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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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.
Followed your instructions and this was the best cheesecake I’ve ever made! My friends and family loved it!!! Not one crack and it was super creamy.
Hi Reyna! That’s wonderful! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thank you for the feedback.
I love this recipe! I have a chocolate cheesecake recipe I love, but I want it to be as light as this one. Could I add 8-12 oz of melted chocolate to this? How would that affect baking time? Have you ever made a chocolate cheesecake?
Hi Linda! I haven’t tested that to advise. Let us know how it turns out if you experiment.
So I used a chocolate graham cracker crust. I added 12 oz of melted semi-sweet chocolate to the batter. It didn’t all fit in, but that was all right. It baked beautifully. After it was cool, I melted 4 oz of bittersweet chocolate, 1/4 cup of whipping cream together. Then I added 1 tsp vanilla extract. I spread this over the top. It was delicious! Still light, but chocolate!
Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, Linda. We’re glad that you enjoyed it!
Hi! I just made this last night. Everything looked great when it came out of the oven. The cheesecake was nice and white with no cracks — just very minimal browning. I followed the instructions exactly.
I let it sit overnight in the fridge and this morning when I cut into it, it was still soupy in the center. I let it sit in the fridge for a few more hours and it still seems to be soupy at the very center. The outer edges have decent firmness and texture. It tastes great but doesn’t have that consistent texture throughout. I’m not sure if you might have an idea of what could’ve gone wrong. Thank you!
Hi Michelle, it sounds like it either needed more time to bake or water got into it. It’s hard to say without being there of course. I recommend checking to ensure your oven truly is calibrated and heats to the desired temperature when on.
This exact same thing happened to mine. Would it be okay to put the cheesecake back into the oven to bake more as I do believe this is not all the way done.
Hi, yes, not all ovens are the same so it’s a great idea to watch visual cues and put it back in the oven if it doesn’t seem done. It’s pretty forgiving – I wouldn’t worry about over-baking.
Okay awesome thank you. Would you recommend that I do the same method of baking even after this has been sitting in the refrigerator all night? Please advise as this was also my very first cheesecake so I’m not sure what to do exactly. Thank you 😊
Ashley, I haven’t tested putting it back in the oven after setting to advise if that will work or not. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Good Morning Natasha, I’m having a luncheon for 12 ladies and I would like to make this cheesecake but think it would be easier to cut in 12 pieces if I baked it in a parchment lined 9 x 13 glass pan. Any thoughts?
Hi Linda! I really haven’t tested this in another size pan to advise.
This cheesecake recipe is delicious! I love your recipes. I received many compliments on my cheesecake. Thank you.
That’s great to hear. So glad it was a hit!
Thank you for sharing this cheesecake recipe. It is absolutely delicious! I would like to know is it possible to Make a chocolate chip cheesecake from this recipe?
Hi Colleen! I’m so glad you loved it. I have not tested that to advise. If you experiment, please let us know how it turns out.
I followed the directions exactly and ended up with a big crack, any idea what would have caused it? The top also browned in the first 15 minutes, I’m thinking I need to move the rack down a bit in the oven. Bummed about the crack though. It happened within the first 30 minutes of baking. Hoping it tastes great!
Hi Kelly! It could be the position of your oven rack. It could also happen if the oven temperature runs too hot, or if your ingredients were too cold. I would recommend getting an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure your oven is calibrated correctly.
It is possible to make the graham cracker crust thicker by doubling the ingredients?
Hi Mel! Doubling the ingredients will give you more crust to work with. I’m not sure how it holds together or if you would need to pre-bake the crust longer. Let us know if you experiment.
Hi Natasha! I am so thrilled to share with you that the cheesecake turned out to be an absolute delight for the taste buds. I baked one day ahead of Thanksgiving. I was afraid that it would end up cracking, but no. I followed the instructions to the dot and it was so creamy, light and perfect. The hard part was to keep the family away from it while baking, cooling outside and cooling in the fridge with notes everywhere “do not open the oven”, “do not touch”, “do not eat” Lol.
Thank you!
Hi Vani! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. We love this cheesecake. It’s hard not to sneak a bite early!
Hello! I made this cheesecake and the flavor is delicious and I looked to cook perfectly in color no cracks or anything. This is the first time I’m making a cheesecake. I had it set overnight in the springform pan covered. I went to cut it and it came out as a clean cut but the texture was so creamy and smooth almost like a custard? Would you say I undercooked it?
Hi Jessica! That could be the case. Did you measure all the ingredients correctly? Or make any substitutions?
Thanks for such a quick response! Yes everything was measured out only thing that might have thrown it off actually now that I think of it was 2 of my eggs were a double yolk, maybe that could have messed with it?
That’s very possible, if they were on the larger size.
Hi Natasha, do you think I can use heavy duty aluminum foil roasting pan for the water bath? I don’t want to buy a nice roasting pan just for the cheesecake
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha, So I will be making your amazing NY style cheesecake for dessert on Thanksgiving Day as well as the Pumpkin Pie. I have a Convection oven what temperature should I put it on for my cheesecake? You stated conventional over convection would be best. Thank you.
Hi Anna, I don’t have a convection oven to know what adjustments need to be made. I recommend reading the user manual or doing a quick Google search to see if there are any changes to baking with convection. I wish I could be more helpful.
My first time making cheesecake. Still in the oven. Everything looks fine except the face of the cake browned and yours is white like snow. Any tricks or ideas why?
Hi Zoey, I hope you love this recipe. The browning can happen if the oven temperature is too high. I like to use an In oven thermometer (affiliate link) to ensure my oven is heating correctly. If your heating element is on top, make sure to adjust your oven rack appropriately so the cheesecake isn’t too close.
Also- did you skip the water bath? The moisture from that should help prevent browning on top. I hope that helps.
Can I do add-ins in this recipe? Like cookies, peanut butter or peanut cups?
Hi Judi! I have not tested any add-ins to advise. Let us know if you experiment.
Hello, if you do add chocolate chips, can you please, on the results? I would like to try the recipe with chocolate chips for my sons, but I’m not sure how.
As someone who loves to bake this recipe was easy to follow and felt foolproof. It turned out pretty well for someone who has never made cheesecake.
Thank you
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that.
My first ever cheesecake was using this recipe. I followed the instructions and tutorial exactly. It came out perfect. So light and creamy.
So good to hear that it was a huge success!
Natasha, thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s FANTASTIC! My whole family loves it, and requests it often. As a matter of fact, my daughter is getting married in May 2024, and has requested I make them the cheesecake for their cake!
I’d like to do this in smaller pans and am hoping you can guide me. I’d like to make a 6″ cake for them, then several cupcake size for the dessert table. Are you able to share with me baking times for each and any other tips?
That’s so awesome, Kim! How exciting! I haven’t tested this in. 6″ pan to advise, so it may require some experimentation. This recipe currently serves 12 for a 9” spring form pan. My best guess would be that you could decrease the number of servings in the recipe card to 6 or so(this will convert the ingredients list). I hope that helps. Let us know the results if you experiment. You will also have to watch it in the oven. I am not sure how much faster it would bake. For cupcake size cheesecake, we have this Mini Cheesecakes recipe you may like. Simply change out the topping for what you would like.
Okay, I’ll give that a try and let you know when I’ve found the solution. Thank you!
Hi Natashas, I want to give this a try as it seems pretty straight forward. I do not have a stand up mixer. Would the standard hand held beater attachment NOT be a good idea? I understand that will probably introduce some aeration. Don’t want ti to be a “flop”. Thank you!
Hi David, while I haven’t tried this recipe, one of our readers mentioned a hand mixer would work great!
Thank you Natasha! Will let you know I make out. First time trying a cheesecake. 🙂
I made a cheese cake for the first time in my life. I followed the recipe and it was very delicious. Today I made it for the second time. Did not cut through it yet but the top turned brown. Any suggestions to prevent this the next time?
Hi Monica! I’m glad you loved it. This can happen if the oven temperature is too high. I like to use an In oven thermometer (affiliate link) to ensure my oven is heating correctly. If your heating element is on top, make sure to adjust your oven rack appropriately so the cheesecake isn’t too close.
Also- did you skip the water bath? The moisture from that should help prevent browning on top. I hope that helps.
Thank you so much for your instructions and pictures for the cheesecake. I can’t tell you how many recipes I have tried and always have a huge crack! With your recipe, no crack! It was for my sons birthday and it got rave reviews from his friends! Thank you!!!
That’s wonderful, Marcie! So glad it was helpful. Thank you for sharing.