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Classic Cheesecake

Classic cheesecake baked in a water bath with a buttery graham cracker crust and a dense, silky cream cheese filling. Uses room-temperature ingredients and a staged cooling process for a crack-free result every time.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g graham crackers about 13 full sheets, finely crushed
  • 75 g 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • Filling
  • 900 g 32 oz / 4 blocks full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 200 g 1 cup white sugar
  • 120 g ½ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, sealing all gaps.
  2. Crush graham crackers to fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar until the mixture holds together when pressed. Press firmly into the pan base. Bake 8 minutes. Let cool.
  3. Beat cream cheese alone on medium speed for 2 full minutes until completely smooth — no lumps or streaks.
  4. Add 200g sugar and beat 1 minute. Add sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest if using. Mix on low for 30 seconds.
  5. Add eggs one at a time on the lowest speed, mixing only until the yolk disappears (~15 seconds each). Stop immediately after the last egg.
  6. Pour filling over cooled crust and smooth with an offset spatula. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot tap water into roasting pan halfway up the springform pan sides.
  7. Bake 55 to 65 minutes. Edges should be set; center should wobble as a single mass. Turn oven off, crack door 1 inch, leave inside 1 hour.
  8. Remove from water bath. Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan. Cool at room temperature 1 hour, then refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours (overnight preferred).
  9. Release the springform ring, slice with a hot clean knife, and serve.

Notes

  • Ingredient temperature matters more than anything else — 60 to 90 minutes at room temperature before mixing, or cube the cream cheese blocks and rest 20 minutes.
  • Do not substitute low-fat cream cheese — the filling will not hold its shape or slice cleanly.
  • The center should still wobble when you pull it from the oven — this is correct. It sets fully during the cooling and chilling stages.
  • For the cleanest slices: chill overnight rather than 4 hours. The texture difference is significant.
  • To test doneness with a thermometer: the center should read 150°F (65°C).
Nutrition (per slice, approximate): Calories: 420 | Fat: 30g | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Sugar: 24g
Use a nutrition calculator with your exact brand ingredients for precise values before publishing.