Classic New York Cheesecake
Tall, dense, and impossibly creamy, with a buttery graham crust and a faint tang from sour cream. A water bath and a slow cool-down in the turned-off oven are the two steps that keep the top from cracking.
- Course
- Desserts
- Time
- 7 hr
- Servings
- 12
Cooking Notes
- Bring the cream cheese to room temperature and mix on low speed. Cold cheese leaves lumps, while high-speed mixing incorporates excess air that can encourage cracking.
- Use the water bath and pull the cheesecake while the center still has a gentle wobble. Residual heat continues cooking the custard as it cools.
- Cool the cheesecake gradually in the turned-off oven before refrigerating. A sudden temperature change is one of the most common causes of a split top.
Recipe Card
Classic New York Cheesecake
By Gabriella
- Category
- Desserts
- Total Time
- 7 hr
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1
Stir the crumbs with the melted butter and press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake ten minutes at 350°F and cool.
- 2
Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until perfectly smooth, scraping the bowl often so no lumps survive.
- 3
Add the eggs one at a time on the lowest speed, then the sour cream, flour, vanilla, and salt, mixing as little as possible to avoid beating in air.
- 4
Wrap the pan in foil, set it in a roasting tray, and pour in an inch of boiling water. Bake at 325°F for about ninety minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles.
- 5
Turn the oven off, crack the door, and leave the cake inside an hour. Chill at least four hours before slicing with a hot, dry knife.
