A great Cheesecake Recipe doesn’t have to be hard. I’ve got the creamiest, easy to make cheesecake recipe for you, plus tips and tricks to guarantee that it turns out perfect every time!
THE PERFECT MAKE AHEAD DESSERT FOR PARTIES!
First and foremost, you must plan ahead. A cheesecake needs time to set-up properly, preferably overnight, so that means you need to bake it at least one day before you intend to serve it. You can make it up to 3 days in advance! Just store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
the perfect graham cracker crust!
I’m not sure but … the crust just might be my favorite part. The secret is light brown sugar. That, plus a little vanilla extract, gives the crust a rich, sweet flavor that is to die for!
The first thing I hear when someone takes a bite is … “Wow, this crust is amazing!”
use room temperature ingredients.
In order get the smoothest filling possible, start out with room temperature ingredients. Remove the chilled ingredients from the fridge at least a half hour before you’re ready to start baking.
TIP: If you’re in a pinch for time, turn the light in your oven on. Place the cream cheese and butter on a baking tray and pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes. The heat from the oven light is just warm enough to help soften them up a bit faster. Make sure to keep an eye on it so they don’t start to melt!
a cheesecake recipe without eggs?
Whether you have an egg allergy or you just don’t like eggs … You can still enjoy a delicious slice of cheesecake! A few people have asked me why this cheesecake must be baked if it has no eggs? I’ve tried not baking it and just letting it chill overnight but it didn’t set up properly. It must be baked!
Use A Cake Pan for a Leak Proof Water Bath
Use A Cake Pan for a Leak Proof Water BathUse a water-bath when baking cheesecakes! The hot water surrounding the cheesecake creates a gentle heat that bakes the cheesecake more evenly than a dry heat. There will be less cracking on top as well. To create a leak-proof water-bath, place the spring-form pan inside of a wider cake pan before you place it in the water-bath. ( see photo above)
Make sure you watch my short video if you’ve never done this before. You will be thanking me … This is one of my favorite tips! Video Tutorial – How to Create a Water Bath for Cheesecakes!
Did you know you can freeze cheesecake? To freeze, prepare the cheesecake and let it set up in the fridge overnight. Place the cheesecake, unwrapped, in the freezer until frozen solid. Wrap the frozen cheesecake in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap and then wrap with 2-3 layers of foil. Pop it back into the freezer, where it can stay for several months. When you are ready to serve, take it out and let thaw in the fridge overnight.
Other Cheesecake recipe you might like!
- Tiramisu Cheesecake
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
- Chocolate Covered Cheesecake
If you tried this Simple Cheesecake recipe let me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! Make sure to RATE this recipe and leave me a message in the comment section below! Follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM to see more yummy food!
Simple Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cup 127 g graham crackers, crushed (I think honey graham crackers taste the best)
- 1/4 cup 50 g light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup 115 g butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz 500 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup 227 g sugar
- 1 cup 240 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 cup 230 g sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup 30 g flour (or corn starch)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Line the bottom of a 9" spring-form pan with parchment paper.
- Place the crust ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir together with a fork until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the spring-form pan and place in the refrigerator until the cheesecake filling is ready.
Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat oven to 320 degrees.
- Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed until there are no lumps and the cream cheese is smooth. Scrap the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the rest of the ingredients one at a time, beating on low speed until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrap the sides of the bowl between each addition.
- Pour the filling into the pan and gently tap it down on a hard surface to help remove any air bubbles. Prepare water bath (optional, see video for instructions)
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour and then turn the oven off, crack the door and let it cool down for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a sharp knife around the inside rim of the pan to release the cheesecake from the sides. (This will help prevent cracking as it cools)
- Let the cheesecake sit on the counter until it's completely cooled and then place in the refrigerator overnight to set up.
- When you are ready to serve, remove the spring-form pan and let sit out for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
this recipe was originally posted 5/2016 updated 5/2018
Do you use an Instant Pot? I tweaked this recipe and came up with an Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe.
Vijya says
Fabulous recipe- I added lemon juice and rind, my daughter enjoyed snaffling it up