The Best New York Cheesecake
Rich, smooth and creamy, this New York Cheesecake recipe is so simple to make with just a few everyday ingredients. Just like the cheesecakes you find in the Big Apple, this recipe is absolutely fool-proof and perfect every time.
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New York Cheesecake
I’m craving a trip to New York City right about now….it’s been a few months since we had time to visit and I know we are due. It’s my favorite city because of the diverse food culture and that fact that I can stuff my face with something from every country on the planet within a two block span. And my son has been bitten by the NYC bug, too….which I love.
But among all the cupcakes and macarons and Instagram worthy chocolate chip cookies….hidden kinda in the old school bakeries that nobody’s really shooting pics of and posting for the world to see is the New York Cheesecake.
It seems so humble but one bite will assure you that this unassuming dessert is decadent, rich and sinfully addicting in ever sense of the word.
We usually go buy a ton of sweets to bring home along with the usual stock of Katz’s corned beef but we never manage to grab a cheesecake while we’re there.
Sure, we order a slice or three when we’re having dinner out but bringing a whole New York Cheesecake home when we don’t really have an occasion to share with others just seems a little over the top.
So, I created my own recipe years ago just so I could have a taste of the Original New York Cheesecake right in my own home.
What is cheesecake?
If you’ve never had a New York Cheesecake before, it’s a rich, dense, smooth and creamy cake filling nestled in a graham cracker crust. Now, some people swear by Junior’s Cheesecake which is a little different from what I’m used to being that the crust is actually a sponge cake.
It’s the only place I know that serves their cheesecake on a sponge crust. It’s lovely and light but not how I wanted to recreate the original that I know and love.
Typically, a cheesecake recipe has sour cream or heavy cream included in the ingredients for the filling. I was able to duplicate the same dense, smooth, sweet filling without adding the additional cream.
Less cream, less calories…..but we’re eating cheesecake here so it doesn’t really matter. Does it?
Ingredients You Will Need to Make a Cheesecake
For this version of a New York Style Cheesecake, I skipped the heavy cream and went straight with the usual ingredients as shown here:
- graham cracker crumbs – You can buy them in a box at the store or crush your own crackers
- butter – Room temperature and I use salted butter for this recipe. If you use unsalted butter add another pinch of salt to the filling.
- eggs – Large, room temperature eggs are best.
- cream cheese – Full fat cream cheese works best here and be sure it’s room temperature.
- sugar – regular granulated sugar is my favorite for making cheesecake.
- salt – Kosher salt is my favorite for baking and was used for testing this recipe.
- vanilla – I’ve used both vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste to make this with great results.
Simple, easy to find ingredients make this New York Style Cheesecake recipe quick to whip up without having to search for obscure items.
How To Make a New York Cheesecake
For this New York Cheesecake recipe, you’ll need one 9-inch springform pan (I use this one!), a baking sheet and aluminum foil. Line the outside of the spring form pan with the foil before filling.
Be aware, springform pans are notorious for leaking. Since cheesecake bakes in a water bath (Bain Marie), the foil prevents the water from sneaking into the pan during baking. Standard 12-inch aluminum foil is not going to cut it here, go big with the foil since you don’t want any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. If there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and salt until clumps begin to form.
- Press the crumb mixture into a springform pan firmly and evenly across the bottom and halfway up the sides.
- Transfer the crust to the oven and bake until set, approximately 10 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with foil.
- Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.
- Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the sugar and vanilla scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
- Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Pour the filling into the crust and set in a deep baking pan.
- Transfer the baking pan to the oven and fill with water. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until set but still wobbly in the center.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
This easy cheesecake recipe does require some planning but your efforts and patience are rewarded tenfold once you dig your fork into it and take a bite.
So, if you ever wondered how to make a New York Style Cheesecake, this is the recipe for you.
Pro Tips
- Be sure all your filling ingredients are room temperature. This allows the ingredients to combine easily and become smooth without any lumps.
- Do not skip the water bath! Placing your foil wrapped pan in the water bath during the baking time required will help to eliminate any cracking.
- Do not over bake your cheesecake. The sides will be dry and firm to the touch but the center will still be wobbly. The cheesecake will firm up while it chills overnight.
- To cut your cheesecake, run a knife under hot water and make your first cut. Wipe the blade with a warm, damp paper towel in between cuts.
What To Serve With Cheesecake
I like to top my cheesecake slices with fresh strawberries but you can use any of these easy recipes to add some extra to your cheesecake:
- Warm a bit of this Blueberry Jam in the microwave for 10 seconds and drizzle over top.
- This easy Lemon Curd adds a tartness that’s perfect with the rich creaminess.
- Craving fudge? Drizzle your cheesecake with this homemade hot fudge sauce.
- Freeze a slice of cheesecake and dip in this Chocolate Magic Shell!
- Top with a heaping spoonful of Homemade Cherry Pie Filling!
- This easy Strawberry Puree is fantastic for pooling on a plate then topping with your cheesecake slice.
More Easy Cheesecake Recipes
- Mini Carrot Cheesecakes….my personal fave.
- This No Bake Cheesecake is seriously amazing…and so easy!
- Gingerbread Cheesecake is just what dreams are made of.
- Looking for savory? Try these Parmesan Basil Cheesecakes and watch jaws drop. So good!
- Mini Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cheesecake….need I say more?
- Salted Caramel Mocha Cheesecakes will make you weak in the knees.
- The BEST EVER Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe. Ever.
- The MOST AMAZING Chocolate Cheesecake!
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Get the Recipe: The Best New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs approximately 12 ounces whole crackers
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
- 4 8- ounce blocks cream cheese room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar, butter and salt until clumps begin to form.
