Who doesn’t love a delicious, creamy cheesecake? This New York style Cheesecake is everything you want in a cheesecake and more. So delicious!

New York cheesecake

New York Cheesecake

The funny thing is, until recently, I had no idea why a cheesecake was actually called a New York cheesecake. It turns out that the addition of cream cheese was more or less a happy mistake by a New York chef and has been a standard addition to cheesecake recipes ever since. If you want to read the full history of cheesecake, click here.

Officially, a New York cheesecake is served without fruit on top. I made a mistake back then, but the cheesecake you see here was my very first cheesecake. So baked cheesecake. Not baked is what I call a cheesecake, but never mind.

The Daring Bakers

My very first cheesecake that I ate was a complete failure. It was heavy, gooey, and just not very tasty. So I wasn’t necessarily a fan when I saw the very first Daring Bakers challenge I entered. A New York cheesecake was the assignment. But a challenge is not a challenge if you give up right away, so I decided to make it and see how it turned out.

This cheesecake required the use of a water bath. The idea of using a water bath is that the top of the cheesecake doesn’t crack after cooling.  In the recipe I still included the water bath, but to be honest it didn’t work for me. It still cracked!

New york cheesecake

 The funny thing is that I have made a lot of cheesecakes since then and breaking is rarely a real problem. Besides, you often put something on top anyway, and then you don’t see those cracks anymore. Problem solved.

The funny thing about a good New York cheesecake is that right after it’s baked, it doesn’t look very cooked. It wobbles a little, and you’re probably wondering if it’s cooked at all. The good news is that the longer you leave it, the firmer it gets and the more it cools. I had my doubts when the cheesecake came out of the oven, but those doubts were not justified. This is seriously one of the most delicious New York cheesecakes I’ve made.

I served the New York Cheesecake with crushed strawberries and raspberries, but a generous dollop of heavy cream is also very tasty. 

How to make the New York cheesecake

When you think of it; making a cheesecake is really simple. It’s the when the cheesecake bakes that things tend to go wrong. But again – as mentioned before – a crack doesn’t make it any less delicious. So bake cheesecake with or without a water bath and just go with it.

Now for making it you first need a cookie crust. I use a spring form pan and line it with parchment paper. I melt butter in a small saucepan and using a food processor I make graham cracker crumbs. I place the crumbs in a large bowl and pour over the melted butter. Mix the two together so that all crumbs look a bit moist. Turn out into your lined baking tin and press them down firmly. This works well with a spoon or the back of tall glass. Place in the fridge while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

New york cheesecake

Making the filling

Now to make this classic New York cheesecake you use cream cheese and double cream. I use whole eggs too. Some people just go for the egg yolks to make it more creamier but I find using a whole egg works perfectly fine. Mix the cream cheese with the sugar until it is incorporated and smooth and creamy. You can do this with the paddle attachment of the stand mixer or a regular electric mixer as well. Turn the speed down to medium-low speed and add each egg one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula a few times in between. Once the eggs are in add the lime juice and vanilla with the double cream. Beat it until you have a smooth creamy texture. If you want a bit more lemony flavor add some lemon zest through the filling. Pour the cheesecake batter into the spring form pan on top of the crust and top on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Water bath

If you want to try the hot water bath boil the water first to make sure it is piping hot. Wrap your the sides of the spring form in aluminium foil to make sure no water leaks into the tin. Place the tin in a water bath that is slightly larger than your spring form (a roasting pan usually works) and make sure you place it carefully in the oven. 

Now let the cheesecake bake in the oven for about 55 minutes or until it’s almost done. It’s ok if the filling is still a bit wobbly. Turn off the oven and with the oven opened just a crack (using a wooden spoon stuck between the oven door usually works best) let it sit in the oven for another hour or so. Then take out and let it cool on a wire rack. Making a good cheesecake is a little time-consuming but it is totally worth it.

Topping

Once the whole cheesecake is completely cooled down you can add a topping to the surface of the cheesecake. You can simply go for a dusting of icing sugar or serve it with fresh fruits or a strawberry sauce. 

Can I bake the cheesecake without a water bath?

Honestly, a water bath is really inconvenient with a springform pan. There is a good chance that water will leak into the pan, so you really need to seal it first with aluminium foil or use a sealed pan. But then again, I don’t find it convenient to take it out of a sealed pan. So I never use a water bath these days. Like it or not, I haven’t really noticed a difference yet. But just try it. See what you like best.

What can I substitute for the cookies?

I made my first New York cheesecake with a regular graham cracker crust. But since that first time always like Bastogne cookies better. So that’s a good substitute. You can even substitute for gluten-free cookies if you want to make a gluten-free cheesecake.

Can I substitute the cream cheese?

I used mon chou cream cheese here but Philadelphia is a good choice as well. But any kind of cream cheese that is available in your country will do just fine. Don’t go for the skinny cream cheese though. That will seriously reduce the flavor.

How long can I keep the New York cheesecake?

This perfect cheesecake can be kept in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Make sure to cover with plastic wrap or an airtight container. Keep it without the topping and add that later. Without the topping you can even freeze it and keep it for 2-3 months.

How to check if my new york cheesecake is cooked?

The best way to check if your cheesecake is cooked is to gently move the tin. It’s probably cooked when it looks firm but still moves a little when you gently shake it. It will firm up once it cools down.

You might want to try these cheesecakes for next time:

New York cheesecake

New York cheesecake

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GangCake and cookies
KeukenAmerican

Easy, delicious and the perfect treat; make this New York cheesecake for yourself!
Check the recipe in Dutch
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 minutes
Total time 1 hour 5 minutes

12 people

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 180 gr biscuits
  • 120 g butter unsalted
  • 24 gr sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheese Cake

  • 700 gr cream cheese or another cream chees
  • 210 gr sugar
  • 3 eggs large
  • 220 gr double cream
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp liqueur to taste optional

How to make a New York cheesecake

  • Preheat the oven to 180ËšC. Prepare a pan of boiling water for the water bath.
  • Mix the crust ingredients and press them into your baking pan. You can cover only the bottom or the sides. Your choice.
  • Combine cream cheese and sugar in a mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in each egg before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add double cream, vanilla, lemon juice and alcohol and beat until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter several times to break up any bubbles. Place the pan in a larger pan and fill it with water. If it is not airtight, you can cover the inner pan with foil to keep the water out.
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes or until almost done. This is hard to tell, but if you look at the cake, it should be cohesive but still a little wobbly in the middle. It doesn’t need to be completely set at this point. Close the oven door, turn off the oven and let it cool for another hour. This will allow the cake to continue to bake and cool gently so that it doesn’t crack at the top. After an hour, you can carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath, let it cool on your countertop, then cover and place in the refrigerator to set completely.

Nutrition Information per portion

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1376IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.

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Simone van den Berg

Food blogger from the Netherlands. Loves good food. Likes to create healthy and easy recipes for daily use, but also loves the occasional sweet dish. Lives in the Netherlands with her two cats; Humphrey and Buffy. Profession: Food photographer, food blogger, recipe developer and nutritionist