Cheesecake Recipes

Today I’m so excited to show you how to make the best Cheesecake Recipe of your life. Simple, classic, and no water bath required!! The texture is smooth, rich, and creamy, served over a crisp homemade graham cracker crust.

I’ve included tons of detailed tips and important info in today’s post so you can make the perfect creamy cheesecake every time. For a visual how-to, be sure to check out my step-by-step video beneath the recipe!

For a recipe with so few ingredients (cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla & salt), it took a lot longer than you might think to develop the perfect version. I’ve shared a few cheesecake variations in the past, including my No-Bake Cheesecake, but getting a perfected classic version took lots of testing. Finally, here we are.

Oh, and we are skipping the water bath! I’ve always found them to be largely unnecessary with cheesecakes. Cook yours on a low temperature and follow my tips below and you’ll have a perfectly creamy and crack-less cheesecake without all the hassle of a water bath.

Other tested/perfected classics to try: my Pound Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Carrot Cake, (to name just a handful).

The BEST Cheesecake Recipe

How to make the creamiest, BEST Cheesecake Recipe! Oh, and there’s no water bath required!Be sure to check out my step-by-step video below the recipe!

Prep: 20min

Total: 455min

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 1 slice

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 slice, calories 500 kcal, Carbohydrate 32 g, Protein 8 g, Fat 36 g, Saturated Fat 22 g, Cholesterol 179 mg, Sodium 450 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 24 g, unSaturated Fat 4 g

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs ((170g))
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar ((can substitute white))
• 7 Tablespoons butter (melted)
• 32 oz cream cheese² (softened to room temperature (910g))
• 1 cup sugar ((200g))
• ⅔ cups sour cream ((160g))
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs (room temperature, lightly beaten)

Instruction:

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2. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Prepare Graham Cracker crust first by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, and stirring well. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well.’, ‘name’: ‘Prepare Graham Cracker crust first by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, and stirring well. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-0-1’}
3. {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Pour crumbs into a 9” Springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.’, ‘name’: ‘Pour crumbs into a 9” Springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-0-2’}
4. {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Cheesecake’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl (using a hand mixer) add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy (don’t over-beat or you’ll incorporate too much air).’, ‘name’: ‘In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl (using a hand mixer) add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy (don’t over-beat or you’ll incorporate too much air).’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add sugar and stir again until creamy.’, ‘name’: ‘Add sugar and stir again until creamy.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-1’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until well-combined. If using a stand mixer, make sure you pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.’, ‘name’: ‘Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until well-combined. If using a stand mixer, make sure you pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula so that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-2’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘With mixer on low speed, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.’, ‘name’: ‘With mixer on low speed, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-3’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. To insure against leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil.’, ‘name’: ‘Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. To insure against leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-4’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Transfer to the center rack of your oven and bake on 325F (160C) for about 75 minutes. Edges will likely have slightly puffed and may have just begun to turn a light golden brown and the center should spring back to the touch but will still be Jello-jiggly. Don’t over-bake or the texture will suffer, which means we all suffer.’, ‘name’: ‘Transfer to the center rack of your oven and bake on 325F (160C) for about 75 minutes. Edges will likely have slightly puffed and may have just begun to turn a light golden brown and the center should spring back to the touch but will still be Jello-jiggly. Don’t over-bake or the texture will suffer, which means we all suffer.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-5’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of the oven³ for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes has passed, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks). Do not remove the ring of the springform pan.’, ‘name’: ‘Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of the oven³ for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes has passed, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks). Do not remove the ring of the springform pan.’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-6’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours or until near room temperature before transferring to refrigerator and allowing to cool overnight or at least 6 hours. I remove the ring of the springform pan just before serving then return it to the pan to store. Enjoy!’, ‘name’: ‘Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours or until near room temperature before transferring to refrigerator and allowing to cool overnight or at least 6 hours. I remove the ring of the springform pan just before serving then return it to the pan to store. Enjoy!’, ‘url’: ‘https://sugarspunrun.com/best-cheesecake-recipe/#wprm-recipe-15637-step-1-7’}]}

Easy Cheesecake

Never mind the sour cream, farmer’s cheese, cream cheese, water bath, and worrying about a sunken center. The filling for this delicious, easy cheesecake recipe has just four simple ingredients, and the cake bakes in a mere 30 minutes. Now THAT’S easy! Want to reduce the carbs and calories in this recipe? Substitute our King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative for the sugar called for. See how in “tips,” below.

Prep: 12min

Total: 1h42min

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Nutrition Facts: servingSize [‘1 large slice’, ‘165g’], calories 472 calories, Carbohydrate 46g, Cholesterol 129mg, Fiber 1g, Protein 7g, Sodium 323mg, Sugar 35g, Fat 30g, Saturated Fat 16g, Trans Fat 1g

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (143g) graham cracker crumbs 9 to 10 whole graham crackers crushed
• 1/4 cup (28g) confectioners’ sugar
• 6 tablespoons (85g) butter melted
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• two 8-ounce packages (452g) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

Instruction:

Select a pie pan whose inside top dimension is at least 9″, and whose height is at least 1 1/4″. Preheat the oven to 350°F., To make the crust: Stir together all of the crust ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined., Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, making a thicker layer on the bottom than on the sides., To make the filling: Mix together the room-temperature cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, again mixing until smooth. To avoid beating too much air into the batter, use a mixer set at low-medium speed. To avoid lumps, make sure the cream cheese is softened, and/or at room temperature., Set the pie pan onto a baking sheet, if desired; this makes it easier to transport in and out of the oven, and also protects the bottom of the crust from any potential scorching. Pour the filling into the crust., To bake the cheesecake: Place the cheesecake in the oven. Bake it for 20 minutes, then add a crust shield; or shield the crust with strips of aluminum foil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes (for a total of about 30 minutes). A digital thermometer inserted into the filling 1″ from the edge should read between 165°F and 170°F; the filling won’t look entirely set in the center., Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set it on a rack to cool. Once the cake is cool, refrigerate it, covered, until you’re ready to serve it., Serve cheesecake in wedges, with fresh fruit if desired. , Storage information: Store any leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Light and Creamy Cheesecake Recipe

FAQ

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