Simple Vanilla Cheesecake

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There’s not a lot that brings me joy like making a cheesecake does. The first time I ever baked a real cheesecake was back in 2016, at my first bakery job. The owner had a great recipe, but she told me it would inherently brown and crack on top when baked. After making it a few times for our dessert case, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we could do better.

I spent some time studying other people’s recipes and found a few key components that were missing from hers, so I gave them a try. And man, did they make a difference!

But, rather than take my word for it, I suggest you try your hand at making a cheesecake. Once you know the method, it's one of the easiest things in the world to bake, and your success rate should be pretty high thanks to a few handy tips:

• Bake in a water bath. Your oven is a giant box of recirculated heat and dry air that make constant direct contact with your cake, which can cause it to dry out and turn brown. With an insulator like water, the heat can distribute more evenly around your pan and produce a more consistent bake. Making a water bath is as easy as setting your cheesecake dish on a sheet tray that's at least 1/2-inch deep and filling it about 3/4 of the way with water.

• Use room temperature ingredients. You don't want bites of unsweetened cream cheese or scrambled egg in your otherwise beautiful cheesecake, and that's why it's so important that your ingredients are well blended. Everything cold should be brought to room temperature (i.e., your eggs and cream cheese) before you start mixing. It's not detrimental for the sour cream to be at room temperature because it's already so soft.

• Add sour cream. When I was researching what really made a classic cheesecake, this ingredient appeared in all the most popular recipes. Sour cream helps give cheesecake that slightly tangy flavor as well as a huge boost in fat and moisture (read: creaminess).

• Taste before you add the eggs. Some people like it tangier, some people like it sweeter. Regardless, taste the batter before you add the eggs to make sure you like the flavor. If it's not sweet enough, you can add another 1/4 cup of sugar. Too sweet? Add a splash of lemon juice, a pinch of salt or another dollop of sour cream to balance out the flavor. As long as you're not adding whole extra cups of anything, this recipe is surprisingly forgiving!

I developed this particular recipe a few years ago and it has yet to fail me. In fact, I baked it today for the first time in almost a year and it served me just as well. My family requested a cherry topping, but you can leave it plain or top it with anything you like — fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, sour cream, ice cream, it's all fair game.

Please feel free to try my recipe and save it in your cookbook if you like it. If you don't care for it, let me know why in the comments. Above all, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions! Your success is my success 😊

Vanilla Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

Yield: 1 9-inch round cheesecake

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 45-55 minutes

Chill time: approx. 4 hours

Graham cracker crust:

About 3 cups (1 1/2 packs) cinnamon graham crackers

6 TBSP butter, melted

Splash of vanilla (optional)

1.) Preheat oven to 350° F or 177° C.

2.) Smash your graham crackers to fine crumbs. You can do this in a food processor, in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin, or in a bowl with a potato masher or fork.

3.) Add remaining ingredients to crumbs and mix until thoroughly combined. The texture should be a bit like wet sand and should hold its shape when you squeeze it in your hand. The crust is forgiving; if it's too dry, you can add a little more butter. If it's too wet, add more cracker crumbs.

4.) Pour into a well-buttered baking dish or springform pan. Using your hands, gently press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.

5.) Bake about 12 minutes or until light golden brown and fragrant. Allow to cool while you prepare your cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake Batter
12 oz (1 1/2 8-oz packs) cream cheese, softened at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1.) Reduce oven to 320° F or 160° C.

2.) In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, salt and vanilla; beat until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

3.) Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Give it one final whisk to ensure there's no pockets of unblended egg whites. Pour your batter into a prepared dish over your crust.

4.) Place a 1/2" deep sheet tray or baking pan large enough to hold your cheesecake dish in the oven. Set your cheesecake dish in the middle of the pan. Using a liquid measuring cup, add hot water to the pan until it’s about 3/4 way full.

5.) Bake for 45-55 min, or until the cheesecake is only slightly wobbly and firm on top. Keep an eye on your water bath and refill as needed, but try not to open the oven too much. Checking your cheesecake at 15 minute intervals is pretty safe.

6.) Remove carefully from the water bath and cool for 45 minutes at room temperature; cover with aluminum foil and chill 2-3 hours before serving. Allow the water bath to cool in the oven while it's off, then carefully remove and drain.

To store: wrap lightly with aluminum foil or store in airtight container, keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.


The most exciting part about making a cheesecake is the limitless possibilities of what you can do with it. Once you’ve mastered this basic recipe, it’s super easy to turn it into a brand new creation! If you're ready to take things up a notch, try one of these flavor ideas:

• Toasted Almond Cheesecake — use 2 cups shortbread cookies and 1 cup crushed toasted almonds instead of graham crackers for the crust. Use almond extract/liqueur instead of vanilla. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream, toasted almonds and maraschino cherries.

• S'more's Cheesecake — once your cheesecake is cooled, cover it with a layer of chocolate ganache. Top with marshmallows or Fluff, then toast with a blowtorch or in the oven on 'broil'. Crumble chunks of graham crackers on top.

• White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake — use shortbread cookies instead of graham cracker crumbs for the crust. Divide cheesecake batter in half; add 1/3 cup white chocolate ganache to one half and about 1/4 cup cranberry simple syrup plus a splash of orange juice to the other. Swirl the two halves together, top with whipped cream and orange zest.

• Taylor's Nutella Overload Cheesecake — use Oreos instead of graham crackers for crust. Add 1 cup Nutella to plain cheesecake batter, then swirl in about 1/3 cup melted Nutella. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream, and Oreo halves.

• Jack Daniel's Apple Pie Cheesecake — add 1/4 cup apple butter and about 1/8 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to plain batter (add a pinch of those spices to the crust, too). While your cheesecake bakes, cook 2 1/2 cups apple pie filling (homemade or canned) with 1/4 cup Jack Daniel's whiskey on medium heat, stirring often, about 4-6 minutes (the more you cook it, the more the alcohol will cook out). Use this to top the cheesecake, plus a drizzle of caramel.

• Tropical Fruit Salad Cheesecake — bake cheesecake crustless. Divide batter equally between 3 bowls; add 1-2 tsp coconut extract to the first bowl, 1/4 cup mango puree to the second and the zest/juice of a lime plus a drop of green food coloring to the third. Swirl the batters together. Top generously with sliced tropical fruits like kiwi, pineapple, mango, starfruit and toasted coconut.

Let me know in the comments how your cheesecake turns out and what kind of flavors you go with. I love hearing from you guys!