This classic Cheesecake is a tall, ultra-creamy, New York-style cheesecake. Baking with the water bath method is the secret to ensuring the perfect rise with a level top and no cracks.
This is a make-ahead, freezer-friendly dessert that is well-loved by all of our family and friends. Watch the video tutorial and you will be a pro in no time!
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Watch the Cheesecake Recipe Video:
If you have never made a homemade cheesecake, you are in for a treat. We love this homemade version even more than the original Cheesecake Factory cheesecake in taste and texture. Top a slice with homemade Cherry Sauce or even Strawberry Sauce and it’s a winning combination!
About Cheesecake:
Cheesecakes are essentially rich cheese and egg custards baked over a graham cracker crust. It’s not technically a ‘cake.’ The creamy and decadent texture of cheesecake is irresistible and all you need is a short list of basic ingredients: cream cheese, eggs, sugar, a bit of sour cream, and vanilla. The 3-ingredient crust is even easier.
Homemade cheesecakes are surprisingly easy to make and require very little active time. Your mixer does most of the work and the hardest part of the process is waiting for it to bake, cool, and chill overnight. It’s also one of the best parts about cheesecakes – they are a make-ahead dessert and also freeze well.
What Does a Water Bath do for a Cheesecake?
In searching for the perfect cheesecake recipe, we wanted to completely eliminate cracks, shrinkage, overbaking, and browning. We adapted our original (no water bath) Cheesecake recipe slightly, so if you enjoyed that one, you’ll completely fall in love with this one. Here’s why a water bath works so well:
- The center and edges of the cake cook at the same rate
- Steam moisture protects the top of the cake
- Gentle, even rise with minimal shrinkage and no more cracking!
- The cake is ultra-creamy all the way to the edges
- More forgiving and less likely to overbake
Our Favorite Cheesecake Crust:
A cheesecake crust is easy peasy with only 3 ingredients: graham crackers, sugar, and butter. You can pulse the crumbs in a food processor or blender, or put them in a sturdy Ziploc bag and roll with a rolling pin until fine crumbs form. They are also sold as crumbs to save time.
- Combine crumbs together with melted butter and sugar and stir until moistened.
- Press the crumbs into a 9″ springform pan, going up the sides slightly.
- Bake in the center of the oven at 350˚F for 8 minutes then cool to room temperature.
Tips for Making the Best Cheesecake:
Our best tip is to not rush the process of making or cooling the cake. Each step is important for making the perfect cheesecake. Read through this advice before starting your cheesecake and be sure to watch the video tutorial.
- Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature so you don’t end up with lumps of cream cheese.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth. This step is your last chance to ensure a smooth batter.
- Use the paddle attachment to avoid over-mixing.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and the attachment frequently to ensure the mixture is smooth.
- Reduce speed when adding eggs.
- Bake until the cheesecake looks set and the center wobbles slightly when you tap the pan.
- Always chill your cheesecake before serving, or it will be soupy in the center.
How to Bake a Cheesecake in a Water Bath:
- Boil a pot of water. Boil more than you think you’ll need to ensure you have enough.
- Place 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil on the counter (use the extra-wide foil to go all the way up the sides).
- Fold the foil up the sides of the pan ensuring there are no rips or holes. Fan the foil out slightly at the tops to keep the rim clear for rising and to block any boiling water from splashing into the pan (don’t worry if a little water gets in).
- Pour cheesecake filling into the foil-lined springform pan and place into a deep roasting pan. Fill with 1 1/2 to 2″ with water. It should be about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Safety Tip: Use oven mitts to transfer the roasting pan in and out of the oven for safety and transfer slowly to avoid sloshing.
Pro Tip: How to Cut a Cheesecake:
Cheesecakes can get ugly fast if cut the wrong way. To get clean professional looking slices, dip a long knife into very hot water (I pour hot water in a tall mason jar). Once the knife warms up, wipe with a paper towel and slice through the cheesecake. For best results, dip and wipe your knife between slices.
