Here are my tips for baking the perfectly smooth cheesecake.
Cheesecake has always been one of my favorite desserts. My mom made the most incredible amaretto cheesecake every Christmas. Rather than counting down the days until Santa, I would count down the days for that cheesecake!
Cheesecake is always an elegant, indulgent dessert to serve. It sounds and looks overwhelming and complicated, but cheesecake is nothing to fear! Whether you are making key lime cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, or even pecan pie cheesecake, simply take your time with the recipe and make sure you read through all of the instructions before you begin.
Here are a few simple tips and techniques you can use to avoid lumps and cracks in your next cheesecake.
Preparing Cheesecake
- Use room temperature cream cheese. Cold cream cheese is more difficult to mix and will typically leave lumps.
- Be sure to mix the cheesecake ingredients (minus the eggs) very well, eliminating any possible lumps in the cream cheese.
- Eggs hold air inside the batter, which could rise up and cause cracks. So mix the eggs as little as possible once they’re added.
- Always use a springform pan. This 9-inch springform pan and 10-inch springform pan are great options.
- Water bath. This is the best way to avoid cheesecake cracks. Read more details about my easy water bath technique below.
Baking Cheesecake
- Avoid opening the oven door while the cheesecake is baking inside. Big cracks are often caused by drafts and temperature changes.
- Avoid overbaking! This is the most common culprit of cracking. When the cheesecake is done, there will still be a 2-inch to 3-inch wobbly spot in the center of the cheesecake. Also, the edges will be slightly puffed.
Cooling Cheesecake
- Once the cheesecake is done in the oven, simply turn the oven off and crack open the door. Leave the cheesecake inside for about 1 hour. Again, sudden changes in temperature often cause cracking.
- Once the cheesecake is at room temperature, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 4-8 hours or overnight (my preferred length of time).
No-Bake Cheesecake
- Want to skip the baking and cooling process? Make my no-bake cheesecake.
What is a Cheesecake Water Bath?
Cheesecakes are often baked in water baths. This simply means that the cheesecake is baked in its round springform pan, then the pan is placed into a larger pan with hot water inside. This method is used because cheesecake loves a humid environment!
- Cheesecakes are egg-heavy. Eggs need a moist and humid environment to properly rise and avoid drying out or burning.
- The steam from the hot water will lift the cheesecake up slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of cracks on the surface.
- The slow and even steam baking method helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking back down as it cools.
Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a water bath for your cheesecake is well worth it. I can’t say enough how valuable it is!
How to Make a Water Bath:
- Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil on the bottom and up the sides.
- Place the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Fill the cheesecake pan with filling. Then fill the roasting pan with about 1/2 inch – 1 inch of hot water. I usually fill with water once placed in the oven to bake because it is hard to transfer a water-filled roasting pan with a cheesecake inside of it into the oven and not spill.
If needed for extra visuals, see my How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath; the visual guide will assist you in this step.
Alternate Water Bath Option
If you don’t want to risk water leaking into your springform pan, I have an alternate water bath method that works wonderfully. In fact, it’s what I instruct with my key lime cheesecake recipe. You still need a large roasting pan, but it will go on a bottom rack of the oven beneath the baking cheesecake.
- Boil a pot of water. You need 1 inch of water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. Place a large metal baking or roasting pan (I usually use a 9ร13 inch baking panโ do not use glass) on the bottom oven rack of the preheated oven. Pour boiling water into pan, about 1 inch deep. Immediately place the cheesecake on the center rack. Close oven to trap the steam inside.
This unique water bath adds steam to the oven without having the cheesecake sit inside the water itself.
If your cheesecake is still showing a few cracks, no worries there. Covering with fruity sauce or whipped cream hides everything. ๐ Now go bake some blueberry swirl cheesecake!
Reader Comments and Reviews
What temperature and how long do you bake the cheesecake?
Here is our recipe and baking directions for classic cheesecake.
Thank you for the water bath option for cheesecakes. I learned that option a long time ago, but never use it. I was told by that it was a bad idea. Thanks for reconfirmed my long time advice about putting bioling eater in a roasting pan on the lower rack with the cheesecake on the top rack. I tried it and it WORKED!!! Thanks again.
