This Easy Cheesecake Recipe comes out perfect every time, with a luscious, creamy filling in a graham cracker crust! Plus my tips for how to make the BEST cheesecake, even if it’s your first time.
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The Best Cheesecake Recipe
Cheesecake is one of those recipes that can be intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. Making cheesecake at home can be super simple with the right technique and attention to detail. In this post, I’m going to show you how to make the best cheesecake ever with step-by-step instructions.
The end result is a creamy cheesecake in a buttery graham cracker crust. And once you’ve mastered this easy cheesecake recipe, you’ll see that it’s totally open to be adapted. You can change the crust or mix in fun things like cookie dough, caramel, or fudge.
I hope this tutorial has helped you feel extra confident in your next cheesecake adventure! This truly is the best cheesecake recipe and will be one you make for years to come.
Craving more cheesecake? Check out my mini cheesecakes, sour cream cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, and no bake cheesecake too!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Cheesecake
Here are a few reasons I truly believe this is the best cheesecake recipe out there.
- Perfect for beginners. There’s nothing complicated about this recipe, so even if you’ve never made a cheesecake before you’ll be able to follow along just fine. Plus I have lots of tips below as well.
- Only a few ingredients. There’s just a handful of ingredients in both the crust and the filling. Most of them are pantry staples too!
- Easy to customize. Once you have this base recipe down, you can experiment with different variations. You can also add fun toppings, like chocolate sauce or cherry pie filling.
What You’ll Need
Let’s start with a quick look at the ingredients for this cheesecake recipe. (See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for amounts.) There is nothing complicated here! Simple ingredients often make the most amazing desserts. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Graham crackers – Crushed into crumbs for the graham cracker crust.
- Butter – Helps to hold the crust together.
- Sugar – Used in both the crust and the cheesecake filling.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness in the crust.
- Cream cheese – Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. Reduced fat does not have the same consistency and can make the filling runny.
- Sour cream – Adds the classic cheesecake tanginess to the filling.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor.
- Eggs – Help to hold the cheesecake filling together.
How to Make a Cheesecake
So are you ready to make cheesecake? I’m breaking down all the easy steps for you…Let’s do this!
- Prepare the pan. Double wrap the bottom of your pan with foil, ensuring the layers are overlapped to prevent water from getting into the pan. Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Make the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Bake the crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium until smooth. Turn the speed to low and add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, until just mixed. Pour the filling into the crust and spread evenly.
- Add the water bath. Place the springform pan in another large pan. Fill 3/4″ inch deep with very hot water.
- Bake. Bake the cheesecake for 60-70 minutes, until the center is almost set. Run a knife around the rim to gently loosen the cake.
- Cool. Cool the homemade cheesecake at room temperature for an hour, then cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy. Release the sides of the springform pan before slicing.
How to Bake a Cheesecake in a Water Bath – Easy Method!
Intimidated by the water bath portion of this easy cheesecake recipe? Don’t be! It’s actually super simple!
- Wrap the pan tightly with foil. First, DOUBLE wrap the bottom of your pan in foil. You bake a cheesecake in a water bath, and the foil is just a preventative measure so water doesn’t leak in and cause your crust to get soggy!
- Set the springform pan in a larger pan. Once you’ve added the cheesecake filling to the pan, you’ll want to place it in a larger pan. I use my half sheet pan but you can use any shape, as long as the spring form fits inside.
- Add water. Pour very hot water into the larger pan. Just make sure to not pour it higher than the foil! 3/4 inch is the sweet spot for me.
Tips for the Best Homemade Cheesecake
So what have we learned today? Here is a quick rundown of my tips for the best homemade cheesecake:
- Pre-bake your crust! It only takes a few extra minutes and ensures you have a sturdy crust that won’t get soggy.
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. This includes the eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream. Room-temperature ingredients will combine much easier, which will result in a cheesecake flipping without lumps.
- Don’t over mix your cheesecake. This is one of the most important tips for making a homemade cheesecake. Over mixing will incorporate too much air into the filling and cause it to crack as it’s baking.
- Don’t skip the water bath. It’s not as hard as you think and it’s essential for helping your cheesecake cook evenly.
- Don’t open the oven. Resist all temptation to open the oven before the 60 minute mark, as you want all the hot air inside to cook the cheesecake.
- Avoid overbaking. The cheesecake should still be a bit jiggly in the center. Overbaking can cause the cheesecake to crack.
- Don’t skimp on chill time. And don’t go straight to the fridge either. You need to let your cheesecake chill for at least an hour at room temperature before covering and refrigerating.
Homemade Cheesecake FAQs
The outside should be set, while the inside should jiggle ever so slightly. This means it’s done. If you bake the cheesecake long enough that the center is set, it is over baked. Over baking ALSO causes cracking, which is what you’re trying to avoid.
All is not lost if you see a crack in your cheesecake! Usually, this is just a cosmetic thing. To fix it you can top your cheesecake with whipped cream, or with cherry pie filling. The crack will be hidden and your cheesecake will still taste amazing!
Because with cheesecake the goal is to bake it slowly and evenly without browning or cracking the top. A water bath lets you insulate your cheesecake so that the outside doesn’t bake too quickly. It also helps keep the oven moist. End result: perfectly baked, moist cheesecake that is all kinds of creamy deliciousness!
Cheesecake Topping Ideas
Now, don’t get me wrong – you can enjoy this cheesecake exactly as it is. And it will be absolutely delicious! But if you want a little something extra, here are a few ideas:
- Chocolate syrup
- Caramel sauce
- Fresh berries
- Cherry pie filling
- Fruit compote
- Chocolate shavings
- Peanut butter sauce
Proper Storage
Cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep it in the springform mold to hold its shape and cover it with saran wrap until you plan to serve it. Wait to add your toppings, if any, until you serve it.
Can I Freeze Homemade Cheesecake?
Yes! To freeze your cheesecake allow it to cool completely on the stovetop and set in the fridge. Then you can freeze it by wrapping it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap, plus a couple of layers of tin foil. Cheesecake will keep in the freezer for a few months. When you are ready to eat your cheesecake, transfer it to the fridge to thaw overnight.
More Cheesecake Recipes to Try
- Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
- Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cheesecake
- Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake
- Smores Cheesecake
Easy Cheesecake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 90 minutes + chill time
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Cheesecake Recipe comes out perfect every time, with a luscious, creamy filling in a graham cracker crust! Plus my tips for how to make the BEST cheesecake, even if it’s your first time.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 15 full crackers)
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cheesecake
- 4 (8 ounce) packages Cream Cheese, room temperature (32- ounces in total)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs, room temperature
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Double wrap the bottom of the springform pan with foil, sealing it tightly to prevent water from getting into the pan.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, granulated sugar, and salt together evenly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the cheesecake filling.
Make the Cheesecake
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed, until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the sour cream and vanilla; mix well, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until mixed. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the filling over crust and spread evenly.
- Place the springform pan into a larger pan and pour very hot water into the pan, until it’s 3/4- inch deep, careful to make sure the water level doesn’t come up higher than the foil.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the center is almost set. The center will still jiggle while the edges will be set.
- Carefully run a knife around the rim of pan to loosen cake.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then cover and transfer into the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
- Release the sides of the springform pan before slicing.
Notes
Store airtight, refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 23.2 g
- Sodium: 244.8 mg
- Fat: 27.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.2 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 119.1 mg
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Great recipe. Used a 7inch springform pan so i took changed all measurements to 2/3 of what you listed. Believe I overcooked mine ever so slightly but that was my own wrongdoing.
Will try again.
Love hearing how you adapted the recipe to fit your pan! Thanks for the feedback!
I made this cheesecake for my granddaughters grooms cake. He said it was The best cheesecake he has ever had
Oh I LOVE hearing that! SO glad you liked it!!
Hi Shelly,
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us! I’m going to give it a try this weekend. Would you happen to have any recommendations for springform pans? I just bought a Nordic Ware one but after going down a rabbit hole about baking cheesecakes (this will be my first one), I’m curious to know if some pans yield better results than others.
I love all my nordicware pans, so I don’t think you can go wrong there! The pan that I am using right now for cheesecake most often is my Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Springform pan. I like this one a lot because the base of the pan is raised a little higher, helping prevent any liquid getting to the crust!
Hi Shelly, just checking back in to say that this recipe was amazing! I used a 10-inch, but when I make it again for Thanksgiving, I’m going to go with the 9. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Awesome! So glad you liked it, and yes, it’s a great recipe that can be used with different sized pans!
I love it so much. This particular PERFECT CHEESECAKE came out perfectly when I baked it.
Best regards
So glad you liked it!
Hello! Excited to make this for my boyfriend’s birthday. I have a 10 inch pan…should I adjust the recipe at all? Thank you!
Nope, it will just be a little bit thinner. You should set the bake time for 10 minutes less and just check it, it shouldn’t vary too much!
Instead of sourcream What can l use?
I only make this with sour cream, but in most recipes you can swap out Plain Greek Yogurt with sour cream is used!
Do i need 32 ounce cream cheese or total 8 ounce cream cheese?
32 ounces total… 4 8-ounce packages.
Perfect Cheesecake as the name suggest that this recipe is perfect and yummy.
Wow. So easy and simple! I want to make for my family gathering. So thank you.
Do you have a recipe for a rainbow cheesecake? The ones I have seen are no bake and I’ve never made a no bake cheesecake before (besides the Jello box mix). Thanks!