Our History with Cheesecake!
We are major cheesecake fans over here. For years, we have perfected our cheesecake recipes with everything from No-bake Cheesecake to Mini Cheesecakes and even Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Print the Recipe below then head to the grocery store to stock up on ingredients. This is bound to become your new favorite Cheesecake Recipe!
Perfect Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from 12 whole crackers
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
For the Cheesecake:
- 2 1/4 lb cream cheese, room temperature (4 1/2 packages, 8-oz each)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
How to Make Cheesecake Crust:
- Crush graham crackers into crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs together with melted butter and sugar and stir until moistened.
- Press crumbs into a 9" springform pan, going up the sides slightly. Bake in the center of a conventional oven at 350˚F for 8 minutes then cool to room temperature.
- Place 2 large sheets of extra-wide heavy-duty foil on the counter. Set the springform pan in the center and fold the foil up the sides of the pan ensuring there are no rips or holes. Fan the foil out slightly at the tops to keep the rim clear for rising.
How to Make Perfect Cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 450˚F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Beat on medium/high speed for 5 minutes until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl and attachment as needed.
- Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, letting them incorporate between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Reduce speed to low and add 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Pour batter over the foil-wrapped springform pan with your cooled crust.
How to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath:
- Boil a pot of water (boil more than you think you'll need to ensure there's enough). Set your cheesecake pan in a deep roasting pan. Pour hot water around the edges about halfway up the sides of the springform pan (1 1/2" to 2" of water).
- Carefully transfer cheesecake to the center rack of the oven and bake at 450˚F for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 225˚F and without opening the door, bake additional 60-75 minutes or until center of cheesecake wobbles slightly when you tap the pan.
- Remove cheesecake from the oven and let it rest in the roasting pan with water for 45 minutes then transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover pan with plastic wrap, being careful that it doesn't touch the surface, and chill in the refrigerator overnight to fully set before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
We can’t get enough of this classic cheesecake recipe. It bakes up beautifully and you can’t beat the flavor and creamy whipped texture. Make this and you will get recipe requests.
hi, Natasha. I was wondering if there’s any way I could use this recipe to make a key-lime cheesecake. Just add lime juice? if not, could you recommend a fool- proof key-lime cheesecake recipe. Need it for my husband birthday. Thanks
Hi Natalia, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
so, I did it. I used this recipe to make a key-lime cheese cake. I just added about 1/4 cup of lime juice and 2 TBLS of lime zest. I was afraid to add more cause i didn’t know how this will affect the texture. It turned out great! my husband loved it. It wasn’t very limey or tangy. Just a light hint. Next time I’ll try to add a drop of green food coloring and maybe a drop of lime extract. Thank you for the recipe. Now I’m thinking what other flavors I could add to it. 🤔
Hi Natalia, thanks for sharing that with us! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and that sounds like a good idea too!
Made this cake twice this month and everyone loved it!
Amazing recipe
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Jamie!
Hi. Can I half the recipe? I will be using a 9-inch pan. How minutes to bake? Thank you.
Hi Meg, I imagine it will be a fairly thin cheesecake if halved into a 9″ pan. I would advise using a smaller pan.
Hi, is there anyway to make this without a springform pan? Im in a pinch but can’t find one in stores near me!!
Hi Kathryn, I haven’t tested it any other way so I can’t offer advice on that modification.
Loved this recipe. It’s a keeper.
Thank you!
excellent recipe, mine cracked but it was dressed up with cherries so who knew. I’m loving it. will try other recipes.
thanks your awesome
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked it, thanks!
Hello Natasha, I was wondering if this recipe can be made with Splenda. If so, would it be just a matter of switching out the sugar and replacing it with Splenda or would you suggest other changes? I love cheesecake but, unfortunately, I can’t have sugar. Thank you!
