Rich and creamy, this classic New York-Style Cheesecake gets gussied up with fresh strawberry sauce. Today I’m teaching you exactly how to make this dreamy dessert at home.
If you’re a cheesecake purist, this post is for you my friend. Yes yes —-> we’re talking classic and creamy New York-Style Cheesecake, baby. Beginning with that thick and buttery graham cracker crust you know and love; stuffed with a seriously smooth cream cheese filling; and finally – just in case you’re a more is more person (like… um, ME) – it’s topped with an optional but highly encouraged fresh strawberry sauce. Good luck resisting that second slice… 😉
Alright alright alriiiight.
So let’s talk about the important recipe details you need to follow to make this cheesecake dream into a REALITY. To make this easy to follow (and not too boring!), I’ve broken down the most crucial “NEED TO KNOW” details in order of how they’ll be followed in the recipe.
Here we go:
MY RECENT VIDEOS1) Place your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out on the counter top for at least one FULL hour. This step – although easy – is extremely important. You need your cream cheese to be verrrrry soft so that it creams easily in your blender or food processor. You’ll want the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs to all be at the same temperature when blending, which is why it’s ideal to set them all out at the same time.
2) Before placing your graham cracker crust in the springform pan, be sure to lightly spray the entire pan with non-stick spray. You could also lightly butter the pan if you don’t have/don’t use canned sprays. Spraying the entire pan will ensure your crust and cheesecake won’t get stuck to the pan during baking.
3) When pressing the graham cracker crust down into the bottom of the springform pan, press it down very firmly. A firmly packed crust will bake up nice and thick, and most importantly, won’t crumble too much when sliced. I recommend starting to press the crumbs down in the center of the pan, then working the crust out and just a little bit up the edges. You can use the back of a spoon to do this, or wrap your hand in a piece of plastic wrap (also known as saran wrap) and do it manually.
4) Before adding any of the additional ingredients to the cheesecake batter, be SURE the cream cheese and sour cream have been whipped to a completely silky smooth texture. You want to be sure that all of the lumps and bumps have been smoothed out so that the final result is utterly smooth and creamy. <—- Please pardon my overuse of the words “smooth” and “creamy” in this post 😉 But when it comes to cheesecake, those are the words we want.
5) Make a water bath. I promise; it’s not as scary as it sounds. The water bath helps the cheesecake stay nice and moist; it also ensures a crack-free pretty presentation. The best type of pan to use for a water bath is a roasting pan or any other large pan with sides at least 2 inches high. You need a pan with high edges so you can put enough water into the pan without it overflowing. The best way to prepare a water bath is to place the cheesecake into the roasting pan, place the pan into the oven, and then – very carefully – add enough hot water to reach halfway up the pan. Since this recipe uses a spring form, you’ll need to wrap the pan first with aluminum foil to prevent water from coming through the bottom – no one wants a soggy crust! Use four or five sheets of foil in a crisscross pattern for best results.
6) Lastly, be sure to set an oven timer (or even just the alarm on your phone) for the exact bake time listed below. Over baking a cheesecake is, simply put, the easiest way to ruin a cheesecake. You’ll also want to set a timer once you shut the oven off, as this cheesecake cools inside the oven once the baking is completed.
I hope those tips and tricks were helpful. Follow them, along with the recipe below, and you’ll be eating The Best New York-Style Cheesecake in no time! If you have any additional questions, just leave them in the comment section below; I’ll do my best to get back to you asap. xoxo
The Best New York-Style Cheesecake
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 2 cups graham crackers, pulsed into crumbs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons butter, melted
- For the New York-Style Cheesecake:
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, very soft
- 1 cup Full-Fat Sour Cream
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- For the Fresh Strawberry Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 small lemon, zested
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
- For the Crust:
- Lightly spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray; set aside.
- In the body of a blender or food processor combine graham crackers, sugar, and salt; blend until the crackers have been completely pulsed to crumbs. Add melted butter; stir well to combine. Press down firmly into the prepared 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
- For the New York-Style Cheesecake Filling:
- In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth.
- Add sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add in the eggs and yolks; beat until smooth. Stir in the flour, mixing just until combined.
- Quickly stir in the cream, mixing just until it's incorporated in the batter.
- Pour filling into prepared crust, and spread evenly.
- Wrap the bottom of the pan in tin foil (I recommend doing a few diligent layers here; no one wants a wet crust).
- Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan up with hot water half way. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.
- Place pan in the oven and cook cheesecake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Turn oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 55 minutes inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly.
- Remove cake from oven, run a knife very gently around the edge of the cake, and let it sit in the pan for 15 more minutes before covering loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerating for at least 6 hours. When ready to serve, top with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh strawberry sauce and enjoy!
