Easy Baked Cheesecake Recipe (with video!)

The easiest, creamiest and best baked cheesecake I ever tried! And I've tried many. You can customize the crust and the topping, make it round and tall or rectangular and short for cheesecake bars. It's always a crowd pleaser, everybody's favorite. And it freezes beautifully so you can make it ahead. 

This is my favorite cheesecake recipe, the one I always go to. The one that has people asking for the recipe all the time. Or rather asking me to make it for them, since,  you know, you are 'the baker' in the family.

Most of my other cheesecake recipes in this blog are based on this one, like the very popular Oreo Cheesecake.

The filling is wonderfully traditional, but I used a chocolate cookie base and a mixed berry topping. Chocolate, cheesecake, and berries together is a fantastic idea. It always will be. And this cheesecake is creamy, cheesy, not too sweet, and enough to feed a small crowd.

If you want the best and easiest baked cheesecake, I'm partial to this recipe, haha. For no-bake cheesecakes, check out my complete guide, it's awesome.

About this recipe

• Bake ahead: as with most cheesecake recipes, it is recommended that it’s baked a few days before eating. That means that you can serve a last-minute fabulous cheesecake for dessert with minimal fuss. It lasts for 4-5 days in the fridge, well covered, without the topping.
• Topping: can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for a week or frozen for a month or more.
• Freezing: it can be frozen for up to a month. Wrap it well in plastic and then in aluminum foil and you have cheesecake any time you want. Defrost it at room t°, unwrapped.
• Different pans: this is a recipe that is great for a traditional 8 or 9-inch round cheesecake, with a nice height and graham cracker crust and for cheesecake squares like in the photos.
• Dessert for a crowd: cheesecake is such a favorite for most people, so bake this recipe in a rectangular pan (the cake will not be as tall as you can see in the images), and then you can cut it in smaller squares and feed many more guests. If you do two cheesecakes you can serve dessert to 24 persons or so, depending on the size of the bars.

Ingredients

I am very particular about not adding starches (flour, cornstarch, etc) to my cheesecake fillings. I know that the oven and refrigerator will accomplish what I want: the creamiest cheesecake that cuts perfectly.

So the ingredients are few and mostly kitchen staples:

• Cream cheese: full fat is always the best because it adds creaminess. I use the regular supermarket variety, not the whipped or anything like that.
• Sour cream: it adds a needed tanginess to balance the richness of the cream cheese.
• Eggs: regular or large will work. I have made this cheesecake a million times and the egg size was never an issue as long as they are not very small or very large.
• Sugar: white sugar works best, but you can use brown, fine muscovado or coconut sugar. Beware that the last two don't sweeten as much as regular sugar does.
• Vanilla: I use vanilla paste whenever I can. It is stronger in my opinion than liquid vanilla and has those tiny specks from the seeds. I find the flavor is deeper. As this is a traditional cheesecake filling I don't use any other flavorings.

The cookie crust

I like a traditional graham cracker crust or a chocolate crust, like the one in the image below.

• Ground cookies: I like to process them until they're like fine breadcrumbs. Any type of plain cookie works, graham crackers or vanilla wafers or chocolate wafers like I did today. Don't be tempted to use filled cookies as they will be too greasy and clump and just complicated to use.
• Butter: unsalted is what I use. Any type of butter you like works.
• Other ingredients: some people like to make it sweeter and add a few tablespoons of sugar to the cookies. Also, some ground nuts (pecans, walnuts, and almonds work really well) can be added, maybe ⅓ cup, substracting it from the ground cookie amount.

Berry topping

Ah, the popular berry topping for cheesecake.

A mixed berry topping is at the top of my list when berries are not in season. It's incredibly easy to make with frozen fruit and I enhance it with lemon juice and some premium raspberry or blackberry jam to give it more structure. This recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

But after this cheesecake recipe was first posted, I shared a fantastic Simple Blueberry Sauce recipe and Strawberry Sauce recipe that are great to use as a cheesecake topping.

Easy steps

If you follow the recipe and the details in each step (like temperature of ingredients), this is a fairly simple process.

I put together a step-by-step video to guide you 👇🏻

1

For the crust: mix ground cookies with melted butter until no dry spots remain.

2

It should look like wet sand and clump when you grab some of it.

3

Press firmly onto bottom of round or rectangular pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

4

For filling: ingredients at room temperature. Mix cream cheese until very smooth and creamy.

5

Add sugar and integrate well. It will start to dissolve a little.

