This classic baked cheesecake is rich and creamy yet light, sweet without being overly sweet. This is an easy Cheesecake recipe that anyone can make, thanks to a couple of little-but-important tips I’m sharing!
For your next cheesecake, try the stunning Strawberry Cheesecake or famous Basque Cheesecake!
Baked cheesecake – made easy!
This is an easy Cheesecake recipe. Well, I should say, this is a baked cheesecake recipe that’s made easy with a few key tips that make all the difference.
I think some people find the idea of making cheesecakes daunting, especially ones where the biscuit crust comes up the side like this one. But you know what? In my humble opinion, cheesecake is easier to make than cakes.
You don’t need to worry about the cake rising, or even sadder is when it sinks in the middle while it cools (such a let down after thinking you’ve nailed it!). And it’s definitely easier than making pastry.
The risk of failure with baked cheesecakes is lower. There’s no rising agent, no gelatine to set it. If the surface cracks (but it shouldn’t, with my tips! 🙂 ), just hide it under icing sugar and/or a pile of berries – or the biscuit crust cracks a bit.
See? How would anyone know if the surface is cracked?? 😉
Easy Cheesecake recipe tips
Here are my tips to make this classic baked Cheesecake stress free and easy for you to make:
The biscuit crust is stronger than you think. I always stress that the crust is going to crack (especially the walls) but it always surprises me how well it holds together when I’m handling the finished cheesecake. It’s firm but has a little give so it doesn’t crack with the slightest bend.
Invert the base of the springform pan. Though the ridge around the base of the pan is small, it can be a real pain to transfer the cheesecake out of the base onto the serving platter. We can’t flip cheesecake upside down like with cakes!! So make your life easier by inverting the base so it’s perfectly flat so the cheesecake will slide right off onto the platter.
Paper overhang – this also helps remove the cheesecake. Just slide it right off the cake pan base!
Press biscuit crumbs firmly using something flat. The key to a sturdy crust is pressing the biscuit crumbs firmly into the base and up the wall of the cheesecake. Use something with straight walls and a flat base – I use a measuring cup. I use the side of the cup to press the crumbs into the walls and the base to press down.
Easy Cheesecake recipe tips (cont’d)
Don’t over-beat the batter. Unlike cake batters, we don’t want to aerate cheesecake batter to make it rise too much. If you over-beat the batter causing bubbles in the batter, the cheesecake will rise more when baking then when it collapses as it cools, it will crack.
Room temp ingredients – make sure the cream cheese is softened and the eggs are at room temp. This will ensure your cheesecake filling is beautifully smooth as it should be!
Bake on a low temp – helps ensure the surface doesn’t crack.
No water bath – it’s tedious and makes no difference. See this Strawberry Cheesecake for notes and a side by side comparison.
Cheesecake surface shouldn’t crack…. but if it does, don’t worry! Just hide them under berries or cream!!
What this Baked Cheesecake tastes like
The Cheesecake Spectrum is very broad and this version is a classic one that sits in the middle. On one hand, you have cheesecakes that are very dense and creamy which weigh a ton – like a New York cheesecake that uses twice as much cream cheese for the same size cheesecake. Many no-bake cheesecakes have a tendency to be too heavy – unless you use gelatine like in this No Bake Mango Cheesecake.
On the other side of the Cheesecake Spectrum, you have cheesecakes that are so light and airy, it is almost like a souffle. Like this famous Japanese Cotton Cheesecake on my mother’s website, RecipeTin Japan. Then there’s the beautiful Basque Cheesecake with its signature caramelised surface which is also very light.
This one is in between. It is creamy and definitely indulgent, but not dense. The texture is light when you cut into it but the mouthfeel is creamy. It’s sweet but not overly so. I have more of a savoury than sweet tooth so I don’t enjoy extremely sweet desserts too much.
And lastly, a little touch of lemon zest just gives it that perfect finishing tough.
All those words to describe the cheesecake. I should have just said – THIS IS DARN DELICIOUS!!! – Nagi x
Classic Baked Cheesecake recipe – made easy!
Watch how to make it
This is the Strawberry Cheesecake recipe video. The cheesecake is made exactly the same way as in this recipe, but is topped with a Strawberry Sauce.
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Classic Baked Cheesecake
Ingredients
CHEESECAKE BISCUIT BASE:
- 200g / 7 oz Arnott’s Marie crackers or other plain biscuit (Aus) or 28 Graham Cracker squares (Note 1)
- 120g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
- 1 lb / 500g cream cheese , softened (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature
TOPPINGS:
- Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (140°C fan).
- Prepare pan – Get a 20cm/8" springform cake tin. Turn the base UPSIDE DOWN (Note 4), butter lightly and place a square piece of parchment/baking paper on the base. Then clip into the springform pan – excess paper will stick out, see photos in post and video. Butter and line the side of the pan.
CHEESECAKE BISCUIT BASE:
- Blitz – Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor. Blitz until fine crumbs (Note 5). Add butter, briefly blitz until dispersed and it resembles wet sand.
- Press into pan – Pour into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls. Use something with a flat base and vertical edges (I used a measuring cup) to press the crumbs up the wall almost to the top of the sides, and flatten the base.
FILLING:
- Beat cream cheese – Use a mixer or beater to beat the cream cheese until smooth – about 30 seconds on medium high,.
- Finish batter – Add flour, beat until just combined (10 sec). Add vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon zest. Beat until just combined (10 – 15 sec). Add eggs one at a time, beat in between until just combined (10 sec each). Don't over beat, we don't want to aerate the batter.
- Bake – Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 55 minutes. The top should be a very light golden brown, not cracked, and near perfectly flat. It should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan.
- Cool in the oven with the door open 20 cm / 8" (Note 6), then refrigerate for 4 hours+ in the pan.
- Remove springform pan sides. Use overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.
- Serve – Top with berries and dust with icing sugar!
Recipe Notes:
- Australia: Arnott’s Marie Crackers, Arrowroot and Nice are ideal, I’ve made it with all these.
- US: Use 28 squares / 14 full sheets, yes I measured it with my last Graham Cracker packet I brought back from my last trip.
- UK: Digestives are ideal, I LOVE digestives!
Nutrition Information:
More cheesecake recipes
I love a good cheesecake. Proof!
Life of Dozer
The recipe video I shot was a fail because a certain very large-furry-rascal with Giant Paws bumped the tripod while filming so I ended up with 10 minutes of footage of my dirty bench top.
I was extremely cranky with him. Yet look at him, eyeing the cheesecake! He still thinks he’s going to get some!!! Not a chance Dozer, not a chance!!!
My first try at a baked cheesecake and it worked perfectly! Thank you for an awesome recipe. I am in the UK so skipped the soured cream as suggested. Definitely a keeper!!
Hi Nagi
Just wondering if this recipe can be made as individual cakes?
Yes 100% Chloe – bake time will be significantly less depending on the size 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
I combined two of your cheesecake recipes for a dear friend on her birthday. I made the classic cheesecake and the mango jelly from the no bake cheesecake recipe.
It was an instant hit!!
The flavours were amazing perfectly balanced. Not too sweet just right for a summer afternoon party.
The recipes were simple and easy to follow.
Thank you soo much!
I wish I could post a picture for you to see!!
Do I have to use lemon in the cake ?
Hi Tania, I find it complements the flavour without overpowering but you can leave it out if you like. N x
Tried this recipe and it is delicious! Thank you.
Just want to ask, do you think I can replace berries/ cherries with mangoes and peaches?
I searched and searched and shall search no more… This cheesecake is delicious and really easy to make!
Thank you, Nagi, for sharing it.
The best and easiest cheesecake I have ever made.
Love it
This is just fantastic! My first ever baked cheesecake…and first ever cheesecake period and it turned out perfectly thanks to your excellent instructions. Very grateful and passed the link on to friends and family.
Also…love your dog! Beautiful boy…funny story!
I lost my favourite French cheesecake recipe so decided to try this. Firstly I can’t work out what you mean when doing the paper. Can I just line the base as I normally do. Also to put the crumbs all up the side will bank it pretty thin, won’t it? Doesn’t seem to be enough crumbs
Hi Nagi! I want to make this so bad but I don’t have lemon zest, can I just use lemon juice? And also how long do I cool it in the oven for? Thanks!
Hi Lilly! Lemon juice will add more liquid to the recipe and is also an acid, which doesn’t tend to mix well with dairy, so I’d try to find lemon zest instead or leave it out. You could always use other citrus zest as well!
Followed ever step & it turned out so well. My family simply loved it. Thank you so much. By the way can I use whipping cream to replace sour cream? Whar’s the ratio please? Tq
I like cheesecake not too sweet but just right. Will 3/4 cup sugar be enough?
Hi El, reducing the sugar by half will affect the texture – so I haven’t tried unfortunately – N x
Ok. I will keep the same. Thanks Nagi.
Hi El, I don’t like cakes that are on the sweeter side either, and this cake was just right for me
Thanks so much for your reply Chealey. Will follow the same quantity of this recipe. Thanks.
Hi Nagi, can I substitute thickened cream for the sour cream? Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Cherie, ot for this one unfortunately – greek/natural yogurt would be my only substitution suggestion here. N x
Hi Nagi, I’m not keen on biscuits. Can I use this recipe to bake a cheesecake without the biscuit base?
Baked carrot and strawberry cakes with your recipes recently…mwah!
Hi Chealey, I haven’t tried to be honest as this one really needs the base! N x
Baked this with the biscuit base, turned out beautifully. Cake was so heavy (weight-wise) out from the oven, I worried it’d be hard… it was perfect. Covered it with blueberry topping 11pm last night with your strawberry topping recipe …. went to check the cake first thing this morning … looked so gorgeous, had some for breky…..Yyyummm! Thank you Nagi, you made my first experience cooking a baked cheesecake a brilliant one.
Hi Nagi,
Can I make this the day before eating? Thank you in advance
Yes 100% Dianne!! N x
Turned out really well. Used granita biscuits instead, and some Greek yoghurt. Had to turn down the heat because the top was getting brown early.
can you make biscuit base in advance,thank you in advance
Hi Sharon, yes you definitely can! N x
Hi Nagi, I have a 7 inch springform pan and a 9 inch springform pan, which would be better, keeping everything else in the recipe the same? Hoping to make this today! 🙂
Hi Harpreet, use the 9″ the cake will be slightly shorter – make as per the recipe 🙂 I hope you love it! N x
Hi, can I use mascaporne cheese as my cream cheese alone? Thanks! Will bake soon for my husband’s birthday! 😀
Thank you so much for the quick response! Excited to try it ! 🙂
Hey Nagi,
I was hoping to give this a go, but my springform pan is 24cm in diameter (around 9.44 inch). Should I bake it for longer and do I increase the temperature?
Hi Janice, that will be fine – it will be just slightly shorter in height. Cook exactly as per the recipe. N x
Hi Celeste, It is hard to find sour cream Where I live, what can I use instead?
Hi Mirella, you could use full fat natural/greek yogurt in its place. – Nagi X