Classic New York Cheesecake
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Think making cheesecake is difficult? Think again! This foolproof recipe delivers a cheesecake that’s dense, rich, and creamy—rivaling those from New York’s most beloved delis—and it’s simple enough for beginners to master.
Cheesecake has always been my husband Michael’s favorite dessert. I remember when I first met my future mother-in-law over 20 years ago, she told me the key to her son’s heart was through his stomach—and he could be persuaded to do just about anything for a slice of NY cheesecake. Fortunately, I had just graduated from culinary school, so I had a little advantage in both winning his heart and perfecting my cheesecake recipe!
I know making cheesecake can be intimidating. It’s a custard dessert that needs careful baking in a water bath to prevent cracking and to get that perfect, creamy consistency. But don’t let that scare you off. With a few pointers and a tried-and-true recipe, even beginners can whip up a dense, rich, and crack-free cheesecake. Who knows, it might even help you win someone over!
“I made this for my family at Christmas time and everyone LOVED it!”
What You’ll Need To Make New York Cheesecake
- Graham cracker crumbs: Forms the base of the crust, providing a sweet, crumbly texture.
- Butter: Binds the graham cracker crumbs together and adds richness to the crust.
- Sugar & salt: Sweeten the crust and filling while a touch of salt balances and enhances the flavors.
- Cream cheese: The key ingredient of the filling, it provides the rich, creamy texture and tangy flavor. I recommend using a good brand, like Philadelphia.
- All-purpose flour: While it may seem unusual in a cheesecake, the flour is the secret to success. A little starch helps prevent cracking and makes the filling lighter and fluffier.
- Vanilla extract & lemon zest/juice: Add warmth, brightness, and just enough tang to cut through the richness.
- Eggs & sour cream: Give the cheesecake structure while keeping the texture smooth, creamy, and slightly tangy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Key Equipment
You’ll need a 9- or 10-inch springform pan and heavy-duty foil. The removable sides make it easy to release the cheesecake, but they often leak. Wrapping the pan in foil prevents water from seeping in during the water bath. Alternatively, place the springform in a larger cake pan to avoid using foil (see how it’s done here) or purchase a silicone wrap for your pan. You will also need an electric mixer for whipping up the batter and a large roasting pan for the water bath.
Video Tutorial
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the pan and preheat the oven. Set the oven to 375°F. Wrap the springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty foil, covering the bottom and sides. Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Make the graham cracker crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt; stir to combine.
Step 3: Form and bake the crust. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set.
Step 3: Start the cheesecake batter. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute, then mix in the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt.
Step 4: Add the eggs and sour cream. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Then add the sour cream and mix until the batter is uniform.
Step 5: Assemble the cheesecake. Pour the batter on top of the baked crust.
Step 6: Bake. Place the unbaked cheesecake in a large roasting pan and add boiling water to the pan, about an inch up the sides of the springform. This water bath, or bain marie, ensures even, gentle baking and helps prevent cracking or drying. Bake the cheesecake at 325°F until it’s just set; it should not appear liquid, but will slightly wobble when gently nudged, as it will continue to cook as it cools.
Step 7: Cool, chill, and serve. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and cool the cheesecake in the water bath on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Then, remove the springform pan, discard the foil, and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 8 hours or overnight. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping clean between cuts. Serve with berry sauce, if you like. Cheesecake can be made up to two days ahead of time, or frozen for up to 3 months.
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Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, from 12 whole crackers
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 32 oz (four 8-oz blocks) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon packed lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- Special equipment: 9 or 10-in (23 to 25-cm) springform pan; 18-in (46-cm) heavy-duty aluminum foil (see Pro Tip)
- Berry sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9 or 10-in (23 or 25-cm) springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Set a kettle of water to boil.
- Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure the mixture is evenly combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Mix in the sour cream. Make sure the batter is uniform but do not over-mix.
- Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F (165°C), then set the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Pour the boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. (If the cheesecake starts to look too golden on top towards the end, cover it loosely with foil.) The cake should not look liquidy at all, but will wobble just a bit when the pan is nudged; it will continue to cook as it cools. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and discard the foil. If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- For serving: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake right from the base of the pan; or, to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with berry sauce, if you like.
Notes
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The cheesecake can be stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it.
