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.
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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!
Keywords: cheesecake
I have one I used both cheese cake and your pumpkin pie I made 2 but mixed together I made mixed both separately as each recipe asked then mixed both together put them in a single slice sized maple leaf shaped pan made for biscuits or cup cakes it was great I even had toppings drawn on top to look like a maple leaf I took them out and and sprinkled colored sugar thickly as I put to torch and it melted froze it used that chocolate that freezes as a shell on Ice cream to draw stem and veins took it to family get together they loved it
I don’t have a spring pan, could I do this in a 9-in square pan instead?
Hi Linda, we wouldn’t recommend a square pan. Springform pans are definitely ideal for cheesecake, but you could try a pie dish instead – you will have enough filling for 2 since most pie dishes aren’t as deep as springform pans – or cut the filling recipe in half for one.
Hi, I ended up doing it in a 9 in square pan anyway because I have neither a spring pans or pie dishes. Your recipe came out great, and the crust held! I used multiple layers of aluminum foil and took it out of the pan straight from the fridge. There was some extra batter, but I use that to make cheesecake brownies.
You are the cheesecake Queen! I have used many recipes over the years and yours is the best. You KNOW cheesecake!!! Thank you!
Best cheesecake recipe ever!!! Always perfect, creamy and never cracks! A family favorite
★★★★★
My mother loved the recipe. I made it for her birthday. Only two people said it needed more sugar. I don’t like overly swe cheesecake, so I agree with the birthday girl. I also made a strawberry purée.
Made this last night for our new neighbors, can’t believe how simple it was! Watching your video really helped. Exactly 60 min, no tweaks, perfect. Thank you for sharing all your delicious secrets! Made me look like the Betty Crocker of our neighborhood! Ha!
★★★★★
Really looking forward to trying this recipe does the baking time change if I use the mini spring form pans
Hi Andrea, we’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it will be shorter for smaller pans.
I started late, I’m waiting for it to cool on the counter now, but so far it appears to be flawless, perfectly smooth just slightly tan here and there.. l am enthralled.
★★★★★
Here’s my two cents worth: today i followed a different recipe to make New York style cheesecake in my Instant Pot. Followed all instructions to a tee, every ingredient was at room temp. When the time was up for the cheesecake to be done, i let it naturally release for the time specified. After removing the lid, it was not even half cooked. Then….i found your site. Thank you so much! I followed your instructions by placing my springform pan in foil and then in a larger baking pan with plenty of hot water. I went ahead and baked it (again) for the full hour. It is beautiful, i wish you could see it.
Thank you for posting a recipe that you can trust.
★★★★★
We’re so glad you had success with our recipe, Diana! Thank you for giving it a try.
I prefer to leave the sugar out of the Graham cracker crust. I feel the Graham crackers have enough sugar.
★★★★
I would love to make this cheesecake, but does it have to have a crust?
Hi Danielle, We’ve never used this recipe for a crustless cheesecake but you can certainly try it. Obviously the pre-bake is not necessary. The total cheesecake bake time should be the same though. Keep the cooling and chilling process the same as well.
Delicious.
I live in Europe in a rural area where I can’t get some of the ingredients. I used the European style Philadelphia cream cheese, the kind that comes in a plastic tub. I used 6 tubs. I also had to make my own graham crackers, which are not hard to make and are DELICIOUS and I will probably never buy the packaged ones again. Also I had to make my own cream cheese, if you can believe, which I did by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to 240 g of heavy cream, covering with a paper towel, and leaving overnight. The cheesecake turned out to have a rich, creamy texture, not as firm as a classic New York cheesecake but marvelous in its own right.
I have a 9 inch springform and this recipe made slightly too much to fit in the pan. I had about a half cup left over and used it to make a lil baby cheesecake in a ramekin.
★★★★★
This cheesecake was delicious! I had trouble with the steam bath though. Even though I double wrapped the cheesecake pan, some water seeped in and made the crust soggy. Next time I will place the steam pan on the rack below.
I had this problem the first 2 times I made it, it was after the 2nd that I realized I needed to use the really long foil that’s 18in(457mm)!!!
I do not have a springform pan. Can I use a 13×9 cake pan?