- Press the crumb mixture into a springform pan firmly and evenly across the bottom and halfway up the sides.
- Transfer the crust to the oven and bake until set, approximately 10 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with foil.
- Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.
- Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the sugar and vanilla scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
- Add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Pour the filling into the crust and set in a deep baking pan.
- Transfer the baking pan to the oven and fill with water. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until set but still wobbly in the center.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
- Serve chilled topped with strawberries or just straight up.
85 Comments on “The Best New York Cheesecake”
Ok so I have tried this recipe twice and both times I lined my springform pan with foil. Both times the bottom of the springform pan had water in the bottom when it came out of the oven and the crust was soggy with water. I don’t know how the water is making its way to the bottom of the springform pan. Very discouraged.
I’m not sure why that would be happening if you’re wrapping it tightly with foil. Maybe try two layers of foil?
Make sure you’re using the “extra wide” foil as it is wide enough to come completely up, totally around the 9″ pan. I just roll/pinch the edges of the foil back onto the edge of the 9″ pan.
Great tip, Leslie! Thank you!
She said that she lined the spring form pan with foil – I take that as – on the inside of the pan not around the outside.
I learned a tip from another blogger. They wrapped in one layer of foil then tied an oven bag around the bottom (the kind for cooking turkey). You have to roll down the sides of the bag then tuck it in. But it works perfectly to prevent water from leaking in. Hope that helps.
Yes, that’s a great tip! We have done that but sometimes the oven bag will fill with water if it gets a puncture from the foil so just be cautious when lifting it out of the pan.
Can you please clarify the water bath part? How much water? in a pan like a baking sheet with higher sides (that would be maybe 1/4 inch of water) . I just do not want to mess it up. Making for my son’s birthday 🙂
Yes, so I used a rimmed baking sheet and pour enough water for it to come up about 1/2 inch on the sides of the pan.
Hello! How do you usually chill this in the refrigerator? Should it go in a container so it is properly sealed? Or should the springform pan just be covered with foil? 🙂
Hi! You can chill it in the refrigerator while still in the springform pan. You’ll notice that the crust will begin to pull away from the sides as it chills making it much easier to remove from the pan.
Do I need to remove the cheesecake from the pan before chilling overnight or right before cutting?
I remove it after it’s been chilled.
Visiting Lusaka, Zambia and made this cake for dessert. It was amazing. One comment – we used Tennis biscuits for the base and could have left out the sugar. Suggest if making base out of any other biscuit than graham crackers (ginger, marie, tennis) to omit the sugar.
That’s a great tip! There are also sugared graham crackers here in the US that you should leave the sugar out on, as well. Thank you and enjoy your trip!
I’m sorry… might be a silly question… but I’m not sure I understand the after part. You pour the batter in the pan, and then fill the pan with water on top of the batter…? Or you put the spring form pan, inside another cake pan, and fill the cake pan with water…
Oh no….sorry if it was vague…you put the springform pan inside a deep rimmed baking sheet and then pour the water into the baking sheet. This creates some moisture in the oven which helps prevent cracking.
Real New York cheesecake is supposed to be a stand alone cheesecake, without a graham cracker crust. It is kind of shocking how so many people over the years have incorporated the graham crackers that it is now considered acceptable, which is unfortunate. NY cheesecake is also devoid of fruit toppings, oreo, etc. it is just a high, firm, rich cheesecake, all by itself, because it needs nothing else.
The ingredients here make a very good cheesecake, alas…
I’ve had many NY cheesecakes in NYC and they all had some kind of crust with the exception of Junior’s which had a sponge crust. So, that’s new information to me but thank you for sharing. I also agree that real NY cheesecake has no toppings…which is why this recipe just has a simple strawberry on to.
Sure would a big piece of this cheesecake now. Sounds so easy and delicious.
It’s pretty amazing….I hope you try it!
This is the very best cheesecake – love all the info you gave so it could come out perfect!
Thank you! I think it’s the very best. 🙂
Hi, Is this a firm, dense cheesecake, or more of a “custardy” cheesecake? I am looking for a recipe for a dense firm cheesecake, like the kind you would get at an upscale restaurant. To date, I have been unable to find this recipe! Any suggestions?
This is definitely a firm, dense cheesecake like you’d find in a restaurant. It’s creamy but definitely not custardy in any way. I’m sure you will LOVE it! I’m kind of a cheesecake snob.
This looks like the perfect cheesecake! I am going to make it for a party this weekend!
Yay! You will love it and it’s soooo easy!
Cheesecake is my all time favorite dessert and this one was so easy to make. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I love an easy dessert.
Oh my heavens… this cheesecake recipe looks absolutely amazing!
Thank you so much! It really is!
This is a good recipe. It makes a ton of cheesecake though. I didn’t even use the full amount of cream-cheese and I have enough cheesecake to feed multiple families, seriously.
It is a large cheesecake made to fit a 9 inch pan. You could make two smaller cheesecakes and freeze one. Thanks for trying!
Is it 4 to 8 ounces or 48 ounces of cream cheese ?
It’s quantity “4” 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese.
I love it! The cake is thick enough and looks so fluffy However, I have never dared to make a cheesecake by myself. You have an amazing collection of cheesecakes!
Thank you so much! I love baking cheesecakes…..they’re so simple to make!
What’s the dimensions of the springform pan, please?
9 inches works best. You can use 8 but you may need to use less of the filling.
Do you wrap the whole thing in foil, or just the bottom and sides of the pan?
Just the bottom and sides of the pan.