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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!)

Ingredients
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
- 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.
I’ve been making this cheesecake for the past few years. Everyone who has tasted this cheesecake tell me it’s the beat they have ever had! Everyone at my work place and wife’s work place say it taste better than Cheesecake Factory!
I was curious with a few recipes I recently found. A couple of these swear by the ingredients, that it’s the best and most authentic way. From flour to heavy whipping cream. Believe me I’ve tried to make these and everyone always tells me Natasha’s recipe is the wry best!!
Thank you Natasha!!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
Hi Natasha if I bake this using a water bath do you know how long and at what temp to bake at?
Thanks!
Hi Mila, I haven’t tried that yet but one of my readers reported great results baking at 325˚F. She didn’t specify the bake time but I would check it after 1 hour and add more time as needed until center is nearly set and still has a slight jiggle when you wiggle the pan.
We try baking cheesecake with different recipes. This one is the best. We ll stick with this recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha can i make this exact recipe into mini cheesecakes?
Hi Tammy, I haven’t tried it personally but one of my readers wrote: “it works in a muffin tin, i have tried it before. it turns out so pretty especially if you decorated it by piping 3 ganache lines over the top then add half a strawberry and a blackberry. I bake my mini cheese cakes in the oven at 350 degrees F for 18-22 mins”
Ok, here are my tips. 1. Bake in a water bath – do this with all your cakes if possible. Wrap your springform pan in foil (like a bowl) first, to seal the water out. Baking normally, the sides of any cake will heat up and get hot first, so the sides bake before the center. This causes doming and uneven shapes. Everything should bake at the same speed & temp for level cakes. 2. When time to cool, cut off the oven and just open the door a crack – this will help the cake to cool more evenly and slowly without cracking. You can run a knife around the edge to break the side seal to the pan. 3. If you do have cracking, cover it with your favorite pie filling and no one will notice the difference.
Thank you for those suggestions, Tom!!
I’m so excited to try this recipe, watched a couple of videos and somehow I’m convinced that your will turn out great.
Can I halve this recipe?
And is it correct if I just halve all the ingredients? Will I get the same result?
Hi Laura! I haven’t tested it halved but I’d assume it will work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha, Has anyone tried halving the recipe? I have a 6” pan and would like to know how this affects the baking time. Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, I haven’t tested it halved but I’d assume it will work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Can I make this a few days in advance before serving?
Hi Linda, absolutely! Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The topping is best made fresh and I would wait to add the topping until just before serving or it will discolor the surface of your cake.
I have never liked any type of a cheesecake until I tried this recipe. It is fluffy and soft, sweet with a tinge of sour from the berries. I ate A LOT and loved it. Planning to make it today. Thank you. Our Thanksgiving day was full of dishes that are from your blog and we are grateful for it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha, I’ve made this cheesecake many times before but every time i use your method of baking it, it comes out undercooked. The top is also super white not brown at all as your picture shows. I am not sure why maybe it’s just my oven. I just bake mine at 325 degrees with a water bath and it works out well for me. This last time I had a tiny little crack. Tastes really good though!! Is made it for a work Christmas potluck last year and everybody loved it! Thank you for the recipe!!
Hi Vicky. Did you start the baking process at a higher heat as the recipe calls for?
All the comments about this being the very best cheesecake while being the easiest are right on! I love it and have made it twice. However, it’s just too big for my small family. I can do the math on the ingredients but I worry about the time and temperatures for baking. Please use your expertise and create a smaller version. Thanks!
Thank you Kay! I’m glad you enjoyed this. We do have these amazing mini cheesecakes that may work for your family size.
Greetings from Canada,
I have searched and searched for the Ultimate Blueberry Cheesecake recipe, I have finally found it . If you’re reading this , try it , it will definitely become a keeper. The blueberry sauce puts this cheesecake over the top ! Thank you Natasha .
Wow! Thank you so much for your amazing and thoughtful review, Jenna!
