Classic Cheesecake Recipe
I have been making this classic cheesecake recipe since I was 14, and it is still the one I make when I want a rich and creamy dessert with a graham cracker crust, whipped cream, and berries. The prep only takes 15 minutes, then the oven and the fridge do the rest, leaving you with a decadent foolproof dessert to serve your family.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Spring Form Pan
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- pinch of sea salt
For the Batter:
- 2 ½ pounds softened cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°.
- Add all the crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse on high speed until a meal is formed.
- Transfer to a 9” or 10” springform pan and form it to the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Set aside.
- Next, add the cream cheese, sugar, and flour to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft and smooth. Scrape at least once.
- Mix in the vanilla followed up by adding in 1 egg at a time until completely mixed in.
- Turn the speed down to medium and mix in the sour cream. Stop and scrape and mix for an additional minute.
- Pour the batter over the top of the crust in the springform pan and then wrap the outside of the pan in foil.
- Place the pan in a rectangular cake pan and place it on the bottom rack of the oven.
- Pour in enough warm water to fill the pan up to the ½ way mark.
- Bake at 325° for in between 90 and 105 minutes or until the tops are browned, and the center is barely jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the water bath for 45 minutes. Remove from the foil and water bath and cool completely in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
- Use a knife to remove the outside of the cake from the springform pan, then remove the outer part of the pan, slice and serve with optional garnishes of whipped cream, fresh berries, and chocolate sauce.
Notes
If you only take one piece of advice from me, let it be this: never skip the water bath. I never skip it when I bake cheesecake because ovens are naturally dry, and that dry heat can cause the top to crack or split before the center is fully set. The water bath creates a steamy environment that helps the cheesecake bake consistently and gives me the smooth and creamy texture I'm after every single time.
Stop mixing right after the sour cream: Extra air whipped into the batter after the sour cream is added is what causes the top to puff, then sink and split.
Bring the cream cheese to room temperature: Cold cream cheese leaves chunks in the batter no amount of whisking will fix. Pull it out an hour before the mixer starts.
Eggs and fat don’t mix naturally, so when you mix in 1 egg at a time until it is thoroughly mixed in, it guarantees that all your ingredients are mixing. Take your time with this process.
Do not open the oven: Use the oven light. Every time the door opens, the oven loses moisture and drops temperature, and both are what crack a cheesecake.
Don't stress if your cheesecake cracks. It's purely cosmetic, and in my kitchen, that doesn't really matter. It tastes exactly the same, and once I add whipped cream and fresh berries, no one can even tell.
Slice with a hot knife: Dip the blade in hot water, wipe it dry, then cut. Wipe again between every slice. This is how the restaurant plates it, and it is the difference between a smooth cross-section and a smeared one.
Just like in my crème brulee recipe, you can add ingredients to your recipe to make it unique, such as an Oreo Recipe, Cherry, Blueberry, chocolate cheesecake, and so on. However, the base starts with this classic recipe.
Make-Ahead: I 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 9gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 190mgSodium: 448mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 1575IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 1.2mg