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.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101. The one in the book also includes a recipe for an optional cherry sauce topping!
This is a classic baked cheesecake made with a graham cracker crust and a creamy, tangy filling. By following the recipe below and the success tips my team and I have included, you will be rewarded with a perfect cheesecake: no cracks, no water leaks, and no guesswork!!!
One reader, Randy, commented: “This is the best cheesecake I have ever had! I’m from New York and nothing there beats this—even in the fanciest of restaurants. The only problem is that everyone I’ve shared it with wants me to make more and more. They rave about it being the best ever. ★★★★★”
Not a Plain Cheesecake Recipe
I have shared many, many cheesecake recipes over the years.
There’s been peanut butter cheesecake, blueberry swirl cheesecake, Snickers cheesecake, pumpkin swirl cheesecake, lemon cheesecake, and 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 this simply stunning dessert.
Preparing this cheesecake recipe is simple—it’s baking it that can make or break the results. 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.
Ingredients You Need & Why
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. Vanilla bean paste is wonderful too!
- 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 over-mix 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 tightly 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. (You could also 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.
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.
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. A water bath creates a humid environment that helps the cheesecake bake gently and evenly. If you skip it, expect a slightly drier texture, browned surface, and there’s a higher chance it will crack.
Cheesecake is done when the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble. All ovens are different, so this can take anywhere from 55 to 70 minutes.
Yes! Cheesecake is a wonderful make-ahead dessert because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for several hours and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it; see detailed instructions below.
Cooling & Chilling Cheesecake
In addition to using a cheesecake water bath, another way to help prevent cheesecake cracks is to let it cool slowly, starting inside the oven. When the cheesecake is done baking, 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 completely to room temperature. 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 hours you’re forced to wait as the cheesecake cools down and then chills in the refrigerator. But when you take that first bite, every minute you waited will be completely worth it!
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 This Cheesecake Recipe
To summarize the above, here are the key tips:
- Start with room-temperature ingredients.
- Do not over-mix the cheesecake batter.
- Bake in a water bath.
- Leave cheesecake in the cooling oven for 1 hour, then cool completely at room temperature.
Cheesecake Toppings
Enjoy your velvet-rich cheesecake as is, or get a little fancy with a selection of toppings. Here are some recommendations:
Get creative or keep it simple. Either way, it’s going to impress.
And if you’re really looking to take your cheesecake to the next level, check out my pecan pie cheesecake, cinnamon swirl 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.
- How to freeze cheesecake on the 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.
- How to freeze cheesecake without the 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 freezer-safe plate. Wrap it all in a few layers of plastic wrap, then a final layer of aluminum foil.
- Freeze cheesecake for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Do not freeze cheesecake with any toppings. Add toppings just before serving the thawed cheesecake.
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. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
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 the 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 (you can use the flat bottom of a small measuring cup to help smooth it out if needed). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and beat until fully combined. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Stop the mixer as soon as the final egg is fully incorporated into the batter; over-mixing can cause the cheesecake to deflate. You will have nearly 6 cups of batter.
- Prepare the simple water bath (see Note): (If needed for extra visuals, see How to Make a Cheesecake Water Bath; the visual guide and video will assist you in this step.) Boil a kettle/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 1 or 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil around the springform pan—be careful if it’s still warm from baking the crust! Place the wrapped springform pan inside of a large roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust. Use a spatula 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 the cheesecake for 55–70 minutes or until the center is almost set. If you notice the cheesecake browning on top, tent it with aluminum foil halfway through baking. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake should still slightly wobble if you gently tap or shake the pan. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. With the door ajar, let the cheesecake sit in the oven in the water bath as it cools down for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove from the oven and water bath, discard the foil, and place the springform pan on a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature. When it has cooled, cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
- Run a knife around the edges of the springform pan to help loosen the cheesecake, then remove the outer rim. Using a sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean and dip it into warm water between each slice.
- Serve cheesecake with desired toppings (see Note). Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 4 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 for 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 | Silicone 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 the oven door 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!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Planning to make this next week. I happen to have some raw vanilla beans to make extract for next year. How many vanilla beans would you recommend adding to the cheesecake for flavor, and should I include the extract as well?
