\nThis creamy cheesecake recipe is one of my post popular dessert recipes! Rich and creamy, with a classic graham cracker crust, it\u2019s even better than the cheesecake factory cheesecake. Store this recipe in the springform pan for up to 5 days. Delicious with whipped cream on top!<\/p>\n
Best Cheesecake Recipe
\nFew things in life are better than sinking your fork into a slice of cheesecake! From the crunchy graham cracker crust to the silky smooth cream cheese filling\u2026 this seemingly fancy dessert is pure perfection! And actually quite easy to make at home.
\nAnd did I mention it\u2019s the ultimate holiday dessert? Because you can make it days \u2013 or even months \u2013 in advance. Which is a good thing because although it\u2019s an easy dessert, it\u2019s definitely a time consuming one.<\/p>\n
Better than The Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake?
\nHave you ever wondered: how are Cheesecake Factory Cheesecakes baked? Well, you\u2019re not alone. I worked there over 5 years, serving dessert to thousands of cheesecake lovers. And during that time, people asked me that exact question over and over again.
\nI probably consumed over 1 million calories taste-testing my way to the answer! I\u2019d take a slice or two home almost every night\u2026 sometimes even more! And quickly it became my life mission to learn how to bake next level cheesecakes. After years of research, I finally created the perfect recipe to share with you.<\/p>\n
The Best Cream Cheese for Creamy Cheesecake?
\nThe most important ingredient in this cheesecake recipe is cream cheese! With dozens of cream cheese options, it can be hard to know which variety works best, right? Well, I can tell you that after baking HUNDREDS of cheesecakes, the best cream cheese is brick-style cream cheese. I love Philadelphia brand, but use your favorite.
\nJust be sure your cream cheese is:<\/p>\n
Brick-Style
\nPlain (Unflavored)
\nFull-Fat
\nAnd Room Temperature (before you begin baking)<\/p>\n
Cheesecake Ingredients: Start with Room Temperature Ingredients<\/p>\n
Cream Cheese:\u00a0Our number one ingredient, so be sure to read all my cream cheese tips above. And do not attempt to make this without cream cheese.
\nGranulated Sugar:\u00a0I don\u2019t suggest reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe. Or using an alternative sweeteners, not even brown sugar.
\nEggs:\u00a0Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before use. You\u2019ll use both whole eggs and egg yolks. Save the egg whites for another recipe.
\nVanilla:\u00a0Pure vanilla extract adds so much delicious rich flavor. Do not use artificial or imitation vanilla.
\nHeavy Cream:\u00a0Aka heavy whipping cream, don\u2019t sub with milk, half and half, or sour cream.
\nGraham Cracker Crumbs:\u00a0Pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs are the easiest choice. If you can\u2019t find them, you can crush graham crackers in a blender until they\u2019re fine crumbs, then use them as called for in the crust.
\nButter:\u00a0Unsalted butter works best, but salted butter will work just fine.<\/p>\n
Some people ask if they can add lemon juice to this recipe to cut the richness, and you can. But don\u2019t add more than a teaspoon.<\/p>\n
Make the Graham Cracker Crust<\/p>\n
Wrap a springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. The foil will protect the pan from the water bath.
\nSpray the pan with non-stick spray. Or grease the pan with butter. Greasing the pan ensures no sticking. No sticking equals perfect slices!
\nCombine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar. This is your graham cracker crust mixture!
\nPress the crust firmly into the bottom of the springform pan. A firmly packed crust will bake up thick and won\u2019t crumble much when sliced.<\/p>\n
How to Make Cheesecake<\/p>\n
Cheesecake Prep:\u00a0Preheat the oven 20 minutes before you plan on baking. Prep you baking pan by wrapping it with aluminum foil and spraying it with nonstick baking spray.
\nPar-bake the Graham Cracker Crust:\u00a0This step ensures a crunchy graham cracker crust. Allow the crust cool as you make the batter.
\nMake the Cream Cheese Batter:\u00a0Use a food processor, stand mixer, or a handheld electric mixer to make the batter. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the crust and smooth the top.
\nWater Bath:\u00a0Place the springform pan inside roasting pan and fill with hot water.<\/p>\n
Bake the Cheesecake Recipe<\/p>\n
Bake the Cheesecake:\u00a0Bake until the edges look firm, but the center is a little wiggly. Don\u2019t over bake, it\u2019ll firm up a good amount as the cake cools.
\nCool:\u00a0This is by far the hardest part! But be patient and let it chill at least 6 hours! I promise it\u2019s worth the wait.
