Creamy Cheesecake Pie Recipe (with video!)
This is an easy cheesecake recipe, great for starting home bakers. You'll get more crust and less filling than with a regular cheesecake, and trust me, it's fantastic! The graham cracker crust has brown sugar for extra flavor, and the filling is soft and incredibly creamy. The baked pie lasts for several days and can be frozen.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs see Notes for alternatives
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 12 ounces regular cream cheese at room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or heavy whipping, at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup regular sour cream at room temperature
Instructions
For the crumb crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C).
- Have ready a 9-inch round pie pan (pie plate).
- In a medium bowl, mix 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Or add the sugar to the processor bowl when grinding the graham crackers and pulse once or twice to mix.
- Drizzle ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, over the crumb mixture and stir to mix with a spoon or spatula (or pulse if using the processor), until combined and no dry spots remain. It will look like wet sand.
- Put this mixture in the prepared pie dish and press firmly onto the sides and bottom. I recommend you start with the sides and make sure the angle where the side meets the base is firm.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack while making the filling.
- Don't turn the oven off.
For the cream cheese filling:
- Beat 12 ounces regular cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until very smooth. You can use a handheld electric mixer at low speed, or a wire whisk. If the cheese is at room temperature, mixing it by hand should not be a problem. We don't want to incorporate too much air into the batter.
- Gradually add ⅔ cup sugar and mix until it's well incorporated. If using a handheld electric mixer, use it only until this part and at low speed.
- Add 2 eggs all at once, mixing with a wire whisk until completely combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Be patient as the egg white sometimes takes a little longer to dissolve, and don't be tempted to beat. This is good for creaminess later.
- Add ⅓ cup heavy cream, ¾ teaspoon vanilla, and ¼ cup regular sour cream, stirring to incorporate well. You must have a lump-free batter.
- Scrape the mixture with a rubber spatula into the baked crust (it might still be warm, and that’s fine).
- Bake cheesecake pie for about 40 minutes, until the top is dry, but the filling still jiggles quite a bit in the center. It might take you a little longer (as a reader reports), but don't be tempted to bake it until the center is set or almost set. It will solidify as it cools and after it’s refrigerated. Turn off the oven and let the pie inside for 15 more minutes.
- Then cool completely to room temperature in the pie plate on a wire rack. Cover in plastic wrap (still in the pan, see Note below) and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. It's essential to chill it for several hours before eating it. Remove the plastic when you want to serve it. I leave it for 1 or 2 days for the creamiest consistency.
- Serve semi-cold or at room temperature, plain or with a topping (see Notes below for ideas).
- Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or frozen for up to a month. For the freezer, I wrap it in cling film first and then aluminum foil. Defrost at room temperature or in the fridge, depending on how much time you have.
Video
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven to check that your oven temperature is well calibrated and at the right temperature for each recipe. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Graham cracker crumbs: They must be finely crushed, so I recommend a food processor. If you don't have one, you can go the old-fashioned way of using a large storage plastic bag and a rolling pin. Put crackers in the bag, close it, and use the rolling pin to crush them until you have fine cookie crumbs. It takes several minutes, and you might need to adjust the amount of air inside the bag to allow easier rolling.
Creamy cheesecake: the temperature of ingredients, baking, cooling, and refrigeration times are essential for a good result, As is wrapping it to avoid dryness in the fridge, especially if you leave it a day or two. I use freezer sheets and carefully place it on top of the filling. You can also use plastic wrap. When the filling is firm due to the chilling time, even if the plastic was touching it, it will peel off without tearing. Just do it slowly and carefully.
Serving ideas:
Plain: if you like the flavor of cheesecake on its own, this is a great dessert to serve plain, cold or at room temperature. Fruit topping: Any sauce is fantastic as a topping, like blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce. Or any of our homemade berry compotes if you want a less thick option, as they don't have cornstarch. Caramel, dulce de leche, or chocolate: if you wish for a more contrasting flavor, a drizzle of salted or regular caramel sauce, homemade dulce de leche, or a chocolate sauce works wonderfully. You can also mix them like we do when going over the top with our favorite homemade fudgy brownies. Fresh berries: another alternative if you don't have time to make a sauce or want a lighter topping. Berries are acidic, so they pair very well with this rich and sweet cheesecake recipe. Cookie crusts: I use homemade graham crackers or regular graham crackers when I can get a hold of them, but Honey Maid graham crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, or vanilla wafers work well if you want to have a choice of cookie crusts.
Plain: if you like the flavor of cheesecake on its own, this is a great dessert to serve plain, cold or at room temperature. Fruit topping: Any sauce is fantastic as a topping, like blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce. Or any of our homemade berry compotes if you want a less thick option, as they don't have cornstarch. Caramel, dulce de leche, or chocolate: if you wish for a more contrasting flavor, a drizzle of salted or regular caramel sauce, homemade dulce de leche, or a chocolate sauce works wonderfully. You can also mix them like we do when going over the top with our favorite homemade fudgy brownies. Fresh berries: another alternative if you don't have time to make a sauce or want a lighter topping. Berries are acidic, so they pair very well with this rich and sweet cheesecake recipe. Cookie crusts: I use homemade graham crackers or regular graham crackers when I can get a hold of them, but Honey Maid graham crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, or vanilla wafers work well if you want to have a choice of cookie crusts.