Hi Tanya, try the seeds of two vanilla beans. You can leave the extract out. Sounds delicious!
Hi Sally! Made once before and I don’t think I have sour cream at the moment, can I use heavy cream instead? Thanks!
Hi Olivia, heavy cream won’t have the right consistency. Try using plain Greek yogurt instead. The cheesecake may taste a little heavier, but not much. Same flavor though!
Made this for my god son’s birthday last January 6 and everyone loved it! I had to substitute sour ream to greek yogurt though because I’ve been to 4 supermarkets and I couldn’t find any sour cream (I’m from the Philippines). But it still turn out good. Thanks for this recipe!
I have made this recipe several times, substituting the sour cream for 8oz of goat cheese (try it sometime, change nothing else). What would you suggest if i wanted to make this into a chocolate cheese cake? How much chocolate/what form of chocolate would you use/what stage would you add it?
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. Let us know how it turns out!
Every single recipe I use from Sally’s is always amazing! This was the first classic cheesecake I ever made and it was beyond perfect. I was so amazed I made it!
I made it twice now, turned out perfect, didn’t crack, was balanced in terms of sweetness, had a wonderful texture. Not once have I made a recipe of yours that didn’t turn absolutely great! Thanks Sally ❤️❤️
My go to cheesecake recipe
Agreed! I’ve made this a handful of times now and was just requested to make it again. They don’t have to twist my arm! I’ve followed the directions to the letter and it turns out perfect!
1st time attempting a cheesecake, rich, creamy, smooth. It came out awesome, no cracked top. I followed recipe as written. If you ever wanted to try one this is it.
I made this recipe (substituted chocolate cookies for crust) and shared with friends. My friends were so impressed, they asked if for their birthdays, I would make them a cheesecake as their birthday gifts! It was perfect!
If you take all of the advice and follow the recipe this cheesecake tastes as close to Carnegie Deli cheesecake as one can possible hope for. Silky, slight tang, great crust – sheer perfection.
Looking forward to trying this. Just wondering if I can turn this into a 6” cheesecake. Would I half the recipe and reduce the cooking time only or what do you suggest? Thanks Sally!
Hi Cindy, We haven’t tested it this way but you can try cutting this recipe in half and make it in a 6 inch pan (I’m unsure of the exact bake time needed). Or try this small batch cheesecake that uses a loaf pan. Enjoy!
I made this cheesecake for the first time the other day and was delicious. Just as long as you follow this recipe to the letter it will turn out. The water bath was a must and after an hr of baking then another hr of letting it sit in the oven ensured it was cooked thoroughly. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Have made this twice and it came out great each time – and I had never made a cheesecake before. Last time I had no lemons so subbed lime juice and it was equally delicious.
Thanks for the recipe!
This is a really dumb question… but I’m wondering how you test the done-ness of the cheesecake (seeing how much it wobbles when you shake the pan, etc.) if keeping the oven door closed is such a priority? Is opening it intermittently to check cooking progress ok? Won’t cause cracks?
Sorry if this is silly but I’m asking earnestly (I may have PTSD from getting yelled at by my mom once when she was baking a cheesecake and I opened the oven door to check on it) 🙂 Thanks!
Hi AJP, this isn’t a silly question at all. You can open the oven to give the pan a little shake a couple times. I just don’t recommend keeping the oven door open for long periods. Try to avoid removing the cheesecake from the oven to test– just tap it with an oven mitt while it’s still in the oven.
I haven’t made a cheesecake in years but I just followed the directions step by step and wow! This is perfection. We topped ours with a simple raspberry compote.
Hi there! I’m so excited to try this recipe. If I use a 9 inch pie plate instead of the spring form pan, how should I adjust the amount of ingredients? Thank you!
Hi Christine, A springform pan is definitely ideal for cheesecake, but you can 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. It may be more difficult to remove from a regular pie dish. Or try our small-batch cheesecake that’s made in a loaf pan. Enjoy!
Great recipe! Thank you so much!
I used it for an experiment. I saved back about one cup of the batter. Squeezed and zested two Navel Oranges and made an orange syrup and combined with the one cup of batter. Added a bit of turmeric to the orange syrup to intensify the color, the sugar and orange zest canceled out the flavor of the turmeric more or less.
