Easy Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping (No Water Bath)

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As my sister put it, “This is better than the Cheesecake Factory!” I’m a huge cheesecake fan and this is the best cheesecake recipe I’ve tried.

The texture is amazingly smooth and the semi-tart blueberry topping is a perfect match! It’s simple to make and difficult to screw up.

This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten’s Cheesecake. I hope you give it a try!

Watch How To Make Cheesecake Video:

Ingredients for The Crust –

1 ½  cups graham cracker crumbs (I use “Honey Maid”  crumbs – it’s cheaper & easier. Or you can use 10 crackers)
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) melted, unsalted butter
1 Tbsp sugar

Ingredients for The Cheesecake –

2 ½ lb cream cheese (5 blocks – 8oz each) at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup sour cream
7 whole large eggs (at room temp)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Blueberry Sauce:

This is based on our popular blueberry topping recipe (which is so good over breakfast and dessert!)

4 cups frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sugar

What you will need :

A springform pan where the sides loosen and the bottom comes out.

How to Make this Cheesecake Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Crust: combine1 ½  cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 Tbsp sugar and 6 Tbsp melted butter – mix well. Pour into a 9 or 9 ½ inch springform pan (see picture above). Use a large spoon to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake Filling:

Raise oven temp to 450°F and place rack in bottom third of oven.
1. Mix 5 blocks (8oz each) of cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed using paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer).

2. Mix until light and fluffy (5 minutes), scrape the bowl down as necessary so you don’t get chunks of cream cheese.

3. Reduce the speed to medium and add 7 eggs, one at a time.

4. Reduce speed to low and add 1/4 cup of sour cream and 1 ½ tsp of vanilla.

5. Mix well and pour into crust.

How to Bake the Cheesecake:

Place oven rack in the bottom 1/3. (Put the center rack 1 level lower than the center. In my oven, I had the rack on the third position. If it’s too close to the top, it will brown too quickly). Bake 15 minutes at 450°F.

Without opening the oven door, Reduce oven temperature to 225 °F and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes until the center is almost set. Try not to open the oven door because you will lose heat that way and it won’t bake properly and may crack.

Remove cheesecake from the oven and cool cake to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully chilled.

When ready to serve the cheesecake, carefully run a butter knife around the sides of the cake. Unlatch and remove the springform pan. Serve the cake on the base of the pan.

Berry Sauce:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2 tsp cornstarch and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. As soon as it starts to thicken, add 4 cups of blueberries and cook until lightly bubbly. Don’t boil. Let cool to room temp and spread on top of the cheesecake when serving. You can make this sauce ahead of time and serve the next day as well.

This recipe is great for parties and is sure to please. Enjoy!

You also will like this No Bake Cheesecake with Strawberries

Notes: Ina makes her cheesecake recipe by adding 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest to the cream cheese filling; but I like the original flavor of cheesecake.

Easy Cheesecake Recipe with Blueberry Topping (No Water Bath Required!)

4.90 from 141 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Our go-to Cheesecake with an easy blueberry sauce topping. This Cheesecake recipe shows up for all of our major holidays.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 33 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 48 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 slices

The Crust -

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 Tbsp 3/4 stick melted, unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar

The Cheesecake –

• 2 ½ lb cream cheese, 5 blocks - 8oz each at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 7 whole large eggs, at room temp
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Blueberry Sauce:

• 4 cups frozen blueberries
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp sugar

What you will need :

• A springform pan where the sides loosen and the bottom comes out.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Crust:

• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter – mix well. Pour into a 9 or 9 ½ inch springform pan. Use a large spoon to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake filling:

Increase oven temp to 450°F. Place oven rack in the bottom 1/3. (Put the center rack 1 level lower than the center. In my oven, I had the rack on the third position. If it's too close to the top, it will brown too quickly).

• Mix the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed using paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer).
• Mix until light and fluffy (5 minutes), scrape the bowl down as necessary so you don't get chunks of cream cheese.
• Reduce the speed to medium and add eggs, 1 at a time.
• Reduce speed to low and add sour cream and vanilla.
• Mix well and pour into crust.

Baking Instructions:

• Bake 15 minutes at 450°F.
• Without opening the oven door, Reduce oven temperature to 225 °F and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes until the center is almost set. Try not to open the oven door because you will lose heat that way and it won't bake properly and may crack.
• Remove cheesecake from the oven and cool cake to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
• When ready to serve the cheesecake, carefully run a butter knife around the sides of the cake. Unlatch and remove the springform pan. Serve the cake on the base of the pan.

Berry Sauce:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, cornstarch and lemon juice. As soon as it starts to thicken, add blueberries and cook until lightly bubbly. Don’t boil. Let cool to room temp and spread on top of the cheesecake when serving. You can make this sauce ahead of time and serve the next day as well. This recipe is great for parties and is sure to please. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips for Success:

• If you want to remove the cake from the springform pan, you can place a ring of parchment paper on the bottom. 
• To prevent leaks from the springform pan while baking, wrap a piece of foil under the outside of the pan. 

Nutrition Per Serving

603kcal Calories48g Carbs10g Protein43g Fat23g Saturated Fat217mg Cholesterol464mg Sodium229mg Potassium2g Fiber39g Sugar1639IU Vitamin A5mg Vitamin C125mg Calcium1mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Easy Cheesecake Recipe with Blueberry Topping (No Water Bath Required!)

Amount per Serving

Calories

603

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

43

g

66

%

Saturated Fat

 

23

g

144

%

Cholesterol

 

217

mg

72

%

Sodium

 

464

mg

20

%

Potassium

 

229

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

48

g

16

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

39

g

43

%

Protein

 

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

 

1639

IU

33

%

Vitamin C

 

5

mg

6

%

Calcium

 

125

mg

13

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesecake recipe

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 603