Here’s How to Get a Perfect Seam-covering Pre-baked Crust:

How to Make Cheesecake Filling

The cream cheese should be at room temperature before you begin mixing, or you’ll end up with lumps. Using cold cream cheese can also lead to overbeating — whipping too much air into the batter — which forms unattractive air bubbles on the cake’s surface.

Making Better Cheesecake Batter

Eating cheesecake is a sensory experience: Texture is everything. Some recipes contain a small amount of starch, such as flour or cornstarch. These cheesecakes have a more cake-like texture. Cheesecake recipes that do not contain flour are luxuriously smooth and dense.

Eggs are another factor in the texture of your cheesecake. Handled correctly, eggs give cheesecake its structure and silken texture. Their curled-up proteins unfurl and link together when gently heated, transforming from liquid to solid. Gently stirring eggs into other ingredients sets the unfurling process in motion. Beating, however, traps air in them, which makes batter puff up like a soufflé during baking — and fall and crack afterward. For cheesecake, the trick is to create a lump-free batter without whipping the eggs too much.

How to Create a Lump-free Cheesecake Batter:

The texture of the finished batter should be smooth and glossy. If you end up with lumps in your batter, push the mixture through a sieve or give it a quick spin in the food processor and you’ll have silky smooth results.

If you notice air bubbles, tap the entire bowl with the mixture several times on the counter so that the air bubbles can rise and pop on the surface. It’s better to do this tapping step in the bowl rather than in the pan— that can break the crust and leave tiny air bubbles on the surface that will show once baked.

One last thing: Be sure the crust is completely cool before you pour in the batter.

How to Swirl Cheesecake Topping

Here’s how make a marbleized pattern in the batter before baking. Pour a fruit or chocolate sauce in a spiral pattern over the cheesecake filling. Use the tip of a paring knife or a wooden skewer to pull lines out from the center like spokes on a wheel, or create a free-form swirl pattern.

How to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath

Cheesecake batter is basically a custard. It’s delicate, so you want to bake it slowly and evenly without browning the top. The most effective way to do this is to bake it in a water bath. This water bath method bakes the cake very gently, so it won’t darken, curdle, or crack.

Though there are other ways to moderate the heat, we like to bake cheesecake in a water bath because it insulates the outer ring (the part most likely to bake too fast) and keeps the oven moist. Since water evaporates at the boiling point, the water bath will never get hotter than 212 degrees F (100 degrees C), no matter what the oven temperature. This means that the outer edge of your cheesecake won’t bake faster than the center, which can cause it to puff up, sink, and crack. The batter will set without curdling.

Here’s How to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath:

It’s common to overbake cheesecakes because, while they might look underdone, they are actually done when the center is still wobbly. At this stage, residual heat will «carry over» and the center will continue to cook.

Remove cheesecake from the oven to cool on a rack, or better yet, simply leave the door of the oven closed, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake cool for at least an hour. This helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the center. Once removed from the oven, allow to cool at room temperature for at least an hour or two before placing in the fridge. The slower you cool down your cheesecake, the less likely it is to crack or sink.

Chilling and Unbuckling the Cheesecake

Cheesecake needs to chill thoroughly — preferably overnight. After chilling, the once-wiggly center should firm up just fine. The cake will have pulled away from the edges of the pan.

How to Make a Perfect Cheesecake: 10 Tips and Tricks

Learn how to avoid common cheesecake mistakes and make a perfect cheesecake! Make the best cheesecake of your life by following my 10 simple tricks.

Looking for a recipe to try? Try this easy classic cheesecake – it’s the best recipe for first time cheesecake makers!

Table of Contents

Yes, You Can Make Cheesecake!

Cheesecakes can be intimidating to make, but once you’ve made a homemade cheesecake you’ll see that it’s really not scary at all – just maybe a little time consuming. Leaky pans, cracks and fallen centers are all things that can make a cheesecake go awry, but these tips for how to make a perfect cheesecake can help you avoid those pitfalls. The trick is in the little details. Be sure to take your time as you get comfortable with baking a cheesecake, use these helpful tips and make the best cheesecake ever!

10 TIPS FOR A PERFECT CHEESECAKE

1. Your cream cheese should always be room temperature.

This one is really all about making sure that your cheesecake isn’t lumpy and that the ingredients combine smoothly. Cream cheese that is too firm won’t mix well and will leave you with a lumpy mess, so it needs to be room temperature. In a pinch, take the cream cheese out of the foil wrapping, cut into smaller sections and heat for about 15 seconds at a time until softened.

