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!!!
Hi Nagi! I would like to say thank you for sharing this great cheesecake recipe. I have made it and it came out beautiful even on my first try! I had loads of compliments . Keep up your good work !
So great to hear Florence!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Made this, and my family loved it! It’s just the right amount of richness that we expect from a good cheesecake. I added crumbled oreos in the filling and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup because oreos are quite sweet already. Amazing. Instructions are clear and so easy to follow. Thanks so much for the recipe.
So great to hear Abigail!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Hi! I was so happy to have found your recipe because I only had one springform pan which meant most recipes that required a water bath was not suitable for me. I tried this today and it turned out pretty well even though the butter leaked in the oven and I had some cracks on the top. Taste-wise and shape-wise it was completely fine though! My flatmate absolutely loved it too! The sweetness is a bit too much for me though, do you think it’ll be fine to reduce it a little?
Oooh I’m so glad to hear that SueAnn! Yes you can reduce the sugar in cheesecake 🙂 Try starting with 1/4 less sugar first. N xx
Hi Nagi. Do you use plain flour in this recipe? Thank you.
Yep sure do! Just updated recipe 🙂
Hi Nagi,
First of all, let me say that I adore all of your recipes. I’ve yet to have one fail on me.
I am making this cheesecake for a client and want to know if I can fold a cherry reduction through the cheesecake before baking to create a cherry ripple?
Thanks I’m advance.
I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes Andrea! A BIG YES to adding cherry reduction! The batter is thick enough. It will look stunning!!! N xx
nagiii is ther a substitute for sour cream..
V don’t hav sour cream to buy🙁
Hey Nagi, love this recipe i have used it many times! Just wondering if i could turn this into a white chocolate flavour by adding about 200g melted white choc to the filling before baking? Thanks
Hi Abi! So glad you like this recipe, thanks for letting me know! I’m afraid I don’t know about the white chocolate, my concern is that it would be too sweet 🙂 N x
hi Nagi! this recipe is amazing, ive made it a couple of times and it never fails! but i was wondering what would happen if i add oreos to the mixture? would it be the same ?or should i change some ingredients? i know you have another recipe that is very similar with frozen blueberrys that looks as amazing!
Thank you!!
Hi Valentina, so glad you love this! Do you mean IN the cheesecake mixture or using it for the base? 🙂 N x
This was simple and great! First time making a cheesecake as well as a crust. So, I didn’t make the crust well and it got a bit mesy coz butter leaked from my pan (why?!!) but the cheesecake was still delicious! Do you think the recipe will work if I bake this as a cupcake?
Hi Aimee! This recipe will work great as a cupcake! Sounds strange that butter leaked…..do you mean butter or the cheesecake filling?? The way to ensure it does not leak is to ensure you press the crumbs down with something flat, like an egg flip or flat bottomed glass. 🙂
Thanks for your reply, Nagi! It was butter leaking; I wonder if it is due to the wrong oven temperature. I realized after baking for 30min that 160C was for fanforced so I should have set it at 180C instead. I’ll try with cupcakes next time! 🙂
Hi Aimee! Lower temp definitely could have been a factor but I still find it strange that the butter leaked. The only thing I can think is that you accidentally used too much? Cupcakes are so fantastic with cheesecake! Everything is better in mini form!
Hi Nagi, I also experience butter leaks.
It’s birthday season at our house, so after the success of your fudge cake last week we were on to cheesecake this week! It was completely delicious – I tasted the mixture raw (as you do) and decided to squeeze in the lemon juice as well as the rind. I haven’t made a baked cheesecake before but I followed all your helpful hints and it came out just beautifully – the filling was creamy but not dense and not too sweet either. I piled it up with raspberries and it looked as good as it tasted! I was most impressed that the crust held together on cutting, I thought it would crumble but it was perfect. Thank you for sharing not just your recipe but your cheesecake wisdom as well!
I know! I always freak out about cutting the crust too and it always holds together!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Beck, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! good to know it works fine with the addition of lemon juice 🙂 I wondered about that!
This looks so good and I think I’m ready to make my first cheesecake today. Do you know if caster sugar is the same as powdered sugar that we have in the states?
Hi Gayle! Sorry I’ll update the recipe – caster sugar is called “superfine sugar” in America 🙂 They are finer grains than normal sugar you stir into coffee. However, if you can’t find it, then it will work ok with normal sugar too 🙂 It just melts easier when it is superfine sugar!
You can make your own superfine sugar by putting regular granulated sugar in a food processor and pulsing for a few minutes until it is superfine!
That’s a great tip Terry Ann, THANKS! N x
I made this yesterday for my friend’s birthday party and everyone loved it!!! Thanks for your detailed and easy-to-follow recipe, Nagi!
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Vidya, thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to let me know!! N x❤️
Nagi! Greetings from Perth again! (but only until this evening 🙁 )
As soon as I swathe title of this post I knew there’d be tips galore. I’ve never tried the crumbs up the side trick but I will now!
Another good trick I’ve read about is the leave the cheesecake in the oven switched off so it cools really slowly – stops it cracking. Have you tried that? 🙂
Ooh yes! I actually did that for the cheesecake I made yesterday, thanks for reminding me! 🙂
I love baking cheesecakes too! I think yours looks very pretty with the berries piled on top. 🙂
Thank you so much Sarah! N x
Who said Nagi doesn’t make desserts? Looks fantastic! Love the photos! Pinned 🙂
BA HA HA! I know, I think I am going to start sharing more sweet things, I’m really getting back into my baking! N x
This looks delicious!!!
Thanks Barbara! 🙂 Hope you are enjoying the long weekend! N x
What a lovely version of a classic dish! Simple and pretty.
Thanks so much Victoria!!! It’s the berries. Don’t you think berries make everything look oh-so-pretty??
Poor Dozer. Love your recipes Nagi…..
That rascal deserves no sympathy!!! 😉
Wow! This looks so good. Can’t wait to make it. You are so thorough with your notes and pictures. Thanks so much!
Thank you Cathie! I do hope you enjoy it! N x
This looks delicious Nagi. I love making cheesecake for a dinner party because it can be made a couple days in advance then all my focus can be on the dinner. It stays moist and always get’s rave reviews.
I have been using that tip of inverting the bottom of the pan for years.. it’s genius isn’t it?!! I can’t wait to see your video.
Honestly I don’t know how you can deny Dozer just a small bite, I’m sure he is sorry for mucking up the tripod.
Hi Nagi,
Can corn flour or gluten free plain flour be used in the filling instead of normal plain flour for a gluten free version?
Exactly! that’s why I love making cheesecake too!!! PS Of course he got a bite. How could I have resisted that furry face???
Great post and photos, Nagi. Love the in-process gallery in the recipe itself. I adore cheesecake but rarely get to make it. I’ll remember this for the next time I have diner guests. Thanks for the tips to ensure success. (Is there an American equivalent other than graham crackers for the Marie Crackers that would give a finer crumb? I assume not or you would have mentioned it!)
Hi Marlene! You know, I am not sure re: Graham cracker substitutes. This is one of those things I don’t want to suggest alternatives without trying it because different types of biscuits have different consistencies and require different amounts of butter to hold together 🙂 Happy Easter Marlene! N x