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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Dear Jenn,
I made this a second time as a gift for a friend. I baked it for 1 hr and 45 minutes. The first time I baked it for the same amount of time, maybe a little more bc it was very wobbly. Well, today I am concerned about the center not being cooked enough.
1. Is it normal to have some condensation in the foil when you lift it out of the foil? I noticed the first layer of foil had noticeable water in it and the second layer just had some condensation in it. I don’t remember seeing that the first time. Do you think it will be soggy?
2. How “wobbly” should it be when you take it out of the oven? Is it still just a little wobbly after it has cooled in the water bath? When I took it out of the oven today it was a little wobbly, but I can see it’s still just a tiny bit – not a lot, just a little bit. It does not look liquidy
Thanks for your excellent recipes!
Hi Jude, I may be weighing in too late to help but wanted to answer your questions:
1. It doesn’t always happen, but you can get a bit of condensation inside the foil. It can make the edges of the crust a little soggy so if you experience that again, it’s okay to remove the rim of the springform pan before you put it in the fridge. That will let it dry out a little.
2. The very center should be just a bit wobbly when you remove it from the oven, but once it’s cooled, it shouldn’t wobble. If it did, it sounds like it was a tad underbaked.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for your reply Jenn! That will help for the next time I make. I really appreciate the time you take to answer all our questions!! Your wonderful!
I have been making cheesecakes for about 40 years and have used many different recipes including the coveted Jrs NY cheesecake. All have been good but this was outstanding. I served at a dinner party recently and my friends, who are all excellent home bakers, said it was the best they have had, including their own. It has to be the flour as that is the only difference between this recipe and my go-to one I have used for decades. It was so creamy but not too light as a cheesecake should not be airy. It is now my go-to for perfection.
The New York style cheesecake was so amazing & spot on for making it. Your directions were perfect and easy to follow. Years ago I gave up making cheesecakes due to disasters but I made this last wk. & again this week. It tastes so good & not dry, it’s just perfect. Thank you so much for the recipe and easy instructions. I am now officially over my fear of disaster cheesecakes, lol.
I have made the cheesecake twice. It turned out great both times. My husband said it’s the best cheesecake he’s ever had.
This recipe just made my parents in law make orgasm noises right in front of me. I was both uncomfortable and happy that it was such a success
OMG, best CK ever eaten. I made this yesterday for NYE. I was nervous b/c I am not much of a baker and I have NEVER attempted to make CK. Well, after trying most of the recipes on Jenn’s website, and having them all be successful, I decided to give it a try. This is the best CK….ever. My husband proposed to me….again, 😆 after trying the first slice. He is a CK fanatic and said this is the best! And he’s from NY. I highly recommend it.
I have made this recipe many times, it’s one of my favorite cheesecake recipes and always turns out perfect! I had to make it gluten free and sugar free recently and it turned out great! I made an almond flour shortbread crust and replaced the sugar with powdered Lakanto brand sugar which is made from erythritol and monkfruit. It measures 1:1 to sugar. Other sugar substitutes may work, I would just choose one that measures 1:1. Don’t skip the water bath, it’s your best bet against cracks! I omitted the flour in the filling and it still turned out excellent without any cracks!
How long do you cool the cheesecake after removing it from the water bath? Mine is still warm after 45 minutes in the water bath. What do you normally do?
Also, do slightly larger than large eggs make it more custardy texture? I have made this several times, but this last time, used different eggs. Same cook time as always.
I usually let mine cool for right around 45 minutes. And, no, I don’t think using larger eggs will make any difference in the texture.
This was such an easy and delicious recipe. I gave them as Christmas presents and everyone loved them. It’s definitely a keeper!
This is the third time l have used your recipe comes out excellent all the time thank you
Hi Sonia,
Was your CK wobbly after cooking? If so, how wobbly? And did you have any condensation inside the foil?
Thanks
for people who want to laze out on the water bath/foil wrap- i sit my springform in a silicone cake pan instead of tin foil. it fits perfect, like a water sock. then that goes into the bath as normal.
perfect every time! i love this recipe.