I put my cheesecake in a baking bag instead of using the foil. Works great for me
WOW, CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR SHARING YOUR BAKING TIPS AND EXPERIENCE WITH ALL OF US. WHO HAVE TAKEN YEARS TO FIGURE OUT THE IN AND OUTS OF CHEESECAKES.
MANY BLESSING TO YOU AND YOUR DURING OUR HOLIDAY SEASON.
Hi Sally! Instead of water bath, could I just use the steam function in my oven? All the best, Lillian
Hi Lillian, We havenโt tried the steam option, but a few readers have with their cheesecakes with great success so thatโs definitely an option. Other readers have reported back to us on a couple of our cheesecake recipes saying they put a roasting pan in the bottom of the oven, and itโs worked for them too. So you definitely have these two options!
Once the cheesecake has cooled do you open the springform pan, then wrap it in plastic?
Hi Kathy! We recommend leaving the cheesecake in the pan after cooling. Cover the cheesecake in the pan with plastic wrap to chill in the fridge. It’s easier to remove the chilled cheesecake from the pan.
Thank you so much. So keep it in the oven for an hour. Then do I run a knife around the outside of the pan? Then put in the fridge?
Hi Kathy, no need to run the knife around the outside of the pan before putting in the fridge, although you can if you prefer.
Hi Sally, every time I refrigerate my cheesecakes they form condensation. Sometimes I cool them at room
Temperature for over 2 hours and that still happens…help!
Hi Sara, If the cake is still warm when you cover it then condensation will form. You can let it cool at room temperature, then place it uncovered in the fridge for about an hour before covering it. This should help!
2 questions:
1. Confused how you check for jiggle/doneness if you shouldnโt open oven
2. Baking 2 or more cheesecakes in oven at same time. Assuming they are same recipe. Placed in individual water baths, on shelves 1 & 4 (out of 7) of oven – How much extra time should I bake for? 10 minutes? 15??
Hi Jen! You want to open the oven as little as possible but you can certainly open it to quickly check on the cheesecake’s doneness. We’re unsure exactly how much longer you’ll need to bake two cheesecakes, but it sounds like you’re on the right track. Let us know how they go!
Hi Sally. Thanks much for your article! I ordered pans to make Crรจme brรปlรฉes & cheesecakes.
The Springform pan is 9″ but nearly 10″ counting it’s bottom lip.
I ordered a 12 X 3 round cake pan to set the springform pan into, then a 13 X 3 round cake pan to set the other two into. Will that be enough space (1″) to fill with water for the water bath? Thanks again.
Hi Frank, that would be a little tight for a water bath. It could work, but I don’t think there is enough room for enough water to steam the oven.
Hi Sally,
I love your recipes! They’re so easy to follow and always turn out beautifully. Do all of these tips apply to your chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bar recipe? Or is it just for regular cheesecakes? Thanks!
Hi Olivia! They could apply, yes, but this is really more for full size cheesecakes, which are much thicker than cheesecake bars (and more prone to cracking due to their thickness).
Hi Sally, I’ve been making your classic cheesecake and have been having trouble with cracks. Today was my fourth attempt and it came out beautifully with a nice jiggle in the middle! So I followed your instructions and let it cool in the oven with door slightly ajar but when I came back after letting it cool some cracks formed.
Did I leave it to cool in the oven too long? it was still slightly warm to the touch when I returned.
I used a roasting pan of hot water while it was baking and set the cheesecake above the water.
Help please!
Hi Candice! It sounds like you did everything right with the cooling process. Try shortening the bake time by a few minutes– that will help. Also, make sure you aren’t over-mixing the cheesecake batter as you add the eggs.
Hi Sally,
I didnโt wrap my pan well enough and it seems like some water could have leaked it will this ruin the cheesecake? Any way to try and salvage it?
