Tips and Tricks
Use brand name cream cheese. A brand like Philadelphia works best I’ve found. Also be sure to use full fat cream cheese, it will give your cheesecake the best flavor and texture. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. It will blend and be more creamy than cold cream cheese. Use room-temperature eggs. Eggs straight from the refrigerator can actually cool your other ingredients and make the cheesecake batter chunky. To bring your eggs to room temperature quickly, place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about five minutes. Follow the steps for letting the cheesecake sit. The success of your cheesecake setting properly (and not cracking) depends on your patience with correctly following the steps. It is very important that you let your cheesecake sit in the oven and then on the counter for the recommended length of time. I promise it’s well worth the wait when your cheesecake turns out perfectly! Plan ahead. Since cheesecake has to sit for quite a while to set and cool properly and then chill in the refrigerator, I recommend making it the day before you want to serve it so you don’t feel rushed through any of the steps.
Other Cheesecake Recipes
This Lemon Cheesecake has the perfect lemony flavor. This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake doesn’t require any time in the oven. For another no bake cheesecake recipe, try this Cherry Cheesecake!
If you try this baked cheesecake recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment and let me know. This vanilla cheesecake recipe is reminiscent of that special piece of cake. It is simple but absolutely delicious. It is creamy and rich with the perfect graham cracker crust. This is the perfect easy cheesecake recipe.
Make the graham cracker crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. I like to crush my graham crackers in a food processor and then add the melted butter and sugar. The mixture should resemble wet sand. Press the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Bake the crust. Bake the crust for six to eight minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Then turn down the temperature of the oven. Beat the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Make the cheesecake filling. Beat in the sugar to the cream cheese. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the flour. Finally, beat in the vanilla extract. Bake the cheesecake. Pour the batter over the hot crust. Make sure the oven temperature has been lowered and bake for 35 minutes. Leave the cheesecake in the oven. Turn off the oven, leaving the cheesecake in it for one hour. As the oven begins to cool, it will finish cooking the cheesecake. Cool the cheesecake. Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for one hour and then in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Add fresh berries and stabilized whipped cream if desired and enjoy.
Adding flour: A small amount of flour prevents the eggs from solidifying which helps keep the cheesecake from shrinking and cracking. A shorter baking time: Because this cheesecake is only actively baking for 35 minutes, it can avoid drying out and shrinking which can lead to cracking. Leave the cheesecake in the oven: The hands-on time for this recipe is fairly short, however, it is extremely important to use patience with the cooling of your cheesecake. By leaving the cheesecake in the oven after you turn it off, it can continue to slowly cook and slowly cool. This gradual process is important and what makes this recipe different. With some patience and planning ahead, you will have the best homemade cheesecake ever!
This simple cheesecake can be enjoyed as is or dressed up many different ways. You can add raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries like in the photos, or pipe some stabilized whipped cream. While regular whipped cream will fall relatively quickly, while stabilized whipped cream will hold its shape. You could also add cherry pie filling, lemon curd, fudge, or caramel sauce. This vanilla cheesecake can be frozen as a whole or as individual slices. Once it has cooled completely, cover the cheesecake or slices tightly with foil and plastic wrap. Keep it in the freezer for up to three months and allow to thaw in the refrigerator before eating.
