Look no further for a creamy and ultra smooth classic cheesecake recipe! Paired with a buttery graham cracker crust, no one can deny its simple decadence. For the best results, bake in a water bath.
Not a Plain Cheesecake Recipe
As much as I love cheesecake, I’ve never published a classic cheesecake recipe. There’s been peanut butter cheesecake, blueberry swirl cheesecake, Snickers cheesecake, pumpkin swirl cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, caramel turtle cheesecake, or Amaretto cheesecake. Plus more cheesecake in my published cookbooks. That’s a lot of cheesecake recipes without a single nod to where it all originates: classic cheesecake.
To me, classic cheesecake is creamy, rich, and smooth. My cheesecake recipe is not as dense as New York cheesecake, but it’s just as special. It’s thick, it’s velvety, and there’s no denying its decadence. When I imagine what Chandler and Rachel’s stolen cheesecake tastes like, it’s this!
While there’s a glaring absence of chunks, swirls, and sprinkles in this ivory crowned jewel, there’s nothing plain about it.
Preparing my cheesecake recipe is rather simple—it’s baking the cheesecake that could result in a flop. Many factors are at play like the springform pan leaking, the surface of the cheesecake cracking, under-baking, over-baking, etc. I have plenty of tricks that will help guarantee classic cheesecake perfection, including determining when the cheesecake is done and everything you need to know about a cheesecake water bath.
How to Make Classic Cheesecake
You only need a few basic staple ingredients for this cheesecake recipe.
- Brick cream cheese: Four 8-ounce bricks of full-fat cream cheese are the base of this cheesecake. That’s 2 pounds. Make sure you’re buying the bricks of cream cheese and not cream cheese spread. There are no diets allowed in cheesecake, so don’t pick up the reduced-fat variety!
- Sugar: 1 cup. Not that much considering how many mouths you can feed with this dessert. Over-sweetened cheesecake is hardly cheesecake anymore. Using only 1 cup of sugar gives this cheesecake the opportunity to balance tangy and sweet, just as classic cheesecake should taste.
- Sour cream: 1 cup. I recently tested a cheesecake recipe with 1 cup of heavy cream instead, but ended up sticking with my original (which can be found here with blueberry swirl cheesecake!). I was curious about the heavy cream addition and figured it would yield a softer cheesecake bite. The cheesecake was soft, but lacked the stability and richness I wanted. It was almost too creamy. Sour cream is most definitely the right choice.
- A little flavor: 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 2 of lemon juice. The lemon juice brightens up the cheesecake’s overall flavor and vanilla is always a good idea.
- Eggs: 3 eggs are the final ingredient. You’ll beat the eggs in last, one at a time, until they are *just* incorporated. Do not overmix the batter once the eggs are added. This will whip air into the cheesecake batter, resulting in cheesecake cracking and deflating.
And as always, make sure all of the cheesecake batter ingredients are at room temperature so the batter remains smooth, even, and combines quickly. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky over-beaten cheesecake batter, hardly the way we want to start!
How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
Since classic is the keyword of the day, we’re sticking with cheesecake’s main squeeze: a graham cracker crust. I reduced the butter from my original graham cracker crust recipe by 1 Tablespoon. I find this crust remains a little more crunchy. Make sure you pack the crust in tight and pre-bake it to help prevent any sogginess.
You could use this Oreo cookie crust instead. No big changes necessary to the recipe below, but I do encourage you to lightly grease the bottom of the springform pan because Oreo crusts tend to stick. Or you could use a Biscoff pie crust instead if you’d like.
I like to use the bottom of a small measuring cup to smooth the crust mixture into the springform pan. Speaking of, you’ll need a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. A springform pan has removable sides so you can safely release the cheesecake without having to flip the pan over or struggle to cut the cheesecake inside the pan. Springform pans can leak if you’re baking the cheesecake in a water bath (more on that below!), but this particular pan is reliable. I haven’t had any leaking issues.
Cheesecake Water Bath
I promise a water bath is nothing complicated. All you’re doing is placing the springform pan in a roasting pan, filling it with hot water, and baking. What’s the point, you ask?
