Classic New York-Style Cheesecake Recipe

Sometimes it's fun to riff on your favorite recipes, but other times, it's best to stick to the classics. That's exactly what Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina does in this classic New York cheesecake recipe, and honestly, we couldn't be happier.

This rich, creamy, decadent cheesecake is certainly delicious ... but we won't lie: it's also a bit of a time commitment to make. Luckily, as compared to many other cheesecake recipes, it's also it's relatively hands-off. The crust gets par-cooked before being topped with the cheese layer, at which point it's simply baked for an hour and then left to sit in the cooling oven for another five. While yes, that's a long time to wait, the result is that there's no need for the typical finicky water bath to get that creamy texture you crave.

"Since you keep the cheesecake in the oven for 5 hours after the oven is turned off, that residual heat ensures the center is cooked," explains Musgrave.

After six hours in the oven, this cheesecake still isn't quite ready to serve. It needs to chill in the fridge before you can slice it and dig in. For that reason, it may be best to make the cheesecake a day in advance, so that when you're ready to enjoy it, all you need to do is pull it out of the fridge, slice it, and devour.

To make this classic New York cheesecake, you'll start with a traditional base of graham cracker crumbs. You can either buy graham cracker crumbs pre-crushed or pulverize whole graham crackers yourself. To do this, rely either on the food processor or, for real authenticity, by putting the crackers in a plastic bag and bashing them with a rolling pin. (Far cheaper than anger management workshops!)

For the cheese layer, you'll combine cream cheese with sugar, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and flour. Make sure the cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before you begin; this will help them blend more easily with the other ingredients.

To make the cheesecake, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then liberally grease a 10-inch springform pan. Set the pan aside, and turn your attention to the crust.

In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and salt. Mix to combine, then press into an even layer in the pan. Bake for just 8 minutes, or until slightly crisp; this will help keep the base from becoming soggy when the cheesecake batter is added. 

Speaking of which: it's time to set the crust aside to cool while you mix up the filling.

To make the filling for this classic New York cheesecake, combine the cream cheese and remaining sugar, and mix together until totally smooth — any lumps at this stage will be tough to remove later! 

To the cream cheese mixture, add the heavy cream and eggs, and mix until fully incorporated. Next, add the vanilla and sour cream, and sift in the flour. The flour will help the cheesecake set up in the oven, but you want to make sure no lumps form in the finished cake. Fold these ingredients in until you have a smooth, even batter.

The last step of this classic New York cheesecake recipe is also the longest: baking! Pour the filling onto the par-baked crust, and then bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then — and this is important — without opening the oven, turn it off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 5 hours. The cheesecake will continue to slowly cook in the cooling oven, which will help it set in the center without overcooking, baking unevenly, or cracking on top.

After 5 hours, the oven — and the cheesecake — will be at room temperature. At this point, you can remove the cheesecake from the oven and then chill it in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.

A classic New York cheesecake is typically served plain, but if you like, you can also garnish it with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or even chocolate sauce!