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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I never made a cheesecake before, I usually stick to cupcakes and cakes but I decided to give this recipe a try. I followed the directions but just added a little extra graham crackers and sugar to the curst, since my family loves crust, I made the crust extend to the top. I was worried about cracking since this was the first but I had no problems. I have to say my family and I are very pleased with this recipe and I am definitely making this for Thanksgiving! My only question is can I make more than one cheesecake at a time (at least 2 on the same rack) with out having any issues?
So glad you like this and had success with your first cheesecake! As long as you have a roasting pan that fits both cheesecakes, it should be okay. The bake time may be slightly longer so keep a close eye on them.
I made this per the recipe, I did however used parchment paper on the bottom(sandwich the parchment between the lip and rim of the bottom pan) and sides.No shrinking or cracking, also a good tip is to calibrate your oven temp with an accurate thermometer to ensure correct temps, happy baking.
Hello I have just a small question before I add the crust should I butter or spray the pan so it does not stick and should I do the same before I add the batter. I am really looking forward to trying this recipe
Hi Mariah, The inside of the pan (so the bottom and sides) should be sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Hope you enjoy!
Hi!!
Can you tell me the purpose of the sour cream? What’s the difference if I just use cream?
I’ll try this recipe but with 200g goat cheese and 600g cream cheese, do you think it’ll work? Or should I change something?
Thanks!!
Hi Carolina, Cheesecake is pretty finicky, so for the best results, I’d stick to the recipe. Sorry!
Hi Jenn! I’m going to attempt this recipe soon, but I forgot to buy non-stick spray🤦🏼♀️ I have parchment paper that fits my springform pan, would that work for the bottom and is there any other type of oil or butter I could use to prevent the sides from sticking?
Hi Krystal, I do think parchment paper will work for the bottom of the pan, and that vegetable oil should work for the sides. (I’d just put some oil on a paper towel and rub it along the inside of the pan.) Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
I can’t count the number of people who first tell me that my cheesecake is the best they’ve ever had, Followed by asking me for the recipe. Very easy. Use a thermometer, don’t over cook!
My only recommendation is to use a tiny bit less lemon zest. Other than that I am in LOVE with this recipe!
Hi Jenn, thanks so much for your recipe! So I’m not very good with baking, and when I made the cheesecake I noticed a few things. The roasting pan that I have that is big enough to fit my springform pan in is quite shallow. My water bath evaporated about 45 mins into baking my cheesecake. In this instance, should I pour more boiling water into the pam once it evaporates or just keep baking it without a water bath? I do have other deeper roasting pans but they’re not wide enough to fit my springform pan. Should I fill up my deeper roasting pans with water and put it in a rack below my cheesecake when baking instead of putting my cake in the shallow roasting pan? Also, my cheesecake rose a heap whilst baking then deflated again once the oven was turned off. The face of the cheesecake was brown has a few air bubbles in it. Is this meant to happen? The cheesecake also turned out quite dense and a bit floury. What would you suggest for me to do to get a better texture next time? Your expert advice would be very much appreciated!
Hey Jenn, and also one other thing – the sides of the cheesecake shrunk and came off from the sides of the springform pan. I don’t think this is meant to happen either. The surface of the cheesecake had minimal cracks though. What do you think I should do next time? Thanks.
Hi Amy, It’s normal for the side to shrink a little from the sides of the pan.
Hi Amy, I’ve listed answers to your questions below:
-I’d add more water to the roasting pan when you see that it’s almost evaporated.
-It’s normal for cheesecake to rise while in the oven and then deflate a bit as it cools. The air bubbles can happen too. If the top is too browned for your liking, next time you make this, if you notice the top browning, feel free to loosely lay a piece of foil over the pan for the remainder of the baking time.
-Cheesecake is naturally fairly dense so it doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong.
-You mentioned it tasted floury – you can omit the flour next time but that will increase the chances that the top of the cheesecake will have cracks in it.
Hope that helps!
This review is much delayed. I made this last Christmas and it was perfect! Beautiful and delicious.
Absolute perfection! I’ve made this cheesecake several times now, and again last night. Never cracks. If I’d known cheesecake was so easy to make, I would’ve been making these a long time ago (and would probably be hundreds of pounds heavier)! My extended family here in Texas loves it, and requests it. The creamy, perfect New York style cheesecake with that little hint of lemon…wow! Topped with a raspberry or blackberry sauce and people begin to swoon!
I became speechless when I tried this cheesecake! It turned out perfectly. The most difficult part was to wait till I can try it😂
Love the recipe, love the instructions and I’ve already shared the recipe with a few friends!
Thank you so much for this deliciousness 😋
I just cooked this cheesecake last night and tried it this morning. It is incredibly delicious! Only issue I have with it is that it is not as consistent as I had hoped it would be, but that might be a mistake on my side. It also formed a golden crust on top. Once cooled after 8 hours, it does not make any difference but visually it does not look as good as I thought. Is there a way to avoid this crust? Thank you!
Hi Jade, you mentioned that the top has a golden crust. Is it actually crust-like or did the top get a little browned? If the top is a little browned, you can avoid that next time by loosely laying a piece of foil on top of the pan toward the end of the baking time.
Wonderful recipe – I halved the amount of lemon and it turned out wonderful. I don’t know if I got lucky or this recipe really is foolproof! Only tip I have is to really make sure your pan is well wrapped and there’s no areas for water to get through. I used a roasting pan that my cake pan fit inside of.
Forgot my rating!
Hello, I made this today exactly as the recipe said and unfortunately water got into the foil. How can I salvage my cake? Thanks
Sorry to hear some water made its way into the foil. I would remove the rim of the springform pan and let it dry out in the fridge for a while. If you make this again, feel free to try this method.
Thank you. I did just that. We’ll see how it works out