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Slice of classic cheesecake topped with raspberry jam and whole raspberries sitting on a gold-rimmed, white plate with small magenta flowers in floral design and a copper fork with full cheesecake and plate of raspberries blurred in the background.
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5 — Votes 2 votes

Homemade Cheesecake

This incredibly rich, custard-meets-cheesecake recipe is sure to be a showstopper dessert at your next gathering!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Brittany Angell

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 ½ cups graham crackers crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter melted

For the filling:

  • 2 pounds cream cheese 4- 8 ounce blocks, room temperature
  • 1 ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks room temperature
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½-1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½-1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon salt

To prevent sticking:

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 475℉. Trace the inside base of a 9” springform pan on parchment paper and cut it out. Place the parchment cutout inside of the pan and wrap the bottom of the pan with several layers of aluminum foil (this helps to prevent spillage from the pan). To prevent sticking spray the entire interior of the pan with oil (a neutral oil like avocado oil is great here).
  • Add your graham crackers and sugar into your food processor and pulse until you have a fine crumb. Then pour in your melted butter and stir the mixture by hand until the butter is incorporated throughout. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and press it down evenly across the bottom of the pan and set aside.
  • Rinse out the food processor and wipe it dry. Add the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla and process until fully mixed and smooth.
  • To the cream cheese mixture, add the remaining ingredients (eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, lemon zest, orange zest, and salt) and puree for an additional 40-60 seconds (be careful not to overmix at this point, as overmixing can incorporate too many air bubbles into your filling that may cause the cake to crack and fall when baking).
  • Pour the filling on top of your graham cracker crust in the pan.
  • Place your cheesecake in the oven on the center rack and set a timer for 20 minutes. Resist any urge to open your oven to take a peek during the baking process because it allows heat and moisture to escape (which ultimately will impact the overall bake).
  • After 20 minutes, turn the oven heat down to 200℉ and bake for an additional 60 minutes.
  • After the 60 minutes of additional bake time is up, turn the oven off and crack the oven door (while leaving your cheesecake inside) and allow your cheesecake to cool to fully set and cool for one hour.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to continue to cool at room temperature for an additional 1-2 hours before wrapping it up. Don’t skip these cooling steps (even though they may seem tedious)! This slow cooling process is the key to keeping the cake from cracking.
  • Wrap your cheesecake in aluminum foil and place it in the fridge for 16-24 hours before serving to allow the cake to fully set.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

The slow and gradual cooling time is critical to follow to prevent cracking.
Make it gluten free - use gluten free graham crackers for the crust and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Make it dairy-free - swap the cream cheese for Tofutti vegan cream, cheese and the heavy cream for Silks Dairy Free Whipping Cream for the filling. Use vegan butter (I like Miyokos) and a dairy free graham cracker for the crust.

Nutrition

Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.7g | Protein: 11.6g | Fat: 51.7g | Saturated Fat: 29.5g | Cholesterol: 277mg | Sodium: 576.1mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 42.3g