---
title: "New York Style Cheesecake Recipe"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/c1e71522-9c9a-4b6a-8fa9-f8855036c52f
source_url: "https://bakewithzoha.com/best-cheesecake/"
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summary: "The Best Cheesecake Recipe is a comprehensive guide to making a perfectly smooth, crack-free New York cheesecake with a golden graham cracker crust and creamy texture. The recipe includes step-by-step photos, video tutorial, and expert tips developed over 3 years of testing to ensure success regardless of baking experience."
tags: "cheesecake, recipe, baking, new-york-style, dessert, tutorial, cooking"
key_entities: "New York cheesecake (concept), water bath (concept), graham cracker crust (concept), Cheesecake Factory (organization), Holly (person), Lemon Meringue Cheesecake (concept), Strawberry Cheesecake (concept)"
classification: "tutorial"
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# New York Style Cheesecake Recipe

↓ Jump to Recipe This is the single best cheesecake recipe you'll ever try . Perfectly smooth and crack-free, it has a golden, crispy graham cracker crust, and a beautifully balanced flavor that is not too sweet nor too tangy. But what truly sets it apart is its unbelievably creamy , rich, melt-in-your mouth texture (not dry, eggy or crumbly - I'm looking at you, Cheesecake Factory!). It tastes like pure luxury, yet is surprisingly easy to make. Honestly, it puts all other New York cheesecakes to shame, and once you try it, you will never go back! I'm a cheesecake fanatic (seriously, I used to eat 3 slices a day back in freshman year), so when I call this cheesecake the "best", it is not an exaggeration. I have meticulously tested and perfected this recipe over 3 years. It includes a video tutorial, step by step photos, and detailed tips to help you nail it, too, regardless of your baking experience. My family loves New York cheesecake. The two connoisseurs both stopped after the first bite and said with a stunned look on their faces, " Oh, wow. We have not known cheesecake until now ." - Holly , ★★★★★ How to make cheesecake (step by step photos) You can find the detailed recipe in the recipe card below, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything. Start by bringing all ingredients to room temperature: 1. Make the crust Brush a 9" springform pan with butter. Then line it with parchment paper on the bottom and sides. This will not only help release the cheesecake easily, it will also prevent the cheesecake from cracking as it cools down. Grind graham crackers and sugar into a fine crumb. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Press the crumbs into the pan to form a tightly packed crust - taking your time in this step will help achieve an even, crispy crust. Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes and set aside. Once cooled, wrap the pan in aluminum foil on the outside to prepare for the water bath. Do you really need to pre-bake the crust? I know many recipes skip this step, and the crust is baked along with the cheesecake filling. However, I have tested both methods, and find that pre-baking for just a few minutes results in a more crispy and less oily crust. It takes no extra effort, you just need to plop in and out of the oven that you're preheating anyway - so def do it. 2. Prepare the cheesecake batter First, add the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla to a bowl. Whisk for 3-5 minutes until smooth and well-combined, scraping multiple times as you go. Break and lightly whisk the eggs separately, then add to the batter. Whisk on low speed until the eggs are just combined. Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Whisk on low speed just until the ingredients are incorporated. 3. Bake & cool Pour the batter on top of the baked crust, then gently tap out air bubbles. Bake the cheesecake low and slow in a water bath (more details below!). Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight. Carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a serving stand when ready to serve. This cheesecake is phenomenal on its own, but if you want to add even more *pizzazz* to it, you can upgrade it into a Lemon Meringue Cheesecake with lemon curd and meringue on top, or a Strawberry Cheesecake by adding fresh strawberry compote on top! My secret to the creamiest texture My secret to the signature creamy texture of this cheesecake is to slightly underbake it. Most people overbake their cheesecake, resulting in an eggy, dry texture. This cheesecake is baked for only 75-80 minutes, until the edges are set and firm but the middle is still very jiggly. It is then chilled overnight to set, giving you the silkiest, most luscious cheesecake. Do you really need a water bath? In short, yes, absolutely! I know they can seem intimidating, but water baths are crucial for cheesecakes. A water bath is actually quite simple: you wrap your springform pan in 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on the outside, place it in a larger baking tray filled with ~1-2" of boiling water, and place that in the oven to bake. Because the water surrounding the cheesecake never exceeds 212F (100C), it helps the cheesecake heat more slowly and evenly while creating steam that keeps the top smooth and crack-free. Some recipes suggest placing a separate pan of water on the lower rack instead, but I put this to test, and here are the mindblowing results: The cheesecake baked without a proper water bath is uneven, wrinkled, and slightly overcooked at the edges. The one with a proper water bath is lighter in color, perfectly smooth and straight, and evenly baked all around. No filter, no tricks - the proof is in the pudding. Bottom line: water baths may create slightly more work, but they're 100% worth it. Final tips before you make it Use a good quality, airtight springform pan. An older or loose pan will allow water to seep in. I love this spring-form pan Use high quality, full-fat ingredients , especially cream cheese (use blocks like Philadelphia), heavy whipping cream and sour cream. Don't have access to sour cream? Check out my easy homemade sour cream recipe ! Bring the ingredients to room temperature for at least 2 hours before starting so they mix evenly Scrape your bowl and whisk / paddle attachment multiple times while making the filling to prevent unmixed lumps of cream cheese Don't over-whisk the eggs and creams . Whisk on low speed only until combined (30 seconds or less) - overmixing can incorporate a lot of air, which we want to avoid Avoid sudden changes in temperature . Don't open the oven door in the middle of baking, and let the cheesecake cool at room temperature before putting in the fridge Don't rush the chilling process! Refrigerate overnight to allow the cheesecake to properly set while retaining its creamy texture Print clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description The only cheesecake recipe you'll ever need: easy to make, ultra creamy, rich and luscious with a beautifully balanced flavor. Ingredients Copy to clipboard Copy to clipboard Crust: 190g Graham Crackers ( 12 full graham cracker sheets)* 3 tbsp granulated sugar ( 35g ) - see notes if you want to skip the sugar* 5 tbsp melted unsalted butter ( 70g ) Cheesecake: 32 oz full-fat cream cheese (4 8oz blocks or 910g ), room temperature* 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ( 325g ) ½ tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract, but paste is superior) 4 large eggs, room temperature ½ cup full-fat heavy cream ( 120g ), room temperature 1 cup full-fat sour cream ( 240g ), room temperature* 2 - 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice* Serving: Extra heavy cream or berries for decoration (optional) Instructions Prep: Bring all ingredients to room temperature Preheat oven to 325F (conventional / no fan) Prepare a 9" springform pan . Lightly brush softened butter inside the pan and line it with parchment paper (I recommend a parchment circle on the base, and a separate strip of parchment along the sides of the pan). Wrap the pan tightly with 2-3 large sheets of aluminum foil on the outside (you can do this after the crust has baked, too) Crust: Grind the Graham crackers and sugar in a food processor until they form a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined Transfer the crust ingredients to the prepared pan. Pack very tightly using the back of a measuring cup. You can push a little up the edges, or leave it all on the bottom for a slightly thicker crust Bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for ~7-8 min, then remove from the oven Cheesecake: First, whisk the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla for ~3-5 min until well combined and creamy. Keep scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle / whisk to ensure everything combines evenly. I recommend using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer Break the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk lightly. Don't overbeat because if the eggs get airy they will give a spongy texture to the cheesecake. Add them to the batter slowly and mix at a low speed until JUST combined Add the cream, sour cream, and lemon juice and mix at low speed until just combined. Keep scraping the bowl and whisk / paddle Pour the batter into the baked crust. Gently tap the cheesecake pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles; this will help prevent cracking Place a large tray in the oven and fill it with 1-2 inches of boiling water. Place the cheesecake pan in the water and bake for about ~75-80 min. Don't open the oven until at least 70 minutes. When done, the cheesecake should be set at the edges but be very jiggly in the middle (like jello!) Cool the cheesecake for 2-3 hours at room temp. After this, place it in the fridge and chill overnight, uncovered (8+ hours) Serving: Once the cheesecake has chilled overnight, carefully remove it from the pan and transfer to a serving stand. If there are any imperfections, you can use a hot offset spatula to smooth them out Optionally, decorate the cheesecake with plain whipped cream and / or berries Serve and enjoy! Video Tutorial: Notes *Parchment paper: Make sure to put a parchment circle on the bottom of the pan and parchment strips on the sides. The parchment on the sides will help make sure the cheesecake doesn't stick to the edges of the pan. Cheesecake shrinks slightly as it cools after baking, and if it is stuck to the edges of the pan, it can crack. The parchment paper prevents this issue. * Graham crackers: You can substitute them with Wheat Digestives in some parts of the world *Sugar in crust: You can skip the sugar in the crust if you prefer. If you do that, update the quantities to 225g graham crackers (15 full sheets) and 85g melted butter (6 tbsp). *Cream cheese: Make sure to use full-fat cream cheese that comes in blocks, not tubs. Philadelphia is always a safe choice *Sour cream: If you can't find sour cream where you live, you can make your own at home with this recipe *Lemon juice : Please don't omit this! It adds a beautiful fresh tangy flavor that complements the cream cheese beautifully Make ahead: You can bake this cheesecake up to 2 days ahead of time, and keep it refrigerated in the springform pan. After the first night of chilling, cover the cheesecake with cling wrap. Remove from pan and decorate when ready to serve Freezing : This cheesecake can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months; just make sure to cover it with cling wrap and place it in an airtight container. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving Prep Time: 30 minutes Chilling Time: 12 hours Cook Time: 75 minutes Category: Cheesecakes, Dessert Method: Baking Cuisine: American More Cheesecakes No Bake Mango Ice Cream Cheesecake No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cups Mini Cheesecake Pavlovas No Bake Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake