How To Make Perfect Cheesecake

We’ve diligently tested many cheesecakes over the years. And we’ve developed many variations: Basque cheesecake! No-baked cheesecake. Even Instant Pot cheesecake! And in all of our testing, we’ve learned a lot about mistakes to avoid when making cheesecake.

As for the very best recipe when you want a classic cheesecake? We can confidently say that this is it. Perfectly creamy and simple to prepare, this cheesecake will be your new go to recipe.

Now, let’s break down how to make cheesecake into easy pieces. Let’s talk about ingredients, water baths, dealing with surface cracks — the whole shebang. Here’s a step-by-step recipe that will help you make a creamy, no-fail cheesecake that is everything you ever dreamed it could be.

• Cream cheese: Specifically, full-fat cream cheese. Cheesecake is not the time to skimp.
• Sour cream: Most cheesecake recipes use either heavy cream or sour cream; either will do the job of softening the texture of the cheese and adding some moisture. I prefer sour cream because I like the extra hit of sour tang it adds to the cake.
• Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake’s velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don’t feel like separating that fourth egg and don’t mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)
• Cornstarch: Just a little bit helps avoid cracking!

A little bit of cornstarch or flour in the cheesecake batter is insurance against cracking and makes the cake easier to cut into clean slices, though it does change the texture of the cheesecake a bit. Starch makes the cheesecake more firm and sturdy, while a cheesecake that relies on eggs alone has a softer, super-creamy texture.

I have tried both and love both. I feel like the texture difference is actually quite slight — it might be noticeable in a side-by-side comparison, but it would take a true cheesecake connoisseur to distinguish one on its own. Go whichever route makes you happiest.

A water bath helps cook the cheesecake oh so gently while also creating a steamy environment so the surface doesn’t get too dry. It’s like a day spa for the cheesecake, and makes it supremely smooth and creamy.

A water bath is also not that hard:

1. Wrap the cheesecake pan in foil to help keep any water from seeping through the cracks of the pan.
2. Set the cheesecake in a roasting pan or other large baking dish.
3. Fill it with a few inches of water, and put the whole contraption in the oven.

There are two main reasons why your cheesecake might form cracks: Overcooking and too-fast cooling. Both are entirely preventable. Cook your cheesecake until the outer ring of the cake is slightly puffed and fairly firm, but the inner circle still jiggles like barely set Jell-o. A few toasty golden spots are fine, but if you see any small cracks forming, immediately move on to the cooling step.

When cooling, do it gradually. Let the cheesecake sit in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for about an hour, then remove it from the water bath and let it cool completely on the stovetop. When you remove it from the water bath, also run a thin-bladed knife around the edge to make sure the cake isn’t sticking to the pan, which can also cause cracks as the cake settles.

A cheesecake is a make-ahead cake in the sense that you have to make it ahead. After all the careful baking and slow cooling, the cheesecake still needs to chill in the fridge and finish setting up for at least four hours or (ideally) overnight.

If you cut into the cheesecake before chilling, it will have a firm custardy texture, like flan, and you will think that you’ve done something terribly wrong. But after chilling, it will have transformed into that velvety, creamy, lush cheesecake that we all know and love. It’s like magic.

There are a few moments in this process when you may think that all is lost. I want to set your mind at ease.

1. Tiny bits of cream cheese in the batter: Sometimes you get some little specks of cream cheese in the batter that won’t go away — either because your cream cheese was still a bit chilly or because of the cream cheese itself (cream cheese with fewer additives tends to incorporate less easily into the batter, surprisingly). You don’t want large lumps, but these tiny speckles are fine. They will melt into the cheesecake as it bakes and won’t affect the finished cake.
2. A few cracks: Yes, sometimes you’ll get cracks in your cheesecake. It happens — usually if you accidentally cooked the cheesecake a little too long or cooled it too quickly. But a few cracks don’t mean you failed or that your cheesecake is ruined. Just cover it with topping and carry on.
3. A little water in the pan: Oh, no! Did a little water work its way through the foil and leak into your pan? Don’t worry about it. The outside edge of your crust will look a bit soggy at first, but it will set up in the fridge overnight with none the wiser. Promise.
4. Wrong pan size: If you only have a 10-inch pan and you want to make a recipe for a 9-inch cheesecake, it’s fine to use the pan you have. Changing the pan size when making cheesecake will affect the height of the cheesecake and its cooking time (thinner cheesecakes will cook a bit more quickly), but not its flavor or texture.

You are now armed with the knowledge you need to make the best cheesecake ever. Use the recipe below, or just apply these steps and techniques to your next cheesecake — either way, cheesecake bliss awaits. Once you’ve got it down, here are more cheesecake recipes to try:

• Easy Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Basque Cheesecake
• No-Bake Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake

Flawless and foolproof. This is a high standard for a dessert fraught with the potential for error, but it truly is. With clear and specific instructions, it was as if I had a friend holding my hand at each step. I took Emma’s suggestions, using cornstarch as insurance against cracking and including sour cream for its tang to cut through the dense, richness of the cheesecake.

I baked my cake in a 9-inch springform pan, making sure there was a tight seal of aluminum foil before pouring in the water for the bath. Straightforward instruction on what to look for in batter texture and the wiggle-jiggle of the finished cake made me breathe a little easier.

The result was a rich, creamy, and tangy cake, with no signs of cracking. I served this to friends welcoming a new baby, and before I left a quarter of the cake was already gone. If you’ve never tried to bake a cheesecake, or have tried before and failed, tie on your apron and get baking with this recipe by your side.
— Patty, April 2018