Hi Jane, we wouldn’t recommend a 13 x 9. Springform pans are definitely ideal for cheesecake, but you could try a pie dish instead – you will have enough filling for 2 since most pie dishes aren’t as deep as springform pans – or cut the filling recipe in half for one.
Okay, after a couple of different attempts with different recipes, this is the one. This cheesecake was soft, creamy, but still held its shape when sliced.
Hi Sally, can I bake the cheesecake and leave in the fridge for 48 hours before serving it?
Hi Marie-Eve, yes, that will be just fine. Enjoy!
loved this recipe!! for non us, i reccomend using drier cookies and baking the crust for longer! and for all, do not give into the temptation and eat it before refrigerating overnight, because you’ll think your cheesecake curdled!! after cooling, it gains the creamy texture we all love ❤️❤️
I tried this recipe last night. The cake cracked on top despite the water bath and letting it cool in the turned-off oven. It was the first time baking in this oven though, and I did not have a thermometer. The cake was delicious, the taste and texture is between a New York cheesecake and an Italian ricotta cheesecake.
This looks amazing and I love all of your recipes
★★★★★
I love your recipes and have followed this one with great success a few times, but tonight I ended up with a giant crack down the middle . I’m fairly confident I didn’t overmix– any other thoughts on what went wrong? Thank you so much!
Hi Mallika, I’m sorry to hear that! It can be so frustrating when you put the time into making a cheesecake and end up with a cracked surface. Did you bake it in a water bath? Here’s some information on preventing cracks in cheesecake you can use for next time. And for this one, try covering it up with a topping like lemon curd, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, or salted caramel. Or just some whipped cream!
I tried this recipe but because I could not find sour cream I used 140g of plain yogurt + 100g heavy cream as a substitute. After 70 minutes in the oven it was very much underdone. Back in the oven for another 10 minutes and nothing had changed. Back in the oven for 30 minutes and still the outer areas were very jiggly, not just the center.
Could I halve this recipe to bake in a 6 inch pan? How would that affect the bake time? Thank you!
Hi Megan, you can try cutting the recipe in half for a 6 inch pan. We have not tested it this way so we’re unsure of the bake time. Or, you may enjoy this small batch cheesecake which uses a loaf pan.
Hi! This looks amazing and I love all of your recipes – if we wanted to make this chocolate cheesecake, how would we do that?
Hi Rebecca, We haven’t tested a chocolate version, but what we would try is to slightly reduce the sour cream and add 3 or 4 ounces of melted (and slightly cooled) unsweetened chocolate. Let us know if you test it out!
Water got into my aluminum foil is that normal ?????
Hi Anka, It can happen depending on how the pan was wrapped. If you wish, next time you can try the alternate water bath method where the cake does not bake directly in the water. See the recipe notes for details.
Can you use a cup cake pan to make individual cheese cakes ?
Hi Sheila, we’d recommend our Mini Cheesecakes recipe for cupcake-sized servings. Hope you enjoy it!
Would it be possible for this receipe to become a tall cheesecake?
Hi Vivian, There is too much batter for an 8 inch pan. You can make the recipe as written and use extra batter for some mini cheesecakes though!
This recipe looks awesome! I’m from India and I came across your site during the lockdown when I was looking to hone my baking skills…..since then it’s been pretty much my go to source when I want to try something new and exotic…..I plan to try a blueberry version of this cheesecake this extended weekend from work….could you tell me the modified proportions for 200 gms cream cheese? Also, ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream or heavy cream are expensive and a little difficult to find where I live….so it would be nice if you could add a section on suitable alternatives to these.
mine started to bubble and grow a lot! how can i avoid this from happening? love the recipe
Hi Freija, bubbles in cheesecake can often mean the batter was overmixed, causing air pockets develop. For next time, be sure to gently mix until just combined. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this recipe for my third daughter’s birthday. It was perfect! My husband said it was the best cheesecake he has ever eaten.
I will definitely be making this recipe again.
Loved your raspberry sauce recipe too!
★★★★★
Wonderful Cheesecake Recipe. My brother said “it tasted way better than store bought.” The only addition to this recipe was the pineapple topping.. Thank you.
★★★★★