Classic New York Cheesecake
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Think making cheesecake is a challenge? Think again! This foolproof recipe delivers a cheesecake so dense, rich, and creamy, it rivals those from New York’s most beloved delis—and it’s easy enough for beginners to master.
Cheesecake has always been my husband Michael’s absolute 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. Luckily, having just graduated from culinary school, I had a little advantage when it came to both winning his heart and perfecting my cheesecake! Now, I know that making cheesecake can seem a little intimidating. It’s a custard dessert that requires careful baking in a water bath to prevent cracking and achieve the perfect consistency. But don’t let that daunt you. With a few pointers and a tried-and-true recipe, which I’m happy to share with you, even beginners can whip up a dense, rich, creamy (and crack-free) cheesecake. This is a tradition-worthy dessert that rivals the best NY delicatessens. Who knows, maybe it will even help you win over someone special!
“I made this for my family at Christmas time and everyone LOVED it! I had never made a cheesecake before. The instructions were simple and easy for beginners. I am now tasked with making this for birthdays and holidays!”
What You’ll Need To Make A Classic New York Cheesecake
This recipe makes a classic New York-style cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust and rich, dense filling made from cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, a hint of lemon, and a few tablespoons of flour.
Cream cheese is the key ingredient, so I recommend using a good brand, like Philadelphia. Though it is used most often as a spread for bagels (or a schmear), cream cheese is used to make many wonderful desserts, like my no-churn key lime pie ice cream, berry trifle, and cream cheese frosting.
Flour might seem like an unusual addition—not all cheesecake recipes incorporate it—but it’s the secret to success. A little starch helps prevent the cake from cracking and also makes the filling lighter and fluffier.
Key Equipment
You’ll need a 9 or 10-inch springform pan and 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil. The springform pan features sides that can be removed from the base, so you can release the cake easily without having to flip the whole pan over (this would be a disaster with cheesecake). Springform pans, however, are notorious for leaking. Since the cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. If you’d like to try another technique that doesn’t require wrapping the pan in foil, you can place your springform pan inside a larger cake pan (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.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prep the Pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Wrap the springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside of the pan and extending all the way to the top. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan 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 until well combined.
Press the crumbs into an even layer on 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.
Step 3: Make 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. 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.
Pour the batter on top of the crust.
Step 4: Bake
Set the unbaked cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about one inch up the side of the cake pan. The water bath (also called a bain marie) regulates the temperature and keeps the cheesecake baking at an even, low heat. The steam/humidity created by the water bath also protects the cheesecake from drying out and cracking.
Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. 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.
Step 5: Cool
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, discard the foil, and transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove the sides of the springform pan. You can serve the cheesecake right from the base of the springform pan. Or, if you’d like 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 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.
video tutorial
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Classic New York Cheesecake
Think making cheesecake is a challenge? Think again! This foolproof recipe delivers a cheesecake so dense, rich, and creamy, it rivals those from New York’s most beloved delis—and it’s easy enough for beginners to master.
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-inch springform pan; 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil (see Pro Tip)
- Berry sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9- or 10-inch 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. 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, 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.
- Make Ahead: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, up to two days ahead of time.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can 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 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
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 659
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated fat: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Sugar: 49 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Sodium: 464 mg
- Cholesterol: 233 mg
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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I made this cheesecake I followed the instructions like on the recipe step by step the only thing is that it said preheat the oven at 375 but didn’t say “then change it to 325” I didn’t see it because it did say it but 2 steps after and my cheesecake burned from the top but still was edible after I had removed the burn top still good to eat 😁 please make a note right after the 375 so someone else don’t make the same mistake by not reading all the steps 😬like me. thank you
I made this cheesecake for my birthday cake recently. It came out perfect. Thanks for such a great recipe, Jenn!
