Easy homemade cheesecake… need I say more? I wish I had something more magical to say about it, but really… You put the words “Cheese” and “Cake” together into one, and that pretty much says it all.
What is cheesecake?
Cheesecake can take different forms around the the world, but typically in the U.S. and Canada, they are found as a cake made with a thin crust on the bottom and a thick layer of creamy, vanilla scented, sweetened soft cheese on top. Cheesecakes come in baked and unbaked versions, with the former usually containing eggs and being more dense, and the latter being made with whipped cream and typically set with gelatine.
What are the different types of cheesecake?
The ones I’m familiar with are New York cheesecakes (a rich, dense version), classic cheesecakes (also dense but a little lighter- sometimes lightened with beaten egg white), and no-bake cheesecakes (typically very fluffy, not containing eggs). Since I lived in Europe for a while, I have also had the joy of tasting different types of European cheesecakes, which are often much less sweet and have more of a cake base than the typical thin, cookie crust in North America.
What is this recipe for easy homemade cheesecake most like of those types?
This is most like a New York cheesecake of the above mentioned options: It’s rich, it’s creamy, and it’s nice and thick.
How to keep your cheesecake from cracking
There are a few different methods out there, but the ones I employ for making my own cheesecakes is the water bath under the cake while it bakes (the steam helps), and allowing the cake to rest in the oven after it is baked. The drastic temperature change can cause the cake to crack, which is why it’s important to allow the cake to begin cooling slowly.
The butter in my crust keeps spilling out the bottom; how can I prevent this?
This is a problem I have often encountered, but I’ll just be honest with you here: I have no idea why this happens. My preventative recommendations for this problem are as follows:
- Place a pan of water below the cheesecake. This will not only help to prevent the cheesecake from cracking, it will also catch melted butter and prevent it from making a burned mess in your oven.
- You can also wrap the outside of the pan with foil before you bake the cake.
What makes a cheesecake dense or fluffy?
Baked cheesecakes can be made to have a fluffier texture by the addition of beaten egg whites, folded into the filling after it is smooth. Unbaked cheesecakes are often made soft and light with the addition of real whipped cream.
Occasions to serve cheesecake
Dessert. Need I say more? Any time you want to serve dessert, in my opinion, is the right occasion to serve cheesecake! I think this is one of my all-time favourite things!
The best cheesecake additions
Cheesecake additions are usually found in the form of different toppings, but one of my favourite things to add to the cake itself is some chocolate shavings or chocolate chips.
The best cheesecake toppings (in my opinion)
Honestly, as simple as it is, I really love frozen berries (as pictured in this post) on top. Perhaps that’s because my mom used to do it that way and I have good memories – but truly, it’s one of my favourite things! I also love a good cherry or raspberry sauce, or some other type of pie filling to go on top.
Homemade cheesecake crust variations
Crusts for cheesecakes can be easily made as just about any type of cookie. I have had cheesecakes with shortbread crust, chocolate chip cookie crust, brownie crust… You name it. Basically, you just have to make sure the crust is fully baked before you pour the filling on top. Then, follow the recipe instructions, and bake the cake as directed.
Is cheesecake gluten free?
The filling is gluten free, but the crust is not. So if you have a gluten free cookie or crust recipe, you can bake it in the base of the pan first. Pour the filling over top of that, and bake as directed in the recipe.
A note on this tutorial
This tutorial was made while I baked 3 cakes, actually, and I did a couple of different sizes. So, you will notice, some of the pictures show one type of cheesecake pan, and the others show a different one. The darker pan is a 9″, a regular sized cheesecake, and the lighter pan is an 8″, for a taller, thicker cake, as displayed in the final pictures of this post. (If that was at all confusing, just use an 8″ springform pan if you want your cake to look like mine when you cut it.)
Easy Homemade Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 c. graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 c. butter melted
- 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 c. sugar
Filling:
- 1 c. sugar
- 24 oz. (3 pkgs.) cream cheese softened
- 1 c. sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 t. vanilla
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry crust ingredients. Melt the butter, and mix it in until the mixture is well combined. Press into the base of an 8" or 9" springform pan. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, and then beat in the eggs until smooth and well combined. Stir in the salt and vanilla. Pour the filling over the crust.
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Set a pan with a bit of water in it on the bottom shelf of your oven, just below where the cheesecake will sit. Place the cake on the rack above the water and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the centre of the cake is set (jiggle the pan a little to test it).
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Turn off the oven and allow the cake to sit in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and refrigerate until cold.
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Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it and remove the side of the pan. Place the cake on a serving plate, cut into slices, and serve. Top with mixed frozen berries or your favourite topping.
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Tip: The berries are best served slightly thawed, so that the juices run down the sides a bit, and they're easier to eat.
Used in this recipe:
- Ingredients (see the recipe)
- Electric hand held mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Glass measuring pitcher
- Spatula
- Spring form pan (8″ as pictured in this recipe)
Mmmm, beautiful cheesecake! Do you ever make butter tarts? I'm looking for a good recipe.
I do, Kathy! Maybe that should be an upcoming project – I have a great recipe.
Thanks for the comment!
I made this today, it was fabulous. It was my first attempt at making cheesecake and I am so glad I found this recipe. THANK YOU 🙂
This was also my first attempt at cheesecake, and I was making it for a birthday so I was feeling the pressure! I topped it with a freshly picked blueberry sauce, and it was amazing! Thanks for posting!
Why do you put water I the oven with the cheesecake?
Good question! Putting water in the oven provides moisture, prevents the cake from burning, and also (if you have my luck with cheesecakes), it will catch any butter that leaks from the pan and save your oven from a world of trouble. 😉
All the best!
MAYBE LESS BUTTER,IT HAPPENED TO ME ONCE ALSO.SO I ALWAYS USED LESS BUTTER FOR THE CRUST.
This is a superb recipe. It was my first cheesecake attempt and we were blown away by the flavour. My 4 year old and 11 year old were instant devotees. My 4 year old rubs her tummy and says ‘deeeelicious’ when it’s mentioned in conversation. Also great because it’s flexible but a totally reliable base. Thanks, and well done on a nicely put together recipe.
😍 this and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks Naomi
This is the best cheesecake but I have a terrible time getting the bottom of the springform part off, do you have any suggestions, maybe I’m not letting it get cold enough,
Hey Melinda!
Actually, the bottom of the springform pan is designed that you serve the cake on it- so you shouldn’t need to remove it at all! If you are wanting to give the cake away, however, I have often put a cake board into the base on the pan, and then when you release the sides of the cake, the board slides off the base easily.
Hope this helps you! Thanks for your comment.
–Naomi
Can I use sugar in the raw instead of granulated sugar? What are my other options for sugar?
Yes, of course you can! Any type of granulated sugar would work; even coconut sugar would probably be fine.
All the best- and thanks for your comment!
I will definitely try this one and it will be my first attempt at cheese cake. Thank you. Looks yum!
Can you freeze this cheesecake?
Hi Margaret!
Yes, of course you can! Cheesecake freezes very well, and actually, I love to eat it when it’s so thoroughly cold that way! Just make sure you thaw it in enough time for the ice to thaw out completely before you serve it. (Not that it matters too much – it’s just easier to cut when you aren’t hacking through a block of frozen cheesecake!) 😉
Thanks for your comment!
–Naomi
Can splenda be used in place of sugar?
Hi Becky! I’ve never substituted Splenda for sugar in this recipe, but I would imagine it would be okay- the only thing I might worry about is that the texture might be negatively affected, and perhaps your cheesecake would be less smooth.
Here are some tips I found- let me know how it turns out if you try it! https://www.splenda.com/cooking-baking-tips
Thank you!! I’ll give it a go a let you know how it turns out!
Will be making this cheesecake for sure.
I made this and it looked great and while it was sitting in the oven for the hour it cracked in half. Did I do something wrong?
Hi David!
First, I’m sorry the cheesecake cracked – I hope it was delicious anyway!
My understanding of what causes cheesecakes to crack is a quickly fluctuating change in temperature. For this reason, many people will bake their cheesecakes in a water bath, which is basically that you would wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil, and then set the whole thing into a larger pan with 1″ of water in the bottom to bake it.
I have also read in the past that using room temperature ingredients (i.e. no cold eggs, cream cheese, etc), will help the cake to keep from shrinking.
In my days of making cheesecakes, more of my cakes have cracked than not, but thankfully those cracks are easy to cover with fruit so that no one can tell, and the taste is not affected – which is the best part!
Thanks for your comment, and I hope this helps for your future cheesecake endeavours!
–Naomi
Do you have to grease the pan at all?
Not at all! The cake will come out easily as is. 🙂
The butter leaks because the springform pan does not seal tightly enough at the base. Try filling the clamped-closed pan with hot water & watch for leaks-perhaps 15 minutes.
This is amazing – thank you!
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Love this recipe! Has anyone tried altering the recipe to do different flavors? Such as adding Nutella, or oreos, or peanut butter, etc. Just wondering if it would alter the cooking time/process.