Best Easy Cheesecake Recipe (No Water Bath!)

A slice of the best cheesecake on a plate with strawberries in front of the rest of the cheesecake.

4.80 from 10 votes

Best Easy Cheesecake Recipe (No Water Bath!)

This really is the BEST Cheesecake recipe, we get a beautiful cheesecake every time! It's a straightforward, fool-proof method, and there's no water bath required. With a buttery graham cracker crust, and a rich and creamy vanilla filling, I have no doubt this will become one of your favorite desserts!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Cooling Time6

Total Time7 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Equipment

9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs, about 1½ sleeves graham crackers (198g)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1⅓ cups granulated sugar (267g)
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper if you want to easily be able to remove the whole cheesecake from the pan.
Pulse graham crackers in a large food processor or blender until they are fine crumbs. Add sugar and melted butter and pulse again to combine.
Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. It helps to use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to compact the crumbs into the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set the crust.
Meanwhile, beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed just until creamy and smooth. Do not overmix.
Add sugar and mix again just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bottom with a rubber spatula.
Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix again until evenly incorporated, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again. Do not overmix or it will add air to the batter which can result in cracks in the cheesecake.
Lightly beat the eggs with a fork in a separate bowl. Add beaten eggs to cheesecake batter and mix just until combined. Pause to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
Pour cheesecake batter into graham cracker crust. Bake for 70-80 minutes until the edges have turned a very light golden brown and the center is barely set but still has a slight wobble to it if you jostle the cheesecake in the oven. Do not overbake.
Remove the cheesecake and let it cool for 10 minutes in a warm place. I like to turn off the oven completely and open the oven door wide to let it cool in there, but you need to be careful if there are others in the kitchen who might run into the open oven door.
After 10 minutes, run a thin knife around the edges of the crust to separate it from the springform pan. Let the cheesecake cool gently at room temperature for another 1-2 hours before transferring it to the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours. Remove from the springform pan and slice with a sharp knife before serving.

Notes

Storage: Store your cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can store it with the toppings already on it, or store it plain and add the toppings fresh each time you serve it.
Freeze: As this cheesecake is baked, it is perfect for freezing. To do this successfully, first freeze it in the springform pan after you have separated the edges of the cheesecake from the pan. Put it in the freezer for 4 hours to solidify, then remove it from the pan, cover it in two layers of plastic wrap, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Simply unwrap the cheesecake and place it on a plate in the refrigerator to defrost.

Nutrition