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.
Amy Wonder
Do you usually full fat sour cream?
Sam
Hi Amy! Yes I use full fat sour cream. 🙂
Tami
Has anyone tried these as individual cupcakes. Everyone always loves when I make the cake, but thinking the cupcakes would be easier for my daughter’s 16th birthday….
Sam
Hi Tami! Yes, see my mini cheesecake recipe! It is the same as this one, only divided in half to neatly fit in a 12-count cupcake tin (but feel free to double that recipe to make 24 cupcakes). Enjoy!
Mary
Hi! Probably a ridiculous question, but am I able to use a “ready-made” graham cracker crust instead of the homemade?
Sam
Hi Mary! The ready made crust will work but it won’t be big enough to hold all of the batter. Make sure you don’t overfill it. 🙂
Lynn
Greetings from Switzerland! Regarding your tip about the cream cheese, what will happen if you use the “spreadable” type? Unfortunately, we only have cream cheese in the tub.
Sam
Hi Lynn! The frosting will be rather soft and probably won’t hold it’s shape very well if you only have the spreadable kind available. 🙁
Lynn
Based on a user’s comment (Sara), I made the mini cheesecakes with the spreadable cream cheese (went to 3 different stores and no one has block cream cheese) and they were delicious and held up perfectly.
Love your website!
Sam
Oh wonderful, I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing how they turned out 🙂
Susan Crandall
You could try making homemade cream cheese, it is very easy. You would need quite a bit of milk though, 16 cups.
Karen
Hello, I followed directions exactly, everything looked great, the cheesecake tastes good but it’s not creamy. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Sam
Hi Karen! The texture can be compromised if it is slightly over-baked. I’m glad it still tastes good. 🙂
Sara
Hi I used spreadable cream cheese and it turned out fine
Lynn
Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Nigel
Great recipe Ive made it many times but I advise is that you don’t skip the water bath or it WILL SINK!! Just place the spring foam pan inside any dish( I use a large iron skillet or baking pan) and add about an inch of hot water to the dish then put both the dish and springfoam pan in the oven. This will make sure your cheesecake comes out nice and even
Sam
I’ve never had an issue with sinking but thank you for sharing what works for you, Nigel 🙂
Lukus
In the oven now 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Liggliluff
Wished metric units were given for all ingredients.
“2 Tablespoons sugar” makes no sense to me.
Sam
2 Tablespoons of sugar would be 25g.
Liggliluff
Thank you for your help. After some googling, I can see that sugar is on average 198 g / 7 oz, butter is 225 g / 8 oz, and a tablespoon is half an ounce. So 14.14 g sugar / tablespoon and 14.06 g butter / tablespoon. Can just round both to 14 g / tablespoon. So that makes it 28 g sugar, 14 g brown sugar, 98 g butter; or rounded to 5 g it’s 30 g, 15 g, 100 g.
There’s this weird tradition of not telling the metric values of the spoons, and I don’t get it. A stick of butter here usually have markings per 25 g, so I can’t measure tablespoons, but I can measure grams. It’s so much easier if the weight was given for all ingredients and not just some of them.
But hey, it’s a free recipe, so I can’t complain about that. I get to practice some arithmetics converting it to a system that makes sense 😛
Tammy Spencer
I always look up and use this recipe and have made over 50 or more for myself family, neighbors and friends in the last couple of years and I have never had not one complaint. It seems almost foolproof! Love it!
Thanks from all of us!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoys it so much, Tammy! 🙂
Monique
OMG THIS WAS DELICIOUS
the crust tasted so good 🤤 and the actual cheesecake part was so nice and even with no cracks
I didn’t have a springform pan, so I just used a pie pan and cooked it at a lower temp and cooked it for less time
but SERIOUSLY THIS WAS SO GOOD OMG I ATE A WHOLE CHEESECAKE (I had enough for two because I used pie pans, btw great job on making it work even in different pans) BY MYSELF AND I DIDNT EVEN FEEL BAD
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Monique! I won’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to eat a whole one myself but my husband swoops in and starts taking it from me. 🤣
Josie
Hi, I don’t have a springform pan either, what temp and time would you recommend?
Sam
Hi Josie! It’s best to leave the temperature the same, but I can’t say for sure what a bake time would be in a different pan.
Carol Peine Raleigh
I made this cheesecake and it turned out well. I was shocked to see that an oily, buttery liquid leaked out of the bottom of the pan. When cold, it thickened. I have never had that happen. I am glad all that fat leaked out of my cheesecake!
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Carol! That leaking is just the butter out of the crust. 🙂
Susan C
Ok, so I am not big on writing reviews but big on reading them…shame on me. With that said, this cheesecake recipe is it. DO not look for another and follow it just like it is written. No cracks, no baths just simply perfect and very creamy. Thank you a million times for this recipe. Happy baking to all
Sam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Susan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much. 🙂
Val Davis
Followed to a “T” and it was absolutely perfect! I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally have a cheesecake not crack 🤪
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Val! 🙂
Breonnte Lopez
I love this recipe! I am a pastry chef and I absolutely hate water bathes when making cheesecakes. I’m not sure if this is the same recipe I used for thanksgiving but I remember the recipe having more steps for cooking down, but I could be mistaken.
Linda PL
I was a little concerned because the top browned more than expected. But it was so good! Thumbs up from family!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Linda! 🙂
Erica Lowery
Do you cover it in the fridge while it cools?
Sam
Hi Erica! I typically do not cover it until after it has been sliced into. 🙂
Karen
Amazing! I made this recipe for Easter dessert. This was my first time attempting a cheesecake. Your directions and video were a big help! I served it with freshly sliced strawberries and whipped topping. My mom would have been proud of me. I used her pampered chef cheesecake pan.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful dessert. The only difference in mine was the crust did not go all the way up the side of the pan/cake. Nobody noticed as it disappeared as fast as I could cut it.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Karen! 🙂
Maribel Perez
If I have left over batter can I refrigerate it and bake it later?
Sam
Hi Maribel! I haven’t tried it, but that should work. You will probably want to let it come close to room temperature before baking to avoid cracking due to major temperature changes. 🙂
Mary Jane Panebianco
Delicious cheesecake. I will make it again. It did split next time I will do it in a water bath
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mary Jane! Make sure to follow the tips in the post to avoid cracks and you won’t need a water bath. 🙂