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new york cheesecake cut up into slices next to a cup of coffee and a knife

New York Cheesecake

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5 from 5 reviews

New York cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and dense and will satisfy all of your dessert dreams. Step-by-step photos help you learn how to bake this gorgeous cheesecake recipe. No fuss and frills this cheesecake is a simple dessert your whole family will love.

  • Total Time: 7 Hours 55 Minutes
  • Yield: 10 Slices 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

Crust

  • 200 Grams (1 1/2 Cups) Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 3 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 3.5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

Cheesecake

  • 32oz (2 lbs) Cream Cheese, completely softened to room temperature
  • 300 grams (1 1/2 Cup) Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3oz (Scant 1/2 Cup) Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 5 Large Eggs + 2 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature
  • Optional: Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

Instructions

Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch springform pan then set aside. 
  2. In a small bowl combine crushed graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Once evenly combined add melted butter to crumbs. Mix until a wet sand texture is formed. Press into the bottom and slightly up upsides of prepared pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes to set the crust. Let cool on a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 300F/ 149C.

Cheesecake

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes at low speed. It should be smooth with no lumps. Add the granulated sugar and salt then beat for another 2 minutes on low speed. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract- mixing until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.
  2. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the final two egg yolks together. You should have a creamy batter with no lumps and no signs of egg yolk. Pour into the prepared pan and gently tap on the counter to encourage any air bubbles to come to the top, use a toothpick to pop any bubbles. Place 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch cake pan- place cake pan in roasting pan and fill roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the cake pan. I like to place the pan in the oven and use a kettle to pour the hot water in then. This prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don't have to wrap everything with foil.
  3. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, the middle 3 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 125-135F- but be careful when you poke as if you are not covering the top in whipped cream you will see the mark. At this point turn the oven up to 500F/260C and leave the cheesecake in to continue cooking, this will darken the top of the cheesecake. This cheesecake can darken really quickly depending on the oven so I would start checking after 7 minutes or so, my cheesecakes usually take 15-18 minutes. 
  4. Turn the oven off and open the door but let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour then take out of roasting pan and cool on a wire rack for another hour. Then wrap cheesecake with plastic wrap. Let chill in the fridge overnight or at least 6 hours.
  5. Use an offset spatula to gently loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the springform pan then release the sides. If you want to transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate use the angled spatula to gently release the crust from the bottom of the pan then slide two spatulas underneath to move and support the cheesecake to the serving plate. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
  • Prep Time: 25 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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