- Pro Tip: Springform pans are notorious for leaking. Since a cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. Please do not attempt to use standard 12-inch (30cm) aluminum foil – you can’t have any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. No matter how well (or how many times) you wrap the pan, if there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in. Even when wrapped properly, you can occasionally get some condensation inside the foil. If this happens, don’t worry – the crust is likely just a bit moist around the edges. Simply remove the sides of the springform pan before refrigerating and let it dry out in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Oh, buddy. You can tell these recipes are actually tested and perfected! I made this cheesecake last night and it was the perfect combo of creamy and flavorful. I served the cheesecake with a homemade cherry sauce and everyone raved about how great dessert was. As always, thanks for the great recipes! 🙂
Hi again, Jenn. Never mind, I ran a knife around the edge and it came loose.
Dale
Hi Dale, Glad you were able to release it. My cheesecake always shrinks in a bit and separates from the pan on its own as it cools but good to have the knife tip in case others have the same issue. Hope it tastes as good as it looks! 🙂
Best. Cheesecake. Ever!
I’ve never made a cheese cake before yesterday. It looks beautiful, but I can’t get the springform pan to come loose. I coated the pan as directed; now what?
~ Thanks!
I’d like to make this recipe using my new mini-cheesecake pan. Do I still need a water bath? If so, any idea how to keep the water out of the mini-cheesecake pan, which resembles a muffin tin but with removable bottoms?
Hi Jane, I think you could get away without a water bath if using the mini cheesecake pan. You’ll need to reduce the baking time by a lot; I’d start checking around 25 minutes. I’d love to know how they turn out!
Thanks very much, Jenn. I will let you know how they turn out.
Hi Jenn, I made the cheesecake using a mini cheesecake pan and they turned out great! They were done in about 25 minutes and didn’t crack. I didn’t use the water bath. Thanks for the advice and all your great recipes. Happy New Year!
Perfect timing! My 14 year old daughter loves to bake (she made your Double Chocolate Mint Cookies last week and they were delicious!) and she decided to make a cheesecake for Christmas Eve. We had not yet decided on a recipe. This one looks great – and the photos with the instructions for wrapping the pan etc are so helpful. Thanks for posting. 🙂
Hello Jenn,
I have been waiting for a NY cheesecake on your website because in the cookbook I have making it takes an entire day and I very much doubt that with better results than yours !! Yay !!
Before I embark on this challenge — I had a very minor measurement question: the crust recipe calls for 5 Tbsp butter, which to my knowledge comes up to 75 g total (15 g per Tbsp) yet when I convert to metric, you state it is 70 g. Could you tell me which one is correct?
Sorry for the rediculous question in advance ! Can’t wait to try this
Hi Malak, One stick of butter weighs 113g, so that would make each tablespoon 14g. Hope that helps!
I’m definitely making this for Christmas eve!.
But, can I use the hand electric mixer?
Definitely – I’ve made it both ways and it makes no difference. Enjoy and please lmk how it turns out!
Hi Jenn,
Do you use any sort of technique to get the cheesecake off of the springfoam pan whole to put it on a serving plate/platter? I always struggle with this for recipes that use a springfoam pan and I normally resort to serving it on the bottom portion which drives me crazy!
Thank you– I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Erin, If I want to transfer this to a serving platter, I slide a long icing spatula/palette knife between the pan bottom and the crust to loosen it, and then I carefully transfer the cake using two giant (but very thin) spatulas. But honestly, more often than not I just serve it right on the pan bottom. 🙂
Thanks Jenn! Happy holidays 🙂
Turn the bottom of the Springform pan upside down so the lip is on the underside. Should make it easier to take off.
This is very similar to the Junior’s cheesecake recipe I found in a Brooklyn cookbook, with a few differences. I use cornstarch instead of flour. No sour cream, heavy cream, 1/2 cup. Start the oven temp much higher, like 450, but just for 10 minutes. Cover carefully with a sheet of tin foil, so the top doesn’t burn. I wrap the pan in an oven roasting plastic bag and seal it, as well as the tin foil, to prevent the water from leaking into the pan.
I turn the oven off when it’s done, for a half hour, then crack the door for about another half hour to prevent cracking. I have made this recipe so many times, I know it by heart, and it is heavily requested!
I also mix this in a food processor to get it silky smooth.
How much corn starch? Wondering if I can make this gluten free with that substitution and gluten free graham cracker crust.
Hi Nicole, Christine can weigh in with her recipe, but I’d probably use 2 tablespoons cornstarch in place of the flour for this recipe.
Great Thanks Jenn!!
I am so excited to find a graham cracker crust that is well made! I make the Junior’s Famous NY style cheesecake every year for my daughter’s birthday, but we do not like their sponge cake crust. So THANK YOU! again for helping us home cooks out!
Hope you and yours have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!
Glad you’re happy with the crust! Happy holidays to you and your family!