Look no further for your perfect classic cheesecake recipe! A super creamy cheesecake that is both light and decadent with a buttery graham cracker crust. Plus, I’ve included all of my tips for baking your best cheesecake ever!

How to Make the Best Classic Cheesecake

Classic cheesecake consist of only a few simple ingredients, that when mixed up right create pure magic in the oven. Here are the best tips to making perfect cheesecake at home.

How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust

Starting with the base of the cheesecake, we’re keeping things traditional with a graham cracker crust. You can either buy graham crackers already ground into crumbs or make your own crumbs by pulsing full sized graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.

To the crumbs mix in a little sugar, a pinch of salt and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Dump the crust mixture into a 9″ springform pan and begin to evenly distribute along the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan with your hands. Once your base is established use a small measuring cup to firmly pack in the crust until its tight and compact. Next, partially bake the crust for about 10 minutes at 350°F.

Compacting your crust crumbs and pre-baking will help your crust become sturdy and not soggy. The crust will need to hold up all of that luscious cheesecake filling without crumbling and falling apart.

Tips for Baking the Perfect Cheesecake

Start with room temperature ingredients. Always, always, always start with ingredients that are have come to room temperature! This will help your batter mix together smoothly and quickly. Working with cold ingredients will lead to a lumpy and overworked batter.
Smooth out the top of the batter. Gently jiggle the pan until the batter settles evenly into place or use an offset spatula to smooth out any uneven areas. Additionally, you can lightly drop or tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles trapped in the batter. The air bubbles should come to the surface where you can pop them or smooth them out.
Baking with a water bath. Here we are using an alternative to the old school water bath. Instead of placing the cheesecake pan INTO a large pan of hot water we are going to be placing it ABOVE the hot water. On the lowest rack of the oven place a large pan (such as a roasting pan or 13×9″ pan) and fill it with boiling water. Bake the cheesecake on the middle oven rack directly above the pan of hot water below. This will create the steamy humid environment that cheesecakes love when baking. Allowing the cake to bake low and slow without drying out.
Testing for doneness. To tell when the cheesecake is done the edges should be slightly puffed and the center will still have a small wobble. While still in the oven, give the pan a gentle shake, if the center jiggles similar to jello it’s done! If it jiggles a lot more loosely then the cheesecake needs longer in the oven.
Slow, gradual cooling. Once you’ve checked for proper doneness it’s time to let the cheesecake cool very slowly back to room temperature. Cooling can take just as long, if not longer, than the actual baking time! Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside and crack open the oven door. Leave to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour remove the cheesecake from the oven and let sit on top of the oven or on the counter for another 30 minutes to 1 hour before transferring to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours. This long and slow cooling process avoids shocking the cheesecake with drastic temperature changes, which leads to cracks in the cheesecake.

How to Prevent Cracks in Cheesecake

The methods and tricks mentioned above will all help achieve that perfect smooth crack free cheesecake we all covet. But let’s dive a little further into preventing the dreaded cracked cheesecake top.

Mixing: This goes hand in hand with having all ingredients at room temperature. When everything is the same temperature it makes the mixing process a whole lot faster and easier. We want a smooth homogenous filling with no lumps. Over mixing a batter is bad news in the baking world and can lead to cracking during the baking process.
Cornstarch: Think of cornstarch as a little secret weapon to achieving a great cheesecake. The cornstarch helps to prevent cracking by interacting with the proteins from the eggs to create a sturdier structure for the filling. A sturdier firm filling = less chance of cracks and easier to slice.
Water Bath: A water bath creates a steamy environment in the oven which keeps this classic cheesecake from drying out during the long baking time, and thus preventing cracks from a dried out filling.
Slow Cooling: Dramatic changes in temperature can shock a cheesecake and cause it to pull away from itself, particularly in the center. So we want to slowly transition from a hot oven, to room temperature, to the cold environment of a fridge. Follow my directions for proper cooling and you should avoid any risks to cracking due to temperature changes.

Removing the Cheesecake from the Springform Pan

After chilling for several hours you can remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Start by running a long thin paring knife between the edge of the pan and the cheesecake to loosen the edges. Undue the side clasp of the pan and the edges should pop away smoothly. Carefully lift the sides of the pan up and off of the base. That’s it! Leave the cheesecake on the flat base of the pan for easy serving and slicing.

If needed for transportation, you can place the sides of the pan back over the cheesecake and close the side clasp for stability.

How to Cut Clean Cheesecake Slices

Use a large sharp knife, such as a chef’s knife. Firmly cut straight down into the cheesecake ensuring the bottom crust has been cut through. Gently slide the knife back out and wipe the blade clean with a kitchen towel between each slice.

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