Hi Rhonda, what size is your silicone cake pan? Thanks!
Great recipe, as a newbie it wasn’t tough to follow. If you drink your coffee black maybe you’ll want less sugar and more base but following the recipe strictly will give you a great result nonetheless, thanks!
I took a risk and didn’t do a trial run before taking this to a Christmas Eve dinner. It was absolutely perfect. Everyone loved it. My husband commented that I usually goof up the crust. Not this time. I will definitely make this again. Thanks Jenn.
This was simply the best New York cheesecake I have ever tasted hands down!
I made this cheesecake for Christmas last year and again this year. It is so good. I do find it a bit too lemon-y for my taste. Is is possible to leave out either the lemon zest or lemon juice? I assume the lemon juice is for the acid where the lemon zest is more for flavor? Thanks so much!
Hi Elizabeth, The lemon juice is not needed as an acidic ingredient in this, so if you find it too lemony, feel free to omit both the juice and the zest.
Totally agree in the lemon. My first time making it and this recipe came out perfect!! But maybe less lemon for me. It kind of overpowered the cheesecake flavor for me personally.
I’m so excited about this recipe..very simple and straight forward and I’ve just put it in the fridge for tomorrow…I’ve been making various cheese cakes in my 63 years and am honestly very impressed with this. Will let you know how it’s received when we have it for our dessert tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your recipe the instructions and not going to lie….it’s my first ever that didn’t crack! Winner winner!
This recipe is awesome. I made it last night and got a taste of it this morning. One of the best cheesecake recipes I have ever tried.
I tried your recipe last Christmas and everyone loved it so much that this year they asked me to make it again.
What i actually used to wrap the pan and avoid water getting inside was an oven bag. Then i put aluminum foil also just to double wrap.
Hi! LOVE love love this recipe! I was wondering…I am going to attempt this gluten free for Christmas. The flour I use is from Trader Joe’s and says it’s equivalent 1:1. Do you think it will work? Happy Holidays!
Glad you like it! Yes, TJ’s gluten-free flour should be fine here. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I LOVE this cheesecake recipe and my family loves it too. The best cheesecake recipe ive ever tried! Is there any way to make a banana version of this cheesecake?
So glad you like it! Cheesecake is pretty finicky so I wouldn’t suggest tweaking this to make it banana flavored. You could top it off with sliced bananas and whipped cream (or look for a recipe specifically for banana cheesecake).
I just want to say thank you for all of your recipes. Everything that I have made thus far has gotten wonderful rave reviews from friends to family. From your desserts to your main course. My father was a chef and so I have some idea’s about what it is you’re talking about. I am looking for a really good recipe for beef burgeon. I would be so delighted if you would do that one. That is the one dish I never paid attention to when my dad made it along with Seafood Newburg.
Hi LaShaundra, Thanks so much for your kind words — I’m happy to hear you like the recipes! I’m assuming you want a recipe for beef bourguignon? If so, this is my version. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
I have made this 2 times this year ,1 st time the crust wasn’t crispy enough seemed soggy, 2 nd time I baked crust until edges started to get dark brown, I am very new to baking , and this came out great , I also didn’t add any lemon juice and I’ve been told it’s better than those $50 cheesecakes you buy, I digressed to a more finicky taste tester ( my wife ). Now I am baking 2 more as I type this and I added Reese’s peanut butter cups crumbled and (6) and 1/2 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips to one and strawberry syrup that I reduced down to the other . to be continued… oh and I’ve made the beef stew with less than 1/2 the onion.. can not ask for better comfort food
I have made this recipe several times and have tried others since I am from N.Y. it is great. Works every time. I did change one thing with the crust. I added a couple of additional gram crackers and a little more butter as I always have a hard time making the crust come up the pan enough.
This N/Y cheesecake is absolutely delicious and easy to make,the hardest part was having to wait until the next day to try it! I forgot to check the top for browning during the cook and ended up with a slightly tan top which I actually think adds some character.Best of all? No Cracks! Thanks for another great recipe Jenn.
Is it possible to make this without an electric mixer, just by mixing it by hand?
