This is the best basic cheesecake recipe I’ve found: rich, creamy, and not overly sweet. It yields a generous, tall cheesecake finished with a tangy vanilla-specked sour cream topping — each bite is pure indulgence.
I almost didn’t publish this recipe today, but a last-minute burst of inspiration (and a glass of wine) pushed me to finish it. Food often inspires everything in my life, and this cheesecake is no exception.
This recipe came from my uncle, who brought it to holiday gatherings several times until I fell in love. He originally got it via Simply Recipes from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours. I follow the original closely, though I usually halve the sour cream topping. Cheesecakes look intimidating, but with room-temperature ingredients, frequent scraping while mixing, and a water bath, they’re entirely manageable. Most importantly: allow plenty of chilling time for the cake and for the topping.
A helpful tip I picked up from Alton Brown (and later saw others use) is to avoid a springform pan. Instead, bake the cheesecake in a deep 9-inch cake pan placed inside a larger round pan to create the water bath. This setup prevents a soggy crust and removes the need to wrap a springform pan in foil. It may feel unusual at first, but it works reliably.
To remove the cake from the pan cleanly: run a thin knife around the edge, warm the outside of the cake pan briefly over medium-low heat for about 45–60 seconds while moving it constantly to slightly loosen the crust, then invert the cake onto a flat surface and flip it right-side-up onto your serving plate. Let the crust firm at room temperature so it won’t stick, then spread the sour cream topping and chill until set.
I brought this cheesecake to a Super Bowl party and the pan came home empty — rave reviews all around. Don’t wait for a special occasion; this cheesecake is worth making any time.
Vanilla Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping
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- Author: Amanda
- Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Description
An ultra-creamy, tall New York–style vanilla cheesecake finished with a vanilla-bean specked sour cream topping. Swap in crème fraîche for an even richer topping if you like.
Ingredients
Scale
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 3/4 cups (about 230 grams) graham cracker crumbs (or about 15 g whole crackers processed to crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (60 grams) butter, melted
FILLING:
- 2 pounds (900 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups (270 grams) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream or crème fraîche, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
TOPPING:
- 1 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Half a vanilla bean, seeds scraped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter until the crumbs are completely moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 x 3-inch round cake pan. Bake 10–12 minutes until set and slightly golden. Remove and let cool.
- While the crust cools, make the filling: beat the room-temperature cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth. Scrape the bowl often. Add the sugar and beat 4 minutes more, then add salt and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating about 1 minute after each addition and scraping the bowl between eggs. Stir in the sour cream, then the heavy cream, mixing until incorporated and smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, gently wiggle to remove air bubbles, then place the cake pan inside a slightly larger round pan or roasting pan to create a water bath. Pour 6–8 cups of hot tap water into the roasting pan so the water comes about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake 1½ hours until the cheesecake is set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly. Turn off the oven and crack the door about 1 inch; let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake and let it cool to room temperature. Transfer uncovered to the refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours. Once chilled, you may cover the top with foil.
- To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Warm the cake pan over medium-low heat for 45–60 seconds while moving it—this slightly melts the butter in the crust to help release it—or set the pan in a large pan of hot water briefly. Invert the cheesecake onto a cardboard round or flat surface slightly larger than the cake, then invert right-side-up onto your serving plate. Let the crust set at room temperature about 30 minutes before refrigerating again.
- Prepare the topping by mixing the sour cream (or crème fraîche), powdered sugar, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds until smooth. Spread over the chilled cheesecake and return to the refrigerator to set for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Recipe inspiration: Perfect Cheesecake on Simply Recipes.
- Category: Cheesecake