Also, as far as cream cheese goes, the full fat regular stuff is going to give you the best cheesecake. More fat means more creamy, plus you don’t have any fillers or anything that is made to replace fat. For your cheesecake texture to be on point, you don’t want anything funky going on. Just real, good cream cheese.

2. Use a little flour or cornstarch.

I am a believer that a little flour makes a difference in a cheesecake. The starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative, cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.

3. Add some sour cream.

While this one doesn’t necessarily ensure your cheesecake bakes properly, I do think the added tangy flavor and creamy texture helps to give you that perfect cheesecake. If you absolutely must substitute it, greek yogurt is fine but the flavor is definitely a little different.

4. Don’t over mix the batter or mix on too high speed.

Both over mixing and mixing on a high speed add more air to a batter. Too much air in a cheesecake can cause cracks a few ways. One – big air bubbles can rise to the surface and create cracks or little craters. Two – adding air causes things to rise and too much rise in a cheesecake isn’t a good thing. It can rise too much or too quickly and then fall and crack.

This also goes back to number one about room temperature cream cheese. If your cream cheese isn’t soft enough, you’ll have to mix things more to get out the lumps. So again, be sure it’s nice and soft. Also, more air tends to be added during the process of adding eggs to batter, so be sure to use a lower speed.

5. Use a water bath.

This is a step that most people want desperately to avoid, but trust me – the extra few minutes it takes are totally worth it. The benefits are many. First, the water bath generates steam that helps keep the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. Second, the water bath keeps the sides of the cheesecake from baking more quickly than the middle. It helps bake more evenly, also helping prevent cracks.

If you forgo the water bath, you are often left with a cheesecake that falls in the middle, browns too much around the edges and cracks. All are some of the worst culprits to a perfect cheesecake. Make the time for the extra step and you won’t regret it!

6. Leak-proof your water bath.

It’s such a bummer to go through all the trouble of baking a cheesecake and then have a soggy crust. As much as a springform pan is important to a great cheesecake, they are also the most unreliable pan ever. I’ve used many a springform pan and only ever found one that didn’t leak (and the other 4 of the exact same pan did leak, this was just a lucky one). To leak-proof your water bath, check out my tutorial for how to set up your pan for a leak-proof water bath. Hint: I use a crock pot liner bag.

7. Use a springform pan.

Ok, so now that I’ve just said how unreliable springform pans are, I’m going to tell you that you still need one. To get that perfect looking cheesecake, you need a pan with removable sides. It’s just the way it is. And if you’re a lover of cheesecake, you’ll use it plenty so it’ll be a good investment.

8. Don’t open the oven.

If you open up the oven during baking, you’ll let out all the good hot, steamy air. The change in temperature can possibly cause the cheesecake to fall in the middle or bake unevenly.

9. Don’t over bake the cheesecake.

In addition to the other things already mentioned, over baking a cheesecake can lead to cracks, much like with a custard pie. You’ll know the cheesecake has baked enough when the edges of the cheesecake are well set and the inner few inches are set but still jiggly.

10. Let the cheesecake cool gradually.

When the cheesecake has baked enough and is set, but still jiggly, it’s time for the gradual cooling process. I typically let a cheesecake sit in the oven with the door closed for about another 30 minutes. Then I crack the door of the oven about half way and let it gradually cool some more. This allows the cheesecake to cool slowly, while also finishing baking, which again helps avoid cracking. Just before putting the cheesecake in the fridge, you can run a knife around the edge to make sure it doesn’t stick to the sides, or jiggle it around a bit to loosen it from the sides.

Now that we’ve got our best tips, here are a few other answers to common questions about cheesecakes:

WHAT GOES INTO A CLASSIC CHEESECAKE?

A typical cheesecake will include the following:

HOW TO MAKE CHEESECAKE CRUST

A classic cheesecake is going to have a graham cracker crust. Graham cracker crumbs are combined with some sugar and melted butter, then pressed into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

The crust should be baked for about 10 minutes prior to adding the filling, to ensure that the crust holds together well. Get the recipe for the perfect graham cracker crust.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESECAKE FILLING

Making the filling of the cheesecake is going to be fairly straight forward. You want to combine the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until it’s nice and smooth. As mentioned above, you don’t want to over mix or mix on too high of a speed.

Next you’ll add the sour cream and vanilla extract, then the eggs one at a time. Adding the eggs one at a time helps ensure that they incorporate well without having to over mix or use too high of a speed.

CAN I MAKE CHEESECAKE WITHOUT A SPRINGFORM PAN?

As I mentioned above, springform pans really are the way to go. In a pinch though, you could use a cake pan and line it with aluminum foil that you can use to “lift” the cheesecake out of the pan once it’s fully baked and cooled.

