New York Cheesecake is a timeless dessert staple that just can’t be beat! This no-frills recipe yields the best cheesecake every time. It’s smooth, rich, and balances the signature sweet and tangy flavors perfectly.
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What is New York Style Cheesecake?
New York style cheesecake is a rich, dense, tight-textured cheesecake made with cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream. It is traditionally baked on a graham cracker crust and has a sweet, tangy flavor!
What’s the Difference between New York Cheesecake and Regular Cheesecake?
A New York cheesecake is denser and richer than a classic cheesecake because it uses much more cream cheese and more eggs. A regular cheesecake uses more sour cream and/or heavy cream to thin out the batter, making it less dense.
Ingredients for New York Cheesecake
- Graham Crackers: Form the base of a classic New York cheesecake crust. If using whole graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to crush them into crumbs. You can swap these for Teddy Grahams, vanilla wafers, or Biscoff cookies if you prefer.
- Butter: Holds the graham crackers together.
- Sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the crust, while granulated sugar sweetens the cheesecake. You can use all granulated sugar in the crust and the cheesecake if you prefer.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the crust and cheesecake.
- Cream Cheese: Forms the base of the cheesecake, making it dense and creamy. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best results. For a lower-fat cheesecake, you can use light cream cheese or Neufchatel, but the cheesecake will not be as rich and the flavor will change.
- Eggs: Helps to bind the cheesecake, creating a smooth and rich texture.
- Sour Cream: Softens the texture of the cheesecake and adds moisture and tangy flavor. Plain or Greek yogurt may be used instead of sour cream. This will change the flavor slightly.
- Vanilla: Adds subtle vanilla flavor.
- Lemon Zest: Adds a bit of acidity and helps to create a thick texture.
Can I Make It Gluten-Free?
Yes! To make New York cheesecake gluten-free, substitute the graham crackers for gluten-free graham crackers.
Can I Use Fat-Free Cream Cheese?
I do not recommend using fat-free ingredients to make this cheesecake, as it just won’t taste as rich and delicious. However, you can use light cream cheese or Neufchatel for a lower-fat alternative. This will change the flavor and texture slightly.
How do I Prevent Cracks?
Cheesecakes can crack for a number of reasons. To prevent cracks, try these tips:
- Mix the batter low and slow to prevent air bubbles.
- Use a water bath to heat the cheesecake more evenly.
- Let the cheesecake cool down in the oven for at least an hour to avoid temperature shock.
- Grease the springform pan well to prevent sticking.
What Toppings Should I Use?
A classic New York cheesecake goes great with just about any topping. Try:
- Pie filling: cherry, strawberry, blueberry, apple, or peach.
- Sauces: caramel, hot fudge, lemon curd, funfetti magic shell
- Fresh fruits or jam
- Whipped cream
- Chopped cookies or candy pieces
Tips!
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results.
- The easiest way to press the crust into the pan is to use the bottom of a dry measuring cup.
- Beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. Press any lumps against the side of the bowl to remove them.
- Line the outside of the springform pan well to prevent leaking.
- Take care not to overbake the cheesecake. The center should still be slightly wobbly!
- To cut your cheesecake cleanly, run a knife under hot water and wipe the blade with a warm, damp cloth in between cuts.
How to Store New York Cheesecake
Make Ahead: This New York cheesecake can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Storage: Store leftover New York cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve cold.
Freezing: Freeze New York cheesecake whole or in individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers or plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes We Love
- Basque Cheesecake
- No Bake Cheesecake
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cheesecake
- Caramel Macadamia Cheesecake
Make a delicious New York Cheesecake for Thanksgiving, Christmas, a birthday, or any other time the craving kicks in! When I’m craving cheesecake, this is the number one classic recipe I utilize.
More Dessert Recipes to Try:
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
- Pumpkin Crisp
- Candied Pecans
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
New York Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs 213 grams (from about 14 cracker sheets)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 71 grams, melted (⅝ stick)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 27 grams
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling
- 40 ounces full-fat cream cheese 1,134 grams, room temperature (5 bricks)
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar 267 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs 250 grams, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream 227 grams, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 grams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Use butter to grease a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- In a bowl, stir the crust ingredients together until combined. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the springform pan.1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and the cream cheese has no visible lumps. This is crucial for a smooth cheesecake!40 ounces full-fat cream cheese
- With the mixer still running, slowly add in the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.1⅓ cups granulated sugar
- Add in the salt and mix.½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.5 large eggs
- Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest.1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Using aluminum foil, tightly wrap the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides.
- Pour in the filling and smooth it into one even layer.
- Place the cheesecake pan inside a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come up halfway up the sides of the cheesecake.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes until the cheesecake is just set. If it is getting too golden during baking, cover it with foil.
- Let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door propped open for about 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the pan, discarding the foil, and set on a wire rack.
- Run a knife around the edges to make sure the cheesecake is not stuck to the sides of the pan. Let it cool completely on the wire rack.
- Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours.
Video
Becky’s Tips
- You can also teddy grahams, vanilla wafers, or Biscoff cookies instead of graham crackers.
- In the crust, regular granulated sugar may be substituted in place of the brown sugar.
- For a lower-fat cheesecake, you can use light cream cheese or Neufchatel, but the cheesecake will not be as rich and the flavor will change.
- Plain or Greek yogurt may be used instead of sour cream. This will change the flavor slightly.
- Do NOT skip greasing the springform pan; otherwise, the cheesecake could crack!
- Use room temperature ingredients. For best results, let your ingredients sit at room temperature for about 2 hours.
- If using whole graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to crush them into crumbs.
- The easiest way to press the crust into the pan is to use the bottom of a dry measuring cup.
- When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Do not overmix the cheesecake batter, as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
- For best results, use heavy duty foil or two layers of regular foil to line the outside of the springform pan. This will prevent leaking.
- Take care not to overbake the cheesecake. The center should still be slightly wobbly!
- Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
- Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool; it may just take a little longer.
- To cut your cheesecake cleanly, run a knife under hot water and wipe the blade with a warm, damp cloth in between cuts.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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