Thank you for the recipe. I made it today for the first time ever. The instructions were very clear. Because of where I live I needed to use other cream cheese then the Philadelphia brand but I made sure I use cheese with high fat %. Also I don’t have here the crackers so I used butter biscuits. The cake is now in the fridge for the night. The thing is it cracked during the baking. Why it happened? And how can I avoid it for the next time? Thank you
Hi Gal, I’m sorry to hear it cracked. Is there a chance you overmixed the batter? That’s the most likely cause of cracks on the top of the cheesecake. (You can hide the cracks though if you top the cake with fresh fruit.) 🙂
Thank you for your quick response! I’ll try to minimise the mixing more next time. I’m sure it will taste good even with the cracks 🙂
I made this and was absolutely happy with it, my wife loved it and she is orginally from NY !!
Making the pumpkin cheesecake today !!
Can I substitute sugar with light brown sugar?
Hi Amanda, cheesecake is pretty finicky, so I’d suggest sticking with granulated sugar. Sorry!
Can you halve this recipe?
Thank you
Yes – if you halve it, I’d use a 6 to 7-inch springform pan. Bake time will be less — I’d start checking it at 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
So. Good.
My husband who doesn’t dole out compliments on food that much cannot get enough of this cheesecake. It is unbelievably good! It’s worth all the work. Your guests will rave.
First cheese cake I have made since high school over 30 years ago. Hands down best one. Easy to make very creamy. This one will melt in your mouth. I put a little chocolate or caramel drizzle on it just because… but this cake definitely doesn’t need it.
I made this cheesecake for my son’s birthday and everyone loved it. I came out so creamy and absolutely no cracks! I was easy to make too. I will keep this recipe and use it again.
HANDS DOWN the best cheesecake I have ever had – and I have made and eaten a lot!
This recipe has quickly become the number one dessert request with my family and friends, served alongside your (also excellent) berry sauce. The recipe is easy to follow, and the cheesecake also freezes very well. Thank you for an absolute winner of a recipe!
This is a great recipe!
Phenomenal!
My mother-in-law who is an amazing cook said it was “Perhaps the best cheesecake she’s ever had! No kidding.”
Wonderful recipe and instructions. I highly recommend making it.
This recipe is the s#**! Everyone loves it. I get requests for it through out the year.
When avid bakers see me coming with it they tremble in fear for they lose the title of, “best baker I know!” from their friends and family.
I haven’t tried this yet but I just had a question, I was wondering if it would be okay to make the batter tonight and keep it overnight in the fridge to bake tomorrow.
Yes that’s fine, Molly. Enjoy!
You could bake it then keep it in the refrigerator for a day or 2
Hi Jenn, I love your recipes! I made this yesterday, and while it was delicious, the top turned out quite brown. Should I turn down the temp and bake for a little longer? Thanks!
Hi Ellen, It’s fine if the top gets a little golden, but you can loosely cover with foil towards the end if you see it getting too dark. Glad you enjoyed!
Turned out great, first time, had to switch back and forth between measurements and written instructions, used another topping, thanks
Oh my goodness! This is spectacular; especially with your Berry Sauce. Although Jenn says that it serves 8-10 people, I actually got 15 slices when I served it to a group of ladies at Book Club. Everyone raved over this because it is so, so delicious.
Thank you, Jenn, for yet another fabulous recipe.
First time making cheesecake and thanks to your recipe it was a success! I omitted the lemon after reading the other comments but followed everything else exactly. The whole family loved it as a special treat for my husband’s birthday. Thank you!
Tried the cheesecake recipe with the berry sauce.
I made this cheesecake and I’m telling you it was my first time. It came out fantastic. Everyone loved it, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for this recipe.
Thank you very much for this recipe. I tried to make it with my wife. It was our very first attempt to make ANY cheesecake; your recipe seemed the most encouraging 🙂
The result was highly popular, and the cake was gone within 30 minutes.