I actually have an entire post and video tutorial for How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath.
You see, cheesecake loves a humid environment. The steam from the hot water will lift the cheesecake up slowly and evenly, reducing the risk of cracks on the surface. Additionally, this slow and even baking method helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking back down as it cools. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare a water bath for this cheesecake recipe is well worth it.
Cooling & Chilling Cheesecake
Another way to help prevent cheesecake cracks is to initially cool it inside the oven. You can see me do this in the video below. 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 isn’t ideal for cheesecake—from hot oven to cool counter—so do your best to control the environment by leaving the cheesecake inside. Does this make sense?
After the cheesecake cools in the oven for 1 hour, place it on the counter to cool. After it’s cool, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or even overnight. There’s no greater test to your willpower than those several hours you’re forced to wait as the cheesecake cools down and then chills in the refrigerator. But every minute is completely worth it when you take that first luscious bite.
For a quicker, easier alternative to making a classic cheesecake, try this cheesecake pie or pumpkin cheesecake pie. Or if you want to completely skip the baking and cooling process, try my no-bake cheesecake instead.
4 Success Tips for Perfect Cheesecake
To summarize, here are some tricks I discussed:
- Do not over-mix the cheesecake batter.
- Bake in a water bath.
- Leave cheesecake in the cooling oven for 1 hour.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
Cheesecake Toppings
Enjoy your velvet-rich cheesecake as is or get a little fancy with a selection of toppings. I love cheesecake best with fruit, so I serve it with this simple raspberry sauce. Or you could top with homemade lemon curd, chocolate ganache, salted caramel, strawberry topping, blueberry sauce topping, or homemade whipped cream. Get creative or keep it simple. Either way, it’s going to impress. (And you’d totally eat it off the floor… Chandler and Rachel style.)
If you’re really looking to take your toppings to the next level, check out my pecan pie cheesecake or caramel apple cheesecake pie.
How to Freeze Cheesecake
- Cool the cheesecake on the counter before freezing. No need to chill it in the refrigerator.
- Freeze on springform pan: Remove the outer rim from the springform pan. Wrap the cheesecake with the bottom of the pan with a few layers of plastic wrap, then a final layer of aluminum foil.
- Freeze without springform pan: After the cheesecake has completely cooled, run a sharp knife underneath the crust to release it from the bottom of the pan. Carefully slide it onto a parchment paper lined piece of cardboard or use a plate. Wrap it all in a few layers of plastic wrap, then a final layer of aluminum foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Do not freeze cheesecake with any toppings. Add toppings, like homemade whipped cream or salted caramel, when serving cheesecake.
Reader Photos!
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PrintBest Classic Cheesecake Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours, 45 minutes (includes chilling)
- Yield: serves 12-16
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Look no further for a creamy and ultra smooth classic cheesecake recipe! Paired with a buttery graham cracker crust, no one can deny its simple decadence. For the best results, bake in a water bath.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake
- 32 ounces (904g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the crust: If you’re starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in sugar until combined, and then stir in the melted butter. Mixture will be sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and partly up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force because that makes the crust too hard. Simply pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly and you can use the flat bottom of a small measuring cup to help smooth it all out if needed. Pre-bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the hot pan on a large piece of aluminum foil. The foil will wrap around the pan for the water bath in step 4. Allow crust to slightly cool as you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice then beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the final egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. To help prevent the cheesecake from deflating and cracking as it cools, avoid over-mixing the batter as best you can. You will have close to 6 cups of batter.
- Prepare the simple water bath (see note): If needed for extra visuals, see my How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath; the visual guide will assist you in this step. 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. I use an entire kettle of hot water. As the water is heating up, wrap the aluminum foil around the springform pan. Place the pan inside of a large roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to smooth it into an even layer. Carefully pour the hot water inside of the pan and place in the oven. (Or you can place the roasting pan in the oven first, then pour the hot water in. Whichever is easier for you.)
