This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
My New York Style Cheesecake is the BEST Cheesecake Recipe you’ll ever eat! It’s creamy and dense with a thick graham cracker crust – you’re going to want to keep coming back for more.
This is the perfect cheesecake recipe with a graham cracker crust, silky smooth and rich filling. It cooks without cracks and is so flavorful and delicious!
The sour cream and the lemon juice make this more of a New York Style Cheesecake, with it’s rich creamy texture and the tang from the sour cream. While cheesecakes seem hard, this is an easy cheesecake recipe that works.
Ingredient Notes
- Crust – I love a basic graham cracker crust but you could also use a chocolate cookie crust (oreo crust) instead.
- Cream Cheese – Be sure it’s room temperature and full-fat, and that you’re using block cream cheese.
- Make sure your cream cheese, Sour Cream and Eggs are room temperature!
- Lemon Juice – Just to brighten the flavor, be sure to use fresh lemon juice! The sour cream and lemon juice along with the extra cream cheese make this more of a richer New York Style cheesecake. You could also add a bit of lemon zest for extra brightness. A bit of lemon won’t make it a lemon cheesecake, promise.
- How to avoid lumps in cheesecake: If anything is slightly cold or different temperatures you’ll immediately get lumps in your cheesecake. You can’t undo those lumps – they’re there to stay. For best results leave your ingredients out for AT LEAST 2 hours or longer before mixing.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions and below the recipe card for process shots.
How to make the Best New York Cheesecake Recipe
- We are going to use a water bath to ensure that the cheesecake comes out perfect. In order to do that you must prepare your pan with foil. I like to use 2-3 layers of heavy duty foil. Just make sure your foil comes up the sides far enough that the water won’t get into the foil.
- I like to buy graham cracker crumbs but you can also crush your graham crackers yourself with a food processor or rolling pin. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
- Start by mixing the cream cheese and sour cream on low speed until smooth. I highly recommend a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for this, but a hand mixer will do.
- Then you’ll mix in the sugar and the eggs, one at a time, on medium speed.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl during mixing.
- Once the cheesecake batter is in the pan, the cheesecake bakes in a water bath. Once it’s done, you’ll let it sit in the oven for an hour, then cool to room temperature, then chill overnight. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap; if you touch the plastic to the top of the cake it’ll pull some of the cheesecake off.
- See below the recipe card for process photos.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Storing Cheesecake
- Store your cheesecake in the refrigerator, loosely covered or in an airtight container.
- You can freeze this cake for a few months – or freeze slices.
- It’s important to make this ahead of time, because it needs time to rest, set, and cool.
Best Cheesecake Recipe
This Classic Cheesecake Recipe has a graham cracker crust and a smooth and creamy filling. You'll love how easy it really is to make – and how amazing it is. Top it with whipped cream or chocolate sauce, caramel or fruit – this is the best versatile cheesecake recipe!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting and Chilling Time 5 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons (99g) melted unsalted butter
Filling:
- 3 8 ounce packages (678g) cream cheese, room temperature*
- 1 cup (245g) sour cream room temperature*
- 1 ⅓ cups (267g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature*
- ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare the pan: lay out two or three long stips of foil. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with the foil making sure that the foil comes up at least halfway all the way around.
- Make the crust: stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then stir in the melted butter. I like stirring this with a fork so it doesn’t get clumpy. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Chill while you make the filling.
- While you’re making the filling, set a kettle of water on the stove to boil.
- Beat cream cheese and sour cream with a stand or hand mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the flour, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top.
- Create a water bath: Place the cheesecake in the bottom of a roasting pan or large oven-safe skillet (mine pictured is a 12-inch cast iron pan). Place the pan in the middle of the oven. Pour the boiling water into the pan until the water goes about 1-inch up the sides of the pan – do not go farther than the edges of the foil.
- Close the oven and bake the cheesecake for 50-60 minutes or until it looks set and passes the “wiggle” test: it should wiggle slightly when you tap the edge of the pan but not move in a rolling or jiggly motion.
- Gently remove the pan from the oven and remove the springform pan from the water bath. Place the cheesecake on a rack to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- For serving: use a butter knife to loosen the edges as needed, then remove the outer ring. Serve with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel, fruit, or plain. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure ALL your ingredients are ROOM TEMPERATURE. Leave them out at LEAST 2 hours before making the cheesecake. I recommend longer if your house is cold or if it’s winter. It is SUPER important that your ingredients are room temperature to avoid lumps in your cheesecake.
- Note: if it’s really cold inside your house I recommend cracking your oven and cooling the cheesecake in the oven so it can cool slowly. After an hour, remove it to the counter to finish cooling.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
How to Serve Cheesecake
Serve this plain or drizzle chocolate sauce or hot fudge over the top, or even caramel sauce.
We love to top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit, like strawberries or blueberries.
Step-by-Step Photos
Favorite Cheesecake Recipes
- We love making cheesecake bars: Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Cheesecake Brownies
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Don’t forget about pumpkin cheesecake!
This is the only cheesecake recipe I have ever used but it gets rave reviews every time. I recommend using the water bath, it makes all the difference in the world.
This is the only cheesecake recipe I have ever used but it gets rave reviews every time. I recommend using the water bath, it makes all the difference in the world.
I’ve been making cheesecakes for years and even won the SC State Fair Cheesecake competition…however, I wanted to ask you a question…my recipe is similar to yours and I’ve always used an electric oven…but I baked my cheesecake at 300 for an hour and a half and then left it in the oven for another hour with oven turned off and cracked…it was BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT…
Unfortunately my electric oven died and my husband got me a gas oven…NOTHING like an electric oven and I’m wondering how to adapt my time for the cheesecake…any thoughts?
I made this for my son’s 25th birthday. I was beautiful. I followed everything. It did take longer to bake. Otherwise it tasted so much better than the recipe I had used in the past, Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe. I have to make another because it was eaten up and everyone wants more!!! Thank you 😊 for helping me make a great day even better.
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment