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.
Amy
Hi! I made this cheesecake for my husband who has to eat gluten and lactose free. I used lactose free sour cream, lactose free cream cheese and replaced the graham cracker crust with gluten free oreos. It worked out great and tasted was fantastic! Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! We’re so happy the cheesecake turned out so nicely and your husband was able to enjoy it, Amy! Thanks for letting us know how those substitutions worked for you ❤️
Terry Hardy
This is the best cheesecake! I really appreciated all the tips that were given. I followed directions, didn’t change any ingredients. I made it for my husband’s birthday, and he and our whole family loved it!!! Definitely a new favorite 😍
Anne
Love the recipe. For the crust I added crushed pecans… because of this i added an additional tbls of butter. The bottom stuck to the bottom….after a little time and a knife, I was able to separate the bottom from the pan and it stayed together but I was wondering if you had any suggestions.
Thank you!!!!
Sam
Hi Anne! I typically just slip a thin spatula underneath to get the crust up. 🙂
Claire
It was great, easy to make (time consuming but worth it) i put cherry pie filling on the top right before i put it in the fridge to cool down. I did double the graham cracker recipe as I didn’t have quite enough to get the sides of the pan.
Eva
I’m dying to try this recipe after having eaten the most perfect cheesecake this week. Buttt one question I hope you can help me with: I live in Germany and we don’t have the brick-style cream cheese, only in the little tubs to spread. Do you think it would still work? :))
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Eva! Unfortunately the tub style cream cheese probably won’t work here, as it typically contains additives to help it spread easily. The ingredient list on the cream cheese we use includes: pasteurized milk and cream, salt, carob bean gum, and cheese culture. If your cream cheese has similar ingredients, it will probably work. If it has extra ingredients though, your cheesecake probably won’t turn out quite as nicely. Hope this helps! 🙂
Francisca
This looks super easy and delicious! Can I put parchment paper around the edge of the springform pan to prevent my crust from sticking? I’m worried I’ll damage it running the knife around the edge.
Sam
Hi Francisca! Parchment paper will work just fine. 🙂
chloe
Brandon – I have the same problem because I tend to overmix due to fear that the batter will be clumpy. So I use a 10.5“ spring form pan rather than a 9“ for this recipe. It still poofs up but does not rise above the rim. The bake time and temperature still work fine. The crust ends up a little thinner but honestly we kind of like it that way anyway. Hope this helps.
Rosemarie
Perfect everyone loved it
Kathy
Just finished making it, and oh my goodness, it turned out absolutely beautiful,
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! Thanks for using our recipe, Kathy ❤️
Thelma
Great recioe. I am not a big fan of the water bath. Hiwever, there was a big ouddle of melted butter on the cookie sheet whaen I took the cheesecke out. What did I do wrong?
Sam
Hi Thelma! Sometimes spring form pans just leak so it sounds like that’s the case here. I hope you loved it! 🙂
Kati
Let’s just say this was truly the best cheesecake we ever had! I made it for my husband’s birthday and we were both in heaven!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you both loved it, Kati! Thanks for using our recipe ❤️
Brandon
I’ve made this recipe a few times and all times my cheesecake has risen above the springform pan, i’ve been using a hand mixer and beating as little as possible. Can you help?
Sam
Hi Brandon! I’m so sorry to hear this! Are you making any substitutes? Also be sure that all of your ingredients are the same temperature (room temp. preferably) to make combining everything easier. I hope this helps! 🙂
Brandon
I’ve made no substitutions, today I even tried banging it against the table and it still poofed up. It’s only about 1 1/2 inch of the cheesecake that separates and rises.
Sam
Hmmm I’m wondering if it’s possibly being over-mixed? That’s my only other guess here. 🙁
Ashliey
Try a water bath. I use a LARGE aluminum pan, put hot water at the bottom….. wrap the outside bottom half and up the sides of the cheesecake pan in aluminum foil (I have the very wide foil). You can google “cheesecake waterbath” to get a visual idea.
Lisa
This was my first time making cheesecake, it was super easy and came out crack free and tasted great! Thanks for sharing!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yay! 🥳 Thanks for using our recipe, Lisa!
Connie
Hi! I’ve made this 3 times and it’s absolutely the best cheesecake! One question. My husband doesn’t care for the graham cracker crust all the way up the sides. Will the cheesecake still come cleanly out of the springform pan if I only use the crust on the bottom, and not up the sides?? I’m afraid of it sticking.
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Sam
Hi Connie! I would run a knife around the sides immediately when it comes out of the oven to keep it from sticking. It will be more prone to cracking without the graham cracker crust on the side though.
Bri
Hi Connie, the first time I made this, I accidentally forgot to put the Graham Cracker up the sides and it still came out perfectly following all the same directions. The sides even browned to the point you couldn’t tell where the Graham Cracker ended and Cheesecake started!
Greg
Absolutely superb. We don’t have Graham crackers in Brazil, so I used a quasi-all-chocolate-Oreo cookie for the crust. AND (getting weepy here), we don’t have sour cream in Brazil, so I used plain yogurt. It all works out. I obsessed over the jiggle, it all works out. For Brasileiros, this is a very expensive, never seen before dessert, and I’m pretty sure five of us ate nearly the entire cheesecake in one sitting. Just spectacular.
jenn
that’s really sweet greg, i’m so happy for you 🙂
Karla Hemesath
This recipe is amazing! I made these for my niece’s graduation party. I froze them and thawed the day of the party. Perfect!!!! Thank you
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy the cheesecake was a hit, Karla! Thanks for the review ❤️
norma santiago
It came out beautiful cheese cake!! I will follow this recipe ☺️☺️☺️thank You very much!!!