New York Cheesecake Recipe Made Simple
Yes, we all know cheesecake is the best but its also a STRUGGLE to make. They either turn out under baked, over baked, over mixed, or cracked on top. You cant win. So I made it my mission to create a simple and delicious New York cheesecake recipe.
Follow along with my cheesecake baking tips and youll be a pro in no time. If you bake this cheesecake for your friends or family, they wont believe it when they find out it ISNT from a bakery. Its just that good!
New York Style Cheesecake: Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cheesecake crack?
1. The batter was over mixed thus creating tiny air bubbles all throughout the batter. Remember, low and slow when mixing. 2. Dont skip the water bath! Make sure you pour in the hot water, place the cheesecake, and quickly close the door to prevent the steam from escaping the oven.3. The sides of the springform pan were not completely covered. Completely cover the sides of the pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking. As it cools, the cheesecake shrinks. But if the cake is stuck to the sides, that tension will cause cracks in the center.4. The cheesecake was exposed to a temperature shock. Dont pull the cheesecake straight out of the oven when baked. Allow it slowly cool for an hour in the oven, and then cool at room temperature before placing in the refrigerator.
How do I cover up a cracked New York cheesecake?
If your cheesecake does crack, dont worry! It will still be delicious. If you want to cover it up, you can either top with fresh fruit, homemade fruit sauce , or a sour cream topping. Mix 2 cups sour cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and spread it on top of the cooled cheesecake.
Can I make this recipe gluten free?
Yes, the only gluten ingredient in this recipe is the graham crackers. Simply replace them with your favorite gluten free alternative such as gluten free graham crackers or any gluten free crispy cookie.
What can I substitute for the sour cream?
What Youll Need To Make A Classic New York Cheesecake
This recipe makes a classic New York-style cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust and rich, dense filling made from cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, a hint of lemon, and a few tablespoons of flour.
Cream cheese is the key ingredient, so I recommend using a good brand, like Philadelphia. Though it is used most often as a spread for bagels, cream cheese is used to make many wonderful desserts, like pumpkin cheesecake, no-churn ice cream, trifles, and frosting.
Flour might seem like an unusual addition not all cheesecake recipes incorporate it but its the secret to success. A little starch helps prevent the cake from cracking and also makes the filling lighter and fluffier.
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How Do You Keep Your Cheesecake From Cracking
Grease your pan!
Even the best New York cheesecake will end up cracking if you dont grease the pan. The cheesecake shrinks as it cooks. If any part of the cheesecake sticks to your pan as it cooks, it will pull from the sides and produce cracks in the middle.
The second tip is to bake it low and slow. Then once its cooked, turn the oven off and LEAVE IT IN THE OVEN for another 2 hours or longer. DO NOT open the oven or jiggle the cheesecake.
Lastly, do not remove it from your pan until it is nice and chilled.
What Ingredients Do You Need To Make New York Cheesecake
- Graham Cracker Crumbs a key ingredient for a graham cracker crust.
- White Granulated Sugar sweeten up your dessert.
- Melted Butter dont worry, its just for your crust.
- Cream Cheese a must have for any cheesecake high quality, full fat is your best choice.
- Eggs a good cheesecake needs fat, and eggs not only hold it together but add that extra fat.
- Flour just a hint to hold it together.
- Heavy Cream more fat, and flavor!
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New York Cheesecake Baking Tips
Patience is key when baking a cheesecake. Both the preparation, mixing, and baking are taken slow and steady. If you ever struggle with baking ANY cheesecake, not just this New York cheesecake recipe, youll find these tips very useful!
Following these 5 steps will not only help you with this New York cheesecake recipe, but any cheesecake recipe. Just remember to keep everything low and slow, bring your ingredients to room temperature, and ALWAYS use a water bath.
Tips For Baking A Perfect New York Cheesecake:
If youre new to making any kind of cheesecake, there are a few tips to remember. I wish Id been warned before I started making a cheesecake for my husbands birthday! Learn from my mistakes. Remember that it takes a long time for cheesecake to cook.
- This New York Cheesecake cooks for FOUR hours. If you want a perfect flat top, no crack cheesecake, you cant cut corners. Which means a long and low cook.
- Cracking usually happens because of two reasons. You over beat your mixture adding in extra air or you shock your cheesecake from a hot oven to a cool room without allowing it to slowly drop in temperature in the oven.
- If you are making a cheesecake that is larger or smaller than a 9 pan, youll need to adjust your baking times. Those who have tried a larger cheesecake with the same baking time have had more of a cheesecake pudding than they desired.
- Vanilla or any other flavoring is not required for this recipe. It is NOT a mistake in the recipe. Trust me, it will taste amazing.
- Choose high quality ingredients and trust that the extra cost will be worth it.
- For the best results, room temperature ingredients are a must. However Ive made this cheesecake with cold ingredients and its turned out great. However if cracking is something you worry about, then use room temperature ingredients.
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Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe
This show-stopping dessert is restaurant quality… but so easy to make!
- Perfect for celebrations – this classic New York Baked Cheesecake recipe is my go-to for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, dinner parties… absolutely any event when I need an impressive looking and deliciously tasting dessert!
- 5 Star recipe – have a read through all of the 5 star reader reviews below. This recipe is certainly well LOVED!
- Flawless, crack-free cheesecake – follow my top tips for a perfect baked cheesecake every single time!
- Conventional and Thermomix– this cheesecake recipe can be made conventionally or in a Thermomix. You will find both the conventional and Thermomix methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Luscious & creamy – baking the cheesecake low and slow ensures a super creamy and soft filling. It’s simply decadent….
- Most popular cheesecake – a New York Baked Cheesecake is the all-time classic cheesecake! Popular worldwide, this is the number 1cheesecake recipe you need in your life.
- Perfect for beginners – whether you’ve been baking cheesecakes for years, or are just starting out, my tips and step by step instructions will ensure a crack-free perfectly baked cheesecake!
The Day Before You Plan To Serve The Cheesecake:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make and bake the cake crust as directed and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
Step 2
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if your mixer has one, beat 1 package of the cream cheese, cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each.
Step 3
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. The filling will look light, creamy, airy, and almost like billowy clouds. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.
Step 4
Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes halfway up the side of the springform. Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the cake still feels soft around the edge, let it bake for 10 minutes more . Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours . Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold before serving, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.
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Easy New York Cheesecake
by RichandDelish · This post may contain affiliate links ·
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This new york cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and bakes with no water bath and no cracks! We found the perfect classic cheesecake recipe that you will keep in your recipe book for life.
This classic cheesecake recipe is freezer-friendly, make-ahead, and turns out perfect every time. Making baked cheesecake can be intimidating at times, this is why we got all the best tips and tricks for the perfect classic cheesecake.
Keep reading for our tips and tricks for how to get a perfect classic cheesecake.
- There is no water bath involved.
- This recipe uses super simple ingredients.
- Turns out perfect every time!
- Bakes at a low-temperature help to ensure that the cheesecake doesnt crack.
- This recipe is a make-ahead recipe, so its perfect to make the day before a gathering.
- Everyones favorite dessert. I mean, who doesnt like cheesecake?
- You can top this cake with any topping that youd like, this step allows you to make this cheesecake your own!
For The Cheesecake Filling:
Cream cheese- the most important ingredient in this recipe, is the cream cheese. Make sure that you are using full-fat cream cheese, for a cheesecake with no cracks, it’s important that you use full-fat cream cheese and make sure that its at room temperature.
Granulated sugar- you will need one cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The cheesecake will be sweet, but not too sweet. One cup of sugar is the perfect balance of sweetness for this recipe.
Eggs- you will need 4 large eggs for this recipe. To get a perfect classic cheesecake, make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.
Vanilla extract–vanilla extract adds extra flavor.
Lemon zest- the lemon zest adds an aroma and a light flavor to this cake. Dont worry, this cheesecake will not taste like a lemon cheesecake.
Sour cream- we suggest using full-fat sour cream for this recipe. The sour cream makes the cheesecake batter creamier and lighter.
Flour- you can either use flour or cornstarch. for a gluten-free filling, replace the flour with cornstarch.
A pinch of salt- helps to balance the flavors.
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Equipment To Bake A New York Cheesecake At Home
You might already have these tools in your kitchen. Baking cheesecake doesnt require a ton of gear so if youre missing something, its easily attainable.
Thats it! If you make a sauce for topping, you will need a small sauce pan which most kitchens have. The most important thing is to have a spring form pan. You cant make cheesecake without it!