6

Add eggs, 2 or 3 at a time and mix to integrate, without beating.

7

Add flavorings and cream. Mix well until you have a smooth batter.

8

Pour into prepared pan (round or square). Bake, cool, and refrigerate as directed.

Check out my other content @VintageKitchenNotes on Jumprope.

Creaminess

There are three steps needed to get a creamy cheesecake: right mixing of the batter, oven temperature and the right cooling process.

• Cheesecake batter: the key is not beating it so that we don't incorporate air. If the ingredients are at room temperature, you should have no problem. What I do is use that as my way of knowing if they're at the right temperature: if I'm not able to easily mix the batter with a hand whisk is because the ingredients have not softened enough.
• Oven temperature: low is better than medium. I have gone back and forth for years testing this. And even though I might bake it at the standard 350°F/180°C for ten minutes initially, the bulk of the baking is done at 300°F/150°C at the most, sometimes less than that. Similar to baking a flan recipe, the lower temperature ensures that the batter doesn't puff up much. The cheesecake will slightly rise, but not much.
• Cooling process: this is crucial and it consists of 3 parts: letting it cool for a while in the oven after it's turned off; letting it completely cool to room temperature on a wire rack; refrigerating it for at least 8 hours (a whole day is better). I have tested this thoroughly and it renders the creamiest cheesecakes.

Traditional cheesecake variation

Round pan: use a regular 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with removable bottom and you can have a classic cheesecake that yields 8 servings.

Topping: if were going the traditional way, the best way to eat the cheesecake is with the Strawberry Sauce topping. It's phenomenal in flavor and so easy to make!

My top tips

• Cookies: use regular wafers, plain chocolate cookies. Or alternatively, use a graham cracker crust. The cheesecake will be amazing too.
• Ingredients: all filling ingredients must be at room t°. It’s the way you ensure they all mix well without overbeating the batter. This is so important and part of how you achieve a creamy consistency.
• Creaminess: besides the ingredients, make sure you bake it in a medium/low oven, turn it off while the cheesecake still jiggles a lot, and leave it at least 24 hours in the fridge. I suggest refrigerating it for 2 days. I find the texture is superior.
• Freezing: cheesecakes can be frozen and, in my opinion, many times they are creamier and softer after a stay in the freezer. There’s probably a chemical explanation.
• Topping: Keep in mind the ratio of filling and berry sauce. This is not a very tall cake as it's baked in a rectangular pan, so too much topping will not let the filling shine.

Other recipes you might like:

Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it, and also if you had issues, so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here, it's much appreciated.
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Easy Baked Cheesecake

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cooling + refrigeration time: 12 hours
• Cook Time: 65 minutes
• Total Time: 13 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 8-12 servings 1x
• Category: Cheesecakes
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

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Description

The easiest, creamiest and best baked cheesecake I ever tried! And I've tried many. You can customize the crust and the topping, make it round and tall or rectangular and short for cheesecake bars. It's always a crowd pleaser, everybody's favorite. And it freezes beautifully so you can make it ahead.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cookie base:

• 2 cups (200g) ground chocolate or graham cracker wafers
• ½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted

For the cream cheese filling:

• 32oz (930g) regular cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• ¼ cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
• ¼ cup whipping or heavy cream, at room temperature

For the berry topping:

• 1 ½ cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen
• 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2-3 tablespoon good raspberry or blackberry jam
• Or make the Basic Blueberry Sauce or the Strawberry Sauce (topping). 

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Instructions

For the cookie base:

1. Preheat oven at 350°F /180°C.
2. Spray or butter an 8x11 inches (20x27cm) rectangular pan or a 9-inch round cake pan with removable bottom. If you want to line the pans: for the rectangular one, line with a piece of parchment paper that covers the bottom and up the two long sides of the pan. You will have two short sides without paper. For the round pan, release the sides and cover the bottom part with a large piece of aluminum foil. Press so it covers the bottom and sides, making sure it doesn't tear. Put the round part on top, over the foil and close it. It will compress the foil. Grab the excess paper and bring it up so it sticks to the sides. Both of these methods makes it easier to remove the cheesecakes when they are cold; you lift the paper and take out the cheesecake.
3. Grind cookies in the food processor, add the melted butter and mix until the mixture looks like wet sand. Or add already crushed cookies to the bowl with the melted butter and mix with a spoon.
4. Put this mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly onto the bottom.
5. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
6. Don't turn the oven off.

