Ultimate Classic Cheesecake

How to Make the BEST Cheesecake

How to make a graham cracker crust:

Grind your graham crackers finely using a food processor, add your melted butter and sugar, and mix to combine. Press firmly into a greased springform pan, using a measuring cup to press into the edges.

What if I don’t have graham crackers?

I’ve included both the volume measurement of the graham crackers and the weight measurement so you can swap in any other crushed cracker, cookie, or biscuit. Some ideas:

• Vanilla wafers
• Digestive biscuits
• Speculoos / Biscoff cookies
• Amaretti cookies

How to make homemade cheesecake:

1. Prepare a 9-inch springform for a water bath.
2. Make your graham cracker crust: Combine the graham cracker crust ingredients in a  medium bowl. Then, press into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
3. Make your cheesecake filling: Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Then, add the sugar and beat until combined. Next, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and juice and beat again. Finally, add the eggs and beat until combined.
4. Pour the filling batter into your springform pan.
5. Water bath: Place the springform pan in a larger roasting pan and then place onto the oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
6. Bake at at 325°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
7. Turn off the oven heat, open the oven door slightly, and let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath and transfer to a cooling rack. Let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature.
9. Lastly, make your topping, if you are opting to do so!

What’s the best pan for cheesecake?

This recipe requires a 10 cup, 9-inch diameter springform pan like this one.

Unfortunately not all springform pans are made equally. You want one that’s heavy duty and sturdy. Avoid dishwashers. Hand washing will extend the life of a springform pan.

Just because your pan is 9-inches in diameter doesn’t necessarily mean it has a 10 cup batter volume capacity. Every brand may vary slightly. Luckily for this recipe, the batter can stand as close to a 1/4-inch from the top of the pan since it won’t rise much in the oven thanks to the water bath.

How to prepare your cream cheese for cheesecake:

First, buy the right kind. Full fat bricks of cheesecake for baking (not for spreading on bagels) must be used in this recipe.

Be sure to buy a high quality brand. Some generic brands are watery and rubbery.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to ensure your cream cheese is completely and totally softened to room temperature. If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with a lumpy cheesecake batter.

Why does this recipe have lemon juice & zest?

There’s just enough to brighten this very rich cheesecake and enhance the tangy flavor. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like lemon cheesecake.

Can this recipe be made into mini cheesecakes?

To turn this recipe into mini cheesecakes, bake in 2 standard sized muffin tins lined with paper or foil liners. Divide crust mixture evenly among cavities and bake at 325°F for 5 minutes. Fill with cheesecake batter and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. No water bath needed. Let cool completely then chill in the fridge overnight.

How to prevent cheesecake cracks:

When you follow this recipe as written, there won’t be a single crack in sight! That’s no easy feat if you’ve baked your share of cheesecakes.

The trick, of course, is gentle even baking and no abrupt temperature changes. We accomplish this by doing three things:

1. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath
2. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven
3. Run a flexible knife around the edge of the cheesecake pan after as it cools so it can release to prevent cracks

How to prepare a water bath:

Check out this article here on how to prepare a perfect water bath for cheesecake. The two keys? Heavy duty aluminum foil and heat safe oven bags!

How to tell if cheesecake is done baking:

Let me say this as clearly as possible… don’t over bake your cheesecake!! The residual heat of the oven will continue to cook the cheesecake even after the heat has been turned off. That means you want your cheesecake to look dry at the edges but slightly wobbly or jiggly like Jello in the center when the baking time has ended. The internal temperature should be 150°F.

How to chill & serve cheesecake:

The cheesecake will ONLY finish setting up after it has cooled completely then been chilled in the fridge for at least 5 hours but preferably overnight. Only then should you remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and slice it.

How long does cheesecake last?

It’ll last for 3 days in the fridge. Any longer and the crust will become mushy.

Can you freeze cheesecake?

Yes! Cheesecake freezes very well. You can place a whole cheesecake or individual slices on a baking sheet inside the freezer until firm. Wrap the cheesecake or each individual slice in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.

To serve, defrost a whole cheesecake in the fridge overnight. You can also defrost individual slices in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for 30 minutes.

How to prepare raspberry sauce for cheesecake:

Simply cook some fresh raspberries in a saucepan with a little bit of sugar and a splash of lemon juice then push through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. You can use frozen raspberries, you just want to let them thaw and drain excess water. The sauce for this cheesecake isn’t super thick and syrupy, just very fresh and flavorful. If you wanted to try something else, ideas are below.

Cheesecake topping ideas:

• Chocolate ganache
• Salted caramel sauce
• Butterscotch sauce
• Whipped cream
• Fresh fruit
• Fruit compote