Hi Laura, I haven’t tried that substitution to advise, and I can’t say that would work. If you happen to test that, I would love to know how you like it.
i made it a few times already. It is soooo good. I’m selling it and my customers love it. I just made some adjustment since i’m baking it in a quart size tin can. Thank you for this recipe and I can’t wait to try your other post:) More power to you Natasha:)
Hello Leah, that’s so great to hear! I’m glad that your clients love this recipe too. Thanks for your great review.
It was a very good recipe great flavor and easy to follow!! The problem I had, was I baked like recipe said and and baked at 450 for the 15 minutes and then the 225 for the 75 but it didn’t set and was very pudding like when I cut it. Other then that it was good.
Hi Rebekah, make sure to do the jiggle test to check the center before putting it into the oven and also it’s super important to let it set in the fridge overnight before slicing into it.
Have stand mixer but no paddle attachment. Can I use that?
Hi Sharon, we recommend the paddle attachment and reducing the speed between steps since you don’t want to incorporate too much air while mixing. A whisk, for example, will blend in too much air and create bubbles.
Best cheese ever! Do you have alterations for larger cheese cakes?
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Becky! Depending on your pan size you can probably make more of this recipe making 1.5 to 2 times if it will fit.
Used this recipe this morning to make little heart cheesecakes. So far they look amazing. For those who are wondering about making smaller ones, mine are 4inch hearts, I quartered the recipe using the calculator in the recipe (4 servings) and baked for 15 min at 450 then 45 min at 225. Removed from oven and let cool in the pan for 45 min. They might be slightly over cooked but they didn’t crack or turn brown. Very excited to dig in! I also used frozen strawberries to make the sauce as per your recipe, had to strain it but it is delish as well! thank you so much!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Jayelle! I bet they look darling in small heart shapes. We do have our mini cheesecakes HERE that you can use as a reference for bake times.
Love ❤️ your recipes
You’re so nice! Thank you!
The easiest and best recipe! I have made it 4-5 times now and it was just perfect every time. The texture is what we love and i think we can never go back to having a cheescake outside! A mouthful of it and it takes you straight to heaven 😁 Thanku for your videos and detailed recipe blog!
Love it! Thanks for your wonderful review, we appreciate it!
This cheesecake is THE BEST! Your directions were precise and easy to follow. I did leave it in my oven a bit longer after doing the “jiggle test” however. The process is easy but it does take some time. My cheesecake was beautiful, no cracks, and my guests raved about it! I have my second one in the oven now 😋. Thanks for the perfect cheesecake recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that, Terri! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback.
Hi Natasha, I wanted to ask what can you recommend to substitute sour cream?
Hi Tristan, you could leave it out and the cake would still work, or sub a full-fat Greek Yogurt.
Thank you. Will be making one this Valentines day for my mom.
Hi!! I love your recipes! I want to make a small cheese cake using a 6 inches springform pan. I need to change the amount of the ingredients. Can you help me?
Hi Elizabeth, if you click on the serving size in the recipe, you can scale the ingredient list up or down to help with that.
Hi Natasha, I tried this once and it was my first time to do it and everyone who tasted it approved and loved the taste! However I had the same issue of it not setting in the middle even though I followed your steps thoroughly. Can you also please advise if how long I can bake this in a 6-inch pan? I’d love to try it in a smaller version. Do you have other tips? Thank you!
Hi Bella, I haven’t tested this in a 6-inch pan but it would have to be modified or it would overwhelm the pan.
Absolutely love your recipes!! I always find great things to make for my family!.
Thank you for trusting my recipes!
All I can say is fantastic,This cheese cake is the absolute best.
Isn’t it great! Thank you for that lovely review, Kathy!
Hi Natasha! I have tried this recipe many times and it turned out great. Thank you! May I know if I can half this ingredients and try?
Great to hear that! That should work, someone else shared this “I cut ingredients by half and used a 7″ spring form pan and it worked beautifully. Love the creamy texture!” I hope that helps.