My classic vanilla cheesecake recipe is thick, creamy, tangy, and perfectly sweet. Simple yet delicious, it’s everything you want in a classic cheesecake. Serve it as is, or add your favorite toppings. Either way, you’ll feel like you’re eating in a bakery! 

The BEST Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

I am a self-proclaimed cheesecake king. One bite of my Oreo cheesecake or passionfruit cheesecake, and I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s my favorite dessert (well…besides ice cream) and I’ve perfected my technique over the years. So, it’s safe to say that you’ll have success with any of my cheesecake recipes. 

However, in all the excitement of creating different flavors, I realized I never shared a classic vanilla cheesecake recipe with y’all. Obviously, I had to fix that ASAP! So, without further ado, let me introduce you to the best classic cheesecake recipe you’ll ever make. 

My recipe uses a generous amount of cream cheese (32 ounces to be exact!) and a full cup of sour cream for a thick, velvety consistency. Then, the graham cracker crust adds just a little crunch and the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the filling. Simple and indulgent, it makes for the perfect dessert for everything from holidays to anniversaries, birthdays, or just when you want to treat yourself. 

More Cheesecake Recipes You’ll Love

• Brown Butter Sweet Potato Cheesecake
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
• Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Birthday Cake Cheesecake w/ Edible Cookie Dough

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Cream Cheese: The star of the show and a must in any cheesecake recipe! Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, not the kind from a tub, for the thick texture and tangy flavor that we want.  
• Eggs: These build a custard and help bind the ingredients so the filling doesn’t crack or fall apart. 
• Granulated Sugar: This sweetens the filling, balancing some of the tang. 
• Sour Cream: This is my secret for restaurant-quality flavor. Full-fat sour cream deepens the tangy flavor and helps soften the texture of the cream cheese for a luxurious mouthfeel with every bite. 
• Vanilla Bean Paste: This adds bold flavor and pretty flecks of vanilla bean to this vanilla cheesecake.
• Lemon: I use both lemon juice and lemon zest for a touch of brightness. They’re optional and not found in every cheesecake recipe, but I recommend including them, especially if you plan on adding fruit toppings! 
• Graham Cracker Crust: I use my homemade graham cracker crust for the base, omitting the salt. 

How to Make a Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

Step One: Prepare the crust. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender, or crush them in a plastic bag! Then, mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and spread the crust in an even layer in a springform pan. Make sure to press the crumbs down along the bottom and up the sides. Then, bake just until lightly golden, and set the crust aside. 

Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

Step Two: Make a quick water bath. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. 

Step Three: Prepare the cream cheese filling. Blend the cream cheese until smooth. Then, beat in the sugar, followed by the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), and sour cream. Once smooth, add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine. 

Step Four: Bake the cheesecake. Pour the filling into the crust. Next, gently pour the boiling water into a roasting pan in a preheated oven. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, and bake. You’ll know your cheesecake is done when it still wobbles a bit in the center, but the sides are puffed. 

Cool and Serve

Step Five: Cool. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool for about an hour. Then, transfer it to the counter, and continue to cool at room temperature. 

Step Six: Chill. Transfer the cheesecake to the fridge, and let it chill uncovered to set. You can get away with four hours, but I like to leave mine overnight for the best results! 

Step Seven: Serve. Slice your cheesecake into pieces, top it with regular or maple whipped cream, fruit, or other toppings, like toasted coconut, strawberry compote, strawberry sauce, blueberry compote, or salted caramel sauce! 

Tips & Tricks for the Best Vanilla Cheesecake

• Use room temperature ingredients to create a smooth filling with no lumps and help ensure your cheesecake won’t crack. 
• Don’t overmix your filling. Overmixing can lead to cracks. 
• Don’t overbake. You know the cheesecake is ready when the sides are set, and the center has a jiggle like jello.
• Be patient during the cooling process to ensure your cheesecake doesn’t crack.
• Chill overnight if possible. While 4 hours will work, an overnight chill allows the flavors to develop and makes the cheesecake easier to slice.
• Use a sharp knife to slice. Dip a large chef’s knife into hot water and wipe it clean after each cut for smooth, clean slices. 

Avoid Cracks in Your Cheesecake

Cracks in a cheesecake recipe won’t impact its flavor, but they do impact the bakery-worthy appearance. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to prevent them: 

• Avoid overmixing the filling. Blend just until the ingredients are smooth. Continuing to mix will introduce too much air into the mixture (especially after the egg is added). Excess air can cause the cheesecake to rise as it bakes, only to deflate and crack as it cools. To help the process, allow your ingredients time to come to room temperature before you begin. 
• Resist the urge to open the oven during baking. Unlike cookies or brownies, which can withstand a little temperature change, cheesecakes cannot. The rush of cold air is one of the most common reasons cheesecakes crack! 
• Take your time. Avoid rushing the cooling process, especially the filling. Removing it from the oven too soon will have the same result as opening the oven door while it bakes, causing a drastic temperature change that makes the filling crack. 

How to Store 

Store any leftover cheesecake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months! To freeze, wrap individual slices or the whole cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. 

To serve, thaw frozen cheesecake in the fridge overnight, and enjoy it cold. 

Even More Delicious Cheesecake Recipes

• Banana Pudding Cheesecake with Biscoff
• Strawberry Crisp Cheesecake
• Mango Cheesecake
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Homemade Salted Caramel Cheesecake
• Key Lime Cheesecake

I hope you love my Classic Cheesecake recipe! It’s rich, tangy, perfectly sweet, and super creamy with a satisfying crust. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes. 

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Classic Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

Prep Time :20 minutes mins

Cook Time :1 hour hr

Cool Time :6 hours hrs

Total Time :7 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Serves: 12

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Ingredients

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Cream Cheese Filling

• ▢ 32 oz cream cheese 4 blocks, room temperature
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream room temperature
• ▢ 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice optional (and recommended for fruit-based toppings)
• ▢ 1 tsp lemon zest optional (and recommended for fruit- based toppings)

Crust

• ▢ 2 cups honey graham crackers about 16 full length rectangular crackers
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make your Crust

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Place your cookies in a food processor or blender and grind them until they are fine crumbs.  Alternatively, you can put your cookies in a gallon-size plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until fine.
• Next, place your graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Add your sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
• Pour your cookie mixture evenly into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs down along the bottom and sides of the pan to form the crust. Be sure to pat the crumbs evenly. Alternatively, you can use the back of a measuring cup or spoon to pat the crumbs and form the crust.
• Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Once done. Remove from oven and set aside and reduce the oven to 325F.

Prepare Quick Water Bath

• Bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. While the water is coming to a boil, move to the next step.

Make Cream Cheese Filling

• Place one oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another in the center. Place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack.
• In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and sour cream. Blend until well combined (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding another egg. Once well mixed, place the filling in the crust.

Bake cheesecake

• Next, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan. Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack and close the oven door. Bake for 55-65 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake; it should still be a bit wobbly like jello in the middle and the sides should be puffed. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour.
• Remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight.
• Once the cheesecake has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator, slice up a piece, serve with whip cream, top with fruit or toppings, and enjoy!

Notes

See blog post for tips and tricks on how to make the perfect cheesecake. 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 540kcal (27%)Carbohydrates: 38g (13%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 40g (62%)Saturated Fat: 23g (144%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 163mg (54%)Sodium: 364mg (16%)Potassium: 175mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 29g (32%)Vitamin A: 1450IU (29%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 116mg (12%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan.