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!
Made this and it came out perfect. more importantly the cheesecake lovers in my household loved it Thank you💜
Amazing cheese cake! Way easier than more former German Cheese cake recipe! This will become my go to recipe!
By far best cheesecake I have ever made. The recipe was easy to follow and is delicious, I shared a little with my border collie and she was crazy about it too!
Have you ever made it without the crust? I am using a cheesecake as the filling in a birthday cake
Hi Brianna! I do make a crustless cheesecake in my cheesecake stuffed chocolate cake that could be helpful. Enjoy! 🙂
I used this recipe as a base for my own. I used Mexican sour cream because it’s there are no added or unnecessary ingredients as with most commercial brands. I also used a little more sea salt and vanilla. I then topped it with my homemade butterscotch caramel , regular caramel, and used a popular toffee candy to decorate. Added my caramel to heavy cream and whipped for a salted caramel, let’s just push this cheesecake over the top kinda impact. it was a huge success for my morhers birthday luncheon. thank you.
I made this recipe for my first ever cheesecake and friends swear ai bought it from a bakery, many saying it was the best they had ever had. It was so good, I’m nervous to make it again and not achieve the same phenomenal results! I will be trying again next week, it was that good. Thank you!
This cheesecake is very heavy, pasty, and not much flavor other than a mouthful of cream cheese. 32 oz of cream cheese is way too much! Not creamy or fluffy. Not very sweet. And the recipe made TWO Very full cheesecakes! How on earth could all that fit into ONE 9” springform pan??? My two cake pans were both almost overflowing. I won’t make it again. It just tastes like cream cheese.
That’s quite disappointing to hear! What pans did you use? A premade graham cracker crust? They are much much smaller than a spring form pan. 🙁 Did you make any substitutions/omissions? It sounds like something went wrong or something was accidentally mis-measured. Was it over-baked or over-mixed? Those will both harm the texture of the cheesecake as well. You can watch me make the cheesecake in the video just above the recipe and watch me pour it into that springform pan so it does indeed fit.
Came out yummy. Froze it in individual slices and eat it when I want to🤩
I’ve made this cheesecake for my family and they love it. I tweek it a little by adding 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, increasing the vanilla to 4 teaspoons and adding a little more sour cream.
I’ve made your Best Cheesecake Recipe & your Best No Bake Cheesecake Recipe. Both are amazing & my go to recipes for cheesecakes. I love your instructions on not pre-baking the graham cracker crust & no water bath.Your directions are excellent & if followed exactly as written, you’ll have an amazing dessert. I love your recipes!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Kathy! Thank you so much for trusting my recipes! I truly appreciate the support. I am so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed everything so much. 🙂
Yes! This is a wonderful recipe and super easy! I made this cake for my grandmother’s birthday this past weekend and it turned out so good. The texture and taste of the cake were fantastic. I was careful to follow the recipe so that ther ewould be no cracks in the cake and I was very happy with how perfect it look! I will be making this again, maybe with some strawberries.
I just served this cheesecake at an event with no prior baking experience, I have never gotten as many compliments as I had last night. The taste and simpleness of this recipe made it seem like I bought it straight from a store. Thankyou for publishing such a great recipe!
Any tips on how to make cupcakes instead?
Hi Jess! I actually have a mini cheesecake recipe that I would recommend following. 🙂
Hello! I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I plan on it tomorrow. I just wanted to double check something, is it salted butter or Unsalted butter? Thank you so much!
Hi Brooke! I typically use salted butter in the crust. 🙂
why does mine not have really any flavor?
Hi Ron! That’s an odd outcome. Did you make any substitutions or omissions? Did you use enough vanilla?
My sister made this for my husband’s birthday and it was delicious! I want to make it, but i only have a 10 inch springform pan. Do you have any suggestions for cooking time?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Erica! I haven’t personally done it in a 10″ so I can’t say for sure. I would think it would just take a few minutes less in the oven. I would keep an eye on it as it bakes. 🙂