Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 3/4 cups (230 grams) graham crackers crumbs (about 15 whole graham crackers)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 32 ounces (907 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (173 grams) sour cream or plain full fat yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
For the topping:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Boiling water, for the water bath
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F.
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Prepare a 9-inch springform pan for a water bath. Place a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil underneath the pan. Gently fold the edges up and around the pan. Repeat twice so there’s three sheets of foil to ensure a waterproof seal. Gently fold the top of the foil around the edge of the pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the crust:
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In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until the mixture is moistened. Press firmly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place gently on oven rack and bake for 10 minutes. Place gently on a wire rack to cool. Maintain oven temperature.
Make the filling:
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth and free of lumps, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add in the sour cream, lemon zest, and juice and beat until combined, continuing to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
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Pour the batter into the foiled-wrapped springform pan. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles in the batter. The cheesecake won’t rise much while baking in the water bath so it’s okay if the batter fills up most of the springform pan.
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Place the springform pan in a larger roasting pan or deep sauté pan. Place on oven rack then carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top looks slightly dry, especially at the edges. If the middle is slightly wobbly like jello, that’s fine. The internal temperature should read 150°F with an instant read thermometer inserted into the center. Err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking.
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Turn off the oven heat and open the oven door open just by 1-inch. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will prevent cracks from forming.
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Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath, unwrap the foil, and transfer it to a cooling rack. Run a thin-bladed flexible knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools). Let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature on the rack.
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Refrigerate in springform pan until completely chilled, at least 5 hours or up to 3 days. Store the cheesecake uncovered to avoid creating condensation, which will create a mushy texture.
Make the topping:
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In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the topping ingredients. Heat, stirring and breaking up the raspberries often, until the raspberries release their juices and begin to form a syrupy sauce, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a spatula, press the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl to remove the seeds. Let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before using. The sauce will be on the thin side.
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Release the cheesecake from the pan onto a cake stand or serving plate and top with any desired toppings. Slice using a big sharp knife, wiping it off under running hot water in between cuts. Serve.
Every time I make your cheesecake it turns out PERFECT and Amazing. Everyone always loves it and we usually finish it same day or next day. Thank you for making me look like a cheesecake professional every time!
I would love to try out this recipe but sadly I live in Portugal where Brick like style cream cheeses aren’t available at all in the country , only spreading ones like philadelphia but mascarpone cream cheese is available do u think one of them would work or which one would work better. Thank you
We haven’t tried this recipe with mascarpone cream cheese, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out! Good luck, let us know how it goes if you find a great substitution!
I have made this a couple times and it came out great both times, thanks for a great recipe. This is my go-to recipe now!
One question though – when I bake the crust it comes out a little mushy and not hard / baked the way you would want it to. So I always end up freezing the crust before putting the batter in and it always comes out fine. But is there a reason why the crust isn’t getting set…too much butter or too much heat?
Thanks!
So happy you love this recipe! You noted that your crust comes our mushy prior to adding the cheesecake filling. How long are you baking the crust for and at what temperature? Do you have an oven thermometer to ensure that your oven is at the proper temperature when beginning the bake? Everyone’s ovens are different – mine actually takes an additional 15 minutes after the oven beeps that it’s ready before it’s actually at the correct temperature. It’s possible that your crust just needs additional time in the oven, especially depending on the type of pan you’re using. Lastly, you had mentioned possibly too much butter. Do you use a digital scale to measure your ingredients? Using a digital scales guarantees precision when making a recipe, so you know for sure that you’re not adding too much of an ingredient. I just added the grams measurement of the butter to the crust recipe. Hopefully this helps, but please let me know if you have further questions, and definitely let me know how your next cheesecake turns out!
This is the first time I’ve made cheesecake! I kinda expected it to be a flop, but It came out perfect! And tastes amazing! Thank you for this recipe and the extra tips! Very helpful!
So happy to hear your first-ever cheesecake was perfect, YAY!!
