the cheesecake in the refrigerator for? Like what’s the max amount of time? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Ally! I wouldn’t keep it much more than 5-7 days. 🙂
justyna
I made the recipe 3x now. Every time is delicious and creamy. But I have trouble with it rising too high during baking – it is probably 1.5″ above the spring form. I cooled it on top of the oven and once in an open oven. same effect. After it has cooled down, the cheesecake loses more than a half of its height and only the edges stay higher. no cracks. I put fruit on the top or ganache, so no issue but was wondering how can I bake a flat cheesecake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Justyna! A little puffing is normal but if it’s rising too high, it may have been overmixed. Be a bit more gentle with your batter next time –especially when adding the eggs–and it should turn out flatter. 😊
Terri
I have made this cheesecake many, many times. I am super careful when follow the directions, all ingredients at room temp etc. – Sometimes the cheesecake looks perfect, sometimes it cracks. There is no rhyme or reason to it. My question for you is, when you make this recipe are your cheesecakes always crack free?
Sam
Hi Terri! Mine comes out without cracks I would say 99% of the time. The other 1% is most likely my fault for rushing a step somewhere. I find that if you put the crust up higher than the batter in the pan it really helps prevent cracking. 🙂
Lisa
If the recipe is going to go to the trouble of listing the crust ingredients and how to process them then it should definitely tell you to bake it in the next step! That shouldn’t be a separate link at the end of the recipe!! I printed it out and there’s no mention of baking the crust anywhere. I’ve been making cheesecake for years and thought this might be a new method I was unaware of. After completing the directions, as written, and cleaning up the kitchen I looked at the website again and I’m extremely disappointed. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow how it’ll turn out. 🙁
Sam
Hi Lisa! There’s no need to bake the crust for this cheesecake. 🙂
Jill
I, like Makella, did everything the same, step by step, cooling it first on top of the oven and it cracked on top in 3 directions. The cooling process didn’t seem to be the problem, since you can’t cool any slower than that. Any suggestions?
Sam
Hi Jill! I’m so sorry this happened. There are a few things that can lead to cracks that I talk about in my post. One other thing that can help prevent them is to put the crust high enough up the sides of the pan that it is slightly above the batter. 🙂
Cindy
I love it!! I made my crust with ginger snaps and no i did not need to prebake it. No cracks.
Erin
Can I use this recipe in a 10” springform pan? Maybe increase ingredients for the crust?
Sam
Hi Erin! That will work just fine. 🙂
Makella
Love the recipe! Making it for my Pastor to give to him today. I didn’t open the oven and I followed everything that the recipe said but it still has cracks. What happened? Anything that I can do to prevent it from happening again? Showing my best friend how to make this later so any advice helps. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Makella! I actually have a section on how to prevent cracks in the post. 🙂
Diana
was wondering if this can be made in 4 inch springform pans? how much time and what Temp would i be using?
I made it in 9 inch springform and it came out beautiful no cracks !
Sam
Hi Diana! You could make it in 4 inch pans, but I’m not sure what the bake time will be. The temperature will remain the same, just be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake. 🙂
Anna
Hi I’m going to be making this recipe on Friday I live in uk and can’t find graham crackers anywhere . What else could I use as a substitute ?
Sam
Hi Anna! A number of people have commented that they’ve successfully substituted digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers. I hope that helps!
Barbara Roberts
I only have 4″ spring form, I made recipe to the “T” just cut everything in half. Turned out Perfect!
Diana
Did you half the recipe or the cooking times?
Kelly
So I tried the recipe using the 2/3 cup of sour cream and added about 1/2 that amount of heavy cream……I also used chocolate graham crackers for the crust…..it turned out great..nice and creamy and still delicious!!!
Ariel
Can you mix by hand rather than with a mixer?
Sam
As long as you can get the cream cheese smooth that will work just fine. 🙂
Kelly
Can you add some heavy cream with a little less sour cream, will it still turn out ok
Sam
Hi Kelly! I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how it would work.
Ta
Many years ago I wasn’t open to things I didn’t think I’d like. Cheesecake was one of them. While working as a waitress at an upscale restaurant cheesecake was a special and the chef insisted we try it as to recommend it to patrons. It was so incredible! Rich but light at the same time. I loved it.
For a very long time I have made cheesecake from different recipes.This was the one that made me fall in love with cheesecake. It’s a pretty standard recipe but the details in each step is what makes it perfect. This is, from here in out, my go to cheesecake recipe. Everyone I make it for f
alls in love with it.
Hannah
Can I leave out the sour cream?
Sam
Hi Hannah! Sour cream is important here. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out.
Elana
Can I make this without the crust?
Sam
That should work. It may end up cracking a little bit though unless you line the pan with parchment paper, and your bake time may change a little bit.
Diana
Hi,
Can I use an disposable aluminum pie pan instead?
Sam
Hi Diana! It may not hold all of the batter but as long as you don’t overfill it. It will work. Keep an eye on it as bake time may vary. 🙂
Elle
My cheese cake really browned on the top. My temperature is calibrated, it was set on the middle rack. I’m so confused! I’ve never had a cheesecake turn out like this 😕
Sam
Hmmmm it sounds like it may have been in the oven a little too long. Did you start checking it before it started browning?
Debbie Williams
This recipe is definitely a winner! I followed the directions to a ‘t’…didn’t overbeat the cream cheese, slightly whipped the eggs and added one at a time, and NEVER ONCE opened the oven door to check on its progress. And 75 minutes bake time was perfect. I served it with a fresh raspberry sauce and fresh blueberries, and it got rave reviews from our four guests and my husband. I’ll definitely make it again…and again…and again!
TR
Have made this twice now and it is beautiful and delicious both times!! I use a 10″ pan, and it’s incredible
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it turns out so well for you! Thanks so much for your review 🙂
Melanie
This recipe is perfect. I followed the instructions to the letter and, while I was a little worried about the middle (because it was jello-jiggly after 75 minutes in the oven), it turned out perfectly. So good. Thank you for this awesome recipe!