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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Hi! If I only have an 8in pan, should I halve the recipe or just cut by 1/4?
Thanks!
Hi Jessie, 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 an estimate). Hope you enjoy!
I would like to make this recipe this week on Sunday or Monday when I have the time to bake it but I won’t be eating it until Friday. Can I freeze it ?
Sure! See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Hello, I’ve made this recipe multiple times and I absolutely loved it each time. I am planning on making them in a mini cheesecake pan this time (similar to a cupcake pan but the bottom is removable), Is there anything I have to do differently?
Hi Elif, mini versions of this will work. You’ll need to reduce the baking time by a lot; I’d start checking around 25 minutes. I’d love to know how they turn out!
Hi jenn! Tried this last week using my 10 inch springform pan and it was great! I’d like to try it again using muffin pans. Would that work? Thinking of making cheesecake cupcakes?
So glad you liked it! Muffin versions of this will work, but they will be a bit challenging to remove from the muffin tin. I think you could get away with skipping the water bath with these. Also, you’ll need to reduce the baking time by a lot; I’d start checking around 25 minutes. I’d love to know how they turn out!
Thank you so much, they turned out to be just as delicious! 🙂
So glad it worked out – thanks for the follow-up!
My family loved it!
It tastes very good but very sweet. I will use this recipe again with half sugar.
I don’t know what I did wrong. Could have been that I overmixed, but the cheesecake came out SOOO runny. Ugh, how am I supposed to know if the batter is overmixed? I used packets of cream cheese so I had to soften them first.
I’ve made cheesecake for YEARS and this is the first recipe that came out as a disaster.
Sorry to hear you had a problem with this, Crystal! Is there any chance you made a measuring error?
Hi there, I just finished baking your recipe & I’m hoping it’d turn out good just like yours & the others. I made a mistake tho I didn’t read the packaging of the sugar. Instead of putting 1/4 tsp salt in the batter I put sugar.
May I know if this would create a big impact on the overall taste?? Thanks!!
Hi Nicole, it’s such a small amount, that I don’t think the mistake will have a big impact on the taste. Please LMK how it turns out!
It turned out really good!! Thank you so much =)
So glad! 🙂
I never baked a cheesecake before but I wanted to make one for my mom’s upcoming birthday. I tried out this recipe and it came out absolutely PERFECT! It’s beautiful, no cracks, and tastes just as good as it looks! I’ll be using this recipe for the rest of time.
I’ve baked cheesecake twice by using this recipe! It is absolutely amazing! It didn’t crack on the top and it had a lovely texture. This is definitely my go to recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Wow. Very authentic. Just made it a couple of days ago everyone loved it. However, it was a little too sweet for our taste so next time will reduce the sugar. Otherwise, great cheesecake!!!!
This is absolutely amazing! I never made a cheese cake before and had no idea where to start. I found this and I am so thankful. Not only was it easy to follow but it also came out perfect! I’ve heard horror stories and was very intimidated. Not any more!
Thanks!
This recipe is simple and tasty. Extremely versatile as well and it’s super easy to add in your own flavors- oreo, sprinkles, chocolate, etc. I halved this recipe so I could make a 7″ and a 3″ which was the perfect amount of mix. The only part of the recipe I didn’t follow is adding sugar to the crust as I find the Graham crumbs that are sweetened with honey to be sweet enough for my taste.
100% recommend!
This is my go to cheesecake recipe! I made it twice, once with a 10 inch and a 7 inch springform pan. Every time I made it, it came out beautiful and delicious. Received so many compliments. Both times I used parchment paper underneath the crust for easier removal. I halved the recipe for the 7 inch as suggested. For me, the baking time took almost as long as the 10 inch. It’s worth the wait!
Wow. Very authentic. Just made it a couple of days ago everyone loved it. However, it was a little too sweet for our taste so next time will reduce the sugar. Otherwise, great cheesecake!!!!
I did this for mother’s day. It came out creamy and with no cracks. I did get a little leak even though I followed directions with foil. The crust was a little soggy when I took it out but dried overnight in the fridge with paper towels. The result was a crispy delicious crust. I might try using a turkey bag next time before the foil. I had all ingredients room temp and followed ingredients except for the sugar, I reduced to 1 1/2 cups. The cheesecake had the perfect flavor.
Very good recipe! Love it so much! Made it once and turned out great! Def a recommendation! Thanks Jenn!
