New York Cheesecake
Dense, creamy baked cheesecake on a graham crust.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 200 g Graham crackers
- 700 g Cream cheese
- 200 g Sugar
- 4 Egg
- 80 g Butter
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 150 ml Sour cream (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 160C (320F).
- Crush the graham crackers to fine crumbs, stir in the melted butter until evenly damp, and press firmly into the base of a springform tin.
- Beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the sour cream and vanilla, into a smooth pourable batter.
- Pour the batter over the crust and bake in a water bath until the edges are set and the centre still has a slight wobble, about 60 minutes.
- Cool, then chill thoroughly until firm and cold all the way through, at least 4 hours.
- Slice and serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About New York Cheesecake
New York cheesecake is the dense, tall, custard-rich style of baked cheesecake that made the dessert famous, built almost entirely on cream cheese and set over a pressed graham cracker crust. Unlike lighter, airier cheesecakes, the New York version is unapologetically heavy and smooth, its batter enriched with sour cream and eggs and baked until it firms into something you can slice into clean, dense wedges. Vanilla is the only flavouring it needs; the point is the pure, tangy depth of the cheese itself. A springform tin makes it possible to release the tall cake cleanly for serving.
The defining technique in this recipe is the water bath, which surrounds the tin with gentle, even heat and keeps the custard from cracking or curdling at the edges. You bake it only until the rim is set but the centre still wobbles, then let the residual heat and a long chill finish the job — at least four hours in the fridge to firm it all the way through. That slow set is what gives the cake its cool, sliceable, luxuriously creamy texture. Serve it cold and plain to let the tang stand on its own, or top slices with fresh berries or a spoonful of fruit compote; it is a classic finish for a dinner party or holiday table, and it holds beautifully made a day ahead.
New York Cheesecake: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in New York Cheesecake?
One serving of New York Cheesecake has about 527 calories, with 8g of protein, 39g of carbs, 37g of fat and 1g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is New York Cheesecake gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Graham crackers. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is New York Cheesecake dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Cream cheese, Sour cream, Butter. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does New York Cheesecake take to make?
About 90 minutes start to finish, but only around 19 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make New York Cheesecake?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out sour cream — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does New York Cheesecake make?
This recipe makes 10 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.