- For the Fresh Strawberry Sauce:
- Process 1 1/4 cups of strawberries, sugar and lemon zest in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl, stir in remaining sliced strawberries, and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Michael is drooling and jabbing me in the ribs hella hard right now.
….I think he likes this cheesecake 😛
Ha! I think maybe you should make this for him…?! xo
Hi! Question…when you refrigerate after running knife and letting sit for another 15 do you leave it in the spring form pan? Do you leave the foil in it?
I have same question, after running knife around pan do I take spring form off or before serving .?
You take the sping form off after the cake has chilled, but before slicing it 🙂
The BEST cheesecake I have made! My family says it’s fantastic!!! It’s the only recipe I’ll make from now on.
Yay! So happy it’s a hit, Christine 🙂
Do I also cover up the top with foil or just the bottom?
This came out perfect and the flavor . This is the best cheesecake I have had thus far. I would suggest wrapping the cheesecake cake pan in a slow cooker liner before wrapping it in foil to ensure that no water seeps in during the baking process. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
This looks so creamy and delicious! Love your tips, I am a cheesecake lover!
Mmm.. It looks creamy! I believe that it’s the best NY cheesecake 🙂
I love all the cheesecakes but New York style is my favorite favorite. So hope you don’t mind that I’m drooling all over your blog!
I don’t mind one bit, love 😉
I’m about to find out how this turns out without the flour added. I didn’t see until just now where the flour was supposed to go. After it was in the oven baking already of course!
Hi Gigi. I would bake it anyway, dear. It will come out delicious, just a little less thick.
I’ll be finding out tonight how it tastes without the heavy cream. I was following step by step instructions, came to the add cream part & thought it meant the sour cream which was already added so I figured I already did. Later as it was in the oven I realized that I had bought “heavy” cream for the recipe & I didn’t remember adding it, that’s when I realized looking back at the recipe that the “cream” was “Heavy” cream. ☹️ Hopefully the strawberry sauce & fresh whipped cream (that I’ll make with the heavy cream that I didn’t add to the cake) will make up for the flavor & lack of “fluff”!
Can you wrap the pan in aluminum before you put all the ingredients in the pan. ??
Yes! Wrap the pan first 🙂
How long does the strawberry sauce last? I’m assuming the lemon acts as a preservative.
I’m thinking of making the sauce a day and a half ahead but not sure if that’s a great idea!
Hi Fil. Making it a day ahead of time should work just fine.
Can you use a regular pan instead of a spring form? Didn’t catch that until after I bought everything for it. I just have regular glass pie pans. Would that effect the water bath? Thank you in advance
Hi Amanda. Unfortunately, I do not think this would work in a regular pan. There is too much liquid and it will not cook properly in the glass. I hope you can find a springform pan to make this!
I know I’m late but I used a regular glass pan and I wrapped it. Never once used water and it came out delicious
Water got into the aluminum foil and the crust around the outside looks soggy! I am just sticking it in the fridge now to set. Is it even worth trying, or is it a fail? 🙁
Hi Kari. I’m so sorry water got inside your foil 🙁 I know that must be so upsetting after working so hard on this recipe! However, I have had this issue before and after chilling for the 6 hours it turned out fine. So don’t loose hope! Keep me updated on how it turns out – I’m crossing my fingers for you.
Btw – did you use multiple layers of heavy duty aluminum foil? I find that method is best for keeping the water out.
I used 4 layers and water still got in. Mine is in fridge now.
Try wrapping the springform in a crockpot liner before wrapping it with layers of foil. Voila! No water seepage! Works every time.
Try wrapping with parchment paper first. Works with me
I use multiple layers of foil and tightly encase the foil with two layers of cooking twine.
The same thing happened to me today! Tried making this for my husband because cheesecake is his favorite, and I’ve always been too nervous to make it on my own. Wishing I had just stuck to buying it from the store… I used 5 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, and water still managed to seep into the springform pan. I let it sit for 8 hours, but it was totally ruined. My husband understood and appreciated my
efforts, but I feel I wasted the entire day. If you’re nervous at all like I was, I would try anything to avoid the water bath! I read another post that said to maybe try filling a pan with water and placing it on the lower rack, with the springform pan on the rack above. If I ever am brave enough to attempt this again, I will avoid placing the springform pan in the water.
