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.
Regina
So yummy! Too much for just my husband and I. Would you develop a smaller recipe for a 4 or 6 inch spring form pan?
Sam
Hi Regina! You could scale down the recipe and then just watch it as it bakes to make sure you don’t over-bake it. 🙂
Sierra
My boyfriend are laughing out loud at, “Don’t over-bake or the texture will suffer, which means we all suffer.”
Alexandra Bruce
I had never made cheesecake before, but this recipe had great reviews and a video to help explain the process so I tried it out!! It was very easy to prepare since I watched the video. My son was asleep so I mixed it all by hand until the very end and then did a quick run through with my hand mixer on low. I separated my crust after 10 minutes like it says, and I let it cool with the oven off and oven door open for an hour, then on top of the oven for 2 hours before it went into the fridge.
It is SO TASTY and has zero cracks and almost no sinking!! I’m very satisfied and will use this recipe again in the future:)
Natalia
Easy and delicious recipe! I followed every step from the recipe and it turned out delicious! Thank you so much!
Made my day!
Melissa
Hello,
I’ve made this and its great! Thank you 🙂
My question: Can I add toffee bits to the cream cheese filling? Im wanting to make a toffee bit cheesecake this time.
Thank you
Sam
Hi Melissa! That should work fine. 🙂
Catherine
I haven’t tried it yet. its still in the oven. I used a large pie pan but it expanded so much it cracked and was almost coming out of the pan. hopefully it still tastes good… I’ll have to invest in a spring form pan or something…
Stacy H
Sam! Help me please!
I have been making this cheesecake for 3 years (as it IS THE BEST!) and I am having trouble with intermittent cracks. I can patch it when I cut it and do, but I recently had a run of 20 in a row with no issues. The last 3 times the cracking has come back 😰. I am following all of the recommendations and the recipe. I am mixing slowly my room temperature ingredients, mixing my eggs separately and adding one at a time…trying not to overmix. I have started tapping my bowl on the counter for up to 4 minutes straight to get out any air bubbles. I have watched carefully when pouring into my crust for any egg that has not incorporated and removed it. I have my crust up the sides of the pan wayyyy above the cheesecake mixture. I even added a small pan of water in the very bottom of the oven while it bakes for 75 minutes. I release it around the edge after ten minutes. I keep it on the stovetop to cool. It is frustrating to watch it crack after all I am doing…and after a great run of success/ no cracks. I wondered if you had any other advice to offer? Do you think the slight weather change and slightly cooler temperature in my kitchen is the issue? Should I let it cool more slowly in the oven with the door ajar? Do you think I should use my hand mixer instead of my stand mixer? How long do you leave out the cream cheese before you begin? Maybe it is still too cool after an hour and a half? Sorry! Just frustrated that I cannot get it perfect consistently!
Sam
Hi Stacy! How frustrating, and what a testament to how finicky baking can be sometimes! Are the cracks appearing while the cheesecake is baking or while it is cooling (it sounds like while the cheesecake is cooling)? If while it is cooling, I would definitely suspect the cooler weather and when it’s finished baking I would not remove it from the oven, I’d just turn off the oven and leave the oven door ajar at least several inches for at least an hour before removing it from the oven (and then still let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before putting it in the fridge). I really hope that helps, it sounds like you are doing everything right! Switching to a hand mixer could also help (I personally prefer a hand mixer when making cheesecake these days) because you can beat it less by hand, but my bet is on it cooling too quickly and that’s what causes it. I hope that helps!
Stacy H
Thank you, Sam! I do think it is the cooler and more humid weather (raining here in Texas this week) like you say. I tried baking one last evening, left it in the oven with the door ajar and even that one cracked. I love the recipe and will continue to use it…it is the Best! Everyone agrees!💗
Kristi
Excellent and so easy to make. My question. Is, when putting it in the refrigerator to cool, should it be covered or left overnight uncovered?
Sam
Hi Kristi! I typically leave it uncovered, but you can cover it if you have anything with a particularly strong scent/flavor that your cheesecake may absorb. 🙂
Jay
when mine is close to the end time it has risen above my spring pan and has cracked open various areas really badly, I don’t know what I did wrong…. 😞
Sam
Hi Jay! I’m so sorry to hear this! Over-mixing can cause these issues. 🙁
Kenny
I’ve been on the hunt for a better (non water bath) cheesecake recipe and am excited to try this! My only concern/question is about the amount of butter called for in the crust. In the past I’ve had crusts totally ruined from too much butter, so I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced that with this recipe or if it seems to be an ok amount? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Kenny! I have never had issues with the butter in this crust. 🙂
Mary
How do you release the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan? It starts to break apart. I want to put it in a box to give to someone. Should I use parchment paper? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Mary! It can be tough to move the whole cheesecake. Parchment paper would probably be the easiest way to do it. 🙂
Lana Bates
My husband considers himself a cheesecake connoisseur and he was truly impressed with this one! I followed the instructions and it worked perfectly.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Lana! Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Jill
I’m curious if it’s ok to serve without cooling overnight or for 6 hours? I am making it today and it will only get about 4 hours cooling.
Sam
Hi Jill! You *might* be able to get away with a solid hours of cooling but it may still be a bit soft in the center.
Rebecca
This has an excellent texture and came out perfectly. Out of fear of cracking, etc., I did use a water bath. Going forward, this will be my go-to recipe for cheesecake.
kate Ferguson
My oven is not heating correctly under normal, so I used the convection oven. A little shorter time. It browned on top* 🙁 and I am not sure the texture turned out okay. I made a couple of mini’s and they definitely were not right, but might be they over cooked. I need to try again, because I have used the recipe in the past and it truly is the BEST cheesecake ever.
I don’t get to taste it, I made it for a fund raiser.
*(I made a sour cream toping to cover up the browned)
Emily Vessels
Am I able to half the recipe for an 8 inch pan? I love this recipe. I’ve done 9 inch and the muffin tin and received compliments both times.
Sam
Hi Emily! You could reduce the recipe, but I’m not sure exactly how much to reduce it to fit one 8″ cake pan as I haven’t tried it before. 🙁
Jennifer Morris
I halved the recipe, I’m currently saying a prayer while it’s baking lol I’ll let you know how it turns out lol
Theresa Capri
It was a very good filling recipe. I gave it 4 starts because way too much butter in the crust for me.