This recipe is fantastic and one of the best cheesecakes I ever had… now I was not a fan of the slight lemon hint u get and I think without that it could be as good as any… Will it mess the recipe up if I don’t do the lemon juice and zest?? Because it’s still incredible…
Hi Vic, it’s perfectly fine to omit the lemon zest and juice. Glad you enjoyed it nevertheless! 🙂
Hi, can I use parchment circle paper inside of the springform pan under the crust if I am making it as a gift?
Sure – hope your recipient enjoys!
Hi love this recipe. Unfortunately its hard to find graham crackers where i live so i used digestive biscuits instead. Can you let me know what is the right quantity to use with with a digestive biscuit base?
Glad you like it! You’ll need 200 g of digestive biscuit crumbs (I’m not sure how many biscuits that comes out to though). Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
Happy New year to you and your Family .And thank you for sharing your recipe and make me look fantastic 👩🍳 chef ,that’s what my husband complements me and his family at all time.the secret is I found your blog many years ago and I had both of your books .
I made this last Christmas it was the best and the presentation was beautiful it amaze my family and they couldn’t believe I made it.question I want to make again for just two of us leaving in the house I like to cut the recipe into half. How long do you think I start checking and do I use 9 inch springform or smaller than that?
And from your second book I made the triple chocolate cheesecake last New Year’s Eve. Ooh 😮 my goodness they are soo good. I want to cut the recipe as well for just two of us . Could you advice me ,
Thank you so much
Rose 🌹
Hi Rose, happy new year to you, and thanks for your kind words about the recipes (and so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake)! Yes, you can halve the recipe; I’d use a 6 to 7-inch springform pan. Bake time will be less — I’d start checking it at 45 minutes. The modifications would be the same if you halved the chocolate cheesecake. 🙂
My son-in-law has requested a raspberry swirl cheesecake for his birthday. Would this recipe work if I swirled seedless raspberry jam through it?
Thanks- love your recipes!!!!
Hi Diane, I wouldn’t recommend swirling raspberry into the batter as cheesecakes are pretty finicky. You could definitely top it off with a berry sauce similar to this. Hope that helps (and glad you like the recipes)!
Hi Diane! I’m also a lover of this recipe and I tweak the flavours all the time! You can always take a bit of the batter aside, and thoroughly mix in some extract or flavouring (raspberry or lemon extract, instant coffee, cocoa powder, etc), then swirl that mix back into the cheesecake. It tastes better when you only slightly swirl it back in as opposed to fully blending it in. I like to draw a swirl with the flavoured batter onto the top of the main cheesecake batter, then once it’s all out in there, I use a spoon and just poke down into various spots along the swirl. This pushes the flavoured batter in deeper, and pulls the regular batter on top!
I would really like to make this for a friend’s Birthday (her request) only trouble is I will be away the day before we are supposed to meet. How long can I keep this in the fridge after I make it. I have time to make it Saturday her Birthday is Monday.
Saturday is perfectly fine, Lynn. Enjoy!
Thank you! Love your site Jenn!
Hi! Do the eggs and sour cream need to be room temperature too?
No need to bring them to room temperature. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe looks great! I am planning on making a cheesecake for my partner’s birthday who unfortunately hates lemon anything – is it possible to bake without the lemon juice or lemon zest? Thanks!
Sure, Cat – it’s fine to leave out the zest and juice. Hope you both enjoy!
Hey i have to make this but in my area sour cream isnt available.
Can i use heavy whipping cream instead? Will it make alot of difference?
Hi Ahmed, Heavy cream may work, but it might alter the texture of the cake and cause it to crack. If you have access to Greek yogurt, I may try that instead. Please LMK how it turns out!
Ahmed, we also do not have sour cream where I live, so I learned how to make my own by mixing 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1/2 cup natural yogurt, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. I beat it all in a mixer for 3 minutes and it’s done. I use it in every recipe where sour cream is required and it works perfectly and now I’m about to use it to make this cheesecake here!
I make this cheesecake every year for my birthday. I follow the recipe exactly and it always comes out perfect. I will probably make this cake for the rest of my life, I look forward to it every year and people say it’s the best cheesecake they’ve ever had!
What pan is best to use, a 9 or 10in?
Hi Wendy, Either will work. My pan is 9.5 inches. 🙂
I just made this cheesecake for my brothers birthday, and I have to say that it was one of the best cheesecakes we’ve had. I don’t think we’ll be ordering anymore from anywhere else. Must try! Thank you for the recipe and the detailed instructions 🙂
I made these 2 weekends in a row for birthdays, one with lemon and one without. They turned out beautifully! Thank you for such an easy recipe with great directions.
This recipe resulted in a picture perfect & incredibly delicious cheesecake (I’m talking 5-star restaurant worthy)!
I have a very limited amount of baking experience and had never made a cheesecake before, but I wanted one for Christmas dinner (ambitious I know). So, I followed the recipe exactly, including room temperature ingredients and the water bath. It resulted in a rich, smooth and creamy cheesecake, that was aesthetically perfect (not even a hairline crack). My guests were astounded; quite frankly, so was I.
I topped this beauty with strawberry sauce (using the linked recipe for “berry sauce”). It was not only simple (strawberries, sugar & vanilla), but divine. I am officially over my attachment to cherry topping, which has been my favorite for 35+ years!
I am going to start making this recipe every weekend from now on; it’s going to be my everyday dessert!
Hi! could you half the recipe, and if so, what size pan should i use?
Thank you for your recipe, it looks amazing!
Yes, you can halve the recipe; I’d use a 6 to 7-inch springform pan. Bake time will be less — I’d start checking it at 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much!
If I substitute the vanilla extract for rum extract do I have to tweak anything? I guess instead of a berry sauce a brown sugar/caramel one would work? Or some caramelized pineapple thing?
Hi Gabriel, I’ve never baked with rum extract so I’m not sure if you’d need to change the amount. Instead of using rum extract, I’d just go with rum. And the sound of a brown sugar caramel sauce or caramelized pineapple to top the cake both sound like tasty options – hope you enjoy!
Hi there,
I’d love to try this recipe but my husband doesn’t like crust on cheesecake. Can I remove these steps and just make the cheesecake or would I need to tweak anything else in the cake part to make this work? Thank you!
Hi Katherine, unfortunately, I don’t think it would work to make this crustless — sorry!
I have made this crustless but not in a springform pan. Individual ramekins (if you have the set piece that comes with its own water bath pan and the ramekin holder) seems to work fine but if they’re porcelain ramekins, then they may not separate from the edges like they would in a springform pan. Cook time is less the smaller the ramekins are.
I have successfully tried this recipe 2 times and put my own twist on it yesterday by making it cappuccino flavored. I subbed the lemon for around 1/3 cup espresso powder and used a chocolate cookie base! It turned out really really well and I just love how versatile this base recipe is.
Compared to other recipes this is absolutely a fool proof recipe – my only complaint is that I made this for lunch on New Year’s Day and there was not a slice left! The top was picture perfect and not cloyingly sweet like some other recipes I have made in the past. I must admit I enjoyed all the glowing compliments from my future son-in-law (a self confessed cheesecake snob) and will certainly make it again
I made this for Christmas. It was such a huge hit with my family that I’m now baking cheesecake as the groom’s cake for a cousin’s wedding this spring. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I have made this recipe multiple times in the last 6 months for multiple occasions and every time it is called the best cheesecake they have ever eaten.
Have made this 3 times now. First time it was a bit too lemony but still delicious. Second two times I reduced the lemon and my god, seriously the best cheesecake I have ever had. Thank you!
I want to make it but I don’t have any graham crackers. can I still make it?
Hi, If you have gingersnaps, you could use the crust from this recipe or you could make an Oreo crust. Hope that helps!
Using your recipe, how could I make a coffee cheesecake?
Hi Charrene, Cheesecake is pretty finicky so I wouldn’t tweak this to make a coffee cake. I think you’d have better luck if you looked for a recipe for one. Sorry!
