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.
Missy
Fantastic! Family loved it. We have a number of diabetic people in our extended family so I substituted Splenda baking “sugars” for all of the sugars in the recipe, to include brown sugar in the crust. It was a hit! We don’t mind the little bit of aftertaste with the sugar subs so that they can enjoy desserts as well.
Cynthia
This is the first time that I made this, but it won’t be the last. I watched the video, read the notes and followed the recipe exactly. The cheesecake came out perfectly with no cracks. My husband and I just had a piece. We both enjoyed every bite of the delicious treat. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
Meagan
Hi! Can I make the cheesecake portion of it and put it in a premade graham cracker crust? I bought the graham cracker crust that comes in a tin pan.
Sam
Hi Meagan! You can but make sure to not overfill your pan and your bake time will be less. I believe this will fill 2 of those pie crusts, but I haven’t tried it myself.
minnie
Hi, can I substitute sour cream with greek yogurt? Thank you.
Sam
Hi Minnie! Full fat greek yogurt will work here. 🙂
Andrea
First time making this and it came out absolutely DELICIOUS!! and no cracks! Yay!!!
Kali
The is THE BEST CHEESECAKE RECIPE EVER!!!!!!
Jessica
I have never made this before and my husband loved it for his birthday! Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit, Jessica! Thanks for using our recipe 🥰
Gina
Why would my batter turn out so runny? I thought I followed your exact directions to a T!🙃
Sam
Oh no! Did you use low fat cream cheese or the kind out of a tub?
Kat
Made for my finances birthday and he said it’s the best cheesecake he’s ever had 🖤
Viviana
Easy to make, my only problem was that it crack on the top borders. I think my oven temperature it’s actually higher than what it shows. I Will try again with a lower temperature.
Do you have a strawberry sauce recipe that goes well with the cheesecake?
Thanks for the recipe.
Sam
Hi Viviana! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I do have a great strawberry sauce to add on top, or you could make the topping from my strawberry cheesecake. They are pretty similar. 🙂
Ashley
Hey!
Made this cheesecake before and it was great! Made it tonight and puffed and was more brown on the edges, it also wasn’t done this time within 75 minutes it was still very jiggly. Any idea what happened? I love this recipe and it was so good the first time!
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear this Ashley! It sounds like the eggs could have potentially been over-mixed. 🙁
DAMARIS KELLEN DA SILVA
Really good recipe but definitely 7 tablespoons of butter it’s too much. It melted out of the pan and made a lot of smoke in the oven, in the end the cheesecake tasted a little smoky because I was afraid to open and ruin everything lol. But we ate ate it anyways. Again: The best recipe.
I’ll try again with half the amount of butter❤️
Thank you !
Doris
I am so jealous of those who are able to make this without cracking. I’ve made this twice because it is a superior tasting and creamy cake. I very closely follow the instructions but still get a crack. What do you think could be my biggest mistake?
Sam
Hi Doris! A good trick to try is to press your crust higher up the sides of the pan so none of the cheesecake batter is in contact with the pan. Also, try to allow the cheesecake to cool very slowly after baking. I hope this helps. 🙂
Karen
This was my first time making cheesecake and it came out great. I followed the directions with no changes and it came out nice and fluffy. The only issue I had was the top ended up with a crack, not sure why, maybe because I cooled it on the counter instead of on top of the oven. I have an in wall oven so that wasn’t an option.
I covered the top with a homemade strawberry topping so no one knew it cracked.
Thanks for your recipe
Vicki
Love it!
Christine
Followed exactly. It turned out perfectly. Even at altitude (9100 ft)
Marcy Hachamoff
Does the cheesecake freeze nicely?
Sam
I haven’t tried it personally, but I know others have frozen it with success. 🙂
Keri
I’ve tried this cheesecake a few times and I love it each time. My partner recently became very sensitive to sugar but still want cheesecake so today we tried substituting the white and brown sugar for coconut sugar. I ground it down a bit more since coconut sugar can be a bit grainy. She also requested that I add pumpkin spice to the cheesecake so I complied. We won’t be eating it until tomorrow but the batter looked and tasted promising!
We also switched things up and used her favorite cookies, Maria’s Gamesa cookies from the local Mexican market. They’re light, crunchy, and only slightly sweet.
I’ll definitely update on how it tastes tomorrow!
Sam
I can’t wait to hear how it turned out, Keri!
Anne
Is it normal for the butter in the crust to leak through the springform pan? I have a baking sheet under just in case as the recipe states but I’m watching it right now in the oven and getting nervous lol
Sam
Hi Anne! It’s certainly not uncommon for a springform pan to leak. I hope you love the cheesecake! 🙂
Phillip
My goto receipe for cheesecake which is my fav dessert! I substitute Thinster s toasted coconut cookies from costco instead of the Graham crackers. It is delicious! Everything else os perfect although the forst time i did end up with a crqck on top even though i cracked oven door to allow gradual cooling (in wall oven). Delicious! Thank you!
Mary
It really is the BEST cheesecake recipe!