Homemade Classic Cheesecake Recipe

Bring the restaurant to your kitchen with this classic cheesecake recipe with a graham cracker crust, whipped cream, berries & chocolate sauce. You will love how delicious this creamy, decadent cake is.

We’ve got a serious sweet tooth in our house and must finish off just about every meal with a little sugary treat. If you and your family are the same, be sure to give my Homemade Apple Pie Recipe a try or my Best Blondies Recipe.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a decadent dessert consisting of whipped soft cream cheese that is mixed with eggs and sugar and then baked until firm. It’s then chilled and served cold or at room temperature. This cake can be savory or sweet and be cooked with or without a crust. In addition, the cake’s texture can vary from light and fluffy to dense and rich. You may also see cheesecakes that use ricotta Swiss, cheddar, or cottage cheese.

There may also be many ingredients that are mixed into the batter or added to the top to enhance the flavors. Like any dessert, there is a time commitment involved in making cheesecake because of the cooking time and the cooling times. However, I can promise that once you make this recipe from scratch, it will absolutely bring a smile to whoever eats it.

Ingredients

• Graham Crackers – You can use pre-ground or graham crackers or grind them yourself from the whole cracker.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter to control the salt content in my cooking and baking.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar is used in the crust and the cake.
• Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for more flavor.
• Flour – A few tablespoons of all-purpose flour will help lighten the cheesecake slightly and provide stability.
• Vanilla – Some vanilla extract will add fantastic flavor to this cake. If you want fresh vanilla seeds, 1 fresh pod equals 1 tablespoon of extract.
• Eggs – Room temperature or cold large eggs will work for this.
• Sour Cream – Use a good full-fat sour cream for a richer flavor.
• Salt – I always use coarse salt in my cooking and baking.

Is This the Same as a New York Cheesecake?

A classic New York Style cheesecake uses heavy whipping cream, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar, that’s it. Often, in a regular or classic cheesecake recipe, you’ll see things like sour cream, lemon, and flour in the recipe. 

This recipe is not a classic New York style. However, I’m confident that you most likely will not be able to tell that there is no cream in this recipe. A New York-style cheesecake was said to be created and made famous and Lindy’s and Junior’s Deli in New York.

What Equipment Will You Need?

• A 9” or 10” springform pan. A round cake pan with a removable bottom that is held in place by a sprung collar forming the sides
• One large deep rectangle pan. You need to be able to set the springform pan in it and fill it halfway with water, so if you have something that will work, then please use it.
• A stand mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer.

How to Make Cheesecake from Scratch

1. Add the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse at high speed until combined. It should become like a meal.
2. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to a 9” or 10” springform pan and for it to the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
3. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth.
4. Add in the vanilla and then add 1 egg at a time until thoroughly combined. Lastly, mix in the sour cream.
5. Transfer the cheesecake batter to the springform pan and pour it over the formed crust. Make sure to scrape all the batter into it.
6. Wrap the outside of the spring form pan in foil to ensure no water creeps in.
7. Transfer the springform pan to the rectangle cake pan and place it on the oven rack. Pour in about ½ gallon of warm water or until it reaches the ½ way mark on the pan.
8. Bake at 325° for 90-105 minutes. The top should be raised, browned with a bit of jiggle in the center.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit in the water bath for 45 minutes
10. Remove from foil and the water bath and transfer the pan to the refrigerator and cool completely
11. Run a knife around the outside of the cheesecake to ensure it has separated from the springform pan.
12. Slice and serve with optional garnishes of whipped cream, berries, and chocolate sauce.

Why Do You Cook Cheesecake in a Water Bath?

It’s essential to cook things like cheesecake in a water bath because ovens are dry, and they can cause the tops of delicate cakes like this to crack or split. The water will add a good amount of moisture to the oven.

What if My Cheesecake Cracked?

Believe it or not, a cracked or split cheesecake is purely cosmetic and has zero effect on the flavor or consistency of it. Most cheesecakes are topped off with garnishes, so you’ll never know. However, if you refuse to have a cracked or split cheesecake, then here are a few things to help avoid it.

• Make sure all your ingredients are thoroughly mixed in and there are no huge chunks of cream cheese in it.
• Do not overcook the cheesecake, which is the biggest reason for a splitting cheesecake.
• Stop mixing just as soon as the sour cream is mixed in.
• Do not open the oven at all. Use the light.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.

How to Store: Store this covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually leave it in the springform pan when storing it. This will freeze well and be covered for up to 3 months. You should thaw the cake in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.

More Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Mousse
• Homemade Churros
• Beignets
• Creme Anglaise
• Key Lime Pie