\nSlice and Serve:\u00a0Use a large sharp knife and wipe it between slices. Top with whipped cream right before serving! Or try homemade chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce.
\nStorage:\u00a0Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Or follow my guide below and you can freeze this extra rich and creamy cheesecake for up to 2 months.<\/p>\n
Water Bath: Grab a Springform Pan and Aluminum Foil!
\nA water bath is an essential step in making the best cheesecake! The water bath helps the cake stay nice and moist! And it also ensures a crack-free presentation.
\nI promise, making one isn\u2019t as hard or scary as you might think, and once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. Learn\u00a0how to make an easy water bath\u00a0with this step by step tutorial! It\u2019ll turn you into a water bath pro.<\/p>\n
How Long Does Cheesecake Last in the Fridge? Can you Freeze Cheesecake?
\nThis creamy dessert will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days! To keep it even longer, you can freeze it!<\/p>\n
Let it cool completely at room temperature! This will take several hours, so be patient.
\nWrap the whole cake \u2013 or slices \u2013 in two layers of saran wrap. Then wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
\nTransfer to a freezer bag, tightly seal, and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
\nTo defrost, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Do not attempt to thaw in the microwave or oven!<\/p>\n
Equipment Needed for This Recipe<\/p>\n
Electric Mixer:\u00a0A\u00a0stand mixer,\u00a0food processor, or\u00a0electric hand mixer\u00a0will work.
\nHeavy-Duty Aluminum Foil:\u00a0Use\u00a0heavy-duty aluminum foil\u00a0because it\u2019s extra wide and thick. This ensures no water leaks through to your graham cracker crust.
\nSpring Form Pan:\u00a0This pan\u00a0is a workhorse! You cannot make this recipe without a spring form pan. But you can make mini cheesecakes instead.
\nRoasting Pan:\u00a0Use a pan large enough to place the spring form pan inside. A large skillet or baking sheet with high sides will work, but a\u00a0roasting pan\u00a0definitely works the best.<\/p>\n
Cheesecake Factory Menu Inspired Desserts:<\/p>\n
Best Cheesecake Recipe<\/p>\n
Ashley Manila<\/p>\n
This creamy cheesecake recipe is one of my post popular dessert recipes! Rich and creamy, with a classic graham cracker crust, it’s even better than the cheesecake factory cheesecake. Store this recipe in the springform pan for up to 5 days. Delicious with whipped cream on top!<\/p>\n
Prep Time 30 minutes minsCook Time 1 hour hr 8 minutes minsInactive Time 8 hours hrsTotal Time 9 hours hrs 38 minutes mins<\/p>\n
Course DessertCuisine American<\/p>\n
Servings 1 9-inch cheesecake<\/p>\n
Ingredients\u00a0For the Crust:2 cups (198 grams) graham cracker crumbs1\/3 cup (67 grams) sugar7 tablespoons (99 grams) butter, meltedFor the Creamy Cheesecake:5 blocks of full-fat cream cheese (40 ounces total) room temperature 1 and 1\/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract5 large eggs room temperature 3 large egg yolks room temperature 1\/2 cup (113 grams) heavy cream room temperature
\nInstructions\u00a0For the Crust:Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly spray a 9\u2033 springform pan with non-stick spray.Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with heavy duty tinfoil. I recommend doing several diligent layers here to ensure no water creeps through when you place the pan in the water bath. Set pan aside.\u00a0In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter; stir well to combine. Firmly pat the mixture into the prepared pan.Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Place partially baked crust on a cooling rack and set aside while you prepare the filling.\u00a0For the Creamy Cheesecake Filling:In the body of a high power blender, food processor, stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a very large bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.\u00a0Add sugar and vanilla and beat smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.\u00a0Add in the cream and beat until it\u2019s just incorporated in the batter.\u00a0Pour filling into prepared crust and, using a silicone spatula, smooth the top.\u00a0Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan with 2 inches of hot water. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 45 minutes, inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should be still slightly wiggly.Remove cake from oven and gently run a knife very around the edge of the cake. Place the cheesecake pan on a cooling rack and cool completely, then loosely cover the pan with saran wrap and chill for at least 8 hours.Cheesecake will keep, covered in the fridge, for 5 days. Cheesecake may be frozen for 2 months. Thaw overnight before slicing.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This creamy cheesecake recipe is one of my post popular dessert recipes! Rich and creamy, with a classic graham cracker crust, it\u2019s even better than the cheesecake factory cheesecake. Store this recipe in the springform pan for up to 5 days. Delicious with whipped cream on top! Best Cheesecake Recipe Few things in life are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-845","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-meals"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=845"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanabaking.snipsglow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}