Lynnie
I used this recipe to make cheesecake for my brother’s birthday and it was amazing! This was my first time making cheesecake so I was very nervous as to how it would turn out. I used 1.5 cups of sugar since I didn’t want it to be too sweet, and it turned out perfect. For the water bath, since I didn’t have heavy-duty aluminum foil, I used the pan within a pot method. The cheesecake came out with no cracks and everyone was asking me for the recipe, I will definitely be sharing!
my 10 yo son used this recipe for a Mother’s Day cheesecake and topped it with chocolate-covered strawberries. It’s the BEST cheesecake I’ve ever tasted- we will def use this again and again!
Glad it was a hit (and I’m VERY impressed that your 10-year-old made it)!!
I made this recipe for my father’s birthday and it turned out wonderfully! I had some issues, mostly in that when the instruction said to put the tin foil on the underside of the pan, I misinterpreted this as putting it on the inside, between the cake and the metal, when it’s supposed to go on the outside of the pan. I also forgot to add the sour cream in, primarily because I was rushing (I had other obligations I needed to get to). It turned out alright, though! The cake was very moist, so arguably it didn’t even need the sour cream at all. The only thing I’d recommend is possibly cutting down the sugar if you want a cake you can eat more of a few bites of in one sitting. It’s very sweet.
Julian,
The sour cream adds another layer of flavor and helps balance out the sweetness of the sugar. The sour cream is needed😊
My 13 year old son made this as he been trying different recipes and couldn’t figure it out with other websites as his results have been unkind. He tried your recipe. It came out luscious, light, and divine. Talk about a confidence booster! Whole family was super impressed. He found it so easy to prepare, too! Thank you!
Could I ask how long the cheesecake will last in the fridge after its made. Thankyou.
Hi Lisa, It will last nicely in the fridge for about two days. Hope you enjoy!
Will this recipe still work without the lemon? I have a few people in the house who don’t like lemon flavoring. Would cutting out the juice and zest work? Thanks!
Yep, that’s perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn! I want to make this recipe but I only have available 24oz (3 blocks) of cream cheese. Can I make it with only 3? If so, how should I adjust the rest of the ingredients? I have a 9 inch pan. Thanks for the help and the recipe!
Hi Marile, You could cut all the other ingredients for the filling by a quarter. If you don’t feel like doing the math, you could give these cheesecake bars a try. They’re delicious and don’t require as much cream cheese.
As an avid baker, I’m picky as to what recipe I choose to try and I have to share that this is one of the BEST cheesecakes I’ve ever made. I used a cherry topping and have made it 3 times everyone raves about how amazing it tastes. The only ingredient not in the recipe is Love – always add some love!
Will this recipe fit in a 8 inch pan ?
Hi Sam, Yes, but I’d cut the recipe in half. You’ll need to cut the bake time by about a third (but keep an eye on it as that’s an estimate). Hope you enjoy!
I’ve made this several times and followed the recipe exactly. Turns out excellent every time. So delicious and worth your time. No cracks either!! Also delicious with any berry sauce of your choosing.
I would Love to try your recipe but its only the 2 of us.. can I make this work for a 7″ pan? Cut recipe in half????
Sure – bake time will be less – I’d start checking it at about 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Can I put the springform pan into an aluminum foil roaster pan?
Sure, I think that would work but because an aluminum pan won’t be as sturdy as a regular roasting pan, I’d rest the pan on a baking sheet for easy transport in and out of the oven. Hope you enjoy!
It worked like a charm! The only thing I had trouble with is the springform pan leaking. I’ll put it in a 10 inch pan next time. Excellent flavor! Thank you Chef!
I liked the cheese cake flavor, but it turned out very wet – the cracker base and the cheesecake itself. Also the top turned out completely brown, although I had it on the recommended heat. Also it did crack despite the water bath 🤷 Do you have any idea why?
Maybe I just prefer the no bake version of NY cheesecake!
Hi Sandra, Sorry you had some problems with this! If the cheesecake and crust were really wet, I suspect water from the water bath leaked in. If you feel confident that you properly wrapped the pan with foil, you may want to give this other method a try. And regarding the cracking, is there a chance you overmixed the batter? That’s the most likely cause of cracks on the top of the cheesecake. And if you find it’s browning a lot on top before the cheesecake was done baking, you can lay a piece of foil loosely on top of the pan. Hope that helps!
I made this cheesecake for my husband’s birthday and it way the best cheesecake I’ve ever made. The flavor and texture were excellent! My children, who were not happy about a birthday cheesecake, thought it was delicious too. I just wanted to say thank you for the delicious recipe.
Would it be ok to use a convection oven – same instructions on temperature and length of time?
Hi Michele, I always develop and publish my recipes using the regular setting on my oven (because many people don’t have convection settings on their ovens), so I’d go with the regular/non-fan setting. If you feel strongly about using the convection setting, I’d reduce the oven temp by 25°F. Hope you enjoy!
I baked this cheesecake yesterday, and ate it this morning with my mum along with a cup of coffee. My mum usually doesn’t like to eat cake with her coffee, but said that this was surprisingly perfect.
I am from the UK, and used “soft cheese” instead of cream cheese because this cannot be found in any of the supermarkets. But it turned out great! Cheesecake is one of my favourite desserts and I would rate this a 10/10.
My 7 year old sister, however, wasn’t a fan because it tasted “too sweet”. Although she may be lying because she ate half a slice! (and this was a big slice because it is a big cheesecake).
Hi Jenn,
It’s my first time to make a cheese cake for my husband whose favourite cake is New York cheese cake and his birthday is coming. If I only have a 7.5-inch pan, how much ingredients should I cut and anything different in making the cake?
Thanks.
Mary
Hi Mary, I’d suggest cutting the recipe in half. It won’t take as long to cook, so I’d start checking around 40 minutes. Hope your husband enjoys!
I made the cheesecake last night and the filling was lovely. But despite wrapping the pan properly in 18-in foil, the crust was really wet this morning. I wonder if it’s because I left plastic wrap on over night and maybe that allowed some condensation? I clicked on the “other method” you suggested for another reviewer. I don’t have another cake pan large enough but I do have a dutch oven that will fit in my toaster. I’m hoping this works! Starting now.
The Dutch oven worked! But I will be ordering a larger cake pan so I can continue to forego the foil method (the Dutch oven vessel situation took just over an additional hour to bake). Such a gorgeous cake, gorgeous recipe. Thank you!!
So glad it worked out! 🙂
Hi Jenn, I just tried and the taste is great however the texture seems extremely dense. Could this be due to over baking? Ie when I am cooling it, the cheesecake has cracked and no longer jiggly in the centre? I have a 9+ springform and cooked for 1 hr 45 mins. I would to try it again as I love cheesecakes! Not sure what was the error I made. Thanks!
Hi Grace, NY-style cheesecake is generally pretty dense — was it dry? If so, I suspect it may have been a little over-baked.
Jenn – Thank You. This recipe is absolutely perfect! This was my first try at making cheesecake and I followed your recipe exactly as listed. It came out Perfect!!! My Family LOVED it!!! We’ve always bought cheesecake – NEVER AGAIN!
Jenn this recipe is fantastic! Anyone that knows me knows I am a sucker for cheesecake. The berry topping pulls it all together. Definitely have made more than one due to everyone in my family loving it! My 1 year old loves it too, in small portions that is 😉
I only have a 6-inch pan, can I half the recipe? Will it work? How about the temperature and time setting?
Hi Camellia, You could get away with using a 6-inch springform pan if you halve the recipe. I’d keep the oven temperature the same and start checking it at 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Can this be modified for a chocolate cheesecake?
Hi Paula, I don’t recommend modifying this to make it chocolate — cheesecakes can be so finicky. Instead, I’d look for a chocolate cheesecake recipe. Sorry!
My family loved it! Easier than I thought it would be.
This is my second time making this cheesecake. It is everything that all the 5 start reviews are saying! My husband said last night, “This is the best cheesecake I have ever eaten! You could serve this at any high end restaurant!” I love this site. Most every time I make something from here it turns out fantastic. Thanks so much Jenn!
❤️ Glad it was a hit!
Seriously the best cheesecake ever!
Despite wide and heavy duty kitchen foil, and my best efforts at making the dish water-tight, water seeped into it, which was somewhat heart-breaking after all this effort.
I also found that the cake is too rich (I’m not usually one to be put off by fat or sugar). Would not recommend.
I was hesitant to try this recipe as I don’t like to use a lot of eggs and not just because I’m scared of an eggy flavour. I only buy organic eggs and they’re pricey and precious!
Not to mention almost 1kg of cream cheese.
However my sister and nephew were flying over to visit me and I knew I had to make this. I followed the recipe exactly and I was very pleased with the outcome. Extremely smooth and creamy, no egg taste, a very good cheesecake!
I only gave four stars though because my base always turns out wet, which is sad.
OMGee!!!! So delish! I didn’t use the recipe for the berry sauce or the crust. But this cheesecake is RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS!
My husband loves cheesecake and is very picky about how they taste and he loved this one. It’s a keeper.
Made it for my boyfriend the night before. he could not wait to wake up to try it he loved it! I halved the recipe for my 6-inch pan. Thank you for your instructions and the amazing recipe!