Hi Hannah. I’m so sorry to hear this didn’t work out for you. Especially on Valentine’s day. I can only imagine your disappointment. A quick question: Did you wrap the foil all the way up the sides of the pan at every angle? The foil should go to the top of the pan and tuck over slightly. That’s really what prevents the water from seeping in. I tend to use 8 to 10 pieces of foil, wrapping them in opposite directions and really pressing them up and in to ensure there’s no way water is seeping through. I think I’ll do a video on water bath techniques soon and add it into this post, which will hopefully help!
Just put the pan in a oven safe turkey bag and then cover that with foil. Works like a charm.
Try setting your springform pan inside of a slightly larger cake pan instead of foil.
This is what I have been doing with my cheesecakes lately- adding a 9×13 pan full of water to the lower rack of the oven because I’ve also dealt with soggy crusts. Unfortunately my cheesecakes still crack. I have this recipe in the oven now and it started to crack about halfway through cooking. Any other tips to try? I love cheesecake and I’ll eat it crack or not but it doesn’t make for nice presentation. Plus I’d rather it crack than be soggy.
Christine…a pan filled with water on the bottom rack worked well for me also.
(I can hide the crevasses with sweetened sour cream!)
I had the Water everytime .I had a Dear Friend to share a tip me.
Place Cheesecake in Springfoam Pan , And use Roasting Pan with Water on Rack under your Cheesecake. Thats the way over 10 Years with no cracks .Cheesecake Perfect everytime
Don’t give up! This is my favorite cheesecake recipe. It’s perfect. I set my springform pan in a square silicone baking dish then set it all in a large pan of water. It comes out perfect. No way for water to get in unless you slosh it lol
Hello! A quick question…
I see that the crust, filling, and sauce all take sugar, but only the filling specifies granulated sugar… Do all three take granulated sugar? Thank you so much!
Kristel
Hi Kristel. Yes, all three use granulated sugar. I will update the recipe now 😉 xoxo
Hiiiii. One question, I’m planning on making this tonight and I was wondering how to cool with a gas oven? Someone recommended cooling it with my oven door shut but I’d like your opinion!
Hi there! You can cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door shut, as directed in the instructions 😉 Enjoy!
By far the best cheesecake I’ve done and this was my first attempt at it! And on my third cheesecake today! One for me and the other for a friend for easter! Hope she likes it as much as I do. Thanks!
I made this for Easter and water got into the pan. I was so upset and almost threw the whole thing out. Luckily, I decided to just stick it in the fridge overnight and try it the next day anyway since I worked so hard on it Thanks goodness I didn’t throw it out because everyone loved it Next time I will definitely use heavy duty aluminum foil!
SO happy it turned out OK, Karla! Heavy duty aluminum foil (a few layers) is definitely the way to go 😉
Made this for Easter and everyone went crazy for it. I’ve made a lot of cheesecakes in my day, but this was voted the best ever.
I’m planning to make this again, wanting to try in my 5.5″ springform pans. I think I can divide the recipe into thirds but I’m not sure about coming times.
Have you ever tried this in smaller springform pans? Any tips on adjusting cooking times?
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Total win!
Wendy, this comment made my day! SO happy this cheesecake was a hit 😉 I’ve never tried baking this in a smaller pan, but I think you’ll need to cut the baking time in half. You want the cheesecakes to have just a little wobble in their centers. I’d love to hear how the mini version turns out!
Just baked this for my grandaughter’s birthday and it looks devine! I can’t wait to take a bite but I must wait for the birthday girl!
Hello. Was looking to make this today. Can I substitute whole milk for the heavy cream?? Thanks so much!!!
Hi Melissa. I’m not sure cream would work as it’s much higher in fat, but honestly I’ve never tried! If you give it a go, I’d love to hear how it turns out 🙂
Hi I was just wondering… I saw your reply saying that you have never used cream but your recipe calls for cream… should it be something else?
Hi there, i am making this tonight. I have made it before and it is amazing. Everyone always raves about it. Unfortunately, my 9in springform pan has come up missing and all I have is my 10in. Is there a way to add a little more to it to make it work?
Hi Courtnie. I think you could just use the 10 inch and adjust the baking time, as it will likely be done 10-15 minutes earlier 🙂
Made this for Mothers Day and it was absolute perfection! Covered it with mixed berries and it was such a hit! Thank you for sharing!
I followed the instructions step by step and my cheese cake still cracked. Any suggestions as to what I might have done wrong. ?
Just wanted to pop in and let you know that you have 3 more cheesecake fans at the end of a dirt road in New Mexico! Our daughter who is a graduate student was home for her birthday this weekend and she requested cheesecake. I wanted the best one I could find and yours did not disappoint! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe. I used a 10″ springform pan and the heavy duty foil (only needed one layer) and it was perfect! The search for the best cheesecake ever has ended. Now I just need to add an extra leg to my morning walk! 🙂
This is quite possibly the best cheesecake recipe Ive used. I added lemon zest and extra vanilla to my cheesecake mix. I also doubled the crust recipe since I like it to go up the sides. But the flavor was amazing and the texture was perfect!!! LOVED it!!!
Quick question, do I’ve lined the bottom tray of the springform pan…is there another layer needed elsewhere
I just made the cheesecake. Follow the instructions and the top came brown. Is that normal
Hi Martha. A little browning on top is totally normal. If you’d prefer it not browned at all, place a piece of tin foil loosely on top of the pan for the last 30 minutes of baking.
Hi Martha,
That was also my question too. I followed all the directions and than notice when there was 35 minutes left the cheese cake rose quite high and then turned dark brown. Last time I made this I also used the wrong pan and used a glass 9inch pan. I wonder why the batter didn’t all fit in there.lol! But to save it I just cut the top brown layer with a long knife and took the top layer off. Boy, I will have to tell you that’s the best cheese cake I ever had in my life! In fact I made it again for Christmas because everyone begged me to make it again. Thanks for the tip on using foil on the pan for the last 30 minutes! Thanks Laurie
Could you tell me how many graham crackers it takes for 2 cups?
I used 2 sleeves
Quick question when do we use the whipping cream?
I’ve made a few cheesecakes in my time and look forward to making this one sounds great as in regards to people’s water issues wrap the outside of the baking tin in plastic cling wrap before using a few sheets of alfoil will solve your water problems
Made this for my husband’s birthday & it was the best cheesecake I’ve ever made! Water did get through my 5 sheets of foil, but I just took the outer ring off and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for a few hours and it was fine. Mine cracked too, but I don’t think I had enough water in the pan and I’m not too picky about that. Was thick, creamy yet light- everything Rachel & Chandler were talking about in a cheesecake!
This means 2C of graham crackers crumbs, correct?
Is the butter unsalted?
Does it mean use 5 eggs total? 3 whole and just the yolks of 2?
Yes,3 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks 🙂
Hello, sorry for bugging in on your conversation. Do we whisk the eggs seperately before adding them, like in other recipes?
When do you take the cheesecake out of the springform pan? Before you put it in the refrigerator or right before you serve it?
Hi Lynne. You chill the cheesecake in the pan, then remove right before slicing and serving.
I’m so excited about this recipe because I’ve never made a real cheesecake before!! But was I supposed to use unsalted butter??
Hi Rebekah! I always recommend baking with unsalted butter, but if all you have is salted, that’s ok. Just be sure not to add any additional salt to the recipe 🙂
Just took this out of the oven – it looks good despite the cracks on the top, though that was probably due to the fact that I added crumbled red velvet cupcakes to swirl into the batter (this was my son’s choice of a birthday cake and it’s what he asked for lol) Sadly even with 5 layers of aluminum foil there was still an extreme amount of water that got to the pan – I’m waiting for someone to invent a disposable aluminum liner to use for cheesecake baking – like the foil pans you can bake brownies in but only to fit around the outside of a springform pan lol I loosened the outer ring to let some air get to it to hopefully dry up a bit more before putting it in the fridge. Despite my mishaps I’m sure this cake is going to taste alot better than it looks!
I’m making this tomorrow and have never done the water bath when making previous cheesecakes. I’m scared of the water breakthrough that others have had so I’m going to not only do the aluminum foil but also put a crockpot liner around it before putting it in the water bath. This way no way no water will get in and I’m not going to have to worry about about plastic wrap melting. I’ll try to come back & report how that works out.
How did the crockpot liner work? I was going to go buy some today for this recipe
Hi! I’m going to make this cheesecake for a friend on Friday and had a question. I will be making this in a springform pan a I always do but wanted to know how I would remove it from the pan and what do I put the cake in to give it to someone? For myself I usually just leave it on the bottom of the pan and cut it that way but what would you suggest seeing I have to remove it? Also the topping will be on the cheesecake when delivered.
I’m interested in baking this cheesecake. Since Theo my pictures that are shown are with individual slice, I was wondering how to properly display the cake for the holidays? Should it be displayed plain and if someone would like the topping, to then apply it? If not, how should I arrange the topping on the entire cake. Thanks!
The only pictures shown*
Sorry typo!
I am making this cheesecake for Christmas. We followed the instructions carefully so we hope it turns out great. I’d like to print the receipt. Can you email it to me?
Thanks and have a Merry Christmas.
Iris
Cab you use frozen strawberries?
I LOVE cheesecake, and have dozens of recipes I’ve collected over 40 years. This recipe has become my favorite! Followed recipe to a T. Use wide heavy duty foil so there is no chance of leakage, and I used two layers. The whole family loved It!