Hi Olga, it will take some more effort, but it is doable. Just make sure your cream cheese is really soft before starting. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes! I would like to make this cheesecake and wondering if using monk fruit instead of sugar would work. Have you ever tried it in any of your desert recipes with success?
Hi Christa, Glad you like the recipes! I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say how it would impact the cheesecake. I have read plenty of comments from readers who have said they’ve replaced some or all of the sugar in a recipe with a substitute like Stevia and have had good results, but keep in mind that cheesecake is pretty finicky. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I made this with just regular utensils and elbow grease; no mixer. There may have been a couple of lumps after the initial mix (cc + sugar + flour) but they were gone by the later steps and the cake came out perfectly creamy and homogeneous with nary a lump in sight.
[I made this for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and it was a home run with my kids and guests – though if just making for myself I might lower the sugar a bit – not that I’d eat the whole thing myself – well, not in one sitting at least… Will use this as my new default base though making a Passover version will be interesting if the flour is truly critical to the texture]
Thanks for a fantastic recipe – I cook by feel rather than recipe but baking is so much less tolerant of pure improvisation so I thank you for doing the work for me
This cheesecake is so good! I made two mini cheesecakes and a bunch of cupcake size ones . Perfect consistency. The only thing I didn’t follow to the “t” was putting in less lemon zest . I don’t like it overly lemony.
This is by far the most delicious cheesecake I’ve ever made and tasted. It gets high praise whenever I take it to any type of get together. Thank you for sharing!
Can this be made without the lemon and zest? I just like plain cheese cake. 🙂
Yep 🙂
Oh man. This is heaven on a plate. Even people who don’t care for cheesecake can be converted with this. It isn’t so heavy…just perfectly creamy. I did have problems with either leakage or condensation despite having used both a crock pot plastic liner around the pan (my usual go to trick) and two layers of heavy duty foil…but the crust was still fine in the end. Absolutely scrumptious served with berry sauce.
Hi, I’ve made this twice in 2 weeks. Both times I had people say it was the best cheesecake they had ever eaten. I had to print multiple copies of the recipe. Thank you.
I’ve made this recipe twice and it turned out perfect both times. It’s the first cheesecake I’ve ever made, and my family thought it was store bought! I don’t even like cheesecake but this recipe was so delicious. Thank you so muchh!
Love your thorough recipes! My husband and I both use your cookbook! I want to make this cheesecake. Would this recipe work if I had meyer lemon juice and zest?
Yep! And thanks for your kind words about the recipes — so glad you like them! 💗
I made this for my granddaughter’s birthday. Everyone said it was the best cheesecake they’ve ever had. It’s the only one I’ve ever made that didn’t crack. Thank you for the clear instructions on how to do the water bath! Now, I just need a good chocolate cheesecake recipe!
Hi Annie, So glad this was a hit! I have a chocolate cheesecake recipe on page 271 of my second cookbook. If you don’t own the cookbook and would like the recipe, email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com and I’ll send you the recipe.
Made this for a friend’s going away party, and it is a keeper!!!
Everyone loved it!!! So much so, that all I got was a lick off the spatula ♡♡♡
I’ll be using it for my upcoming Christmas 🎄
Hi Jenn, this looks delicious. I would like to try this with an orange glaze or candied oranges on top. Do you think that would work, and do you have any recipe suggestions?
I think this would be nice with either an orange glaze or candied oranges on top. You may also want to change out the lemon zest and juice in the batter to orange if you’d like a stronger orange flavor. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
OMG it’s AMAZING!!
Followed all steps, every single part of all and it turned out to be absolutely fantastic!!
Here in Brazil we do not have Graham Crackers so I used “bolacha maria” or “maizena” to make the crust.. it’s also very difficult to find ready sour cream so whenever I need it for a recipe I make my own by mixing heavy cream (nata ou creme de leite fresco) with natural yogurt and lemon juice and it gets great – so I used this one here.
Thanks for the best cheesecake I have ever eaten in my whole life (my family members agree)!!! Oh, and thanks for the berry sauce recipe too: that is a perfect topping for this already wonderful dessert!! God bless you!