Question- does the lemon make this taste lemony? Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Hi Michelle! The lemon juice and zest are only added to brighten this very rich cheesecake and enhance the tangy texture-you shouldn’t be able to taste them (neither Tessa or I can), though some readers who don’t like lemon noticed a bit of the tanginess. You’re more than welcome to experiment with vanilla bean paste or extract instead, though we haven’t tried that. Let us know what you think of this recipe when you give it a try 🙂
This recipe is fantastic. Once you understand the chemistry of how a cheesecake is made, it is also easily adapted. For instance, I made a goat cheese cheesecake using this recipe as a base. Never skip the water bath, and the cooling process is just as important to prevent cracking, lending a uniformly consistent texture. My favorite sauce with the base recipe is a Blueberry Lemon Cayenne sauce that balances perfectly with the creamy, slightly tangy flavor of the cake.
Oh wow, that sauce sounds incredible!! Love how you’ve made this recipe your own!
*Sigh*
I followed this method and it absolutely did not work for me. I followed the instructions for the water-bath, and the pan leaked so hard it flooded, I even had it in a huge pan for the Water-bath to avoid pouring water into the cake by accident. The timing for cooking it also didn’t work, and I suspect a combination of the water-bath not working & too high of a cooking temp as additional factors.
I couldn’t even have left the cake in for longer because of how flooded the pan was. I actually had to pour water out of the foil, the bag, AND the pan; lol I was so careful too, and I had triple wrapped the aluminum foil just to be extra sure.
The actual cake batter tasted very yummy, but for some reason the cooking methods didn’t produce an edible cake. It was beautiful on top, And completely dry for the first CM, but the rest of the cake underneath was completely mushy, even after cooling in the oven, and then in the fridge overnight. I actually had to flip the cake upside down and repan it the next day in order to finish cooking the bottom half, and it was terribly ugly lol
I honestly can’t understand how it leaked so much or how to prevent so much leaking. The pan I used was brand new and seemed to have a nice seal around the base. I’m also confused why the top 1/4 was cooked enough to pass the wobble test but the bottom half and sides were basically pure mush
I’m going to test this recipe out again, however I’m concerned it will leak again.
I have to wonder if the use of the slow cooker bag might be better inside the pan next time, as well as in combination with aluminum foil & bag on the outside?
Second question, could the foil have created micro-tears in the bag, and is it better to put the bag on the outside of the foil, or in between the pan and the foil in your experience?
One more thing… my fully wrapped and filled pan actually floated around inside the water-bath like a Rubber Ducky … is that normal? Lol I’ve never had that happen to me before, I actually have to laugh.
Sorry you had issues using the water bath, May! It sounds like something was pierced before the cheesecake went in the oven. I’d suggest trying the “Low & Slow Method” described in our Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe instead. I hope you give this recipe another try, please let us know how it goes if when you do!
This is an amazing cheesecake! Smooth and creamy but also nice and firm. The only con I have is that with the added lemon & zest, this is a lemon cheesecake. Can I hold the lemon and add vanilla bean paste if I want a plain cheesecake?
Hi Stacy! So glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 The lemon juice and zest are only added to brighten this very rich cheesecake and enhance the tangy texture-you shouldn’t be able to taste them. You’re welcome to experiment with vanilla bean paste, though we haven’t tried that. Please let us know how it goes!
I would like to make a smaller cheesecake, I think my smallest springform pan is 8in, should I can the recipe by a 1/3? 1/4? And suggestions would be appreciated and helpful!
Hi Ashley! We haven’t tried that, though it should work! Reading through some of our reader’s comments, one person halved the recipe and used an 8″ pan with great success. Here is a great article I found on Google detailing the difference between an 8″ and 9″ pan. Their suggestion of leaving a cup or so of batter out might be an option also (you could bake the leftovers in a muffin tin!). Please let us know how it goes!
So i found out that my oven cookware i have can be conventional/convection. So is this cheesecake better to bake on a conventional setting mode on the same temperature?Thank you
We always suggest following a recipe exactly to ensure perfect results, so I’d recommend baking with the conventional setting. Let us know how your cheesecake turns out!
I was honestly surprised at how easy it was to make this, and how well it turned out. Super creamy and full of flavor! I added raspberry sauce on top…YUM! It does take a while to make, but worth every minute!
Delicious!!
How can I make this in 4″ springform pans?
I had never made a cheesecake before trying your recipe and it was superb! I only had light sour cream and that didn’t seem to make a difference! Will definitely make again!
This is so amazing to hear, Cindy!
Very nice recipe for a thick creamy generous cheese cake.! Everyone loved it
So glad this cheesecake was a hit!
Turned out great! I’ve attempted cheesecake before and it always cracked. This cheesecake turned out perfect. The baking time was spot on. I also loved the touch of lemon.
I’m so glad you loved this cheesecake recipe!
Best cheesecake ever! I converted this into a 6 inch recipe and omitted the lemon peel (instead just used 1 tsp lemon juice) and added in Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as written, and it came out perfect with no cracks! This will be my go-to recipe from now on. For anyone looking to make this into a 6 inch cheesecake, I baked it at the exact same temperature and time as in the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much, Tessa!
I’m so glad you loved this cheesecake!
I love cheesecake but it’s so hard to get the balance of flavors/textures correct. Can’t wait to try this!
Hope you enjoy this cheesecake!
Τaste and texture is to die for. Thank you for this recipe, super smooth and creamy. In love!
So happy to hear that!
Absolutely decadent cupcake
Amazing cupcakes! Always the best recipes here
These are the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had! The frosting makes it so good!!!
I wish I could give 4.9. All cheese I eat will be measured against this cheesecake. This cheesecake is smooth, silky, and absolutely exquisite! My family and I did not like they lemon in the cheesecake. We could taste it. Also we thought the sauce was too tart. Those items are so minor as to be trivial at best. They will be adapted to my family’s tastes next time I make this. AND I will make this again. It will be my go to cheese cake recipe!
I’m glad you tried this cheesecake recipe out!
First time making this. I love cheesecake! Will make again. Thank you Tessa for all your tips and videos. That helps so much!
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed!
I’ve always made mini cheesecakes and been super skeptical about trying a big one but this recipe was really easy to follow and it turned out great!!
So happy to hear this!
I am so impressed! I followed the directions exactly, and my cheesecake came out so smooth and even on the top—no cracks!! I can’t wait to dive in and taste it, but it sure does smell and look delicious! This is the 2nd cheesecake I’ve ever made, and the recipe was very easy to follow.
I’m so glad you tried this cheesecake recipe out!
I love the simplicity of Tessa’s recipes. Baking this cheesecake was a great baking challenge, Tessa doesn’t miss a beat! No CRACKS!
YAY!
Very creamy, love the hint of lemon zest!
So glad you enjoyed!
Glad to hear this!
Easy to follow instructions. I love the water bath recommendation and I ALSO love that you have so many like, “just in case,” scenarios. For example, what happens if you can’t find graham crackers. What happens if you only have pre-made crumbs. What happens if you don’t have a springform pan or prefer to make mini-cheese cakes instead – which is what I did! A pleasure of a process. Only thing is I have to wait until tomorrow to try it…Thanks Tessa!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe and the baking tips!
This is possibly the best cheesecake I have ever had! Light and delicate .. so smooth I love it
Hooray!!
So delicious! Recipe was easy to follow and the water bath made a completely crack free cake!
Glad to hear this!
This is very creamy and tangy cheesecake. Water bath is a must to make a successful cheesecake. Highly recommend!
Hooray!
This was such a good recipe! It was surprisingly not as hard as I expected it to be. I love how it turned out with no cracks, and it tasted amazing too!
So happy to hear this!
I had never made a cheesecake prior to this baking challenge, so I was nervous! I didn’t have any problems, and did sub non-dairy cream cheese for half b/c too much dairy doesn’t agree with me. It still turned out beautifully though!
So glad you joined the challenge!
So easy! I’ve never made a cheesecake before, so I was nervous. The instructions are very straightforward, and I didn’t have any difficulty. I did use a 12″ pan to bake it in for the water bath, but other than that – no adjustments!
This was a labor of love but so delicious!
I’m so glad you tried this recipe out!
I usually have cracks in my cheesecake. The water bath always scared me because I was afraid of water getting into the cake. I still had a bit of water, but after re-reading the instructions, I realized I only wrapped the foil around twice, not three times. There was no sogginess in the crust though, so success! It was creamy and delicious. Can’t wait to try it again!
Yay for no cracks in your cheesecake!!
This is my third try at cheesecake, and my first of your recipes, and it turned out the best by far! No cracks, only a couple specks of browning, and perfect texture. I notoriously don’t like plain cheesecake, but with a berry topping I actually liked it! Thank you for a great recipe!
This makes me so happy to hear, Mariah! Yay!!
