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
This easy, foolproof cheesecake recipe creates a dense, rich, and creamy dessert with irresistible flavor—perfect for any occasion and sure to impress.
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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Just want to ask if the heat is top & bottom, top & bottom with fan?
Hi A, most ovens have heating coming from both the top and bottom and would use the conventional/non-fan setting. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the recipe. I made it with my 10” pan , followed the recipe and baked it at 160C with my SMEG oven. However, it’s start browning around the rim at the minute of 45 and I pop it out of the oven at 1.30 hr, it turned out very brown on top, it doesn’t came off like in the photo. I can’t wait to test it tomorrow. For the next batch, I think about reducing the time and temperature. Would you have any suggestions to prevent the top from turning brown?
Hi Patty, It is normal for the top to brown. Next time, you can cover it loosely with foil if it starts to get too dark.
I made this cheesecake for a friend’s birthday celebration. I followed it and made no changes. I baked the cheesecake in a 9” springform pan for 1 hour and 30 mins. I took it out and left it in the water bath for 45 mins and then put plastic wrap on it and put it in the fridge for about 24 hours. It was perfection! The creaminess of the cheesecake and the taste was amazing. Everyone raved. This will be my “go to” cheesecake recipe from now on. Loved it! Thank you!
I absolutely love this recipe. It is perfect.
Tammy McAlister, SC
Hi Jenn,
After my cheesecake was finished in the oven, I noticed that most of the water had evaporated. Did I do something wrong? It was initially about an inch up the sides of the pan and it cooked for an hour and a half. I’m waiting for it to cool overnight and will do a taste test :-/ do you think the cake is ruined?
Thank you!
Hi Taylor, the water bath is to prevent cracks on top of the cheesecake. If you don’t see a lot of cracks it should be fine. (It will still be delicious if it does have cracks and you can cover them up with the berry sauce mentioned in the recipe. Hope that helps!
Thank you SO much for your quick reply! I let the cheesecake cool overnight in the refrigerator and still no cracks! Can’t wait to try it tonight with the berry sauce we made last evening. Thank you for ALL of your recipes. Always our go-to and always so delicious and easy to follow <3
Glad it came out well — hope you enjoy! 🙂
This cheesecake was delicious. I even got a comment that is was the best cheesecake that they ever had. I am not a baker but I followed the recipe and was shocked that it turned out and that it was so good. I’m making another one just to confirm how good it is! I hope this one is just as good as the first! Thank you for this recipe it is a keeper!
The texture of this cheesecake is amazing. I used room temp ingredients and took care not to overbeat the batter. Baked it 80 minutes at 325 and it was perfect. It is a little sweet for me, but I will be serving with a tart cherry sauce so it might be okay. I will cut sugar by 1/2 cup next time. Great recipe!
SO good. Best cheesecake I’ve had. It’s super fluffy and the lemon zest and juice really make it.
Hi.. this is a great recipe as everyone has been saying! I was wondering if I could scale the recipe to make an 8″, what would you recommend?
Glad you liked it! Yes, I’d cut the recipe in half for an 8-inch pan, You’ll need to cut the bake time by about a third (but keep an eye on it as that’s a guesstimate).
Would I be able to put in cherries (halved, pitted) between the layers of batter? Or chocolate chunks/chips? I’m excited to try out this recipe, the reviews look great!
Hi Tessa, I wouldn’t recommend adding cherries or chocolate to the batter as cheesecake is very finicky. You could certainly add cherries or chocolate shavings to the top of the cake though. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
You’re awesome! Thank you so much for the reply! Greatly appreciated
Hi Jenn! I want to use a 9 inch pan should I 3/4th’s the recipe? I don’t want it to be too eggy. Thanks!
Hi Yasmine, a 9-inch pan here is fine with no modifications. Enjoy!
Hi there,
Apologies if this question was already answered; I read through a good amount of comments and didn’t see it. I don’t have a springform pan. What would be your thoughts on the next best option?
Best,
Katie
Hi Katherine, you could use the same sized round cake pan if you don’t have a springform. It will be a bit more challenging to get pieces out of the pan to serve, but it is doable. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Delicious and exactly the taste and texture we were hoping for! Thank you. (I didn’t use the water bath because I didn’t have the aluminum and got cracks and sinking but covered it up with fruit topping and it was perfect!)