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    Home / Dessert

    Simple Cheesecake Recipe

    Published: May 1, 2020 / Updated: Sep 21, 2023 by Amy / 155 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    An easy, eggless cheesecake recipe with a luscious and creamy filling baked over a deliciously sweetened graham cracker crust. Best of all, we walk you through, step by step with tips and tricks to guarantee that your cheesecake turns out perfect every time!

    A slice of cheesecake on a serving spoon.

    We know a thing or two about cheesecake around here. You name it we've made it! Anything from Oreo Cheesecake to Tiramisu Cheesecake, we sure to have a flavor you'll love.

    But if you are looking for a simple and easy cheesecake recipe, look no more because you've found it!

    This cheesecake contains no eggs, so it's perfect for those with egg allergies. And if you need a gluten-free version, head over to Red's Reality and check out her gluten-free cheesecake recipe.

    Enough talk, let's get to baking!

    Tips for success

    • First and foremost, you must plan ahead when making any cheesecake recipe. 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 this recipe up to 3 days in advance. Just store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
    • 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. 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!
    • My favorite tip when baking cheesecakes is to use a water-bath. The hot water surrounding the cheesecake creates a gentle, even heat that bakes the cheesecake more evenly from the outside in. This results in a perfectly baked cheesecake with no cracks and a perfect consistency all the way through! You'll see tutorials that say to wrap a few layers of foil around the spring-form pan before you put into the water-bath, but that technique has never worked for me. 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. This guarantees that you will not have a leak!

    How to make an eggless cheesecake

    This cheesecake couldn't be easier to make, so let's dive straight into the details!

    Let's start with the 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.

    A graham cracker crust pressed into a spring-form pan.

    Next, the cheesecake filling

    Preheat oven to 320°F. 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. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just combined.

    Easy cheesecake filling in a mixing bowl.

    Pour the filling into the pan and gently tap it down on a hard surface to help remove any air bubbles. Smooth the top.

    Now we bake!

    If using a water bath, prepare it and place into the oven as it preheats. Bake the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, crack the door and let it cool for 1 hour inside the oven.

    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 rest 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.

    How to store and freeze cheesecake

    Store leftovers, covered in the fridge for up to 7 days.

    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.

    3 more eggless cheesecake recipes

    • Vanilla Bean Cheesecake (eggless)
    • Chocolate Covered Cheesecake (eggless)
    • Instant Pot Cheesecake (eggless)
    A slice of cheesecake on a serving spoon.

    Simple Cheesecake Recipe

    Amy Duska
    An easy cheesecake recipe with a luscious and creamy filling baked over a deliciously sweetened graham cracker crust. You'll savor every bite!
    4.92 from 34 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Chill Time 8 hours hrs
    Total Time 9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 311 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Crust

    • 1.5 cup graham crackers crushed
    • ¼ cup light brown sugar
    • ½ cup butter melted
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    Cheesecake Filling

    • 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 cup heavy cream room temperature
    • 1 cup sour cream room temperature
    • ¼ cup flour or corn starch
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    Crust

    • Line the bottom of a 9" spring-form pan with parchment paper. (optional)
    • 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°F.
    • 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. Scrape 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. Scrape 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. Smooth the top with an off-set spatula.
      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 inside the oven.
    • 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

    • To get butter and cream cheese to room temperature quickly use this tip. Place them on a baking tray and put them in the oven with the OVEN LIGHT turned on for about 10 minutes. The heat from the light of the oven should be warm enough to help soften the ingredients. Be careful not to leave them in for too long because they will melt!
    • Store in the fridge, covered for up to 7 days.
    • 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.
    Keyword banana cheesecake recipe, easy cheesecake recipe

    this recipe  was originally posted 5/2016 updated 5/2020

    A simple cheesecake recipe that anyone can make. So easy! AmyintheKitchen.com

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    Comments

    1. sri says

      October 15, 2022 at 10:53 am

      5 stars
      Hi Amy, this is my go to recipe for my husband’s birthday as he is a big cheesecake lover. Now I am planning to make this for a group of 30 and I was wondering if it can be made in a rectangular Pyrex glassware and made into cheesecake bites. Do you think it will give the same end result or is spring pan a must? Thank you for any suggestions.

      Reply
    2. Carolyn says

      April 19, 2022 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      BEST cheesecake recipe ever! Everyone was raving about this cheesecake when I made it. Thanks Amy!!

      Reply
    3. Brianna says

      November 27, 2021 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been using this recipe for about three years! Soooooo good! I developed allergies to poultry in recent years so finding egg free cheesecake is hard! My friends & family love when I make this. I need suggestions though! The last two times my cheesecake came out kind of thin. Half as thick as yours looks Amy. Almost like a tart. Any ideas what I can do to make it thicker? I did not do a water bath this last time either.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        November 28, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        What size spring-form pan are you using? I use a 9"

        Reply
    4. Heather Meza says

      November 24, 2021 at 9:59 am

      4 stars
      This has been my "go-to" for about 3 years now.
      I actually do not use the flour at all, so it would be easy to switch out the crust for a gluten free version.
      The key for me is using a food processor to get it super creamy!

      I also make pumpkin and chocolate variations with a few very easy changes.

      Reply
    5. Annette says

      April 04, 2021 at 12:29 pm

      I made this cheesecake for my family. One member is gluten free and the other cannot eat eggs. I was leary about the outcome since I have only made traditional cheesecakes over the years. Our eyes lit up when we took our first bites! This is an unbelievably delicious cheesecake which does not suffer for the lack of eggs. I did the water bath as suggested and I believe that contributed to the cake’s success as well. This is a winner!

      Reply
    6. Annette says

      March 29, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      I was wondering about the water bath issue. It says it’s optional. Does it matter if it is done in a water bath or not?

      Reply
      • Amy Duska says

        March 30, 2021 at 8:42 am

        Hi Annette, the cheesecake will bake up fine without the water bath. You may end up with some cracking on top which can easily be covered with whipped cream or other decorations like berries.

        Reply
    7. Shriyaa says

      March 23, 2021 at 10:18 pm

      Hey Amy , I want to make a white chocolate cheesecake .. can I use 1 1/2 cups of white chocolate melted with 1/2 cup of heavy cream ? I want to double the recipe .. so instead of 2 cups of heavy cream, can I use this white chocolate mixture ? Please help .

      Reply
      • Amy Duska says

        March 24, 2021 at 9:56 am

        Hi Shriyaa, I haven't tried that before but it makes sense that it should work in this recipe.

        Reply
    8. Tania says

      February 14, 2021 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      I have made this recipe a total of 5 times! It is delicious. The whole family loves it. It has become a staple at our birthdays. Thank you so much!

      Reply
    9. Jessica says

      January 30, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      I made this without the crust and it perfectly hit the spot!

      Reply
    10. NB says

      December 31, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe. The tartness of the sour cream and the sugar tastes great and it's eggless. LOVE IT!!

      Reply
    11. Janine says

      December 14, 2020 at 7:36 pm

      Does it remain a bit jiggly after the hours?

      Reply
      • Janine says

        December 14, 2020 at 7:37 pm

        I mean after the hour of baking. It baked for a little more than an hour and it was still jiggly.

        Reply
        • Amy Duska says

          December 18, 2020 at 12:26 pm

          Yes, it should still be jiggly when it is removed and it will continue to bake as it cools.

    12. KESHA SHAH says

      December 06, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      5 stars
      This is a perfect eggless cheesecake recipe, i have made 3 different flavors with using this recipe and they have come out perfect each time. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    13. Indumathi Kandasamy says

      September 29, 2020 at 10:07 am

      5 stars
      The cheesecake came out perfect, with no cracks! It was super delicious. Thank you so much for this easy eggless cheesecake recipe! 🙂 This is will be my go-to recipe!

      Reply
      • Amy Duska says

        September 29, 2020 at 12:36 pm

        You're very welcome!

        Reply
    14. Tara says

      September 22, 2020 at 9:41 am

      4 stars
      Hi Amy!
      This was such a wonderful recipe! I tried for the first time and it knocked off my senses. Never thought I’d bake a cheesecake at home.
      I added some cinnamon with the cream cheese and less sugar because, I used shortbread biscuits for the crust. Topped it off with a dark chocolate-coffee ganache for fun! Many thanks for this recipe. Cheers X

      Reply
    15. Alex says

      August 23, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Enjoyed this recipe quite a bit! I have made it twice now. I did use a few substitutions:

      1. Used whole milk instead of cream, as that's what I had on hand
      2. Reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup (brings out the flavor of the cream cheese more)
      3. Used 1 TBSP of vanilla extract instead of 2 TSP

      Initially I made this recipe because I had no eggs. But now I actually prefer it to the recipe I had that did include eggs.

      Thanks!

      Reply
    16. Dessert lover says

      July 04, 2020 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      I have been looking for an eggless cheesecake option forever and just recently came across your recipe. As you can imagine couldn't wait to try the recipe. This was the best cheesecake I ever had! Was also a HUGE hit with the crowd! Thanks a ton for sharing this.

      Reply
    17. Omika says

      May 09, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Hi Amy
      Just baked this looks good and is set ! Had kept it in the refrigerator to cool at night however I noticed the butter leaking out - is this ok ? Hopefully it won’t have any effect on the cheesecake

      Reply
    18. Madhu Chatwani says

      May 06, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      was amazing! family loves it! can we use nonfat greek yogurt instead of sour cream if dont have it?

      Reply
      • Amy Duska says

        May 07, 2020 at 8:52 am

        Yes you can

        Reply
    19. Pooja says

      April 20, 2020 at 1:51 am

      Should I bake the crust ?

      Reply
      • Amy Duska says

        April 21, 2020 at 8:18 am

        You can but it is not necessary.

        Reply
    20. Vijya says

      March 22, 2020 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      Fabulous recipe- I added lemon juice and rind, my daughter enjoyed snaffling it up

      Reply
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