This was easy and the BEST cheesecake ever!!!!
Made this Cheesecake for Christmas followed the directions and it came out GREAT! Thanks for the recipe. Definitely a keeper! Next time going to Oreo Cheesecake.
I have made this cheesecake about 2 times already and it is a hit!! Im going to make another next week but the sour cream i have is reduced fat not full fat, would that mess up my cheesecake?
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Loved it’s best chessecake ever we should post pictures on our chessecake
Should the butter be salted or unsalted?
Unsalted, if possible 🙂
Thank you!
How many graham crackers does it typically take to get 2 cups? And should they be honey graham crackers?
Hi Lauren. Plain graham crackers are fine! I usually need 2 sleeves or so to get 2 cups.
Very smooth. Not rich at all.
🙁 Made this today! And i had water seep in the pan. My advice to anyone after me…dont water bath unless you’re confident you’ll get it right. I would take a few cracks over a wet crust anyday. The bright side..I made a smaller one using a 6″ springform pan without the water bath and it takes absolutely yummy!!!
I am planning to make it in a 7inch foam pan,, how shall I work with the baking timings? Will they remain the same?
Hi so I’m baking a cheesecake for my boyfriend’s birthday on Monday. I’ve never made a cheesecake before so this might sound like stupid question but I see the ingredients say sugar and granulated sugar, what’s the difference? Just asking to make sure I buy the right kinds! Thanks so much.
Can i use splenda instead of sugar in this recipe? Will it affect the results?
I wouldn’t recommend it. It will most definitely change the taste and texture of the cheesecake.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Everyone that has tried it thinks I’m a phenomenal baker! Ha! But really it’s quite an easy recipe to follow and omg so decadent and creamy!
I’ve been looking for ways to mix up my cheesecake, to appeal to more tastes, like and Oreo cookies and cream or Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate, or just plain chocolate. What or where do you recommend making additions or substitutions? I don’t want to mess with the texture or consistency. Thanks!!
I would like to make these in a cupcake form so it’s easy to share at school or at a potluck at work. Any suggestions? I am going to try it on my own combining what I know, timing and water bath and hoping it comes out well.
Hi May. I think this post may help http://bakerbynature.com/lemon-ricotta-cheesecake-cupcakes/ 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. Looks delicious!! I’m hoping to make this this weekend for Mother’s Day, but I have a 12 inch spring form……Thoughts on how to adapt?
Hi Mary. I’ve never attempted this in a 12″, but I would advise baking it for a shorter amount of time, since it will likely cook faster. I’d say to bake for an hour, then follow the directions as written. I hope that helps, and you have a great Mother’s Day!
So I suggest skipping the water because I wrapped it as suggested, with 5 pieces of overlapping and cross cross foil and it was all the way up and the water was only at the halfway point. Still somehow water managed to get in and it’s totally ruined and you would never realize it until you have wasted hours baking it.
Hi thanks for this recipe. 2 questions. I have light sour cream. Will that work or do i have to get full fat? Second….once finished can i freeze this as i would like to make this a few days ahead of my daughter’s party. TIA
Hi I was wondering what the baking time would be if I used this recipie in the mini 4 inch pans, if I baked 3 at a time would the baking time still be the same?
Would I have to do anything different to make this a crustless cheesecake other than not make the crust ??? I’m making a cake and want this cheesecake in the middle.
Hello! I made this recipe today, and sadly water got in my cheesecake pan! The crust was soggy, but I continued through and chilled it in the refrigerator. I just felt of the crust and it’s feeling less soggy! So fingers crossed that all the water evaporates by morning! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Abby! How did it turn out? Sometimes when you remove the tin foil from the pan it will look wet, but it’s actually just condensation.
Can you cool faster in the freezer??
Nice New York cream cheese cake. I am Keeping following. Thanks for showing it 🙂 .
can you substitute the gram crackers for Oreo’s?
If I use a glass 9×13 pan, will it work? How long will it take to bake?
How did it work in a 13×9 inch pan? Did you need to adjust baking time?
How would you adjust for high altitude?
Thank you for the tips and tricks portion. Specifically the reason I am following your recipe.
What’s the difference between sugar and granulated sugar?
Sugar and granulated sugar are usually the same, but I specify granulated so it’s clear not to use brown sugar.
I haven’t had the nerve to make cheesecake in a very long time unitl I saw all of the nifty tricks you put into the instructions. I made this cheesecake for our thanksgiving dinner yesterday. It was absolutely perfect and I am extremely critical of my own work! I split the recipe by using 2 pie crusts from the grocery store due to time issues (being rushed to hurry) but it made 2 perfect cheesecakes pies! I will definitely be using this recipe again for Christmas and probably more of it!
