How to Make a Cheesecake
Be sure not to miss our cheesecake recipes page!
There are a number of styles of cheesecakes you can make, the most common being the New York and the sour cream cheesecakes. On this page you will be taken you through the process of making a sour cream cheese (my personal favorite). The instructions are complete and well-explained, thus allowing you to learn quickly how to make a cheesecake that will amaze your friends and family!
Before I get going, here are a few of the styles of cheesecake you will see around:
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New York Cheesecake - This is the most popular style of cheesecake in America; it's updated from the original American-style that contained only cream cheese, now it has the addition of eggs, egg yolks and heavy cream. It's an easy cheesecake to make as long as you follow the directions in the recipe exactly.
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Sour Cream Cheesecake - This is the style of cheesecake that I have on this page, I like the flavor and texture that the sour cream provides, in place of the heavy cream.
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Roman Cheesecake - What really sets this cheesecake recipe apart from the others is that it contains ricotta, honey, a bay leaf and flour, plus it's baked in the shape of a loaf of bread instead of in a cheesecake pan. It has slightly fallen out of favor, being replaced by an Italian version that's a bit sweeter; containing sugar instead of honey, no bay leaves, candied fruit bits and vanilla.
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Pennsylvania-Dutch Cheesecakes - Basically, instead of using cream cheese, this easy cheesecake recipe uses cottage cheese.
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Chicago-Style - This cheesecake is somewhat similar to the New York and the Sour Cream in that it uses eggs and sour cream, but through ingredient amounts and the use of flour this style of cheesecake is lighter than the heavy, creamy New York version. Plus, the crust for this style is often a shortbread-like crust, not your standard graham cracker crust.
The recipe
Typically a cheesecake will use a graham cracker crust instead of the normal flaky crust (see our graham cracker crust recipe). In addition, you should get the following ready before starting:
- Electric mixer, with paddle attachment if available
- Parchment paper (wax paper is not recommended as you will be baking it uncovered)
- A cheesecake or spring form pan (This recipe will use a 9" pan that's 3" deep)
- A larger, non-spring form pan you can use as a water bath, only use if the cheesecake pan is also non-spring form. If that's not an options, don't worry about it. Its sole purpose is to allow a more even cooking, preventing cracks from forming on the top of the cheesecake.
- Butter for greasing the pan (even if it's non-stick)
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
- Grease the entire inside of the pan with butter.
- Cut out a circle to line the bottom of the pan and two strips that wrap around the inside. There should be no part of the pan showing. The parchment paper will stick nicely to the butter.
- Prepare the graham cracker crumb crust as described on our graham cracker crust page using the lined pan.
- If you want you can increase the amount of graham crackers by 1/3, bake the extra third separately from the crust and set aside to line the outside of the cooked cheesecake.
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 1/4 c. sour cream
- 20 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 full eggs
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla
- 1/3 c. heavy cream
Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Procedure:
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Remove the cream cheese from the fridge at least 1 hour before beginning to make the cheesecake. Working with cold cream cheese is very difficult and will be detrimental to the texture.
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Preheat the oven to 250°F.
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If you have a larger pan you can use as a water bath, place the water you will be using in the oven to heat (test the amount needed by placing the cheesecake pan inside it and adding water, remove the cheesecake pan before placing in the oven).
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In a small bowl, prepare your liquids by lightly whisking together the eggs, heavy cream and vanilla.
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In a separate, large bowl, beat your sour cream for a few seconds on high, then add the cream cheese and sugar, beating on low until well mixed.
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Scrape the sides and beat again for a few more seconds, making sure everything is fully incorporated.
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SLOWLY add 1/2 of the liquid mixture while continually beating on low, stop and scrape the sides, then SLOWLY add the remaining liquid while beating. It's very important that you do this step slowly to ensure proper incorporation and final texture.
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Make sure the baked crust is fully cooled (very important), then add the cream cheese filling.
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Place the cheesecake in the water bath, making sure no water splashes or spills into the batter and bake the for 1 hour. Due to the already low temperature it's very important you don't get curious and open the oven door early.
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After 1 hour, turn off the oven and open the door for about 15 seconds, leave the cheesecake in the oven, close the oven door and let it set in there for another hour. Again, be sure you don't open the oven for the remaining time.
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Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the fridge for at least 6 hours, I usually let it set in there overnight.
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Once chilled you'll need to place it in a hot water bath for a 15 seconds or so to soften up the butter in the pan. Use a thin spatula and run it around the inside of the pan between the paper and the pan to make sure it's completely unstuck.
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Turn cheesecake out onto a flat surface such as a cutting board (not the serving plate) by placing the board over the pan and flipping them over. The cheesecake should come out easily.
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Take off all the parchment paper and repeat, flipping the cheesecake over onto the serving dish.
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At this point you can place the remaining graham crackers (if using) around the outside of the cheesecake.
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Prepare the frosting by beating together all the ingredients then chilling it until you get the desired spreading consistency.
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Frost the cheesecake and enjoy!
- Quick tip: This style of cheesecake is a bit creamier than many other styles and is therefore very delicate. When cutting, it's recommended to use a long bread knife and wipe it clean after each cut.
And that's how to make a cheesecake. I'm sure you'll enjoy the cheesecake as much as I do!
