Try this Classic Cheesecake Recipe, or contribute your own.
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 1/2 pounds full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 6 whole large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1/3 upfull fat sour cream
- Carbohydrate 11.3680237429036 g
- Cholesterol 105.461851165719 mg
- Fat 35.3110417059737 g
- Fiber 0.280499995408133 g
- Protein 5.61532496511966 g
- Saturated Fat 19.8842042573569 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -20 (113g)
- Sodium 328.512834615184 mg
- Sugar 11.0875237474955 g
- Trans Fat 4.53447449024114 g
- Calories 380 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan lightly with cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well mixed and moistened.
- Using your fingers, press the crumbs into the pan and about 1 inch up the sides.
- Bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Raise oven temperature to 450.
- Place a large roasting pan filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven. (This is what I do in lieu of a water bath, and my cheesecake never cracks!)
- With mixer on medium-high, mix the cream cheese and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and no lumps. Scrape the bowl and beater frequently.
- *Turn mixer to medium and add eggs and yolks, 2 at a time. Scrape bowl and beater.
- With mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Continue mixing until well blended.
- Pour into cooled crust.
- Bake at 450 for ten minutes.
- Reduce oven to 225.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Turn oven off, open the door, and allow the cheesecake to sit in oven for another thirty minutes to an hour.
- Remove cheesecake and cool at room temperature for at least two hours.
- Cover and refrigerate 4-8 hours before serving. The longer your refrigerate the better the texture will be, so overnight is best.
Is the center supposed to jiggle, or should it be completely set before leaving the oven? Bakers often struggle with this exact visual cue because traditional testing methods fail on dense custards. The batter requires ingredients at room temperature, specifically cream cheese and eggs, to prevent lumps from forming during the initial five-minute beating stage.
A proper water bath or a secondary roasting pan filled with water provides ambient steam that regulates heat distribution. This moisture prevents the surface from drying out and cracking while the interior proteins coagulate. High heat applied for the first ten minutes sets the crust and outer perimeter before the temperature drops significantly for the long bake.
Judging doneness relies entirely on physical movement rather than internal temperature probes. The outer two inches of the cake should look firm and matte, while the exact center retains a slight gelatinous wobble when the pan is gently nudged. Overbaking ruins this delicate matrix, resulting in a grainy mouthfeel instead of a velvety slice.
Cooling requires patience to prevent thermal shock and subsequent splitting. The dessert must rest in the turned-off oven for thirty minutes with the door cracked open, followed by a minimum of four to eight hours in the refrigerator. Overnight chilling allows the fats to solidify completely, yielding a dense and sliceable structure.