This is the ONLY recipe I use. Always get comments that it’s the best cheesecake they have ever had. Hands down the absolute best. Thank you!
Made this for a friend’s virtual birthday on Zoom. Followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out superb: rich, moist, dense, and tasty. Served it with a raspberry sauce. The one drawback is that I am forced to eat the whole thing all alone. Just checked the nutritional info. Eeek– get out the fat pants.
The 460 rave reviews before this one got it right – this is an amazing, creamy delicious cheesecake and I think the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a few in my day)! The lemon and sour cream add just the right amount of “zing” and the berry sauce is a perfect compliment. Jenn Segal – I will be making this many more times and singing your praises! Good job!
I tried this recipe, and although it was tasty, it was not really New York cheese cake. Way too sweet, even though I cut the sugar in half. Anyway, it was good in a pinch, but I will seek out another recipe. I made this recipe for a birthday cake, and feel sad for letting the birthday person down. They are not too picky, but I could see that they were not impressed. “Maybe tomorrow after being refrigerated longer it will taste better…?”
Sorry, but this is not a very good recipe.
I agree with Heather Way. This is a light fluffy, sweeter cheesecake. It is misleading to call it New York style. I made it for Easter yesterday, and my family agreed.
Love this cheesecake!! The best flavor, amazing texture and so rich. The first time I made it it did crack a bit, but I don’t mind it was still a great cheesecake. The only cheesecake recipe I’ll make!
This was the best New York cheesecake I’ve had. It was very much to my liking -just the right sweetness with some tartness, texture was perfect (not overly creamy unlike others that feel like getting stuck in my thorat), therefore not cloying at all. I just loved it so much I couldn’t stop eating it! Thank you for this recipe!
This is the only recipe I use for cheesecake since discovering it. Great flavor. Good consistency. My only complaint, dispite the water bath, mine still cracks around the edges.
Hei from Norway
I made this cake. I followed some tips from the other comments like no adding the lemon juice but the zest. I added just 2 tsp of vanilla and just one cup of sugar. It was great. Sweet enough and nice strawberry mousse on the top.
First time I made cheesecake! It came out perfectly. I only had 24 oz of cream cheese, so I mathed everything in the filling by 3/4 (I used 4 eggs plus 1 yolk because eggs are hard to math) and that made a nice layer of cheesecake for the crust. Baked it about 70 minutes, then let it sit in the waterbath in the oven another hour before taking out to cool. This cheesecake comes out delightfully dense yet still fluffy, exactly the texture I was looking for. 4 stars because the flavor didn’t quite pop the way I hoped. I think I’m looking for more sour cream flavor, but not sure if I can simply put more of that in without making the recipe flop. Will have to experiment, and try with the lemon juice. Overall, highly recommend. I made a simple compote with frozen berries for topping.
Recipe looks great, can’t wait to try it! Do you have any suggestions for how to alter the measurements and baking time for a 7-inch springform pan?
Hi Mary, I’d probably cut the recipe in half. It won’t take quite as long to cook, so I’d start checking around 40 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Wow!!
I misplaced my recipe (which I have loved for 20 years.) And so I tried this one. It is so creamy and delicious. My new go-to!! (The only thing I altered was that I left the zest out.) So yummers!!!
I just made this cheesecake and it turned out fantastic!! I was kind of scared to try and make one but this recipe looked good. I will definitely make this again!! P.s. this was the very first cheesecake I ever made
Is it possible to adapt this to make it gluten free? I’m considering subbing with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour or arrowroot powder… Thoughts?
Hi Ashton, for the crust, you could prepare the crust with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs. (If you can’t find gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own with gluten-free graham crackers.). For the filling, gluten-free flour should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
So, I happened to be out of graham crackers and ended up making the crust with almond flour with a touch of cinnamon and it was better imo. 😉
Hello again! I had another question. I made this cheesecake it looks great it just browned up more than I was expecting. When you say “move oven rack to lower position” does that mean to the very lowest position? I moved it to the second from the bottom position. Which made me wonder if that’s why it browned so much?
Thank you for actually replying too. Love your recipe!
Hi Ashia, happy to help! Sounds like you had the oven rack in the right position. All ovens are a bit different though, so next time, if you find that it’s browning on top before it’s fully cooked through, you can always cover it loosely with foil for the remainder of the baking time. Hope that helps!
I just looked at the macros and can’t believe its over 600 calories per slice! I made this before reading how many calories it was and would recommend anyone making it either to only add the lemon zest not juice unless you want it more like a lemon cake.
It’s a cheesecake so by default they aren’t a low-fat dessert option. Why even bother commenting that lol