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 Natsha,
I tried your recipe and it come out delicious. I also tried your mini cheesecake (also delicious by the way) but was wondering if I can use the mini cheese cake ingredients to make a big one like this one. The ingredients are slightly different and was just wondering why and if it will work.
Hi Carolina, good to know that you loved it! You may use the recipe for this full-size cheesecake.
Hi Natasha! This looks great, but I only have a 7 inch springform pan. Do you think I can decrease the amount of each ingredient by 0.75 to make it fit? Thanks!
Hi Audrey, I have not made this in a smaller pan. I think that could work. You’d have to experiment with it.
Question – how would I adjust the recipe/time if I wanted to do mini cheesecakes in my cupcake tin?
Hi Katie, You can try my Mini Cheesecakes recipe. I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha! Great recipe! I’ve made it for family and always a hit. One question. I was asked to make it for work. How do I transfer the pie from the metal center round piece (front the spring foam pan) to a cardboard center piece to put in a cake box? Doesn’t look like the crumb bottom will hold up for that type of transfer. Thanks!!
Hi Kim! You could probably use a long, flat spatula to release the crust from the pan bottom. After that, using the spatula, slightly lift the cheesecake on one side just enough to slide the cake board underneath that lifted edge. From here, you should be able to slide the cheesecake right onto the cake board.
I don’t know what I did wrong. Everything looked amazing before I baked it. I followed every step. When I took it out of the oven, the top looked too brown. When we had it today, part of the center wasn’t cooked. It tasted great, but not the results I was hoping for. What did I do wrong?
Hi Marina, it sounds like your oven could be running a little hot causing the outside to crust and cook before the inside. I recommend getting an internal oven thermometer. You may need to adjust your oven temperature to allow more even baking.
This has ended up being the most requested cheesecake I make lol! Such a good recipe.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Jessica!
Hi Natasha! Love all your recipes! They always work great for me except for this one. I think I really messed up somehow. I pulled it up out of the foil and there was a ton of water in there and my crust is now soaked. I did use a 10 inch pan so I’m wondering if that was the cause and I put it into a turkey pan as well since I had nothing else. The cheese part turned out looking so good but the water! So sad!
Hi Diana! I’m sorry, what a pain. I don’t think it was the pan size, it sounds like there wasn’t a good seal and that allowed water to seep in. These instructions are in step 3. I hope you try it again, with better results of course.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it always turns out wonderful. For a little bit different spin … use Gingersnaps in place of graham crackers. Extra crunchy and a nice little kick.
Awesome, thank you for the tip! I’ll make sure to try that next time.
I have only a hand mixer, how would I use it for the cheesecake/
Hi Larry, one of our readers mentioned a hand mixer would work great!
Hi Natasha,
I only have 10” pans. How should I adjust the recipe?
Hi Jacki, I haven’t tested this in a 10-inch pan so you will have to experiment, but it should bake up a little faster in a 10″ springform.
I have made your recipe several times now and it always comes out great. Thanks for sharing an easy to make but delicious recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Larry!
Best cheesecake EVER!!! Just threw out my old recipe. Can this be made into a key lime cheesecake? If so…How?
Thanks in advance and..МОЛИТВИ ЗА УКРАЇНУ
I’m so glad it’s your favorite, Jordine! I haven’t tested that as a key lime cheesecake, I imagine adding a zest, extract or juice may work, If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
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 sharing, Natalia! I love to hear how my readers recreate my recipes and I’m sure many will find this very helpful. 🙂
Hi! I’m planning on making this for my boyfriend and I, but it seems to make a large cheesecake which is too much for just the two of us. Could I half the recipe and use a smaller pan so the height is the same, it is just smaller in circumference? If so, would baking time change? Thanks!!
Hi! Yes- this recipe serves 12. If you scroll down to the recipe card and put your cursor over the “12” in red, you can adjust the servings amount for the recipe. If you have a smaller pan that would be great. I have not tested this so I don’t know what size would be best. You may also have to adjust the baking time so keep an eye on this and check more often. Good luck!
Hi, Natasha,
I just made this cheesecake for the first time. It looks beautiful and is absolutely delicious!
I did have a little difficulty getting the cheesecake out of the springform pan. It started to crack. It finally came out but I lost some of the sides. Any suggestions on how to get it out without losing some of the sides.
Hi Sita, make sure to run a knife or thin spatula around the edges before you remove the springform pan.
Hi Natasha,
I made the cheesecake for a co- worker. I didn’t taste it, until I got to work. It was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make it again. Thanks for the spatula around the pan trick. Sita
Hello there Sita, great to hear that you loved the taste of the cheesecake. Thank you for the review!
Made this recipe. Firstly the volume of mixture was a lot for 9inch tin – way too come cream cheese – it seemed like you used 3.5 packets of cream cheese in the video yet the recipe has 4.5 (a LOT)
The cake coloured on top (it was a fan forced oven) and despite following the timing / temps exactly – the middle of the cake towards the biscuits was still raw and uncooked. Disappointed. Tasted good though but wont be making it again.
Hi, I checked over the recipe to be sure, but the recipe is correct. It sounds like maybe you are using a springform pan with short walls or a regular cake pan possibly. Your pan should have at least 3″ tall walls or it will overwhelm the pan. Also, this recipe is written for conventional oven settings (not convection which would need modifications). Be sure to give the cake a wiggle and check for doneness with the visual cues I listed to ensure it is baked through. I hope that helps for making cheesecake next time.
I just put the cheesecake in the refrigerator to cool overnight, so we haven’t tasted it, but the top is smooth and even, but slightly brown. Did I cook it too long? I follwed your irections exactly, Just wondering…hoping it will taste great anyway.
Hi Cate, it should be alright if you followed the instructions as it is. Please update us on how it goes.
This is without a doubt the best cheesecake!! IF you follow the step by step instructions EXACTLY, yours will look just like you see in the video/picture
It’s been a big hit each time my husband has made it!!
I’m so happy to hear this was a hit, Vivian! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Always wanted to try & make a cheesecake, saw your recipe, and thought I can do this…and I sure did turned out perfect…my husband said it was the best cheesecake he’s ever had…..Thanks for the video & your step by step instructions. Your hard work really shows, your recipes are always a big hit.
Nice one, Angie. I’m glad you tried this recipe and loved it!
Second time making this.. first time turned out great second time I used off brand ingredients and followed recipe to the letter and my off brand cheesecake came out with the middle undercooked not sure where I went wrong other than using off brand ingredients
Hi Topher, it’s really hard for me to tell since I was not there when you did it the second time around but it’s definitely with the change of ingredients since the first time worked great.
Are you sure to bake this cheesecake at 450° for one hour. Mine is almost black on the top and I still have 20 minutes left! I have never had a problem with a cheesecake… I always bake it at 350° but I decided to go with the perfect cheesecake recipe. What the heck?
Hi Jan! It looks like you missed the step. See step two in the recipe: “450˚F for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 225˚F” The cake should be baked at 225˚F for 60+ minutes.
This is the best cheese cake recipe I’ve ever made!! Thanks a ton.
I was wondering if i can follow the same recipes but fold in the egg whites towards the end. Will that result in a lighter cheese cake? Or will it crack.
I’m so glad you found a new favorite, Rakhi! I haven’t tried that at the end. It will likely alter the outcome. If you happen to try that, please let me know how it goes!