Classic New York Cheesecake

Classic New York Cheesecake is a delicious, indulgent dessert that is surprisingly easy to make from scratch. With a crunchy graham cracker crust, a rich and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling, and a sweet strawberry sauce on top, this cheesecake is as delicious as it is stunning. A total crowd favorite!

Although you’ll have to wait overnight for this creamy vanilla cheesecake to set, it’s well worth the wait — especially since there is only 30 minutes of active preparation involved. All you have to do is make the crust and filling, bake the cheesecake, make the sauce, and wait! This decadent New York cheesecake is special occasion worthy (think: Date Night in) but easy enough to make just because you feel like it.

Why You’ll Love This New York Cheesecake

• Velvety vanilla cheesecake. New York cheesecake is famous for its smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth filling, made possible here with three different kinds of dairy and vanilla extract to add just the right touch of flavor. It's thick and indulgent!
• Buttery Graham cracker crust. You’ll never need to buy pre-made cheesecake crusts again after mastering this easy and delicious homemade Graham cracker crust. It’s made with just three ingredients: butter, sugar, and cookie crumbs!
• Homemade strawberry sauce. What takes this New York style cheesecake to the next level is the 3-ingredient homemade strawberry sauce to add bright berry notes to every slice of cheesecake. But it’s totally optional — whatever you prefer!
• Easy to make. This New York cheesecake is actually a lot easier to make than it seems! Whether you are a novice baker or super experienced, it doesn't matter because anyone can make this creamy vanilla cheesecake at home without any cracks using this easy to follow recipe.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Classic New York Cheesecake, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• Graham cracker crumbs - feel free to switch up the flavor by using crushed Gingersnaps or Oreo cookies instead. You can also make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free Graham crackers for the crust.
• white sugar - you can substitute this with coconut sugar or your favorite granulated sugar alternative like Swerve or stevia.
• butter - use unsalted butter for the best results! You can control the flavor of the cheesecake more easily and it has a lower water content than its salted counterpart.
• cream cheese - out of cream cheese? You can blend cottage cheese to a smooth consistency and use it instead, or go for Marscapone cheese or blended silken tofu instead.
• sour cream - greek yogurt will also work.
• heavy cream - heavy cream works best, but if you’re short, you can use an equal amount of half-n-half or whole milk.
• vanilla extract - you can substitute vanilla bean paste at a 1:1 ratio for a richer vanilla flavor.
• eggs

Strawberry Sauce Topping (optional)

You can leave the cheesecake as is, or top with our delicious homemade strawberry sauce. To make the sauce, you will need:

• strawberries - slice them thickly for the traditional chunks in the cheesecake’s strawberry sauce. Use fresh strawberries if possible, or thaw some frozen strawberries and slice them.
• granulated sugar
• orange juice - fresh squeezed is best, but you can use a natural orange juice concentrate if you need. You can also leave it out and just use water.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer), and a 9-inch springform pan.

How to Make the Best New York Cheesecake

First, make the crust.

1. Combine ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, stir Graham cracker crumbs and sugar together. Gradually pour in melted butter, continuing to stir until well mixed. 
2. Bake. Press the crumbs firmly into a 9-inch round springform pan. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour. 

Next, make the cheesecake filling.

 In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla extract together until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed until just blended. Repeat until all eggs are added and blended (Do not overmix to avoid cracking during baking).

Finally, assemble and bake.

1. Assemble. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth out the surface. 
2. Prepare boiling water bath. Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil and place the pan in a large baking dish. Fill the dish with 1 inch (2 cm) deep of boiling water. 

3. Bake. Move the baking dish to the oven and bake for 1.5 hours in the boiling water bath (This helps prevent sudden temperature drop and cracking).
4. Turn off heat. Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour, allowing it to continue baking slowly and cool down slowly.
5. Loosen edges.. Take the pan out of the oven and run a paring knife gently around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. 
6. Chill. Cover the pan with plastic cling wrap and transfer to the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 8 hours) to cool down and solidify.

Serve the cheesecake.

Remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Cut into slices and pour homemade strawberry sauce on top, if desired.

How to Make Strawberry Sauce for Cheesecake

1. Cook. In a small saucepan, add ¾ of the sliced strawberries, sugar, and orange juice and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are syrupy and the juices begin to release, approximately 5 minutes.
2. Simmer. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
3. Blend. Transfer the strawberry sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. 

4. Add more strawberries .Transfer the pureed sauce back to the saucepan. Add the remaining ¼ fresh strawberry slices and stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium for another 5 minutes. 
5. Cool. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature (or refrigerate until cool) before pouring on the cheesecake. 

How to Serve

Serve this Classic New York Cheesecake on it’s own or with some complimentary desserts and drinks. Some of our favorites are:

• Fruit Salad
• Chai Tea Latte
• Nutella Mousse
• White Hot Chocolate
• Matcha Latte

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store the entire cheesecake in an airtight container or wrap as tightly as possible in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

How to Freeze

Wrap the entire cheesecake in plastic cling wrap or cut the cheesecake into individual servings and wrap each one. Then, wrap in a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

More Cheesecake Recipes

• Blueberry Cheesecake
• No Bake Blackberry Cheesecake
• Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
• No Crust Burnt Basque Cheesecake
• Creamy Mango Cheesecake
• No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

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