American · Dessert · Medium
New York Cheesecake
Rome's most famous pasta. Silky egg and Pecorino sauce clinging to every strand, studded with crisp guanciale. No cream, ever.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
New York Cheesecake, in 5 ideas
- The water bath is insurance. Gentle, humid heat is what prevents cracks and gives you that creamy, even texture. Do not skip it.
- Cool it in stages. Oven off with the door cracked, then room temp, then fridge. Sudden temperature shocks are what crack the top.
- A hot knife makes clean slices. Run a long knife under hot water, wipe dry, and slice. Repeat between every cut.
- Do not open the oven early. Every peek drops the temperature and risks a crack. Trust the time.
- It needs the full overnight chill. The texture sets as it cools. A warm cheesecake tastes fine but slices like pudding.
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 14 crackers)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 tbsp sugar (for crust)
- 32 oz cream cheese (4 blocks), room temperature
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
How to make it
Directions
- Heat the oven to 325F. Mix the graham crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake the crust 10 minutes until set. Cool. Wrap the outside of the pan tightly in two layers of heavy foil to waterproof it.
- Beat the cream cheese on medium-low until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl twice. No lumps can remain.
- Add the 1.5 cups sugar, flour, and salt. Beat until just combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each disappears. Overbeating incorporates air, and air causes cracks.
- Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest by hand until smooth.
- Pour into the crust. Place the foiled pan in a roasting pan and fill with 1 inch of hot water.
- Bake 1 hour 15 minutes until the edges are set but the center still wobbles slightly when nudged. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and cool inside for 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered overnight before slicing.
Everything must be room temperature. Cold cream cheese never fully smooths out, and you will overbeat trying to fix it. Set it all out 2 hours ahead.