I’ve been making a cafe con leche Cheesecake for years and lost the recipe. In searching for something similar I used this recipe and added instant coffee to the sour cream then incorporated to the rest of the cheese cake mixture. I did not add lemon to this recipe everything else left it intact. Came out perfect. Oh and for the crust I used Maria Cookies which are like digestive cookies.
One idea — and this is a try at your own risk suggestion — is you could add a couple of teaspoons of *instant* espresso powder (NOT grounds) into the sour cream and stir that well until the granules are completely dissolved. Then you could add it to the entire mixture when the sour cream is called for. You might have to experiment to get the right level of coffee flavor but I think you could probably do this without disrupting the chemistry of the cheesecake setting.
I do that too Angie! I do roughly one teaspoon for every 1/4 cup of batter I mix it into. I also do lemon (I put extra extract in there for the added taste)and raspberry swirl, chocolate swirl, coffee swirl, etc. works like a charm! There’s a bit of cracking for me, but I never care cuz I make a cream cheese whipped cream frosting to put on top.. and then I decorate it based on what the flavour is (eg. Berries or salted caramel or chocolate elements on top).
Hi Jenn, this is the second time I’ve made this recipe. The first time was great, this second time unfortunately some water from the bath got into it while cooling and the crust is now mushy on some parts, is there any way to save it? I made it for New Years Eve dinner at my in laws and I just really want it to be perfect. It’s currently cooling in the fridge.
Hi Erika, Sorry to hear you got a little water leakage. I would remove the rim of the springform pan and let it dry out in the fridge for a while. Hope that helps!
This cheesecake recipe is spot on. The directions were easy to follow and it came out perfect. Rich and creamy.. my family loved it. Will bake it again and again.
Although I myself am not a fan of cheesecake, I made this for my fiancé who loved it. It turned out wonderful. He is very specific on what and how he likes his foods and he was full of compliments on the outcome. I see myself making this for years to come !! Thanks for sharing…
Debby. 01/01/22
Both my neighbor and I made this cheesecake for Christmas dinner and we’re just savoring the final bites on December 30th. It’s the first cheesecake that I have made with perfect results. I added more lemon zest than it called for so I wound up with a lemony cheesecake. Next time I’ll go easy on the zest because I love vanilla in front. But, overall, we agreed – this is fabulous cheesecake and will make every Christmas menu from here on.
All I can say is that this will be the recipe to follow for life!!! That lemon flavor was a complete game changer!!! I love it!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!!
So yummy!!! This was my first time making a cheesecake and it was a hit last night at Christmas dinner. Thank you for the yummy recipe.
I made this cheesecake (and berry sauce) for Christmas dessert and it was fantastic! It was the best cheesecake I ever had. It baked perfectly with no cracking. This will be my go to dessert for special dinners! Thank you, Jenn, for such a wonderful recipe!
I made it for Christmas this year and took it over my brother’s. It was the BEST Cheesecake I ever made!! I made a lot of them too. It’s truly a New York Cheesecake. Thank you!!! I did make the berry sauce a little different. I used frozen strawberries, put them on the stove with sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice and some Gran Gala, after that was cooked down I put it in the food processor and pulverized it. I put frozen cherries in the pot put the same ingredients over it and left them whole and I added the strawberry mixture to it, added some flour mixed with water to thicken it up a little. it was really good!!
Made this recipe and it has a noticeable lemon taste. I utilized a fresh lemon for the recipe and followed instructions. Maybe I over packed the zest and got to much? Is this normal?
Hi Joseph, It does have a slight lemon flavor; if it’s too much for you, it’s fine to reduce the lemon zest or leave it out.
I love NY cheesecake, but never made one – I decided to dive in and make one for Christmas.
This recipe was easy to follow and it came out perfect, in looks and taste. I’ll never buy another store made cheesecake again – seriously good stuff.