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.
Lori
If I left it too long and it is lightly brown with some cracking, is it still edible? Essentially, is any level of browning enough to toss and start over?
Sam
Hi Lori! If it’s slightly over-baked it may change the texture a little bit, but I definitely wouldn’t just throw it out. 🙂
Steve
I have made this recipe four times. Every time it turned out great! Since we are gluten-free, I used oatmeal as a base for the crust rather than graham cracker. This offers a less sweet option for the crust. I also tried both convection oven and standard oven. Turned out much better in the standard oven. Took much longer to cook in the convection oven and wasn’t as pretty. I also squeeze the juice of one lemon into the batter, which everyone seems to like.
Stephanie Pope
Followed instructions exactly and also didn’t open the over to peek. pulled it out at exactly 75 minutes and it was burnt 🙁
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear this, Stephanie! It’s always best to keep an eye on it as it bakes. 🙁
Don Sandberg
I just put it in the oven and this is the first time I’ve ever attempted one from scratch🤞🏻 set the timer for 60mins and will check its status at that point to determine wether or not to keep it in for the said time of 75mins.
Karma
My ovens are built into the wall. In this case, where should I let my cheesecake cool after baking?
Sam
Hi Karma! Turn off your oven, open the door several inches, and let it cool like that for about 30-60 minutes.
Collette
How many pies does that make
Kim
Do I bake for the same amount of time if I use 2 premade pie crust pans?
Sam
Hi Kim! No, the bake time will need to be quite reduced. I would start checking around 30 minutes, but it depends on precisely the size of your pie crusts.
MiaQ
Delicious! Best recipe I’ve found so far 😋
Anya
This was delicious. No crack and I placed my water bath on the rack under my cake. I did add about a teaspoon each of lemon zest and lemon juice just to get a little acid balance in there. I also like a gingersnap crust and did that instead. I got lots of compliments on it at work – I made it for a co-worker’s birthday.
Rainy
Perfect cheesecake recipe, first time making cheesecake ever and it was absolutely delicious. Drizzled some carmel sauce on top 10/10. Slight leakage from the buttery crust so the pan underneath is very important. Did not crack.
Karen Morrison
This is my third time making this recipe. The first two times it was a hit! But today my cheesecake completely deflated. My guess is overmixing. What do you think? I think I’ll try to remedy it by topping it with some strawberries lol thanks for the recipe!
Sam
Hi Karen! It definitely sounds like over-mixing, but I’m sure it will still be delicious!
tammy
I wanted to try something different cause i usually do a water bath,i followed this recipe to a tee,my crust mix came out soggy so it was hard to press into the pan but hopefully it bakes well and don’t mess up my cheesecake
Charlene
Can I use pre-made graham cracker crusts for this recipe? How many?
Ty
Sam
Hi Charlene! It will work, but I haven’t tried it myself. I believe it will fill 2 pie crusts. 🙂
Jennifer
Listen… when I tell you this cheesecake recipe is amazing… It’s the best cheesecake I’ve ever had. I made this & it was gone in a week. I didn’t even put any toppings on it because it was just that good. My whole family agreed. I was so shocked at how great it turned out, we went to The Cheesecake Factory & compared. The whole family agreed mine was better. The only thing I did different was bake it in a water bath. I highly recommend doing that. This was my first time making a cheesecake & it came out perfect
Megan
Can you split it in half
Sam
Hi Megan! If you reduce the recipe you’ll want to use a smaller pan. 🙂
Journey
how long did you bake it for please?
Kara
This was an easy to follow recipe that turned out perfectly! I used a Mainstay brand springform pan and didn’t make any changes to the recipe. My oven tends to run a little cool, so I opened the oven and let it set on a shelf pulled out a little to cool instead of on top of the oven.
RJ Baker
Followed instructions. My cheese cake cracked down the middle too.
I think the best way to avoid that is to do a water bath. My water bath ones never cracked. I will cut into it tomorrow to give you a flavor profile.
Thank you!
Mary Tapp
I have 4 small springform pans, how long would it take to cook them?
Sam
Hi Mary! Unfortunately I haven’t tried it in a smaller pan so I can’t say for sure.
Heather
Absolutely the best cheesecake! This is the first time I’ve ever attempted to make a cheesecake and it came out perfect & delicious!! I added a brown sugar glaze (just bc I love toppings). This was a huge hit in my house and I’ll definitely be making it again!!