Classic Cheesecake

5 from 3 votes

This classic homemade, creamy cheesecake with a crunchy graham cracker crust is as close to perfection as you can get in a dessert.

Prep Time3

Chill time8

Total Time11

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 521kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp butter melted

Filling

32 ounce (4 packages) full fat cream cheese room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla
6 large eggs room temperature
½ cup sour cream room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Tear two big pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Using a 9 inch spring form pan set the pan on the foil and bring the foil up around the sides of the pan. Repeat with the second piece of foil. This is to ensure no leakage from the water bath.
Grease the spring form pan very well with cooking spray.
Mix together the crust ingredients and press into the prepared pan.
Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Start some water to boil on the stove.
In a large mixing bowl mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as you go and the bottom to make sure it is all mixed in.
Add vanilla and beat on low speed until combined.
Add eggs one at a time beating slowly after each egg and scraping sides of bowl.
Mix in the sour cream making sure it is mixed evenly.
Pour the filling into the prepared pan into the crust. Tap the pan a couple of times on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Place the cheesecake into the roasting pan and place the roasting pan into the oven on the middle rack.
Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes up about one inch on the side of the cheesecake pan.
Bake until cheesecake is set, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The cake should not look like liquid but will wobble just a bit in the pan when nudged. It will continue to cook as it cools.
At the end of the one hour and 30 minutes turn off the oven and crack the oven door a bit (I mean like 1-2 inches is all) and leave the cheesecake to sit in the oven for at least an hour.
After the cheesecake has cooled for the hour (or more) remove the pan with the water and cheesecake from the oven and remove the cheesecake from the water bath.
Remove the foil from around the pan.
Run a knife with a thin blade around the sides of the cheesecake to make sure it is not sticking to the sides of the pan (which would cause cracks in the cheesecake as it cools).
Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Notes

Tips:

Do not forget to grease the pan! Even the best New York Cheesecake will end up cracking if you don’t grease the pan. The cheesecake shrinks as it cooks. If any part of the cheesecake sticks to your pan as it cooks, it will pull from the sides and produce cracks in the middle.
Bake it low, and slow! You want to put this on a low rack in the oven and let it bake for the suggested 1 hour and 30 minutes.
All mixing is to be done on low speed to prevent adding in any air bubbles.
It is super important that all ingredients listed above at room temperature, are actually at room temperature! It will change the consistency of your cheesecake filling and could completely change the final product if they are not mixed together at room temp.

Nutrition