The Best Cheesecake Recipe
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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
Equipment
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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Mine cracked, unfortunately. I’ll get it right eventually. But it tasted delicious! There were no complaints whatsoever!
I am sorry that you experienced cracks, Marie, but so glad that it still tasted delicious. 🙂
The instructions were great! It came out perfectly. The only thing I did differently is I placed the cookie sheet in the rack below and poured a cup of water into on it to compensate for Northern Nevada’s dry air. On
I am so happy that you enjoyed the cheesecake, Kathy! I am glad you were able to adjust to compensate for the dry air. Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
The cheesecake was a huge hit!! You did say to use all room temperature ingredients do I left out cream cheese and eggs for 6 hours. My mistake was not leaving out sour cream!! I remedied all the lumps caused by cold sour cream in the blender before adding eggs! It was a mess but a huge success. I also used an angel food cake pan so I cut baking tome to 40 minutes!! Delicious. Great recipe!
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Lynne! Thanks for trying my recipe and for the 5-star review. 🙂
Well I haven’t tasted it yet as it hasn’t cooled, but when you make yours does the top come out puffed up and then later caves as it cools? Also, are the pictures of the cheesecake in this post your actual cheesecake results? I’ve only ever done a strawberry cheesecake before so I’m used to how that looks, but I am so I pleased with the look of this cheesecake 😩 I don’t know what happened. I can only think that the 75 min on my oven was too long? (As the entire top of the cheesecake is a little brown, it wasn’t upon pulling it out).
Hi, Heather! If your cheesecake caved or is sunk in the middle it is most likely do to over-mixing. If it was over-mixed it incorporates too much air, which makes the cheesecake rise during baking (the way a souffle does), then collapses as it cools. The cheesecake picture shown is, in fact, the cheesecake I baked in the video. It shouldn’t be brown. It sounds like it was overbaked slightly. The blog post gives helpful tips if you’d like to reference those for next time. Regardless I hope that it still tastes delicious! 🙂
Would you recommend cutting a thin layer off of the top? Just to get rid of the browning?
That will be fine, Heather! I have others just cover the top with a fruit compote as well.
One if the best recipes i came across with amazing tips very useful for novice cheesecake bakers!! 😍😍 After watching your video, made this cake immediately today. Didn’t have graham crackers, substituted with corn flakes mixed with oats and added 1 spoon of flour, added less butter than in recipe.
Plus, had only 24 oz cream cheese, the rest substituted with greek youghurt.
We couldn’t wait for 6 hour chill, tried after 2 hours, still was very yummy (im sure after 6 hours will be perfect). can’t wait for tomorrow to eat the remaining cake after overnight chill. crust turned out not bad, very light, kids also loved it.
And can’t wait to try with the exact recipe next time. Thanks for sharing this perfect recipe with us.
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Guiz. I am so happy to hear that the cheesecake turned out so well even with minor substitutions. 🙂
Thank you for posting your cheesecake recipe! I am so excited to try your recipe tonight for an office party tomorrow. I would like to make individual cakes in a cupcake tin lined with a foil/paper cup. The crust will be a Nilla wafer and the cheesecakes will be topped with comstock cherry filling, that’s how my mother made them when I was growing up! How long should I bake them for?
My beautiful wife of 39 yrs. is on a road trip and mentioned to me on the phone last night that she has been craving a delicious slice of cheesecake…So…. off I go this morning to the grocery store to surprise her Saturday with your cheesecake…Thank you!
Wow, William, what a sweet gesture! She will love it! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Hello, plan on making soon, will all the batter be used from this recipe in the 9″ pan, not wanting to overfill. Thx
Hello, Zaneta! There is too much batter for a standard 9″ baking dish. I recommend that you use a springform pan for this recipe. 🙂
Hi my cheesecake is in the oven as I type. I’m making this for our office holiday luncheon which is Thursday Dec 5. Can’t wait to try, will post once I do. Making a blueberry compote to go with.
Thanks for trying my recipe, Dawn! Let me know how it turns out. I hope that it is a hit at your office. 🙂
Great cheesecake! My husband loved it!❤️
I am so glad that he enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Traci! 🙂
It was a hit at the office, gone with 10 minutes of cutting it. I also made blueberry compote which was excellent, not to sweet.
That is amazing, Dawn! I am so happy everyone enjoyed it! Love the addition of the blueberry compote too. Yum! Thanks for trying my recipe! 🙂
It was delicious! The only thing I would change is to use less butter for the crust, but I will definitely be making this again.
I am happy you enjoyed the cheesecake, Fredi! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
I made a couple of boo-boos with this recipe (forgetting to leave the cream cheese and eggs out overnight and too impatient to let them completely come to room temp; overbaking slightly)… AND YET. It still turned out delicious! I cannot wait to try it again (following the directions to the T next time). Thanks so much for sharing this recipe – it was my first time to make baked cheesecake, and I’ll not need another recipe!
I am so glad that the cheesecake turned out beautifully for you! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
I would love to make this for my boyfriend as a surprise but I don’t have a springform pan at the moment. Would using a regular 9″ round cake pan?
Hi, Ariana! You could just keep in mind that the bake time will vary. Make sure you don’t over-fill the pan too. I hope your boyfriend loves the cheesecake! 🙂
Made this for Thanksgiving and topped it with a caramel sauce and chopped pecans – huge hit! Many preferred it with no topping and it still got rave reviews! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
That is wonderful, Beth! I am so glad the cheesecake was such a hit. I love the additional choice of toppings as well. Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
When do you release the cheesecake from the Springfield pan
Once it has cooled completely. I usually don’t until I am ready to serve. Enjoy!
Thank you, that was my question!
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit. I made a blackberry compote to serve with it.
So happy to hear the cheesecake was such a success! That blackberry compote on top sound AMAZING!! Thanks for commenting, Chele!