- Bake cheesecake for 55–70 minutes or until the center is almost set. If you notice the cheesecake browning too quickly on top, tent it with aluminum foil halfway through baking. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven in the water bath as it cools down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and water bath, then cool cheesecake completely uncovered at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean and dip into warm water between each slice.
- Serve cheesecake with desired toppings (see Note). Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This cheesecake can be made the day before. It has to chill for quite some time before serving. See step 5. Another way to make this cheesecake ahead of time is to freeze it. Cheesecake can be frozen up to 3 months. See instructions in blog post above.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowl | 9-inch Springform Pan or 10-inch Springform Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Roasting Pan | Rubber Spatula
- Oreo Cookie Crust: Feel free to replace the graham cracker crust with this Oreo cookie crust. Spray bottom of springform pan with nonstick spray, as Oreo cookie crusts tend to stick. Pre-bake the crust, just as you do with the graham cracker crust in step 2 above.
- Toppings: One of my favorite toppings for this cheesecake is raspberry sauce. Or you could top the baked and cooled cheesecake with salted caramel, lemon curd, strawberry topping, chocolate ganache, red wine chocolate ganache, fresh fruit, or whipped cream. The topping from my pecan pie cheesecake is also an option!
- Alternate Water Bath Method: This method works as well, and you don’t have to bake the cheesecake IN water. Boil a kettle or pot of water. You need 1 inch of hot water in your roasting pan for the water bath, so make sure you boil enough. Place the cheesecake on the center oven rack of the preheated oven. Place a large metal baking or roasting pan (do not use glass—I usually use a 9×13-inch baking pan or an extra-large cast iron skillet) on the bottom rack. Pour boiling water into the empty pan, about 1 inch deep. Immediately 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. No need to wrap the springform pan in foil. See How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath for more information.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients combine quickly and evenly, so you won’t risk over-mixing. Also, beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake batter, hardly the way you want to begin!
- Non-US Readers: Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 200g ground digestive biscuit crumbs (about 2 cups; 13–14 biscuits), 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, and 6 Tablespoons (85g) melted butter. Pre-bake the crust for a bit longer, about 12–14 minutes. And from what I understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK for this recipe. I have no experience with it, but this is what I’ve heard from other non-US readers. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
I’ve tried many many cheesecake relies but I keep coming back to this one! Best overall flavor and firmness, I do use a 10″ pan so it comes out looking a little short. How can I adjust the recipe to create a higher loft for the 10″ pan
Hi Jeanine, When we bake this in a 10 inch pan we don’t change the filling amount, but you certainly can try for a taller cake. If you do, just be sure to keep the proportions the same (i.e. increase each ingredient by the same percent). Let us know if you give it a try!
Nearly every recipe of yours i try works perfectly. Followed exactly and its perfect. Thanks for the great birthday gift for my hubby!
Do you have any recommendations to make this cheesecake at altitude?
Hi Val, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Bought a 6 inch springform pan for making small cheesecakes/ice cream cakes. Tried it our with a half a batch of your cheesecake and it worked perfectly. Swapped my favorite nut crust (butter pan and press in finely ground nut of choice such as walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans). Next time I will try 1/3 of a batch as the cheesecake came out rather tall and I wanted it to dip in chocolate fondue.
Your cheesecake recipe calls for 3 eggs, but most recipes I see on line, incuding Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe call for 4 eggs. What difference would it make if I used 4 eggs instead of 3?
Hi Evelyn, you could certainly add another egg if you’d like to play around with the recipe. I find 3 eggs are enough for structure and that adding more may cause the cheesecake to fall *too much* after rising in the oven.
Hi Sally!
I have made this cheesecake recipe a few times now and have never had any issues. This is a brilliant recipe (honestly all the recipes I’ve tried are fabulous, the chai latte cupcakes were amazing!).
I got a little adventurous the other day and tried to make it using Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener instead of sugar for someone I know that is diabetic (I wanted to make them a no sugar added type of cheesecake).
It tasted good, just like I expected but I did have the issue of the cheesecake top visually looking like I’d left it out for a few days (It looked very dry). It was also a bit on the crumbly side and it cracked when baking. The only changes I’d made to the recipe was the sugar substitute and I went 10 minutes extra because when I checked it it seemed extra wobbly compared to how it normally looks. Do you think this is because of the sugar substitute? Or did I over bake it? Can ten minutes make that much difference? Any advice here would be amazing.