Hi Katrina, If water leaked in the crust will be soggy but you can still eat it. Next time you can try placing a large pan of hot water on the rack beneath the baking cheesecake. In this manner, the cheesecake does not bake directly in a roasting pan of water. This is a wonderful alternative if you are nervous about your springform pan leaking. Simply place a large baking pan filled with 1 inch of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
My oven doesn’t heat up evenly and I usually need to flip whatever I’m baking halfway through. I realize this would be disastrous for a cheesecake. I plan to add a pan of water in the oven this time to hopefully avoid any cracks I’ve previously gotten from having to turn it around.
Do you have any other suggestions on making an evenly baked cheesecake in a not so even oven?
The steam from the water bath should certainly help with this. Also, be sure to keep the cheesecake in the oven after it’s finished baking. When the cheesecake is done, turn the oven off, crack open the oven door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. A drastic and sudden change of temperature can cause cracks. And if all else fails I have a wonderful no-bake cheesecake you can make: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/no-bake-cheesecake/ ๐
Hi, glad to have found this great tips! Should the water for the baking bath be hot from the start? boiling hot or how hot?
Should I leave my cheesecake IN the oven after the 45 minutes of baking?
Hi Daniela! Yes, the water should be boiling hot going into the roasting pan/water bath. Keep the cheesecake IN the oven with the door cracked after you turn off the oven. Here are full instructions in my cheesecake recipe.
Is it possible to get all these tips for the perfect cheesecake put together with a cheesecake recipe so itโs much easier for people to remember what theyโre supposed to do? Thanks
Hi Laura! I link to my cheesecake recipe multiple times in this post. I also repeat most of these tips in that cheesecake recipe. Thank you!
what if theres not enought water in the water bath?
Anywhere between 1/2 inch โ 1 inch of hot water should be enough!
I just made my 2nd cheesecake. The top was brown all over. I peeled off this layer. Any ideas why this happened. I probably over mixed the eggs. I used an electric beater. Scratching my head here. Thanks
Hi David! Cheesecakes will brown heavily on top unless they are lightly covered with aluminum foil. The eggs and cream cheese are burning under the direct heat. About halfway through baking, tent the baking cake with foil.
Hi Sally,
what are the best ways to get the cheesecake off the bottom of the springform pan? I had some issues with one I made for a friend. ( I tried to use the largest spatula I had, but still wound up not being able to lift the entire cheesecake onto the serving plate). Should the pan be greased?
Hi Christine! The best way, I’ve found, is to line the inside bottom of the pan with aluminum foil. That way, after the cheesecake has chilled, it can be lifted off of the bottom of the springform pan. This is also extra insurance to prevent water leaking into the pan.
I use a Wilton Cake Lifter to get my cheesecake off the bottom of the springform pan. Works great.
If the cheesecake cracks – despite your best efforts – there is a fairly simple fix. Mix together sour cream and a touch of sweetener. Pour over top of cooled cheesecake like frosting. Refrigerate. The sour cream topping is what is used in New York style cheesecakes. It also brilliantly hides any cracks and tastes fabulous.
Until today I was a cheesecake baking virgin
Didnโt come out like Iโd want sides browned and top cracked! Fortunately I am an over shopper!
I usually buy twice what Iโll need just in case. Glad I did! Now having read this Iโm confident to try again tomorrow!!
Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving
I think you missed some important points about wrapping the springform pan in aliminum foil.
1. Use heavy duty foil to lession the risk of tearing.
2. Use a very generous amout so that there are NO overlaps where water can get into the pan (because it will)
3. Wrap it again in a second very generous sheet of heavy duty foil; alternating the corners opposite from the first sheet (again, do not โclise up open spaces by squeezing sone foil over -water WILL get in).
4. Cut off excess foil 1.5-2โ above the top of the pan and then gently roil the foil down to the top of the pan.
If you think you might have any breach where water could get in, START over. A perfect (not bottom wet/soggy cheesecake) is well worth the extra time & foil!
Can a pan with hot water be place in the bottom section an allow the steam rise in the oven instead ?
Yes, that method seems to work! Other readers have reported back on a couple of my cheesecake recipes saying they put a roasting pan in the bottom of the oven, like youโre describing, and itโs worked for them too.
Hi! I have done s recipe with the parchment paper and it does help with sticking.
You’re welcome! It will jiggle like jello, then set up as the cheesecake cools.