Did you end up reducing the baking time when you split in two?
How long did you bake it for with the pie pans? Did you still do a water bath?
Can you eat this if it doesn’t cool for 6 hours?
Can I make this the day before eating? Will it sitting in the fridge for a day be ok?
Oh. My. Goodness. This is amazing. But it is very time consuming, so make sure you allow for it. Also, I used a slow cooker bag under the foil; and I am so glad. I had 6 layers of heavy duty foil, and there was still water in the foil. Everyone at our New Year’s lunch loved it.
I made this cheese cake for our new years eve party. I was so nervous about it turning out. I followed your instructions and your tips.. My cake came out PERFECT!!!! Thank you for your recipe. I am checking out your other recipes now.
In our family I am the cook and the baker. I am proud to say that I am especially well known for my cheesecakes. I always make them around the holiday time. I’ve had a receip that I’ve used for years and everyone has really liked it. This year I decided I wanted to try a new recipe. I did a Google search for “perfect cheesecake” and this recipe popped up first. I read the directions and I really liked the level of detail in the instructions. After I read through it twice I decided to give the recipe a try. The first time I made it I was impressed with the consistency of the batter. My old recipe can be ruined if it’s over beaten. That doesn’t seem to be true for this one even though I didn’t over beat the batter. I like that it stays in the oven after the time is up. I would always use an instant read thermometer to make sure my other cake was done and it was a little hit or miss depending on the recipe. It worked for NY cheesecake but it didn’t work for my pumpkin cheesecake. So I was glad that I didn’t have to stress about that with this recipe.
First time I made it I brought it to a Christmas party and people actually raved about it. They couldn’t stop saying how much they enjoyed it and it made me feel good. I made it again for our family Christmas Eve party and then again just because my wife wanted cheesecake. One tip I would add is to buy some extra wide aluminum foil to wrap your spring form pan prior to placing into your water bath. It will keep the water out and the crust dry. Plastic wrap doesn’t always work very well, but extra wide foil works perfectly.
This is the best cheesecake I have ever made or even ever eaten. It’s easy to make, just follow the steps in the recipe. I have found that if I measure out each ingredient prior to starting it helps me to stay on track and not forget any ingredients. I do that no matter what I am making it just helps me. If you like cheesecake give it a try. It’s a favorite at our house and I think it will be a favorite at your house, too.
This recipe is amazing. I am new to baking but I learned to follow directions word for word. Learned that the hard way tho . The list of tips seemed mandatory after I made it!. Glad you didn’t leave anything out. I have used the water in a seperate dish for making a pound cake which came out great. The water bath scared the crap out of me but I did use the wide foil in the roast pan. I tackled my fears, used 3 sheets, and I wrapped the pan tight with foil before putting it in the roaster pan. I saw the disaster of it getting my cake wet when I read it the first time but took my time just to see if it works. No leaks and it came out beautiful. Haven’t put it in the fridge yet waiting for timer from the oven being off but my mouth is watering just from looking at it. My household can’t wait to devour!! We all gotta wait til tomorrow but im sure it will be worth it!! Thank you!! & i would love to see more recipes!!
And whats a dollop lol!!???
Hi! I’m super excited to make this, however I’m not sure how to measure 2 cups of graham crackers in whole form. How many cups of crumbs is equal to 2 cups of graham crackers in whole form?
I just finished making this recipe.Its on its final rest before going to the frig. It looks absolutely perfect!!!. For all those having problems with wrapping the pan with foil….I actually found a 9inch springform pan…called the “perfect pan” that has its own built in water bath basin.Its so easy to use.I love it! The brand is Chef’s Planet.I hope this helps everyone. P.S.. I found it on line.
Hi, I would like to make this into mini cheesecakes, would I be able to do this with this recipe and how long would I need to bake them.
Thanks for a great recipe!
So excited to make this! Unfortunately, strawberries aren’t really in season. Can I use frozen strawberries?
I made this for my 6 year old’s birthday, by his request. I poured half the batter into the crust and then dolloped homemade strawberry curd in 1/2 teaspoons all around, then the rest of the batter and more 1/2 teaspoon dollops. I swirled a knife through the top layer and baked as directed. Delicious!!! And beautiful! It was exactly what he wanted, and made him so happy! BTW I own a springform pan, but never use it in water baths. I always bake my cheesecakes in a normal 9 inch cake pan, with a circle of parchment at the bottom. Guaranteed no leaks from the water bath, and if I want to remove it from the pan for presentation I just freeze the whole thing overnight and pop it out. Super easy. If presentation doesn’t matter, I always serve it right out of the pan! If I do freeze it, I put it on the cake stand and into the fridge to thaw. So it does take some forethought to bake cheesecake this way, but takes lots of stress off of It, too.
