Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

This Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is irresistible, a little time and effort making this stunning cheesecake one that you will be proud to serve! A perfect birthday cake or Sunday night dinner!  Easily made the day before this cheesecake lets you focus on the party! 

Why is cheesecake so freaking good?! And why was I so lucky to make this gorgeous cheesecake, that no one in my house could resist by the way. I seriously outdid myself, well at least I thought so. When this cheesecake was in my fridge I couldn't wait to get home, knowing it was waiting for me. Seriously THAT GOOD.

This vanilla bean cheesecake is flavored with vanilla bean seeds and vanilla bean extract for double wham factor.

I also added some fresh lemon zest to the batter to give it a little something extra. You know as Elle Woods does in legally blonde. She sprays perfume on her notes, I mean seriously that's amazing.

If you're looking for a no-bake version of this vanilla bean cheesecake check out my no-bake cheesecake recipe here. Another delicious plain cheesecake is my Basque cheesecake recipe.

Do you know what else is amazing? Hair Perfume. Yes, it's a thing. I didn't know either until recently and I just HAD TO HAVE IT!

It is such an unnecessary purchase, but it was staring at me, I needed it. And it is in such a cute little bottle and did I mention its Viktor Rolf Flower Bomb, one of my all-time favvvvvvvv perfumes.

Jump to:

• What are the ingredients
• 📖How do you make vanilla bean cheesecake?
• ✅Tips & Tricks
• 💭 How do I make a cheesecake with no cracks
• 🎂 More cheesecake recipes
• Recipe Card
• Recipe Ratings & Comments

Some more classic recipes you'll love are my classic chocolate cake recipe and vanilla bean creme brulee.

Check out all my cheesecake baking tips here.

What are the ingredients

You will need just a few simple ingredients to create the best tasting and best texture cheesecake you've ever had! Well, in my opinion anyway!

For the crust

• Graham Crackers or Digestives. These biscuits create a fabulous flavor and texture. You could use crushed Oreos or Golden Oreos, just reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon.
• Granulated Sugar. This is dessert after all, so just a bit of sugar sweetens the crust perfectly.
• Melted Butter. Just enough to moisten the crumbs, too much butter and it will all leak out of the pan and create a mess.

For the cheesecake filling you'll need:

• Cream Cheese. It is imperative that your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature. If not you will have a lumpy cheesecake.
• Granulated Sugar. We don't use a ton of sugar here, you want to be able to enjoy the tang of the cream cheese and too much sugar will mask the flavor.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. Also known as Double Cream this helps create a luscious texture.
• Sour Cream. This helps create a tender and tangy cheesecake. You can also use Greek Yogurt.
• Pure Vanilla Bean. I like to scrape one pod and add some vanilla bean extract as well. The pod provides those gorgeous vanilla bean flecks we all love so much!
• Lemon Zest. Lemon helps brighten the cheesecake and just give it that little something extra.
• Large Eggs. We'll use whole eggs and egg yolks only. The egg yolks help provide more richness for a fabulous cheesecake.

To top the cheesecake you can make a strawberry sauce or use a store-bought one. I have a recipe for one below in the recipe card.

And for me no cheesecake is complete without whipped cream, you can use store-bought or try my Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

📖How do you make vanilla bean cheesecake?

Start by preheating the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9-inch springform pan then set aside. It's important to use a springform pan or a removable bottom pan to help the cheesecake easily come out of the baking tin.

To crush the graham crackers or digestives blend them in a food processor. You can also put them in a plastic bag and bang a rolling pin on top to crush them.

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 the crumbs 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.

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 beat on low for another 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla beans, lemon zest, and vanilla extract- mixing until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly combined.

To get the vanilla beans out of the vanilla pods cut it in half then use the back (non-sharp side) of a knife to scrape the inside out. You're starting at one end and pulling the knife down and you'll end up with a lump of vanilla bean seeds.

Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

You should have a creamy batter with no lumps. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Place the 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. Making a water bath this way prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don't have to wrap everything with foil.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes, the middle 2 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 140-145F- but be careful when you poke as if you are not covering the top in whipped cream you will see the mark. I use a Thermapen MK4.

Turn the oven off and open the door so it is cracked open, let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 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.

When ready to serve to take the cheesecake out of the fridge, if moisture has appeared on the top just use a paper towel and lightly press on top of the cheesecake to soak the liquid up.

Use an angled spatula to gently loosen the cheesecake sides from the edge of the pan then release the springform pan. Use the same spatula to gently loosen the bottom of the cheesecake from the pan and gently but quickly transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.

Add fresh whipped cream. I have a step-by-step photo post on how to make stabilized whipped cream which is perfect for a cheesecake.

I also love to add fresh berries or strawberry sauce. See the recipe card below for a strawberry sauce to serve with this classic cheesecake.

✅Tips & Tricks

As always I highly suggest you take these steps to make sure you have the best cheesecake possible

• Bake your cheesecake the day before
  • Baking your cheesecake the day before means it has plenty of time to chill (very necessary) and it is already made so you can focus on other party planning things!

💭 How do I make a cheesecake with no cracks

• Do not overwhip the cheesecake, you do not want a ton of air bubbles. Air bubbles = cracks
• Bake the Cheesecake in a Springform Pan (affiliate link) for easy release when you serve it.
• When you pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan tap the tin on the counter to release any air bubbles.
• Bake the cheesecake in a water bath.
• Do not open the oven doors when the cheesecake is baking you want all the hot air to stay in the oven until you turn the oven off.
• Let the cheesecake cool slowly, by letting it cool in the oven, then on the counter, and finally chilling it.

What is the best way to serve my cheesecake with clean slices?

Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. After each slice wipe the knife clean with a hot cloth to ensure clean slices.

For another classic dessert recipe try my best chocolate cake recipe, vanilla bean creme brulee, or my chewy brownies.

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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🎂 More cheesecake recipes

• Raspberry Swirl Lemon Cheesecake
• Chai Cheesecake Recipe
• Oreo Cheesecake Recipe
• How to make a Blueberry Cheesecake

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This post was originally published April 1, 2014 as of December 2019 the text and photos have been updated.