Rich, creamy, and tangy classic New York-style cheesecake with a crumbly graham cracker crust. The best part? You can make it without the hassle of a water bath!
Making a delicious cheesecake from scratch doesn't need to be stressful. Traditionally, cheesecake is baked in a bain-marie, A.K.A. a water bath. This method involves wrapping your springform pan in multiple layers of tin foil and placing it inside the water bath in the oven. Unfortunately, this allows for a lot of room for error as something as simple as a hole in the foil or the wrong amount of water can create a soggy cheesecake mess. In my opinion, it's just not worth the hassle and the risk.
Cheesecakes are technically custard, so they prefer a nice steamy environment and slow temperature shifts. Luckily, the methods in this recipe recreate those conditions without the need for a water bath. Read on below for more troubleshooting and tips for making a cheesecake that will wow your friends and family. As always, feel free to jump straight to the recipe!
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What you need
- 9" springform pan - I haven't tested this recipe with a smaller or larger size, so adjust the baking time or filling amount accordingly (ie. reduce the baking time if using a bigger pan as it won't be as thick and don't overfill a smaller pan).
- stand mixer with paddle attachment - For best results, I recommend using a stand mixer as opposed to a hand mixer unless your hand mixer has a very low setting. It's easier to over-mix the batter with a handheld mixer.
- large sieve - To avoid clumps in the batter, I recommend running the batter through a sieve before pouring it into the pan.
Ingredients
- Graham Crackers - I like using Honeymaid Graham crackers for the crust. Feel free to use any brand, or substitute with shortbread cookies, Nilla Wafers, Oreos, etc. If using a sweeter substitute, no need to add extra sugar to the crust.
- Unsalted Butter - Just a little melted butter is needed here. This will help bind the crust together.
- Cream Cheese - Use full-fat bricks of cream cheese. Low-fat or "spreadable" cream cheese in a tub will not give you the same results. Make sure this is at room temperature before you start baking.
- Granulated Sugar
- Sour Cream or Full-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt - Either works for this recipe. Make sure it's not a low-fat version and is at room temperature before adding it. This adds a bit of tanginess and helps the texture of the cheesecake.
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs - You need 4 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure they are, you guessed it, at room temperature before adding. Pro tip: To get eggs to room temperature quickly, put them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10-15 minutes before you begin baking.
- All-Purpose Flour - We just need a little flour to add some starch to the mixture to help avoid cracking.
- Kosher Salt - In this recipe (and most of my recipes) I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Normal table salt is MUCH saltier salt, so please adjust the salt in the recipe if that is all you have.
Tips for success
First of all, it's not really a big deal if your cheesecake cracks. Just cover it with a delicious topping like caramel sauce or some fresh raspberries and it will still look and taste fabulous!
If you are concerned about your cheesecake cracking though, here are some things you can do to help prevent it without using a water bath.
First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before starting. This allows them to come together more smoothly and avoids over mixing.
Another way to avoid over-mixing and whipping too much air into your batter is to break up your eggs with a fork prior to adding them to the batter.
Baking the cheesecake slowly at a low temperature and cooling slowly as directed in the recipe will also help prevent cracking.
Lastly, in order to create the steamy environment in the oven that cheesecakes love, place a pan with a couple inches of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven before putting your cheesecake in the oven.
Despite following all these tips, you may still end up with a small crack or two. Don't sweat it!
Your cheesecake is done when you jiggle the pan and a small circle in the center of the cheesecake still wobbles a little bit. The outer couple of inches should be completely set. Avoid opening the oven to check too soon as this could cause the oven temperature to rapidly drop. Wait until the last 10 minutes to check if possible.
After your cheesecake cools on the counter and sets in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight you can remove it from the pan. To remove it, run a knife or flat edge spatula around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it's not stuck to the sides (it shouldn't be if it was sprayed and lined). Next, release the latch on the side of the pan and slowly lift the outer ring off the cheesecake. Use a large spatula to transfer the cheesecake off the bottom of the pan and onto a plate or cake stand.
Toppings
Although this cheesecake is delicious plain, here are some ideas for toppings and decorations:
- Salted Caramel Sauce (as pictured above)
- Chocolate Sauce
- Fresh Raspberries
- Strawberry Syrup
- Whipped Cream
Storing and Freezing
Store the cheesecake covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for up to a month, but the texture may alter a bit. Thaw completely in the fridge before serving to avoid soggy cheesecake!
Weight vs. volume measurements
You will find that the majority of the ingredients in my recipes will be measured by weight (usually grams) instead of volume (cups, etc.). This is to ensure the best results each time you bake. Depending on how ingredients are packed and leveled into a cup measurement, the actual amount of the ingredient can drastically differ. Baking is a science and depends on precise measurements to get consistent results. You can find a kitchen scale for cheap at most grocery stores or online. I love the Escali brand!
PrintRecipe
No Water Bath Cheesecake
Rich, creamy, and tangy classic New York-style cheesecake with a crumbly graham cracker crust. The best part? You can make it without the hassle of a water bath!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: ~7 hours
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: ~9 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Crust
- 175g (about 11 sheets) graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 50g granulated sugar
Filling
- 32oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 250g granulated sugar
- 122g full-fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Spray the sides and bottom of the pan with nonstick spray.
- Make the crust: Using a food processor or large Ziploc bag, crush the graham crackers until completely crumbled. Transfer the crushed graham crackers to a medium bowl and mix in the 50g of sugar. Add in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until it resembles the consistency of wet sand.
- Pour the mixture into the lined pan and use the flat side of a small measuring cup to smooth it out. It should go up the sides of the pan about 1.5 inches.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown, remove from the oven, and then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Prepare the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the room-temperature cream cheese and sugar and mix on low for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add in the sour cream or greek yogurt, vanilla, flour, and salt. Mix on low until just combined and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again.
- In a separate bowl, crack the 4 eggs and lightly scramble them with a fork. With the mixer on low, slowly add the eggs in 4 additions until the batter is homogenous. Avoid over-mixing.
- Run the filling through a metal sieve into a separate bowl to get out any remaining clumps. Then, bang the bowl on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
- Pour the filling into the springform pan in the center of the cooled crust.
- Bake: At this point, the oven should be down to 325°F. Place a medium-sized pan with 1-2 inches of hot water on the lower oven rack. Then, place the cheesecake on a rack in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 300°F for another 30 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for another 30 minutes to let the residual heat continue to bake the cheesecake.
- Instead of taking the cake straight out of the oven, crack the oven door and place a wooden spoon in the opening to allow the oven to slowly cool down.
- After about 10 minutes check the cheesecake for doneness by lightly jiggling the pan. If it's done, only a small circle in the center of the cheesecake should slightly wiggle. If it needs more time, keep the oven door cracked up to another 10 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack to cool.
- Once it cools completely, place the cheesecake uncovered, still in the pan in the fridge for 5 hours or overnight.
- After chilling is complete, you can carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and serve it with your favorite topping.
Notes
Storing: Store the cheesecake covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for up to a month, but the texture may alter a bit. Thaw completely in the fridge before serving to avoid soggy cheesecake!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 503
- Sugar: 29.9g
- Sodium: 418mg
- Fat: 35.5g
- Saturated Fat: 21.1g
- Carbohydrates: 39.4g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 9.3g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
Keywords: cheesecake, new york cheesecake, no water bath cheesecake
About Kaylee Hagen
Hi, I'm Kaylee! I'm the recipe developer, writer, and photographer for all things Honey, I Baked a Cake! Formerly a professional musical theatre performer in New York City, I now put my creativity into baking decadent treats to share with friends, family, and you.
Sarah
So delicious! It takes some time, but the wait is worth it if you plan ahead!
★★★★★
Andrea
This is exactly what I hoped for out of a cheesecake, so creamy and delicious!
★★★★★