About the eggs, do you need 5 eggs total, use 3 eggs then only the yokes of 2
Can you tell me what is the difference between granulated sugar and sugar in this recipe?
I read the comments about water bath issues, so here is my two cents (coming from an engineer…):
Unless all edges of the aluminum foil are up and out of the water, ie. like a boat, there is no way (zero chance) to keep water from making its way thru the overlapping layers. Water molecules are infinitely smaller than the tightest spacing one might achieve with diligent pressing/squeezing/wrapping. Only if the foil comes all the way up all points around the springform pan will water truly be sealed out.
I made this cheesecake after making Martha Stewart’s recipe for the past 8 years and let me tell you that this cheesecake was Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmazing and my new go-to!
I increased the crust recipe by 1 1/2 and doubled the filling. I baked mine in a 10×3 cake pan with a parchment round at the bottom. I baked it for 1 hour and 35 minutes. Thought I turned the oven off, but DID NOT and actually baked it for 1 hour and 55 minutes. Then left it in the oven per your directions for the remaining 30 minutes. Maybe it was meant to be to accidentally bake it that long, because it was so good!! I submerged the pan in very very hot water for about 30 seconds, ran my knife around the rim and it popped right out. PERFECTION!!! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Can this cheesecake be made in advance and frozen?
could you please tell me how much 2 cups of graham crackers is in grams?? i cant wait to try this cheesecake but i just have no clue as to the amount. really hope you could reply soon 🙂
I usually just pulse a few sleeves and then measure it out 🙂
Hi I was wondering if you used salted or unsalted butter for the crust? Thanks!
We used unsalted for our crust!
Hello, I brought this strawberry cheesecake to a family function and everyone LOVED IT! Since then I have had so many people ask me to make it again. Just now my sister asked me if I could make this cheesecake for her birthday coming up but she asked me if I could do it with blueberry. So can I interchange blueberry in this recipe where you use strawberries? Thank you in advance!
Did exactly as you instructed and came out perfect !! Thank you for your recipe!! Delicious!!
You don’t bake the crust first right?
No, you don’t bake it first 🙂
When you say 7 tbsp butter, melted does it mean 7 tbsp melted butter or actually melted 7 tbsp of solid butter?
I just made this and even though I followed the recipe to the T it came out brownish on the top.. its not burnt but looks brown… what did I do wrong?
Hi Nicole. It’s totally normal to brown a bit, especially if your oven runs hot. You can avoid this next time by covering the top of the pan with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.
I would love to make this recipe into individual-sized mini cheesecakes! How should I adjust the baking times/measurements? (Comparing this to your key lime mini cheesecakes recipe, but not sure if I can follow those instructions exactly for this recipe…)
Hi Ester. I haven’t tried making this recipe into a mini version, so I can’t say for sure! But I think following the instructions (at least the bake time) for my mini key lime cheesecakes is a great jumping off point.
Hi, I live in England and Graham crackers isn’t widely available in most supermarkets. I used digestive biscuits (250g) instead to replaced it for making the crust. I processed it in the food processor and mixed in 150g of melted unsalted butter. To avoid water sipping into my cheese cakeI I wrapped the baking tin with 5 sheets of tin foil, crisscrossing and placed the tin into a slightly bigger ceramic pie dish and put the whole thing into a big baking dish ready for water bath. The end result was perfect, no sippage and taste absolutely devine. My family loved it and will definitely make it again. Its a keeper
Hi, I made this cheese cake last Friday and it was a hit! Everyone loved it. live in England and Graham crackers isn’t widely available in most supermarkets. I used digestive biscuits (250g) instead to replaced it for making the crust. I processed it in the food processor and mixed in 150g of melted unsalted butter. To avoid water sipping into my cheese cakeI I wrapped the baking tin with 5 sheets of tin foil, crisscrossing and placed the tin into a slightly bigger ceramic pie dish and put the whole thing into a big baking dish ready for water bath. The end result was perfect, no sippage and taste absolutely devine. My family loved it and will definitely make it again. Its a keeper
This is absolutely scrumptious. It’s very creamy and smooth. I have my second cheesecake in the oven in three days (shared with friends). I made only two changes … just half the crust recipe in the second one as I’m not big on crust and instead of water bath I put a cake pan of very hot water under the cheesecake on the oven shelf below. I didn’t have any cracks on the first one. As far as cheesecake ingredients itself, I wouldn’t change a thing!
I SOOOOO LOVE YOUR RECIPE… I did this and another version but did blueberry instead. beginner here..
Followed every instruction and this was my first cheesecake. Plus I’m new to baking. But I must say it came out picture perfect. Crack free. That smooth creamy texture. I’d say it came out better than many cheesecakes I’ve had If i must say so myself. I left this comment for someone who may be just like me; baking their first cheesecake and have a thing or two or maybe everything they can be worried about that can go wrong but here’s my advice, play your most soothing music put on your apron relax and have fun! Like I put on some Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield and got in my zone and I’m 28 btw. Lol but please have fun with this recipe it’s fail proof from top to bottom. Like she said mixing is key. Set a timer and blend it for 3 mins straight, take a little 10 second hand break if you have a hand mixer like me and mix it for another 2 min straight and you’ll end up with the silky smooth batter just like me. And I do wanna say about the foil for the water bath. Five sheets of heavy duty store brand foil did it for me and it kept water out my crust. Just don’t be shy with the foil. Don’t just line the bottom; cover the bottom and make sure it at least makes it to the top of the pan and after the 5 sheets you should have a ring going around the edge of the pan and it completely seals the bottom. And instead of spray to oil the pan I used vegetable oil and flour mixed together and brushed that along my pan. I really just wanted to throw a few pointers for people that helped me along the way and thanks for blessing us with this awesome recipe!!
My daughters love cheesecake and as I’m not an expert in baking, I always spent a fortune to get them the best cheesecake in the market. But this recipe changed everything. Making cheesecakes is NOT a mystery to me anymore! The recipe and the tips are awesome and my family can enjoy New York style cheese cake in my city.
This is such a good recipe thank you. It’s also very forgiving! I forgot to add the flour and found I only had 4 eggs (I substituted 3 tbsp mayo). My husband is diabetic so I halved the graham crackers for a thinner crust also used Splenda. After reading about Soggy Bottoms in the reviews I was a bit worried as I had used reg foil not Heavy Duty. The cake had only been in the oven for 10 mins so I took it out removed the foil and put water bath on the bottom rack. I am pleased to say it turned out perfectly it was made for my husband for our 50th anniversary. I also used a can of no-sugar added cherry pie filler not fresh strawberries I admit but still good. You have to improvise sometimes. Thank you again for your recipe.
This recipe is perfect! I’ve made 2 cheesecakes since I found this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. It comes out perfect everytime. Also, thank you to the individual who advised to wrap the Springfold pan with a crock pot liner first. It avoids any mishaps. Thank you so much!
DELICIOUS!!!!
Hello, does this require a metal spring foam pan? Or would a silicone with glass bottom work? I already have this pan and wanted to avoid buying a new one.
Thank you so much!
https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Silicone-Inch-Springform-Glass/dp/B0036ZA5HY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536114630&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=glass+bottom+springform+pan&dpPl=1&dpID=41YoCr7VdqL&ref=plSrch
Made this cake for my Sister in laws birthday (changed for an Oreo crust do to personal preference and aesthetic) and it was DELICIOUS! The instructions were well written and to avoid getting water inside I put a turkey bag inbetween the pan and the tin foil and cut it down to the same height as the pan. Oven safe and worked like a charm.
Will be making again in the future. I liked that it worked with a different base and different toppings
Can this cheesecake be made ahead and frozen?
I made this recipe and it was amazing!! Only comment
My husband made was to make it thinner . Coild
I use a bigger spring foam pan? What would you recommend cooking time ?
Can you make it a head of time,I Have a soiree this coming weekend
Thank you
This cheesecake is delicious!! I made this for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law’s birthday. It was so creamy. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe
how do you store a cheesecake in the fridge? You take off the sides, get a slice, and are ready to put it back in the fridge and how do you store it? In the past I have sliced the whole thing and put the slices in a container, but I am wondering what others do. By the way, I am a newbie to cheesecake making and this recipe was pretty easy and came out great last time. Second one is in the oven now. Like someone else said before, I recommend putting the cheesecake pan in a crock pot liner and cover in foil before putting in water bath
The filling looks great!!!!! BUT What if I didn’t put the foil high enough and m crust is wet?! 🙁 Is there a way I can fix it???
Hi 🙂 great recipe.. I am not a fan of cheesecake but made this for a family members birthday and came out amazing. everyone loved it.. thank you for your recipe…. i do have a quick question.. i want to use the same recipe( i.e same amount) but using 2 small pans instead. could i put both pans on the same rack and keep the same cooking/sitting time or would i have to adjust it?