Hi Natasha,
I wanted to my gratitude for all your recipes! They always work, whatever they are. The key to success is following them step by step with exact measurements. Though I have been very successful with everything I cooked from your blog, my family especially admires this cheesecake recipe with blueberry topping. I’ve baked it multiple times already and, though it ends up being cracked quite often (I think it’s my oven), it always turns out amazing! I even got a comment several times that it’s better than Cheesecake Factory cakes. That is a complement! So thank you, Natasha and family, for your hard work, creativity and the most delicious recipes!!!
Hi Lesya, I am all smiles reading your wonderful review! thank you so much 🙂
Usually if your top is “cracking,” it’s because you are overbeating the eggs!
It’s amzing! Super simple to make yet absolutely delicious 😋 and mouthwatering!
Thank you for the wonderful review, Yelena!
Hi Natasha,
Could I make more of the graham cracker crust to make a wall on the side of the cheesecake? Would it crumble when I take the springform sides off? Thanks! 🙂
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work, Crumbling might happen as you said. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I followed the recipe step by step, didn’t open the oven, the cheesecake looked perfect when i took it out of the oven and then it started to crack, did I take it out too soon? what could of been the cause?
Hi Viktoriya, I have had a couple of readers report that it helped to prop the door open and let it cool 10-15 minutes then remove from the oven. I hope that helps!
Hi, Natasha! If I want make 1/2 ingredients of this recipe. At what temperature I should bake this cheesecake? Same as yours or no?
Hi Mila, I honestly haven’t tested it that way so it is difficult to provide a recommendation on that. I wish I could be more helpful!
I made this for a Christmas party last year. Now all my neighbors are convinced I am a magnificent baker, which is funny because I’m not.
I made it a second time and it was under done…timing is a little tricky.
I wondered if the blueberries could be substituted for another fruit? Or mixed fruit?
Hi Lora, if you wanted to explore with different kind of berries, check out the recipe right here.
Hi Natasha,
I have made this cheesecake twice is delicious. I only have one
Question my crust is perfect but when I cut a piece I get a lot of crust crumbs, why cause this happens.
Thanks you
Hi Marimar, That could be due to spreading it too loosely in the pan or using less butter than the recipe calls for. I get crumbs also but it stays together pretty well for the most part. I hope that helps! 🙂
Could I add the sweetened condensed milk into this recipe and still use everything in this or will it throw off everything?
Curious before I attempt this.
Hi Candice, I honestly haven’t tested it that way so it is difficult to guess how it would affect the overall texture, bake time, etc.
Hi Natasha, I have a question. Why you no put shallow pan of watwe on the bottom rack. to minimize the cracks.? You not grease the pan.
Thanks you
HI Marimar, the pan of water does help to minimize cracks. Also, I do not grease the pan since there is a buttery crust at the bottom so I find that it isn’t necessary; I just use a thin spatula or knife to run it around the edges and loosen it from the pan. I think even if you did grease the sides, the cheesecake would still stick at the edges.
Am I the only one who couldn’t use all of the mix in my pan? I used 9″. I think 9.5″ is the smallest you can use. Also, liquid is oozing out onto the bottom of my oven; hmmm, maybe a foil wrap should be used? Anyone?
Hi Cheryl, a few things that might help with troubleshooting – make sure you are using a springform pan with at least 3″ tall walls to hold it sufficiently. Also, it shouldn’t be oozing out of the bottom since it isn’t that liquidy of a mixture. Check that your pan has a good seal. Also, if you beat the cream cheese on too high of speed for too long, it will incorporate more air into the mixture and will fill the pan higher and can also cause cracking. I hope that helps!
Hi there is it possible to give the measurement of the ingredients eg cups of sugar and butter if possible in grams or ml many thanks and thank you for sharing the lovely recipe
Hi Maria, we are working through all of the recipes one by one to include metric measurements. It will just take some time since there are over 700 recipes! 🙂