Finishing Off This Philadelphia Cream Cheese New York Style Cheesecake
Usually, New York-style cheesecakes are topped off with a delicious juicy strawberry or cherry sauce! These sauces help give a final touch of sweetness to this tangy cheesecake. It just helps balance the tartness that the sour cream adds. You can also really play around with the textures of these sauces.
That being said, we also absolutely love adding a salted caramel sauce or even just a chocolate glaze. Any sweet topping will do wonders for the overall flavor of the cheesecake.
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How To Prepare New York Cheesecake
To make New York cheesecake, start by melting the butter and leave to cool until warm in the meantime, place the biscuits in a mixer 1 and blend them into a powder 2. Place them in a bowl and add the butter 3.
Stir with a spoon to obtain a uniform mixture 4 now take a 86 in diameter spring cake mold and line the base with parchment paper. Add half of the biscuits and press down with the back of a spoon 6.
Use the remaining biscuits to line the edge of the mold 7. Once you have covered the entire surface, leave the base for your New York cheesecake to harden in the refrigerator to for 30 minutes, or 15 minutes in the freezer. In the meantime, prepare the cream: take a bowl, add an egg, one yolk, the sugar 8 and whisk to make a cream 9.
Add the seeds of half a vanilla pod and add to the egg mix 11. Gradually add the cream cheese 12
and continue to whisk 13. Once you have incorporated all the cheese, add the lemon juice 14 and the cornstarch 15.
Now add the cream 16, delicately whisking all the while 17. Remove the biscuit base from the refrigerator and pour the mixture over it 18.
Gently smooth the surface and bake in a static oven preheated to 320°F for 60 minutes, then at 340°F for another 20 minutes. Once baked, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake to cool inside with the door open. In the meantime you can make the topping. Take a bowl, add the sour cream and the seeds of half a vanilla pod you saved for later stir with a spatula.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese New York Cheesecake Recipe
This Philadelphia cream cheese New York cheesecake recipe is a refreshing tangy change to too often overly sweet cheesecakes! It is deliciously creamy and smooth and has the perfect dense yet soft texture.
Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think about it in the comments below! And, you can even share it with your baking community!
- Non-stick baking paper and cooking spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Silicone or rubber spatula
- 1 1/2cupsGraham crackers, crushed
- 1/3cupsalted butter, melted
- 1/4cupcaster sugar
- 5packets Philadelphia cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1cupcaster sugar, sifted
- 2tbspall-purpose flour
- 1cupsour cream, room temperature
- 4large eggs, room temperature
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Classic New York Cheesecake
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With this recipe, a creamy, gorgeous, crack-free New York-style cheesecake is totally doable, even for beginners!
Cheesecake is my husband, Michaels, favorite dessert. In fact, the first time I met my future mother-in-law over 20 years ago, she told me the way to her sons heart was through his stomach and whenever she wanted him to do anything as a child, she bribed him with a slice of NY cheesecake. A traditional lady she may be, but I got the message loud and clear: learn to make a good cheesecake!
Though the ingredients are simple, cheesecake can be a little intimidating to make. Because cheesecake is a custard, it needs to be baked gently in a water bath, and you have to worry about the surface of the cake cracking, as well as over or undercooking. However, with the right recipe and a few pointers, a creamy, crack-free NY-style cheesecake is totally doable, even for beginners.
Tips And Tricks To Make A Philadelphia Cream Cheese New York Cheesecake Recipe
- For an even crumb, use a flat measuring cup to press the crumb into the springform pan. You can also simply use an offset spatula if you have one on hand.
- When making a cheesecake, always use room-temperature ingredients. This will help prevent a lumpy batter and over-mixing the ingredients to properly combine them.
- If you dont like a Graham cracker crust, there are a ton of other crust options you can choose from. They include using vanilla wafers, coconut biscuits, and even ginger biscuits instead. But remember, a classic New York-style cheesecake uses Graham cracker crusts.
- Use a sharp paring knife or pallet knife to loosen the cheesecake before trying to get it out of the springform cake pan. Simply run the knife around the rim of the cheesecake. Then, slowly loosen the sides dont just pull it! You can leave the bottom on or try and remove it too.
- To more evenly bake your cheesecake try using a water bath. Make sure to use a proper water bath, specifically for baking cheesecakes.
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