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.
Stephanie
Can you open the oven door instead of risking cracking just taking it out of the oven immediately or will it over bake?
Sam
Hi Stephanie! I would turn the oven off and open the door several inches. 🙂
Stephanie
I have a ten inch springform pan will that work?
Sam
Hi Stephanie! That should work. You may just want to check it a few minutes earlier. 🙂
Angelika
I love this recipe and I love you dearly for sharing this recipe. Some people want to gatekeep their recipes and why? Food is love!!! Thank you. Not only is it beautiful but it tastes like heaven exploding in your mouth. You win!!!
Hannah
I had never made a cheesecake before and was excited I found your recipe first because I had heard how hard cheesecake could be to make. I was worried when I took it out of the oven because I thought I overbaked it, the sides were REALLY puffed up (probably 1-1.5 inches) and the top was a nice golden brown (great for a marshmallow but not a cheesecake). The sides evened out with the rest of the cheesecake by the time I came back to it after letting it cool for several hours on top of the oven. I topped it with a chocolate ganache and berries. Even with possibly overbaking it, it still tasted great! My family loved it!
Cindy Accardi
Curious about the texture. Is it heavy and dense or light and fluffy?
Sam
Hi Cindy! Heavy, dense and creamy. A cheesecake shouldn’t be light and fluffy. 🙂
Amanda
I love this recipe! I added some vanilla bean to it for fun. It does crack nearly all the way around for me, though…while cooking, which is a bummer, but what it’s all good because it tastes amazing!
Linda
I made this today for Easter dinner on Saturday. It is delicious. Read all your reviews so know why mine sunk. I had a-lot of batter left as my crust didn’t go up. Gave it to the neighbor and she baked it
Glad I found your recipe.
Elizabeth
I want to make this but our oven is in the wall and the stove is separate. How important is it to set on top of the oven when you first take it out?
Sam
Hi Elizabeth! I actually now have that setup since moving houses. The purpose of doing that is to help it cool more slowly to prevent cracks. The best way to deal with this is turn your oven off and crack it several inches. You don’t have to open it all the way. Enjoy! 🙂
Gayle
Is there a 6” version? Just 2 of us.
Sam
Hi Gayle! Unfortunately I don’t have the measurements/baking time for a 6″ pan. 🙁
Yossigrunwald
I love your recipe I didn’t want it to be so heavy so I added 4oz of farmers cheese and took out 4oz cream cheese and I added 1 tsp vanilla sugar
And it came out great
I also changed it instead of gram crakers to loutes cookies
Thanks for the recipe.
Kasie P Sowers
One of the beauties of cheesecake in general is that it doesn’t suffer from being frozen. Go ahead and make the whole recipe cut off with the two of you. Would like to have over several days tightly wrap the rest in portions and freeze it. When the hankering hits again, grab it out and let it thaw for an hour or so either on your counter or in your fridge, depending on the urgency.
It would even be worth going and buying a 9-in springform pan if you only have the 6-in one. 🥳
Mary Ann
Just finished the 10 minute cooling time and the cake had already cracked! Boo… going to run out to get strawberries to cover up the crack.
Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow for our Easter dinner.
Cassie Stolt
I only have a 10 inch pan, will that greatly impact the end result?
Sam
Hi Cassie! The cheesecake will be a bit thinner and the bake time will be shorter, but it should still taste great! 🙂
Dalton Knighton
Followed the recipe exactly, I think it was the sour cream but dear lord it’s bad. I might try it again without the sour cream, it tastes and smells like rotting moldy cheese, even when the ingredients had been bought that day.
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear this, Dalton! It definitely sounds like there was something off with one of the ingredients. 🙁
Inez Hyde
I made it last year for Easter dinner and all family and friends loved it. So , guess what is in my oven right now ? Your delicious cheesecake again . I really enjoy your recipe. Thanks
Gloria
Cheesecake is my husband’s favourite dessert and I baked this for his 50th birthday. He loved it and said it was the best I had ever baked. Thank you for the excellent and easy-to-follow recipe. Your “must-know tips” were extremely helpful and really made a world of difference in the final result!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re honored you chose our recipe for such a milestone birthday, Gloria! Thanks so much for the sweet comment and 5 star rating ❤️
Danielle
Any changes if you use a graham cracker crust that you purchase from store?
Sam
Hi Danielle! It will make more batter than will fit in that pan so you’ll need less time in the oven. Make sure to not overfill the pie crust. 🙂
Shayla
The best cheesecake I have ever eaten! My entire family agreed! Sooo good! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I did alter half the sour cream with equal parts mexican crema because I ran out of sour cream. Sooooo good!!! You literally need to go buy the ingredients and make thisblike right now!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved it, Shayla! 🥰
Kasie P Sowers
The first time I made this, I followed your recipe and my cheesecake loving family raved. Recently I had a conversation in the baking aisle of a grocery.
I was sharing the cake I was about to make with a lady who liked my cake and then proceeded to loosely share her peanut butter Oreo cheesecake idea… She substituted the graham cracker portion of the recipe with Oreos. I used my food processor and left out the sugars but did use the butter, I could have cut it in half. I used your cheesecake recipe, although I got crazy, melted some creamy peanut butter added a little bit of salted butter, and homemade maple syrup to taste. I let the cake (all assembled, save the peanut butter) rest in the refrigerator to solidify it a little bit… then swirled in my strange not quite pourable loose peanut butter goo… baked it per your instructions to have Oreo peanut butter cheesecake. The lady told me she made the recipe up so I don’t know if there are better instructions somewhere, but my family loves your recipe! So I used it for my base. Thank you for sharing your awesome cooking methods. My family and I are very grateful! Cook on incredible chef!!!
Becky Williamson
I love your cheesecake recipe. Can I add a touch of lemon juice without hurting the cheesecake?
Sam
Hi Becky! Lemon juice won’t add much flavor here. You could use some extract. Alternatively, I do have a lemon cheesecake recipe. 🙂
Rachel
I made this cheesecake and I can’t believe how easy it was. It’s so delicious. This one is definitely a keeper.
Groyperwife
This is my first ever cheesecake, and whoa am I impressed. I love cheesrcake but hate the ingredients of store bought, so we rarely eat it. When my daughter asked for it for her birthday, I was so scared because I’ve always heard cheesecake is so complicated. I found your recipe, not only was it super simple (I used a pie dish) but I knew EVERY ingredient. Birthday dessert was a huge hit. Thank you.
Eileen
Hi Sam
Is it possible to alter the recipe to make a chocolate swirl cheese cake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Eileen! Without trying it ourselves, it’s hard to say. You may be able to swirl some hot fudge sauce on top, but it might sink. You could also top it with ganache when it’s finished. 🙂
Karen R
Thank you for this! My son now thinks I walk on water and he’s coming home for his birthday so I’ll make it for him again! Fabulous recipe.
Lisa Hart
This was an excellent recipe. No water bath and no prebaked crust. My oven is a convection oven. It generally cooks things faster. So I cooked it for 1 hour and 8 minutes. Next time I will check it about 5 mins earlier because my outer edge was a little too done for me. We spread a raspberry fruit spread from Costco on it. It was very good. Thanks for the recipe!