Hi Marina! We would love to help but have no experience baking with sugar substitutes – For best taste and texture, it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes next time. So glad you love this cheesecake!
Hi! I was wondering if I put the pan on the rack under the cheesecake, do I still need to use aluminum foil?
hi sally. i was wondering if you could substitute greek yogurt for sour cream?
Hi Ann, Yes! Full fat plain or Greek yogurt works in the place of sour cream. It may taste a bit heavier, but not much.
Hi, do I need to grease (cooking spray) the inside of the springform pan? v/r Ken
Hi Ken, No need to grease the pan first. Enjoy!
if i cook half batch how long will it take?
Hi Sabine, We are unsure of the exact bake time you would need for a smaller cheesecake but keep your eye on it and bake until the center is almost set. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan.
1. can i bake a small cheesecake with one pound cream cheese and one fourth of all Ingredients ? 2. If so,, how long should I bake it with a bath ? 3. and can I bake this small cake in a Pyrex pan or metal cake pan Instead of a springform pan ? I know the hassle of getting it out of the pan without breaking, but I’m assuming the small size may allow it to pop out easily. thanks.
Hi Anu, if you are not using a springform pan, it is difficult to remove. If you are reducing any ingredient for a smaller cheesecake, we recommending reducing all ingredients proportionally.
I made this recipe non-dairy (!) with the Kite Hill Vegan Cream Cheese & their unsweetened vanilla yogurt for the sour cream. It was fantastic! But I probably should have cooked it for slightly less time as it cracked badly. I just made a cherry topping and covered it up though. My dairy allergic kids all loved it and even my dairy eating husband said it was delicious.
Absolutely perfect cheesecake! How can I modify this to make it a chocolate cheesecake? I assume adding cocoa powder or melted chocolate but how much? Thanks!
Hi Maya! We haven’t tested a chocolate version, but you can try to slightly reduce the sour cream and add 3 or 4 ounces of melted (and slightly cooled) unsweetened chocolate. Another option would be to add in chocolate chips like we do with our Amaretto Cheesecake or simply top the baked cheesecake with chocolate ganache. Let us know what you try!
hahaha “Non US readers” – AKA the Rest of the World! The sane part.
I’m planning to make this recipe to serve at a dinner party, but I only have a 10-and-1/4-inch springform pan. I’m guessing that I would need to adjust the baking time and not keep it in the oven for so long. Is there anything else I would have to change, or do you think that it would be best to find a recipe for this exact size?
Hi Kait, you can use either a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with no adjustments!
The recipe is excellent. I would like to know whether the crust is made by any type of biscuit? I made the crust by using any sweetened biscuit before but end up was a mess, the crust was super soggy. I didn’t pre-bake the crust, was it the reason which messed up my cheese cake?
Thanks
Hi Thomas, Try reducing the melted butter as well as using more cookie crumbs– this will help dry out the crust. Let us know if you try it again!
I made this for Christmas and everyone absolutely loved it!! Super simple to make and the best cheesecake is ever had!
Best cheesecake recipe ever. Wish it didn’t disappear so fast. I never seem to get a picture of it.
I love making this recipe. Thank you for making it so easy to get great results.
Can you tell me how to reduce the recipe for a 7” spring form pan?
Hi J Messina, We would recommend making the recipe as directed and using leftover batter to make additional mini cheesecakes on the side.
This cheesecake recipe was delicious. A couple hiccups for me was the water bath water seeping into the aluminum foil (which I blame myself for). Next time Instead of just edging it up on sides I will make them come over the edges of the cheesecake ring top to tent over edge (which did turn brown on me during baking). The crust tasted amazing even though the outer edge got soft from the water seepage. I did make the raspberry sauce as well for a topping and got reviews on it being too tart. However I liked it tart and kept the leftover sauce for waffles and pancakes 🙂 Next time I think I will add just a bit more sugar and/or complement the raspberry with a sweeter fruit like mango. Thank you.
Sally thank you so much for sharing this recipe,it really is so easy to follow and turns out beautifully thank you again.
I put already a foil around my pan however theres a around leak inside of what. I dont know whats wrong. Can you help me with this?
Hi Zanne, the crust may taste a little moist but it’ll blend right into the cheesecake filling. Next time instead of baking the cheesecakes directly in a water bath, you could try placing a large pan of hot water on the rack beneath the baking cheesecake instead (detailed in the recipe notes). This should help any leaking issues!
Hello, Thank you for this! I don’t know whats wrong with my first question looks like an alien is asking. Lol. But luckily you understand me. But just to get it correctly, beneath my cheesecake pan should I put a baking pan? Or I could directly put the cheesecake pan on top of a rack? Thank you so much for this!
Hi Z! You’ll want to place large pan of hot water on the rack beneath the baking cheesecake (place the cheesecake pan directly on the rack above).
Amazing thank you for the share!!!
Hi Sally, I’ve been searching for a good recipe, and have tried a few. Since stumbling upon this one I’m very excited to try it!
I am curious if I can use my 4” springform pans (I have 3 of them) and the difference in the baking time?
Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Angel, You can certainly make a few smaller cheesecakes but we are unsure of the exact bake time needed. Keep your eye on them and bake until the center is almost set. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan.
Thank you very much!
I’ll give it a try and let you know how it goes and how long their approximate bake time was.
They taste AMAZING!!!
I was able to get 8-9 (I got 8, but I did fill some a bit much and could’ve gotten 9) mini 4” cakes out of this recipe.
It took them about 35 minutes to bake while baking 3 at a time. I then followed the rest of your instructions, shut the oven off and cracked the door and let them cool down while in there etc.
I Had to make 1 more batch of crust to go along with the batter. Just for anyone who wants to do the same.
You never mention the cooking temperature for the cake. The crust yes. The cake no
Hi Anthony, You will keep your oven at 350°F (177°C) the entire time. Happy baking!
The BEST cheesecake I’ve ever had! I made this for a special occasion, having never attempted cheesecake before. The video was super helpful, especially for the water bath portion. I followed this recipe to the letter and it came out just amazing. Everyone at dinner said it was better than anything you’d find at a restaurant. It’s light and fluffy with just a little tang from the sour cream. Adding a topping is unnecessary – it’s perfection on its own.
Instead of foil for the water bath, I used an oven bag. I just cut around the top to make it shorter. No worries about water leaking in. And, thank you for your recipe! The first time I tried making a cheesecake and it turned out amazing! Thank you so much!
For the water bath…I fill a roasting pan with hot water, put a pue plate in upside down, and place the cheesecake on top works great everytime!
I have never attempted cheesecake from scratch…. i did so many things wrong here now that I’m posting this anyhow love the recipe. I accidentally let the cheesecake sit in the oven for too long.. it honestly didn’t seem cooked even after 90 min. Was wobbly/jiggly all around. So I accidentally let it cook for another hour! I live in high altitude. It’s brown on top and is still cooling. It has a very faint burnt taste … what can I do to remedy or should I just throw the whole thing out? Took me 2+ hrs to prep mix and throw in the oven . Should I just glaze the whole thing with a chocolate ganache or powdered sugar so it’s not as obvious ? made this for friends birthday
Can I make the cheesecake and pour 1/2 the mixture in the pan and a layer of crushed Heath bars and the remaining mixture on top and bake as usual?
Hi PG, That should work. Let us know if you try it!
Just made 2 of these today and somehow I must have had a small hole in one of the the tin foils around one cake and some of the graham crumb crust looks/ feels wet, yuck! Any way I can salvage it? That was a lot of cream cheese and I don’t want the whole cake to go to waste.
Hi Allyson, I wouldn’t worry. If anything, the crust may taste a little moist but it’ll blend right into the cheesecake filling. Next time instead of baking the cheesecakes directly in a water bath, you could try placing a large pan of hot water on the rack beneath the baking cheesecake instead (detailed in the recipe notes). This should help any leaking issues!