I swear this Easiest Cheesecake Recipe makes a silky, crack-free cake that fools everyone into thinking you wrestled a bakery for it.
I am obsessed with this cheesecake because it actually tastes like the grown-up dessert I want, without pretending to be fancy. I love that the texture from full fat cream cheese is dense and creamy, not fluffy nonsense, and the eggs give it that firm, silk-in-your-mouth thing.
This is my go-to Homemade Cheesecake and it’s also the Easiest Cheesecake Recipe I reach for when I need something that impresses without drama. And yes, the flavor is clean and tangy enough to stand on its own, begging for a spoon.
No fluff. Just delicious, honest cheesecake.
I want another slice now.
Ingredients
- Basically the cream cheese gives that rich, tangy, silky base you’ll crave.
- Sugar makes it sweet and smooth, it’s the obvious sweetener.
- Basically sour cream adds tang and a creamier, less dense bite.
- Eggs set the filling, they make it firm but still silky.
- Plus vanilla brings warm, familiar flavor notes without overpowering.
- Lemon juice wakes the mix up, it brightens the whole thing.
- Flour or cornstarch helps the cheesecake hold shape, no wobble.
- Salt balances sweetness, makes everything taste more like itself.
- Graham crumbs give crunch and that classic old-school crust texture.
- Butter binds the crumbs and adds a toasty, rich mouthfeel.
- Plus crust sugar gives caramelized edge and a subtle extra sweetness.
Ingredient Quantities
- 24 oz (3 packages) full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, room temp
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional but helps flavor)
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour or 1 tbsp cornstarch (helps set the cheesecake)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets crushed)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar for the crust
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9 inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment and wrap the outside of the pan with foil if your pan has any leaks.
2. Make the crust: mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with 6 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar until it looks like wet sand. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake 8 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Bring everything to room temp: make sure 24 oz cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream and 3 large eggs are all room temperature. Cold ingredients will give you lumps, and nobody likes lumps.
4. Beat the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth and almost silky, scraping the bowl often. Stop when there are no big lumps, don’t over whip or you’ll add too much air.
5. Add 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp lemon juice if using, 1 tbsp flour or cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Mix on low until combined. Fold in the eggs one at a time on low speed or by hand, just until each is incorporated. Keep mixing slow and gentle.
6. Pour the batter over the crust and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
7. Bake at 325°F for 50 to 65 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly puffed, the center will still have a slight wobble like jello. Do not overbake, it will crack and get dry.
8. Turn the oven off, open the door a crack and let the cake cool inside for 1 hour to avoid sudden temperature changes that cause cracks. Then remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
9. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen, but wait to remove the springform for best results. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing. This helps it set and slice clean.
10. Tips: use room temp ingredients, mix slowly to avoid air, don’t skip the flour or cornstarch if you want a firmer slice, and always chill well. If small cracks appear, cover with sour cream topping or fruit and no one will notice.
Equipment Needed
1. 9 inch springform pan (parchment for the bottom and foil to wrap outside if it leaks)
2. Oven (preheated to 325°F)
3. Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one for crumbs)
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a whisk if you must)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and smoothing
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Food processor or rolling pin and zip bag to crush graham crackers
8. Cooling rack and a thin knife to loosen the edges before chilling
FAQ
The Best Easy Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Full fat cream cheese: swap 1:1 with mascarpone or Neufchatel. Mascarpone makes it richer and silkier, Neufchatel cuts fat but keeps tang, both work without changing measurements much.
- 1 cup sour cream: substitute plain Greek yogurt 1:1. Gives similar tang and creaminess, just blot any very watery yogurt first so batter isn’t too loose.
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs: use crushed digestive biscuits, Biscoff, or finely crushed Oreos (omit extra sugar if using Oreos). Amount stays about the same by volume.
- 3 large eggs: for a dairy-forward, egg-free option blend 3/4 cup silken tofu until very smooth and use in place of the eggs. It won’t puff like eggs but it’ll set creamy; or for a lighter texture use 3 egg whites instead of whole eggs.
Pro Tips
1) Warm everything up properly. Seriously, let the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs sit out until they feel completely soft to the touch. If one is still cold you’ll get lumps and you’ll spend more time scraping than enjoying.
2) Mix slow and stop when smooth. Beat the cream cheese until mostly lump free, then add the other stuff on low. Overbeating whips air into the batter and that air is what makes cracks and mushrooms on the surface. Low and patient wins.
3) Use a water bath and wrap the pan well. Wrapping the springform with a couple of layers of heavy-duty foil and setting the pan in a shallow pan of hot water while baking gives you even heat and fewer cracks. Don’t let water pour into the pan though, just a few layers of foil and a snug fit.
4) Underbake a little and cool gradually. Pull it when the edges are set but the center still wobbles like soft jello. Turn the oven off, crack the door and let it sit an hour before taking it out. Rapid temperature changes are the main cause of cracks and dry texture.
5) Chill long and slice clean. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight is better. For clean slices run a thin sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry between cuts and slice. If you get small cracks, a thin sour cream topping or fruit compote hides them perfectly.
The Best Easy Cheesecake Recipe
I swear this Easiest Cheesecake Recipe makes a silky, crack-free cake that fools everyone into thinking you wrestled a bakery for it.
12
servings
444
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9 inch springform pan (parchment for the bottom and foil to wrap outside if it leaks)
2. Oven (preheated to 325°F)
3. Mixing bowls (one large for batter, one for crumbs)
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a whisk if you must)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and smoothing
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Food processor or rolling pin and zip bag to crush graham crackers
8. Cooling rack and a thin knife to loosen the edges before chilling
Ingredients
-
24 oz (3 packages) full fat cream cheese, room temp
-
1 cup granulated sugar
-
1 cup sour cream, room temp
-
3 large eggs, room temp
-
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
-
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional but helps flavor)
-
1 tbsp all purpose flour or 1 tbsp cornstarch (helps set the cheesecake)
-
1/4 tsp kosher salt
-
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets crushed)
-
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
-
2 tbsp granulated sugar for the crust
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9 inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment and wrap the outside of the pan with foil if your pan has any leaks.
- Make the crust: mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with 6 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar until it looks like wet sand. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake 8 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Bring everything to room temp: make sure 24 oz cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream and 3 large eggs are all room temperature. Cold ingredients will give you lumps, and nobody likes lumps.
- Beat the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth and almost silky, scraping the bowl often. Stop when there are no big lumps, don’t over whip or you’ll add too much air.
- Add 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp lemon juice if using, 1 tbsp flour or cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Mix on low until combined. Fold in the eggs one at a time on low speed or by hand, just until each is incorporated. Keep mixing slow and gentle.
- Pour the batter over the crust and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake at 325°F for 50 to 65 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly puffed, the center will still have a slight wobble like jello. Do not overbake, it will crack and get dry.
- Turn the oven off, open the door a crack and let the cake cool inside for 1 hour to avoid sudden temperature changes that cause cracks. Then remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
- Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen, but wait to remove the springform for best results. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing. This helps it set and slice clean.
- Tips: use room temp ingredients, mix slowly to avoid air, don’t skip the flour or cornstarch if you want a firmer slice, and always chill well. If small cracks appear, cover with sour cream topping or fruit and no one will notice.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 133g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 444kcal
- Fat: 33.2g
- Saturated Fat: 18.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.8g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 6.7g
- Cholesterol: 123mg
- Sodium: 288mg
- Potassium: 120mg
- Carbohydrates: 31.8g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 21.3g
- Protein: 6.6g
- Vitamin A: 386IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 85mg
- Iron: 0.4mg
