Easy Cheesecake Recipe
Print Pin VideoIf you're looking for a super creamy cheesecake recipe that is easy to make (with no water bath required), then this recipe is it! It's rich, creamy, slightly tart and has the most irresistible biscuit base. I'd go so far as to say it's the BEST cheesecake recipe I've tried!
IMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Crust
- 3 cups (360 g) plain sweet biscuits - you can use graham crackers, superwine, Arnott's marie biscuits etc. I used superwine biscuits (my preferred option)
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter - melted
- 3 tbsp (35 g) white granulated sugar
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 cups (905 g) cream cheese - 32 oz in the US. Needs to be room temperature.
- 2 tbsp (15 g) flour - plain, all purpose
- 1¼ cups (250 g) white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream - room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
- 1½ tsps fresh lemon juice - optional, but recommended
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
Instructions
Cheesecake Crust
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 1 if you don't have a fan function) and lighty grease a 9 inch springform cake tin. I use my homemade cake release, but a little butter or oil will do the trick.
- Place the biscuits into a food processer, and blend until they resemble fine crumbs. They shouldn't be powdery though, so check them every now and then to make sure you aren't over processing them.
- Place the biscuit crumbs into a bowl and add in the melted butter and sugar. Mix with a spoon until well combined (towards the end I like to just use my hands to make sure everything is mixed well).
- Pour the crumbs into the springform pan, and using your hands or the bottom of a cup, firmly press the crumbs up the sides of the cake pan and evenly on the bottom (see note 2 for extra tips on how I like to do this).
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Once done set aside to cool.
Cheesecake Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (285°F) with the fan on (see note 3 if you don't have a fan function).
- In a large bowl add in the room temperature cream cheese, and using a hand or stand mixer on a low-medium speed, mix just until it's smooth (see note 5 about overmixing). If using a stand mixer then use the paddle attachment.
- Next add in the all purpose flour, and mix on a low-medium speed until just combined.
- Next add in the sugar, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt, and again mix on low-medium speed until just combined.
- Finish off by adding in the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing each egg on a low speed until it's almost combined before adding in the next.
- Pour the batter into the prebaked crust (it's okay if the crust is still slightly warm), give the cake tin a little shake to distribute the batter evenly, and then drop the cake tin lightly on the counter to remove any large air bubbles. Also place the cheesecake onto a baking tray incase there are any leaks - it'll save you from having to clean your oven!
- Bake for 75 minutes (middle rack), or until the top of the cheesecake is set. It will still be quite wobbly in the middle, so to check that it's done, touch the centre gently with your finger tip, and no wet batter should stick to your finger. If you notice the top browning and the cheesecake isn't ready, cover the top with aluminium foil and continue to bake until ready.
- Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes with the oven door closed (make sure the oven is off), and then take it out and let it come to room temperature before covering the top with some cling wrap and placing into the fridge to set. It needs to set for a minimum of 4 hours in the fridge, but for best results, allow it to set overnight.
- Once ready, remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter/cake stand. Slice and enjoy! See note 6 for best way to cut a cheesecake.
Video
Notes
Note 1. In this recipe I use an oven with the fan function turned on. The fan forced function cooks cakes faster, so if your oven doesn't have a fan option, then you will need to increase the baking temperature to 175°C (350°F).
Note 2. The way that I like to ensure that I have a nice even crust, is to place about 2/3rds of the crumbs into the cake tin, spread them out to the edges, and then use a cup to push the crumbs up the sides of the cake tin (see video for visual demonstration). You want it to be relatively high, leaving a small gap at the top of the cake tin. Once done, add the remaining crumbs into the middle, spread them out evenly and then again use the bottom of the cup to press the crumbs firmly into place.
Note 3. If you don't have a fan option (convection mode) then increase baking temperature to 160 °C (320°F)
Note 4. Ensuring that all ingredients are at room temperature is super important. If one or more of your ingredients is too cold, it can cause your cheesecake to crack or sink when baking/cooling.
Note 5. To get the perfect cheesecake consistency, we don't want to incorporate too much air into our cheesecake batter. For this reason, only mix at each step until the ingredients are just combined. If you overmix, it can cause your cheesecake to collapse when baking.
Note 6. For the perfect cheesecake slices, dip your knife in hot water (or run it under hot water), wipe the water off with a paper towel and then slice the cheesecake while it's cold. Wipe the knife clean everytime you slice into the cheesecake.
Nutrition
Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 602IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
Tried this recipe?I love hearing from you! Tag me @cakesbymk.nz on instagram so I can see your amazing creations :)