The other alternative, though it gives you a different look, is a pie pan.

HOW TO MAKE A NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

To make a no bake cheesecake, you’ll often use ingredients that are very similar to a baked cheesecake, with the exception of the eggs. Some other ingredient amounts are likely to have been adjusted as well. Additionally, whipped cream is typically used to add volume and air to the batter that get’s lost when the cheesecake doesn’t have eggs and isn’t baked.

See my recipe for the Best No Bake Cheesecake.

So I hope that answers all the questions you’ve ever had about cheesecakes! They can seem a little tricky, but once you get things down you’ll never have trouble again. Cheesecake will become your new favorite dessert to make because it’ll never fail and it’s so versatile. You can make just about any flavor cheesecake, and I’ve definitely done my share of that.

Looking for cheesecake recipes to test your new knowledge with?

Check out these great cheesecake ideas:

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

How to Make Cheesecake From Scratch

Never again will your heart break over cracked crust.

A cheesecake is not for the weary baker. (Anyone who’s tried to make one can relate to the struggle of a soggy or cracked crust!) But the beauty of cheesecake is that it’s a blank canvas, and can be dressed up with fanciful toppings, flavor infusions, or crust combos.

The best way to guarantee a perfect cheesecake: You gotta have the right pan. Spring form pans ($18, amazon.com) are ideal because they’re deeper than a traditional cake pan and keep the sides intact as you lift it out.

If you’re baking for an upcoming family dinner or holiday party, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week as long as it’s not covered in fresh fruit.

If you’re making cheesecake in advance, you can freeze it for up to 3 months (but honestly, anything past 30 days is stretching it). To keep the bottom in place, line the pan with parchment paper before baking, freeze it, and remove it from the pan once solid. Then, cover the cheesecake in plastic wrap and foil before returning it to the freezer. For extra peace of mind, store the cheesecake in a big Ziploc bag ($13 for 3, amazon.com) to prevent other flavors from messing with the creamy taste. When the time comes to eat it, thaw it overnight on the counter or in the fridge.

Now that you know our best-kept cheesecake secrets, let’s move on to what you actually came here for — our tried-and-tested recipe.

You can always hit up The Cheesecake Factory if you’re looking for a quick fix, but nothing tastes quite like homemade cheesecake. Start with this easy recipe, then get creative with special toppings. Better yet, turn this cheesecake recipe into adorable miniature cakes by using muffin cups and liners (also a great time-saver). And for a lighter version, try our ricotta-berry cheesecake.

Best Cheesecake Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

The BEST Cheesecake recipe! If there’s one thing I know how to make it’s a perfect cheesecake, it’s long been one of my all time favorite foods! This always comes out with an unmatched perfectly rich and creamy flavor and a silky smooth and melt-in-your-mouth luscious texture.

Perfect Easy Cheesecake Recipe

One of the first things I learned how to bake was cheesecake. This was 15+ years ago and since then I’ve learned all the tips and tricks to perfecting it. And guess what? It’s actually really easy to make and following a few simple instructions and tips it’s basically foolproof.

What Makes the Best Cheesecake?

Simple and rich ingredients and a good method make the best classic cheesecake.

That includes using a generous amount of cream cheese, along with sour cream and heavy cream. I’ve tried several different blends but this trio of decadence is the one I always come back to.

And when it comes to cream cheese stick with Philadelphia. Not sponsored I just think it’s the most consistent in flavor and texture.

Ingredients Needed for Cheesecake:

How to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs:

There are 3 ways to make graham cracker crumbs:

How to Make Cheesecake:

How to Make Cheesecake Continued:

How to Avoid Cracks?

If you’ve baked for very long, chances are you’ve had a cheesecake or two crack over the years. There are several things that can cause this including airy batter and big air bubbles, uneven baking, over-baking and un-greased pan. So the solutions:

What is a Bain-Marie (Water Bath)?

In terms of baking, a bain-marie (or water bath), is simply a pan filled with hot or boiling water in which a pan is placed within. It’s purpose is to create gentle heat and more uniform cooking around the food. It works well for cooking custards and other delicate foods like cheesecake.

How to Store Cheesecake:

Store cheesecake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy well chilled or for an even softer texture you can let it rest at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

Can I Freeze Cheesecake?

Yes! Cheesecake freezes really well. Let cool completely in the fridge first, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and store in airtight container up to 2 months in freezer. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Possible Variations:

Of course this cheesecake is perfect as is, but after you’ve tried it plain once you can mix things up add try it with fun mix-ins like these:

What to Serve on Cheesecake?

More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love:

I kind of have a thing for cheesecake. If you loved this cheesecake recipe be sure to try some of the other favorites: