Classic Creamy Baked Cheesecake (Printable)
Silky cream cheese filling on a buttery graham cracker crust, baked to golden perfection.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 7 oz graham cracker crumbs
02 - 3.5 oz unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
→ Filling
04 - 32 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs
07 - ¾ cup sour cream
08 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
→ Topping
11 - 1 cup sour cream
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, pressing it flat against the bottom.
02 - Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Beat softened cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and free of lumps. Add eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Fold in sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until just combined — do not overmix.
04 - Pour the filling over the partially cooled crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release any trapped air bubbles.
05 - Bake on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle when gently shaken.
06 - Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake rest inside the cooling oven for 1 hour to prevent cracks from forming.
07 - Whisk together sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled cheesecake surface.
08 - Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Run a thin knife around the pan edge, release the springform ring, slice into wedges, and serve chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust comes together in minutes and fills your kitchen with the smell of toasted butter and cookies before the real work even begins.
- That slow oven cooling trick produces a silkier filling than most bakery slices you will ever taste.
02 -
- Opening the oven door mid-bake to check on it is the fastest way to invite cracks, so use the oven light instead and trust the timer.
- The cheesecake will look slightly underdone in the center when you remove it, but carryover heat finishes the job as it cools.
03 -
- Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it clean between every single slice for edges so smooth they look like they came from a bakery case.
- The overnight rest is nonnegotiable if you want clean slices, because the filling firms up and the flavors meld into something far greater than the sum of its parts.