For the cheese filling:

1. Mix cream cheese in a large bowl until very smooth. You can use a handheld mixer or wire whisk. If the cheese is at room temperature, mixing them by hand should not be a problem. If using a hand held electric mixer, use it only for this part and at the lowest temperature. We don't want to incorporate air into the batter. 
2. Gradually add sugar and beat until sugar is very well incorporated.
3. Add eggs, in 2 additions, mixing until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Be patient and don't be tempted to beat much. 
4. Add vanilla, sour cream, and cream, stirring to incorporate.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan of choice.
6. For the rectangular pan:
   Bake for 10 minutes at 325°F/165°C, turn the oven down to 275ºF/140*C, and bake for another 35-40 minutes. At this point, the cheesecake should jiggle quite a lot in the center. This can vary depending on your oven. Don't be tempted to bake it longer. It will solidify as it cools. 
   For the round pan: 
   Bake for 10 minutes at 325°F/165°C, turn the oven down to 300ºF/150*C, and bake for another 50-55 minutes. At this point, the cheesecake should jiggle quite a lot in the center. This can vary depending on your oven and it can take even longer. Don't be tempted to bake it longer. It will solidify as it cools. 
7. Turn the oven off and, without opening the door, let the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Remove from oven and carefully run a smooth blade around the top of the sides to loosen up any batter that might've stuck. This will help with it not developing cracks as it cools and shrinks. 
8. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack, wrap in plastic (still in the pan) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. I highly recommend 1 or 2 days of refrigeration for the creamiest consistency before removing from the pan and eating it.

For the topping:

1. Put berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
2. Cook over low heat until the juices bubble and are beginning to look syrupy, about 5 minutes.
3. Take the pan out of the heat and add 2-3 tablespoons jam. Mix well.

To assemble:

1. Take the cheesecake from the refrigerator.
2. Lift it aiding yourself with the pieces of parchment paper that overhang from the sides for the rectangular pan. For the round pan, bring down the foil that is sticking to the pan, open the side circle and remove. Lift the foil carefully and placce your hand, palm side up, between the foil and the bottom of the pan. Lift the paper carefully and you will have the cheesecake in your hand. You can also do this with a large spatula but be careful not to tear the paper and the crust. Push down the foil and transfer the cheesecake to the other hand to remove the last part. Be careful as you place it on the serving plate.
3. Top with the berry topping and serve.

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Notes

• Dessert for a crowd: cheesecake is such a favorite for most people, so bake this recipe in a rectangular pan (the cake will not be as tall), and then you can cut it in smaller squares and feed many more guests. If you do two cheesecakes you can serve dessert to 24 persons or something. It depends on the size of the servings.
• Cookies: use any type of plain wafers, chocolate or vanilla. Or alternatively, use a traditional graham cracker crust which you can also buy probably and save yourself a step. 
• Ingredients: all filling ingredients must be at room temperature. It’s the way you ensure they all mix well without beating the batter. This is so important and part of how you achieve a creamy consistency.
• Creaminess: besides the ingredients, make sure you bake it in a medium/low oven, turn it off while the cheesecake still jiggles a lot, and leave it at least 24 hours in the fridge. I suggest for 2 days. I find the texture is superior. 
  Cheesecake batter: the key is not beating it so that we don't incorporate air. If the ingredients are at room temperature, you should have no problem. What I do is use that as my way of knowing if they're at the right temperature: if I'm not able to easily mix the batter with a hand whisk is because the ingredients have not softened enough.
  Oven temperature: low is better than medium. I have gone back and forth for years testing this. And even though I might bake it at the standard 350°F/180°C for ten minutes initially, the bulk of the baking is done at 300°F/150°C at the most, sometimes less than that. Similar to baking a flan recipe, the lower temperature ensures that the batter doesn't puff up much. The cheesecake will slightly rise, but not much.
  Cooling process: this is crucial and it consists of 3 parts: letting it cool for a while in the oven after it's turned off; letting it completely cool to room temperature on a wire rack; refrigerating it for at least 8 hours (a whole day is better). I have tested this thoroughly and it renders the creamiest cheesecakes. 
• Freezing: cheesecakes can be frozen and, in my opinion, many times they are creamier and softer after a stay in the freezer. There’s probably a chemical explanation. But it's just my experience. Let thaw in the fridge overnight and then at room temperature. The slower it defrost, the better the texture. 
• Topping: Keep in mind the ratio of filling and berry sauce if making sqaures or bars. This is not a very tall cake as it's baked in a rectangular pan, so too much topping will not let the filling shine.

Keywords: baked cheesecake

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.