The most delectable Cheesecake ever❣️
I made mini Cheesecakes in sphere moulds and tried doing Raspberry Mirror Glaze & it worked beautifully. Made some chocolate decorations (wrote 2021) with chocolate & colored them with edible gold dust. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, dear Tessa! Blessings…
Happy to hear this!
LOVE the flavor and the detail of the recipe! OMGosh so creamy and the topping just made our day. Thanks Tessa for a great recipe that’s easy to follow and hard to resist! Will be making this again…SOON!
Hooray!
Tessa, your info prompted me to return to the water bath process. Using your suggestion to add a baking bag in addition to foil was spot on. I will always use this sure fire method. Thank you thank you. I have made a lot of cheesecakes…but your Ultimate Cheesecake recipe was heavenly without being fussy. I drizzled it with a chocolate sauce in which I added homemade espresso powder. Your “toffee bits” recipe garnished the final product.
Needless to say, it was a HUGE success (seconds were requested and every plate spotless). Bravo for the sciences explained for an AMAZING recipe. This endeavor will have multiple repeats:)
This makes me so happy to hear!
This cheesecake is beautiful! The directions were easy to follow and even though it was my first time using a water bath, I had success!
So happy to hear this!
The cheesecake is so creamy and delicious! I was not successful with the water bath as it leaked and made my crust really soggy. I have been successful with a jelly roll pan full of water on the tray underneath in the oven so I think I will continue with that method.
Omg.. best cheesecake. Ever. Made for a brunch with my daughters. Thank you Tessa it’s so yummy
So glad to hear this!
Recipe is extremely easy to follow and comes out without a crack just like Tessa says! The lemon flavor is a perfect addition to the silky texture. Everyone loved it, including my 3 kids who aren’t always sold on cheesecake. This will definitely be my “go to” cheesecake recipe!
I’m so glad this cheesecake was a hit!
Delicious and easy to follow recipe
So yummy! Light, tangy…not sure I will add a topping! Made as cupcakes so I could share with neighbors!!
Great recipe!
Beautiful, easy and delicious! I topped mine with two kinds of Tessa’s chocolate ganache
Omgosh, the flavor of this cheesecake was on point! I’m at altitude so finding the right adjustments was tricky, but it didn’t crack 🙂
So glad you tried this recipe out!
This recipe had amazing tips and came out perfect! Definitely going to make again!
This is hands down the best cheesecake recipe I’ve ever made! So creamy and delicious and no cracks in it.
Beautiful and delicious with a fluffy delicate taste! Using the turkey bag for a water bath is a game changer!
sooo delicious! absolutely love this recipe!
Hooray!
This cheesecake is SUBLIME! I made it for the baking challenge and turned out delicious. I guess I made sommething wrong in the baking process (it wasn’t that solid and “dry”) but it was my first time trying to bake a cheesecake and also eat a cheesecake since I’m Italian and there aren’t a lot of them here. I’ll have to try this again and see if I improved. Good job Tessa, great recipe!
Lovely, rich, yummy and foolproof recipe!!! Forget about fork because you need spoon for this one! Detailed recipe just as I like!!!
I made his cake for my husband, who’s craving American food every now and then. I only had to sub lady fingers for graham crackers due to location, but they also work well, just omit the sugar for the base, since they’re already sweeter. I especially like the hint of lemon, guess I have to try the lemon cheesecake next. I normally prefer German style cheesecake to American one, but I had the whole slice of this one and will have another today It doesn’t seem as heavy as some cheesecake I had, while still being creamy and decadent ❣️
I’m so glad you enjoyed this cheesecake!
The cheesecake was very tasty. I took the cheesecake to a party and everyone was raving about it. They said it is way better than store bought cheesecake. Thank you Tessa!
Yummy! I love how Tessa shares such specific tips on how to be successful with this (and other) recipes. SO helpful, and delicious!!
Tangy and Creamy – and thanks to the water bath, no cracks!! It is now my goto cheesecake recipe.
Woohoo!
This is the creamiest cheesecake I’ve ever made. Easy recipe to follow and a guaranteed no fail, no cracks, even if you’ve never made a cheesecake before. I topped mine with homemade blueberry jam and whipped cream, but can imagine endless topping options…or none! It is so good!
This is amazing to hear!