My cheesecake cracked all around the edge. Not sure what I did wrong! 😩
Hi Charlene, I’m sorry you had a problem with cracking! Did you cool the cheesecake in the water bath and did you run a knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it wasn’t sticking to the side of the pan (that can cause cracks around the edges). You can always cover them up with whipped cream or this berry sauce.
I baked t his, cutting back on sugar a little, and used 5 eggs. It looked fine coming out if the oven. After cooling in water bath pan, it cracked in the middle. Also, the tinfoil had water in it. I fear the crust will be a soggy mess. I am very disappointed. I usually have better results with cheesecakes. No more water baths for mine. I’ll give it 3 stars, since I haven’t tasted it.
Rather than mess with the tinfoil I use my 16.5 X 12 roasting pan with rack for my bath. I just keep the water level close to the bottom of the rack.
Can I make this recipe in a 9×13 pan or larger rather than the springform pan. Would like to make it for Christmas this year.
Ann from Ohio December 11, 2023
Hi Ann, If you want to use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, I’d use this recipe and double it. Bake time may be slightly different so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!
Is a water bath necessary or can it be baked without?
Hi Theresa, I wouldn’t recommend baking this without a water bath.
Water Bath Question: Could the water-filled roasting pan be placed on a lower oven rack, underneath the cheesecake rack, rather than placing the cheesecake in the water pan? I’m curious as my Mom’s recipes for cheesecake and fruitcake use that method. Thanks for your help!
I wouldn’t recommend it here, Cathy — sorry! You could use this method for the water bath if it makes you feel more comfortable. Hope that helps!
I made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving and it was delicious, however, it was a little too creamy without the thickness/denseness I think of with NY cheesecake…I was looking for that “creamy/crumbly” texture. Did I not bake it long enough? It was “set” but the middle was softer than the outside and it hadn’t browned at all around the edges. I was afraid to leave it in too long. Any advice? I’m making again this weekend for a “second” Thanksgiving dinner…
PS I altered the crust a bit by using cinammon grahams and it was great!
Hi Dee, glad you enjoyed this! Based on how you’re describing the texture it does sound like it was a bit underbaked.
2nd Thanksgiving Dinner— I made this cheesecake again with a few adjustments to my first try…the first time I placed my springform pan in another cake pan because I didn’t have 18 inch foil and didn’t trust seaming two smaller foil pieces. On my second try I wrapped the pan in 18 inch foil and placed it directly in the water. I also baked it a little longer than the outside time of 1hr 45 min and waited till the edge browned a little. It came out perfect!! Thank you again for such a great recipe!! New tradition officially begun!!
I am speechless. This was the first recipe out or MANY that I have tried that came out perfect. I have been making cheesecake twice a year for the past 10 years. I had an amazing recipe from a childhood friend and somehow LOST IT! I just made this and it was perfection, no crack, silky smooth PERFECTION. Keeping this recipe forever. Thank you!
Seems like a lot of sugar? Can that be reduced?
Hi Anthony, you can safely cut it back by 1/4 cup. Hope you enjoy!
I have made many cheesecake recipes and this is by FAR the best. I make the crust a little thicker but that is the only change I make! Look no further than this recipe!!
This turned out wonderful!! I must say, I actually don’t like cheesecake. I know, I know (insert gasp here). This was probably my favorite cheesecake I have made. Most end up tasting really heavy on my tongue, but this was dense without going overboard. I put 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 2 of vanilla bean paste. I also used biscoff cookies for the crust and incorporated the extra cookie crumbs into some heavy cream to make a cookie flavored whipped cream. I also made a maple caramel ( what can I say? Autumn flows through me). I honestly didn’t mean to wax poetic about a cheesecake, so simply put, everyone loved it and you earned every one of these stars.
First time making this recipe. Best cheesecake ever. One question. The recipe calls for 12 Graham crackers. That was way too much when crushed. I believe 6 is more accurate.
There’s no there’s no quantity as to what you’re putting together there I mean how much cheese how much cream cheese how
much lemon zest how much lemon how much vanilla and how much flour sugar all of it
Hi Teresa, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Try your food processor if you have one to achieve a fine crumb – works for me.
Such a great recipe. Turned out perfect. About to make my second one. Thanks.
Love this recipe and adapted to Keto! Wondering if you have this recipe adapted for a pumpkin version with the holidays coming up? Other versions are so heavy.
Thanks,
Theresa
Hi Theresa, I’m not sure I fully understand your question about it being adapted but I do have a pumpkin cheesecake recipe. You can check it out here. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi. This is my third time making your recipe. I’m doing a half size right now and then I will make a large one for Thanksgiving. Thank you very much. This is a wonderful recipe and your directions are great.
Not a fan. Very eggy and overly sweet. I was very disappointed
Omg. Yes! Wayyy too many eggs!! 😔
I do not bake, I baked this, it was amazing! I cut the recipe way down (see below) as I only had a small 4″ spring pan and am the only one who eats cheesecake in my house. I DO NOT BAKE, and regularly screw up cupcakes from a box, so I AM NOT SKILLED IN ANY WAY, it turned out AMAZING. I wasn’t sure my measurements were right, but figured I could always double the batch if there wasn’t enough filling. I crushed a bunch of ginger cookies until fine crumbs, added some melted butter until I got the amount of crust I wanted (no sugar or salt added), baked it for 10 min at the temp in the recipe, then used 4 oz of cream cheese, a half of a beaten egg, a splash of lemon and vanilla, 2 TSP of flour, and a 1/2 TBS or so of sour cream from the squeeze tube. Blended that with a small immersion whisk I had, poured it in the baked crust, and then cooked at the temp above for 30 min, with a new check every 5-10 min until it stopped being wobbly. I am not good at not making a mess, so I did not use the foil and place it in the water, but I did have a large crock of water in the oven, under the rack I was baking on, which I put in at the same time I started the preheat, so it would get hot and steamy by the time I put the cheesecake in. I did get two surface cracks on the top, but they did not affect the cheesecake and I was the only one eating it, so presentation was less important than simplicity of baking. At the same time, I used a similar method and vegan cream cheese and non-dairy creamer. It also came out great (no cracks, but did take longer to cook), it was not as flavorful as the plain. Not sure if it was because of the vegan cream cheese or the use of cream and pumpkin instead of sour cream, or my lack of consistent measuring. The pumpkin called for a larger amount of ingredients that weren’t as easy to try and scale, so I used 4 oz of vegan cream cheese, 3/4 of a beaten egg (you can use egg substitute if it needs to be vegan, I am just lactose intolerant and trying to mitigate my discomfort after eating 2 cheesecakes), 1 oz of non-dairy creamer, 2 -3 TBS of pumpkin, 2-3 TBS sugar, spices to taste, and a splash of vanilla. I cooked the pumpkin and sugar in a fry pan til thick and blended first as suggested. I am the only one eating this, so no peanut gallery comments to encourage my lack of following directions, but I did have a few family members look at it and say they both looked like they came from a bakery…1 hour of counter cooling and 1 hour in the fridge was plenty of time to dig in because they were small, I did save half of each for the next day to see if it got more flavorful, but they taste the same even 48 hours later. I topped with pumpkin whipped cream from a can. I will add the plain one to my resume, I will not make the pumpkin again. Thank you for anytime I want cheesecake!!
Hi! I would like to try this recipe out but I’m not sure if I can get Graham cracker crumbs in Australia. Is there a substitute?
Hi Rhonda, Do you have digestive biscuits? A lot of readers outside the US have used them.
Perfect instructions. I was always intimidated by trying to make a real cheesecake. I will definitely make this again.
Hi 🙂
I was wondering can I use Caster Sugar instead of White Sugar?
Hi Elizabeth, I’d stick with granulated sugar for this. Caster sugar may work, but cheesecake is pretty finicky and so I think it’s best to stick with the recipe for the most predictable results.
This is how a cheesecake should be all the time. great recipes – well worth the time and love put into it. thanks for the recipe