The Best Sour Cream Cheesecake Recipe (New York Style)

Rich, creamy, perfectly baked cheesecake couldn't be easier. This is my foolproof recipe for the most delicious New York Cheesecake. This recipe never cracks and always looks super impressive. Here you go: all the tips to make sure your cheesecake is perfect!

If homemade cheesecake sounds intimidating, don't let that stop you for one more day!

There are just a few tricks to baking a perfect New York-style cheesecake recipe. I'm going to talk you through all of the steps. Yes, even the water bath. Trust me!

This cheesecake looks impressive – professional, even. It has a thick, crispy, and buttery graham cracker crust, super tall sides, and a rich and creamy filling.

You can add any kind of cheesecake topping that you like. A simple fresh fruit topping is always divine with cheesecake. My husband loves a jammy blueberry topping with his cheesecake. I love fresh fruit with a citrus glaze and a ton of whipped cream!

This cheesecake recipe is amazing every time, and it's never once cracked on me. Because it has always turned out perfectly, and because it's beyond delicious, I come back to it over and over again.

Recipe Notes

Perfect cheesecake is a beautiful thing. This recipe is my go-to cheesecake recipe. It comes out delicious every single time, and it never cracks.

Equipment you'll need

• 9-inch springform pan
• A 9x13 pan OR a large roasting pan
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Stand mixer with a paddle attachment OR a hand mixer
• Food processor with a blade attachment

Having the right tools on hand always makes a project easier. All of these tools are tools that I have in my kitchen and use regularly.

Of course, you can use a hand mixer if you haven't invested in a Kitchen-Aid yet. And if you don't have a food processor, a zip-top freezer bag and a rolling pin can make crushing graham crackers like therapy. Whack!

Once you've gathered all of the necessary equipment, make sure you have all of the ingredients.

Ingredients to Make a Cheesecake

• For The Crust: Graham crackers, walnuts, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• For The Filling: Cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and a vanilla bean. I use full-fat dairy always. However, you can substitute low-fat or even non-fat dairy. The texture may not be quite as rich and creamy.
• Citrus Zest: Oranges or lemons.
• Fruit For The Topping: I choose seasonal fruit. In the summer I love using fresh berries to top this cheesecake. In the fall and winter, stone fruits are also a great option.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Graham cracker crust

Step 1: Add the crushed graham crackers to the bowl of your food processor. Add the cinnamon, walnuts, and brown sugar. Pulse until you have crumbs.

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Step 2: Add the melted butter. Process until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly coated with butter.

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Step 3: Line a spring form pan with parchment paper. Dump the graham cracker mixture into the pan and use your fingers to spread the crumbs. Press them up along the sides of the springform pan using a measuring cup.

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Step 4: Pre-bake the crust at 350℉ for 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

Make the cheesecake filling

While the graham cracker crust is cooling, make the cheesecake filling.

PRO TIP: Start with all of your ingredients at room temperature.

Step 1: Add the cream cheese, sugar, and salt to the bowl of your mixer. Use the paddle attachment to mix until everything is smooth and creamy. .

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Step 2: Add the sour cream, orange zest, vanilla extract, and the scrapings from the vanilla bean. If you don't have a vanilla bean, you can use vanilla bean paste or extra vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

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Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time. Beat until each one is incorporated.

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Step 4: Mix until the filling is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Bake the Cheesecake

The oven should be preheated already to 350℉. Now it's time to get the cheesecake in the oven. You will be using a bain-marie (water bath) to bake this cheesecake.

A bain-marie is simply a fancy name for a water bath. The water bath does two things: a) it gives the filling a kick start in the cooking process by using boiling water; and b) the water provides a steamy cooking environment that helps to stabilize the oven temperature. The even temperature helps to prevent cracking during the cooking process.

Step 1: Wrap your springform pan in two layers of aluminum foil.

Step 2: Pour the mixture into your baked graham cracker crust.

Step 3: Set up the bain-marie by bringing 6 to 8 cups of water to a boil. Place the unbaked cheesecake springform cake pan into your roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven on the middle rack. Pull the rack out so that you have room to add the boiling water.

Step 4: Add the boiling water, very carefully, to the roasting pan. Pour the water slowly so that it surrounds the springform cake pan. Fill it as high as possible without risking that you will get water into the cheesecake. Slide the rack back into the oven very slowly, making sure the water doesn't splash.

Step 5: Bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on the cooking time at the end of the baking! The middle of the cheesecake should still be jiggly if you shake it.

Step 6: Cool the cheesecake. Turn off the heat and open the oven door a crack. I often use a wooden spoon to keep my oven door propped open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 to 3 hours.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven, cover it with foil, and then place it directly in the refrigerator to cool. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

To remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, loosen the edges by running a knife around the outside of the crust. Release the pan hinges and transfer the cheesecake to a cake plate.

Slice with a wet knife for best results. I wipe the knife off between each slice (but I'm picky).

Toppings for your cheesecake

Cheesecake can be topped with almost anything that you like. Two classics are cherry pie filling for traditional cherry cheesecake and blueberry sauce topping for a gorgeous blueberry cheesecake. I like to serve mine with fresh seasonal fruit and a fruit preserve glaze.

Summer Toppings: Fresh blueberries are a perfect topping for the summer.

Winter Toppings: Stone fruit like plums and nectarines are great winter options to top this cheesecake.

Fall? Well then obviously you need to try my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bar Recipe!

Gluten-Free Substitution

This recipe calls for graham crackers, but if you're avoiding gluten, don't despair! You can find gluten-free graham crackers in almost any grocery store.

Simply substitute the gluten-free version of graham crackers in the recipe and then follow the recipe directions exactly as written. Another option is using gluten-free graham cracker crumbs.

Other Dessert Recipes To Try

• Banana Cake
• Banana Cream Pie
• Mini Blueberry Hand Pies
• Mocha Cake
• Caramel Apple Pie