Anyway, I used that to make it into an orange swirl cheesecake and topped it with the orange sauce I made – it came out really good!
I am not the best baker in the world, but this one came out amazing! I love the fact that you give all the information in a printout, and have the extra tips, just for the logic behind everything. You really know how to teach us armatures 🙂
I love this recipe – it’s the best! I’d like to make cupcake size individual cakes that come out as good- any suggestions? I’ve made others before but not nearly as good- I won’t even bother.
Hi Rene, we’d recommend our Mini Cheesecakes recipe for cupcake-sized servings. Hope you enjoy it!
This turned out beautifully ! It was so creamy and delicious. A huge hit on our holiday dinner. There were no leftovers. I used a pan sheet under the cake and it worked great. I had to thank you for this recipe and many others I’ve used.
I followed the recipe to the T and it turned out amazing! This is the best NY cheesecake I’ve ever made. It’s for my husband’s bday. Both hubby and daughter were very impressed. Thanks Sally!
This is a perfect recipe – it turned out amazing!
Now my friend has asked me to make it for her for New Year’s Eve – but a smaller one. Is it possible to make half the recipe? Wld I just cut all ingredients in half? How long to bake it for?
Hi Bren, You can try cutting the recipe in half and using a 6 inch pan. We have not tested it this way so I’m unsure of the bake time. Let us know if you try it!
Hi Sally,
This is my favorite cheesecake recipe, I make it every Christmas. The last couple of years my water bath leaked into my pan causing a soggy crust. This year I was FINALLY able to foil it correctly and keep all of the water out. BUT when it came time to cut into it my crust was very hard and stuck to the pan so the slices were essentially served crustless. I even greased the pan slightly with butter before reading that it’s not necessary. Any tips on fixing this? Thanks!
I made this for Christmas and it is *fantastic* – I didn’t have sour cream but I did have some creme fraiche left over from another recipe and it worked really well.
THANK YOU, SALLY! On my baking goals for 2020, I wanted to accomplished a crack-free gorgeously perfect cheesecake! Mission accomplished! I made this for Christmas and my family said this cheesecake is better than any store-bought cheesecake. The flavor is amazing, while the ingredients are simple the texture is so smooth and creamy, with a rich vanilla taste and hint of lemon flavor. I will never make a full sized cheesecake without the bain marie ever again, and followed your instructions exactly, opened the door open slightly to not abruptly change temperature. I saved this for last on my baking list to allow enough time! I topped the cheesecake with your strawberry sauce, strained, for a smooth layer and decorated the rim with whole strawberries pointed side up and brushed the remaining sauce on the berries. It was perfection!
Delicious, creamy cheesecake! I made it for Christmas dinner with your strawberry sauce for topping, received lots of compliments. Thank you so much for all the tips that helped bring this to perfection, the 1st cheesecake I’ve made that didn’t crack on top. I baked it on a rack that was placed in a baking sheet filled with water. I buttered the side of the pan just to be sure it wouldn’t stick. I had to bake it for much longer than 70 minutes, not sure exactly how long because I kept adding more time. At least 90 minutes but it wasn’t overdone.
Absolutely no cracks, used the waterbath method from the amaretto cheesecake recipe. Also used the crust from that cheesecake – but did hazelnuts and gingersnaps instead of grahams and almonds. Highly recommend. I usually mess at least one thing up when baking but this was SOLID.
This was such a hit!!! My coworkers thought this cake beat out a few restaurant cakes they tried at the same time! THanks Sally for making an impressive cheesecake so easy!!
I am 12. Years old and with a little assistance from my dad I made this cheesecake and my family loved it!! I didn’t have a food processor and it was a littler hard but once I do it will way better!!
I’ve made this once already this week and it was amazing! About to make it again at the request of someone who wants me to make it for them but wants it eggnog flavored. Any way to do that?
I’ve never made an eggnog flavored cheesecake, but I think the primary flavors in most nogs are nutmeg and a bit of brandy or rum; you could try adding 1/4-1/2 tsp nutmeg and replace the lemon juice with some brandy or rum. Good luck!