Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Tangy and sweet, with a burst of freshness from the raspberry topping.
Texture: Ridiculously smooth, creamy, and luscious with a nice contrast from the buttery crunchy crust.
Ease: Definitely doable. I’ve included a ton of extra tips below so you can nail this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’s the perfect cheesecake!
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I am so excited to share the best Cheesecake Recipe EVER with you!
Cheesecake is that perfect combination of sweet and tangy flavors and smooth yet rich textures. Cheesecakes can come in all shapes and sizes, and an endless combination of flavors.
I have many super delicious cheesecake recipes – like my indulgent Death by Chocolate Cheesecake, my crowd-pleasing Oreo Cheesecake, and my stunning Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars.
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But this Classic Cheesecake Recipe keeps me coming back over and over again. Sometimes, you just can’t beat the simple buttery graham cracker crust + creamy, tangy cheesecake combination. Top it all off with raspberry sauce, and I’m in heaven.
This Ultimate Cheesecake Recipe is the perfect centerpiece for any birthday party, Easter, or Christmas dessert. People will be asking what fancy bakery you went to!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make the BEST Classic Cheesecake Recipe
What is the Best Cream Cheese for Cheesecake?
- Be sure to buy full-fat cream cheese bricks for this Cheesecake Recipe.
- Do not use cream cheese meant for spreading on bagels.
- I recommend using a high-quality brand whenever possible. 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.
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 other cheesecake crust ideas:
- Vanilla wafers
- Digestive biscuits
- Speculoos / Biscoff cookies
- Amaretti cookies
Why is There Lemon in This Cheesecake Recipe?
There’s just enough lemon zest and juice to brighten this very rich cheesecake and enhance the tangy flavor. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like lemon cheesecake.
What Pan for This Cheesecake Recipe?
- This Cheesecake Recipe requires a 10-cup, 9-inch diameter springform pan like this one.
- 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 close to 1/4-inch from the top of the pan since it won’t rise much in the oven thanks to the water bath.
Can This Recipe be Made Into Mini Cheesecakes?
- To make mini cheesecakes, bake in two standard-sized muffin tins lined with paper or foil liners.
- Divide crust mixture evenly among cavities and bake at 325°F for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Fill with cheesecake batter and bake for 17 to 20 minutes – no water bath needed.
- Allow to cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Prevent Cheesecake Cracks
When you follow this Cheesecake 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 is gentle, even baking, and no abrupt temperature changes. We accomplish this by doing three things:
- Bake the cheesecake in a water bath.
- Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven.
- Run a flexible knife around the edge of the cheesecake pan after it cools, so it can release easily without cracks.
How to Prepare a Water Bath for Cheesecakes
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 When Cheesecake is Done Baking
- Let me say this as clearly as possible: don’t overbake 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
This Classic 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?
This Cheesecake Recipe will last for 3 days in the fridge. Any longer and the crust will become mushy.
Can You Freeze Cheesecake?
Yes! This Cheesecake Recipe freezes very well. Here’s how to best freeze cheesecake:
- 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.
Cheesecake Topping Ideas:
- Chocolate ganache
- Salted caramel sauce
- Butterscotch sauce
- Whipped cream
- Fresh fruit
- Fruit compote
More Easy Cheesecake Recipes:
Ultimate Cheesecake
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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
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
For the topping:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For baking the cheesecake:
- Boiling water, for the water bath
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- 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 are 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:
- 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:
- 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 sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add in the sour cream, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Turn off the oven heat and open the oven door open just by 1-inch. I use a wooden spoon to keep it open. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will prevent cracks from forming.
- 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 cheesecake, 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.
- Once completely cooled, refrigerate in the 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:
- 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.
- 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, running under running hot water and wiping it off in between cuts, for clean slices. Serve.
Recipe Notes
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This recipe was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with recipe improvements, additional recipe tips, and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Wow, I really enjoyed this challenge. It was just what I needed after so many (delicious) Christmas cookies. I have never used a water bath method but it ended up being pretty easy – just follow the directions! I let my cheesecake chill in the fridge overnight so naturally I had to try it for breakfast. It is so smooth and creamy – just delicious. Highly recommend this recipe, with this tip: plan to bake in advance so it gets the full chilling, and the next day you will be rewarded!
Amazing recipe! Appreciate the oven bag tip!
Hooray!
I made this recipe but additionally made it marbled. It came out delicious, my family loved it!
Yay! I love when you guys get creative with my recipes!
This cheesecake is delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and my whole family loved it, including my cheesecake hating husband.
I’m happy to hear this cheesecake was enjoyed by your family!
I’m not a big cheesecake fan, but this was awesome! My husband and daughter loved it too! Definitely read the tips… so helpful!
I’m thrilled to hear this cheesecake was enjoyed!
I’m a trained pastry chef and I’ve avoided making classic, round cheesecake for years out of fear of it cracking and being dry. This recipe is SO EASY and SO DELICIOUS! I didn’t have a pan or tray that my springform pan would fit into for a water bath, so I did the cheesecake on the top rack of the oven and a 9×13 of water on the bottom rack. Worked perfectly!!
Can’t wait to make it again… but it’s dangerous! I could eat the whole thing!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this cheesecake!!
Cheesecake was a hit! Didn’t have raspberries so put cherries on top instead and turned out beautifully. Baking the crust first was key because it gave it a nice buttery flavour and wasn’t too dry. Whole family loved it!
Delicious and easy to make!
As a cheesecake lover, this recipe was delish. And since I quit listening to my thighs, I took it to school and shared it with my Sr class. If only sound bites could be added! Lots of appreciative moans and groans and several “Can you adopt me” requests. I’d say that’s one good cheesecake!
So glad this recipe was a hit!
Loved how this cheesecake turned out! The instructions were easy to follow and there were no cracks or bubbles. Tasted delicious!
Yay! Happy to hear this.
Loved how this cheesecake turned out! The recipe was so easy to follow. There were no cracks or bubbles. DELICIOUS!
Wonderful recipe! Light but oh so creamy and the lemon adds a subtle brightness to it. Huge hit with friends and family! Thanks for sharing!